Thimbleanna

Month: July 2014

Pink Shirt

Some of you may remember way back in the fall of 2011, I finished these pink socks and posted them with a picture of pink flowers in hopes that I would make a pink flower shirt the following spring.

Thimbleanna: Pink Shirt

Well, better late than never, as they say.  Luckily, I haven’t worn the pink socks out yet and I can now happily wear them with my new pink shirt.

Thimbleanna: Pink Shirt

I used my favorite shirt pattern and Sarah Jane’s Meadow print from her Children at Play line.  I’ve been hoarding some of this fabric — I just love those cute little pink flowers.

Thimbleanna: Pink Shirt

I’ve only used this pattern with corduroy before, so the fit seems a little looser with cotton.  I’m sure it will soften up with wear though, just like the corduroy shirts.

Thimbleanna: Pink Shirt

I love that little pleat in the back.  Someday I’m going to make a version of this shirt and put a little tag back there.  I also love MeMum’s clothesline.  I could take pictures of those pretty green wires and the weathered clothespins all day long.  Sorry for the distraction!

Thimbleanna: Pink Shirt

Happy Hump Day!

XOXO,
Anna

Friday Five

Jeepers.  I don’t seem to be finding the time to blog!  It’s not that I’m super busy or anything — must be the lazy days of summer.  Anyway, here’s my Five for Friday (with a few gratuitous flower shots because you always have to have a picture and we have pretty blooming flowers now!):

1.  My exchange fabric for the Trip Around the World arrived this week and it’s perfect!  I love the sweet little print that came all the way from Australia and I’m excited to use it in my piecing.  She even included a handmade card with a little log cabin block.  So Cute!

Thimbleanna: Trip Around the World

2.  If you’re a knitter, you might enjoy these funny stock photos of knitters, found via Bekah.

Thimbleanna: Coneflowers

3.  The Yarn Harlot had a really funny post this week about a lost sock.  I almost spit out my diet pepsi when I read the line “Are you *&^!ing kidding me?”  Go have a good read to put it into context.  And in solidarity for lost handknit socks everywhere, here’s my sock on the kitchen floor.

Thimbleanna: Coneflowers

4.  I’ve been having a terrible time commenting on blogs that have that #$@%^$ word verification stuff on them.  Donna writes about this quite a bit and she has some good suggestions for fixing the problem.  If you have word verification and I usually comment on your blog but I haven’t been lately, it’s because I tried two or three times and then gave up.  Those things drive me crazy!

Thimbleanna: Zinnias

5. I was driving through Indianapolis the other day and snuck in a visit to one of my favorite yarn shops.  They’re having a 30% off everything in the store for the month of July (a fun surprise!) so I had to partake.  I thought these yarns would make these cute baby booties when I need fun little gifts.

  Thimbleanna: Yarn

Have a great weekend!
XOXO,
Anna

Still Trippin’

To quote one of my fellow American Trip Around the World Challenge bloggers, “I’m totally obsessed with this project”.  That’s why it’s been so quiet here — I’ve had my head down hand stitching these little blocks.  It’s really starting to get time-consuming now — it takes me at least an hour to do one side of one round.  Our challenge this month was to complete rounds 10 – 18 by today.  July 15th.  I put the last stitch in round 18 with 45 minutes to spare.  I know I didn’t really have to get it done by today, but I really want to try to stay on track.  It’s been my experience that a little slip in schedule can quickly become a big slip.

Thimbleanna: Trip Around the World

I did have a little burp in this month’s task.  I had cut out rounds 13 and 14 and then I had to clean up the fabric that was on every flat surface in my house because people were coming over for the 4th of July.  When it came time to stitch those rounds, I couldn’t find the little cut squares anywhere.  That’s what happens when I clean stuff up and cram it all into my sewing room.  I ended up re-cutting the fabrics in order to continue on.  And then, somewhere around round 17, I found the little devils (pictured below) neatly tucked away in the new train case sewing box.  Doh — didn’t think to look in the obvious place!

Thimbleanna: Trip Around the World

I’ve long since stopped finger-pressing the seams on the back, but I wish I was still pressing them.  They’re flopping all over the place and shedding threads.  I feel like I spend half of my stitching time plucking little threads off of the back and it’s driving. me. crazy!  The back does have a sort of pretty texture to it though.

Thimbleanna: Trip Around the World

Jan eloquently wrote about viewing your colors out-of-focus, so I thought it would be fun to look at my block that way.  It’s so funny to me how this block is taking shape — I don’t feel like these colors are “me” at all.  I’m not sure what “me” colors are,  and I like these colors, but they don’t quite feel right.  I’d love to make another version in different colors.  Or maybe ten more versions — then maybe I’d find “me”!

Thimbleanna: Trip Around the World

A little closer look and you can see some of the prints a little better.  I love the Alison Glass text print so I had to try to use it here.  I threw in three blue rows in a row in an attempt to “blue up” this block, but it doesn’t seem to be working.  I still see predominately yellow and brown.

Thimbleanna: Trip Around the World

I might have to get more aggressive with the blue this next month. We have a fun new twist to the challenge. A partner will send us each a quarter yard of fabric and we have to use it in a round. I’m afraid to do any more rounds until I see my exchange fabric so I hope it will arrive soon!

We’re having the most beautiful summer this year. This week we’re experiencing another polar vortex and let me tell you, a polar vortex in July is a whole lot more fun than a polar vortex in January! I’d gladly suffer through the brutal winter that we had this year in order to have a beautiful, cool summer. As a snow lover, I feel like we hit the weather jackpot this year. I wish I could share our cool summer with those of you who are burning up here in the northern hemisphere– come for a visit!

XOXO,
Anna

Five Things

Otherwise known as Friday Five but I just couldn’t get around to it on Friday — or Saturday!

1.  First and Foremost — I hope all of you in the U.S. had a great 4th of July.  We had a fun mix of people here for a cookout — our little family was scattered and we were missing one CrazyBIL (who is being Crazy in Brazil at the moment) and three of the five kids.  We were joined by family friends though, and they made it extra festive by providing party hats.  Lots of fun and laughs.

Thimbleanna: July 4th

2.  Winston (sporting his new summer haircut) was here for a visit too.  Some of you have asked how Winston gets along with the resident cats.  It’s a Love/Hate relationship — Winston loves the cats, they hate him LOL.  Poor little Winston — since he’s still a puppy, he’s all over the place and he wants to play with anything that moves.  Paulkitty is mostly terrified and runs to hide.  The Scruffster is a different story though.  He has a mean hiss and he’s discovered that he can scare Winston.  So, he’s in charge and poor Winston does whatever he wants.  I think Scruff is like a grumpy old many though — he has to be mean but really wants to be nice.  Here he is, cautiously checking out that bouncing puppy who finally fell asleep.  He didn’t dare go any closer — for fear he’d have to rear up on his hind legs and let out a ferocious growl to maintain control of the house if that puppy woke up.

Thimbleanna: Winston and Scruff

3.  I started crocheting a pink Happy Birthday pillowcase using this fabulous tutorial and this fabric.  Love, Love, Love!

Thimbleanna: Pillowcase Crochet

4.  My Zinnias are looking beautiful this year.  Last year I hardly had any because of a hail storm and this year …  I’m a little disappointed again!  I’ve ended up with some dwarfy version of a zinnia.  They need spinach or something to be real zinnias!!!  Apparently third time is a charm, so I’m hopeful for next year — I’ll be more careful when picking my seeds.  They’re pretty and healthy this year though — even if they are microscopic LOL!

Thimbleanna: Zinnias

5.  We’ve had the most beautiful weather the last few days — unseasonably cool.  So, if you’ll excuse me, my bike is out and I’m off for a bike ride to visit MeMum and BigDaddy!

Thimbleanna: Happy Bike

XOXO,
Anna