If Only I Had Molly Weasley's Wand!

Imagine how quickly one could do stuff, like reorganize yarn, or maybe shuttles all shuttling across warps, clack, clack clack as the beater beats the weft in all over the house. As a kid I longed for that sort of magic and I guess I still do. Imagine!

The reality is that after a very long time (and having to go with option C on the list), a new yarn storage cabinet arrived and was quickly assembled by DH.



Actually, Option C is larger and higher than either option A or B, who all failed for one reason or another.  Option C was also substantially less expensive. I was going to link it but Amazon has tripled the price. I paid $103.00 free shipping and now it is $300.00. Ouch! Good thing I don't want another one. It is holding all cotton, linen and hemp yarns. Gene bought and cut some additional shelves.

Resident photo-bomber Jack

Other cabinets cleaned out and holding different yarns and weaving related things now with room for more yarn....





Open shelves have been rearranged, favorite books are now displayed along with some knick knacks.
The counter space is still available. It's busy,vibrant and somewhat neat, just like a studio should be.

There is also a typically weird Theresa addition. I saw this kind of creepy print (with glitter!), at the garden show a few weeks ago and had to have it.



 Dog Loves Books moved to the side of the new cabinet. Oh and look Dog Loves Chair!



 His reading skills leave a bit to be desired....squirrel watching though, A+.

And there is a new warp for Nick, a honeycomb weave for place mats and/or runners.



This is 8/4 cotton and some cottonlin doubled in the mix.

Up in the sewing salon, just a bit got done.



 New summer pants in a linen natural/bleach mix were made and you can see this fox print tunic in process is an almost perfect match.



A small quilt that I pieced and quilted 15 years ago FINALLY got bound.



 It needed a wash after all that time too. If you look carefully at the studio pictures you will see it serving as a runner on the big buffet of fiber goodness.

And a new quilt got its start.



There was a lot of cutting yesterday, this fancy eyelet is also destined for summer pants. This was expensive fabric but I think they will be a lovely cool option this summer.



 The top portion will get a half lining, like shorts inside!

Black and white seems to be the order of the day. I also started in on Fiona's runner warp.



I love it! It was a bugger on the measuring board but so worth it now.
There certainly was little time for lallygagging last week!

Did That Just Happen?

What goes around, comes around so I can't say I am saddened over a big game hunter killed by an elephant. Karma.

Some day soon I hope the Orange Asshat gets all the karma he deserves. It may be already happening with the new independent Russian investigation. Assuming in desperation he doesn't again try to put the kibosh on it. But while he overseas making us look stupid, lets take a close look at the budget, the cruel
terrible budget. Really, the GOP should just come clean and run on what they believe. Only rich white people should flourish in this country and the rest of you should just like, die. Now I don't truly believe all of those spineless ninnies believe that, but their leadership does. Complacent and I don't mean that kindly.

Love it or hate it, Ringling Bros. has had their last show.

Parting Shots: Wrapped up and rolled like a burrito.

Cover-Up

I know what you are thinking. I'm talking about quilted cover-ups! Lovely, fantastic, beautiful quilts all displayed at the Rogue Vally Piecemakers show. Friend Cindie and I met up for some oh'ing and ah'ing, some shopping and lunch. A perfect Friday really. I find it interesting that Cindie and I had few duplicates on the pics we took. Most notably the cat and mouse quilt and the interesting Dresden plate quilt. Pics of those are on her blog right here plus a whole bunch of others. This quilt show is always worthy of a full color catalogue, but alas they don't do one. Without further ado, here are some of the quilts that tickled my fancy!

Such perfect points on this compass quilt!

The wings on these hummers are so beautifully pieced!

 Out of all of them, this one was my favorite, the one I voted for as crowd favorite. Wonder if it won?

 And of course, some handmade gems came home with me. Fabrics of course, more on that later, and a set of 4 beautiful placemats. Here you see back and front.



And two adorable and simple flannel baby quilts. Perfect JRT size. Here is one in use.



Last week also saw the Firewise program make it to our house after being on the list for at least 2 years.



Our volunteer fire department has gotten the community together for a number of years in this program and ODF uses it to call their crews back and get them on the payroll while doing some amazing clearing and brush work for fire season preparedness. The window is short though, once they call fire season this work stops until next year



We have a beautiful defensible 100 feet around our house and our driveway has been limbed up. A crew of about 8 spent basically 10 hours with saws and a chipper.

Did That Just Happen?
I don't know about you, but this latest news cycle that started with the FBI director being fired while involved with an active WH investigation and has now gone moved onto serious intelligence leaks done by our bragging idiot of a POTUS has exhausted me. There is no rest though if you are poor or needy.
The GOP is an their own assault mission. Texas is out to get you if you are part of the LGBT community. And Obamacare is being slowly and effectively eroded while we are looking elsewhere at this freaking slow motion multiple pronged crisis in our country. This president must go and he should take most of the GOP with him. Such hate for people who are not wealthy or white.
But there is a little levity to share. Sean Spicer can come to hide out in a shrub near you!

Parting shot: The best seat in the house.

Contain Yourself!

I love well made useful containers of all stripes. How about you? There are always gewgaws and doodads from hobbies that need to be corralled. Mobile projects stuffed into bags and boxes to take along to appointments that promise lengthy wait times or to just have something for your hands to do while your mind takes flight in the sunlight from your outside deck chair.

So I'm showcasing some of the new pretties that are doing duty in my somewhat organized little corner of the world.

This box was found at a friends "clean out the house for selling" sale.



 Made in India a long while ago, covered in woven fabric and hand printed. The vestiges of holding something sparkly still apparent on the inside, it holds buttons now. A little treasure chest of ideas.

And this looks like it would hold something and it does.



It's a little Sidewinder for winding sewing machine bobbins. I can't believe how cheaply these are made, but it gets the job done, so far.

For Christmas last year I was given a beautiful Maker's Bag and found it perfect for holding projects or hanging off looms or keeping extra spinning wheel bobbins together and dust free. I said I was going to get another one some day and I did.



This again was made by Susie owner of Cheerio Textles. She makes all sorts of wonderful things and is quick to respond to inquiries via her Facebook page.

While at the local Jackson County garden/plant show this weekend, I picked up this beautiful basket to hold inkle loom stuff.



 It fits nicely on the Leclerc Cendrel and is keeping all sorts of little inkle extras handy. It was purchased from B&B Market Baskets. I got a cute sunhat from them too.

Lastly, this little pouch from Russia.



 This handsome leather Polar Bear is just waiting for his assignment. Maybe knitting accessories, or ? For now he sits on my dresser, making me happy whenever I see him. So beautifully made too. There were many wonderful things to choose from. Have a look yourself!

I want to thank each and everyone who took the time to leave a comment of comfort and support,  privately and on my blog on Marigold's passing. It was a tough week and your kindness and sympathy eased our burden greatly.  Hugs to all of you. Thank you so much!

The sewing salon did see me brooding a bit, I lost myself in a cutting frenzy and developed a new top variation using my much modified Scout Tee pattern block.





 I love this split back linen version and here is a sleeveless one.

this looks so much better in person.

 I had only ordered two yards of this cute Valorie Wells print so sleeves were out.

Again using this wonderful Moda Cross Weave cotton, another asymmetrical tunic was created.



 I had been given this adorable little Chihuahua charm and this seemed a perfect use for it



 along with some ribbon detail on the back.



Different dogs, dressed quite alike!

Little Fiona the wolf pup got her warp wound on and some threading started!



Did That Just Happen?

Let's lead with a bit of good news. France did not go for the populist candidate, voting instead to stay on a centrist course and maintain a seat at the table in the EU and NATO. Take that Putin!

The EPA is a mess and now this, the firing of scientific members of a major review board.

She's back....Sally Yates goes to the hill today and we are finally back on the ever emerging Russian collusion story.

Unless you have not bothered to pick up a paper or listen to the news, the Republicans in congress finally got through a tax cut bill for the wealthy masquerading as a health care bill. Oh my god. And worse, the Trump administration wants to stop you from protesting anything. Period.

I'd say Bread and Roses is just as important today as ever.

Parting shot: An equal opportunity cuddler.

Robin missed Marigold the most. I'm glad he paired up with Smoochie.

Old Friends

I want to thank you all for the comments on the sweet pics of Marigold and Robin. When I took them, I knew they were to be the last for Marigold. The Vestibular Syndrome made many things hard to manage and I suspect she had been having small debilitating episodes in recent months.  The dogs all hovered around her the last days. It was life in slow motion, you saw the inevitable coming ever so closer in small slices of life. Friday morning Gene took her down to the vet for me. She was my Dad's dog. I just couldn't do this one and it was with equal measure of shame, guilt and relief, that I willingly handed over this awful, necessary kindness to my DH when he volunteered.

Marigold was 14 years old. She had been raised from day one with her companion of 11 years, Pilot. They were both born on the same day, different litters, different breeders. My folks picked them up the same day at 10 weeks I think. They grew up together. I know when he went over the bridge she missed him terribly. When my folks moved to Oregon, Marigold came to live with us since they really couldn't have a dog and the two cats. She fit right in, the kids accepted their new big sister. She was a quiet dog, I have only heard her bark a few times ever, but she was also a stealthy counter surfer, a consummate table scrap beggar, a warm kind pillow for canine or feline and she could sure drag you along on a walk when she took a mind too! There must have been just a bit of terrier in her or at least terrier stubbornness!



She lived for Sundays, when my Dad came over to watch the Patriots play. When he was able, he was here at least once a week even in the off season. When he died, I know she knew, in whatever way animals know these things. And now, I like to think that she, Pilot and my Dad (and the many other wonderful fur friends that have passed long before), are reunited.

Instead of a parting shot, I'll leave you with this.