Updates on the Tote & Other Things

Now I know why I'm a fan of needlework, & not a sewing - I totally cut out the pieces for my tote bag wrong. You would think that with the paper pattern being just squares, that there wouldn't be too much that could go wrong.

Unless you're me.

Somehow I missed the part on the instructions that says that you are to lay the pattern on the fold of the fabric. Turns out that if you fail to do that, you end up with two squares instead of one long rectangle, which apparently you need for the bottom of the tote to be strong. I'm thinking I just may work with it though, by cutting another square the same size in a contrasting fabric, then sewing all three together into an even longer rectangle than what is in the original pattern & having the seam end up in the middle of the tote instead of the bottom. Hopefully this will give a pleasing wide stripe. If not, well, at least it was made from discarded jeans, & not new fabric.

Just read with amusement a post about the K-Tel Knitter (I remember it being called the Looper when I had it), from Noreen Crone-Findlay here. I was quite amazed at how she figured out how to make the loops when she didn't have the instructions included with it. I remember when I played around with the knitter about 10 years ago, how complicated it was to make the stitches, & thinking "Why would anybody want to spend 2 minutes making one lousy looking stitch? Arghhhh!" It stayed within my mind as the bane of the needlework world ever since. Yes, Noreen, it is a pig's ear - & a dirty one at that!

We still have to get things sorted out with Sasktel at Dan's business, but on my end of things, I'll be going back to using Skype. Dan also brought me home a cell phone for my own use, so that I have something for emergencies & when the power goes out. I've never been a big fan of cells, mainly because I have partial hearing damage (unsolicited advice to teens - this is a direct result of me blasting music in my ears constantly with my walkman for 5 years straight - mp3 players & ipods will do the same thing too) which has prevented me from being able to hear the person on the other end of most models, which kind of defeats the purpose of having a phone. Anyway, the cell DH got for me has a decent volume control & the sound is very clear - I could actually hear him when I tested it - Yippee! I only have a calling plan for now, but think I'll be upgrading to the data plan in the near future, so that I can post pics & check prices on Ebay when I'm at the thrift stores.

In the mean time, I've started crocheting a pair of ornamental baby booties in thread. I'm really liking the pattern so far - it's from a booklet from Annie's Crochet Newsletter called Sweet Sentiments. If I'm happy with the finished results, I'll probably put a few on consignment in the local gift shop here - they are always looking for new things, and they've been sadly lacking in baby shower items for some time now - hopefully I can fill in that need. I've also rediesgned the graphics for some of the crafting CDs that I sell through my Ebay & Etsy store - I think they look a lot more professional now & hope that will spark some more sales for me. I really must get some more vintage patterns scanned into ebooks & deal with all that raw wool sitting in barrels in my house too.

And if I'm not busy enough, I'm going to become a Usborne Books direct seller. I had been buying the books for awhile for my children to supplement their home school curriculum. It just made sense that now that I have 4 children being home schooled this year, & with the volume of books I purchase (the kids & I are all major bibliophiles), that I should at the very least get a consistant discount on my purchases. I just have to wait for them to approve my application - it's only been since Friday that I faxed the forms, but I'm already feeling impatient - I wanna buy some books right now :)