Sunday Sevens 06-04-17

Tags

Gas Works Park, geese, Howard Amon Park, Richland, Seattle, Sunday Sevens, travel, University of Washington, Washington, West Richland

Interesting clouds lit up at sunset (Howard Amon Park, Richland, WA)

Today’s pictures feel like an especially random assortment, but they’re the most memorable ones from the last couple of weeks.

These solicitous parents kept steering the fam over to the banks of the river so the little ones could eat the grass there.  I’m wondering what kind of goose that is at the center rear of the photo; not our usual Canada Geese or Snow Geese (this photo is also from my walk in Howard Amon Park).

The west side of the state was its usual leafy green.  This was taken on the University of Washington campus.

Some nifty details on the Henry Gallery on the UW campus.  This very retro looking building was built in 1996.

Some of the massive old machinery in Gas Works Park.  An unusually warm and sunny day so we were surrounded by many, many bright white people removing as much clothing as possible.

My friend Heidi was a little harrumph-y about the graffiti up near the top of this thing but, honestly, I have nothing but respect for the commitment of anybody willing to get over that fence and climb all the way up there (humans included for scale).

Top of the hill in Gas Works Park.  Obligatory Seattle landmark visible at the right rear.

Detail of the sundial in the park.  I couldn’t get a good shot of the whole thing–it’s pretty big–but it’s very cool with lots of interesting details.  Oh, and it works!

Another fun detail from the sun dial.  There are four of these drains marking the four directions.

Back on the east side of the state, partner and I tried out the new trail up Candy Mountain.  We’re looking down on West Richland here.  Note the contrast of the natural desert landscape (technically, “shrub-steppe”) in foreground (this is probably the greenest it ever gets) and the irrigated land below.

A big thank you, as always, to Natalie of Threads and Bobbins for starting Sunday Sevens and letting us show glimpses of our homes to the world.

Have a very excellent week and I hope you’re finding a little beauty wherever you are.

STH

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Make-a-List Monday 02-15-16

Tags

#2016FAL, 2016 FAL, Butterick 6247, clothing, Columbia Park, Ellensburg, Kennewick, Make-A-List Monday, Seattle, sewing, travel, Washington

You want to watch where you step in eastern Washington (taken at a rest stop between Yakima and Ellensburg).

Well, I didn’t really intend to, but I managed to let two weeks go between posts.  I’m still here, though, and still sewing, so let’s see how I did on my last list.

 

• Finish the purple top.

Done!

This project made me a little nervous–I was worried the fabric was going to be a nightmare to work with, I didn’t know if the style would work on me, I was unsure about the sizing, etc.  I cut a large, which was a bit of a risk, but the pattern has 5 1/2 inches of ease, so I figured that was plenty; I’m really glad I didn’t just go by my measurements, or this would have been MAMMOTH on me.  And I wasn’t sure what finished length I’d want on this style, so I didn’t shorten the pattern, as I do with pretty much everything.  I wound up cutting off 4 inches at the hem, and it’s still fairly long and drapey.

Oy, I took a record number of bad photos recently.  Blech.

Everything went well until it came time to sew the hems.  The bottom layer was hard enough, but I used my machine’s stretch stitch and rolled hem foot to get it done.  The top layer was a major hassle, though; I made this hem narrower and, for some reason, the sewing machine just didn’t want to move the fabric along, and the stitches wound up tiny.  Partway through, I decided to go to a regular straight stitch, as this part of the shirt really doesn’t need to stretch, anyway.  So I’m a little embarrassed by the way the hem looks, but there’s no way I could rip it out without destroying the fabric.

I’m still loving this top, though.  It’s so soft and cuddly and purple!  I’ve seen so many cheap and nasty jerseys, but this fabric is just lovely, and I love the swingy drape of the style.  And it’s purple!

(Mark your scorecards, everybody–this is my finish #2 for the 2016 Q1 Finish-Along.)

• Cut out the lining for the jacket.

Done!

• Finish the jacket.

Um, nope.  I actually spent the last week making these:

My partner and I had a table at the Bike Swap in Seattle last weekend, and I decided to make some little zipper bags to sell along with all the bike gear.  Sold a few, gave one to my honey, and the rest will probably go to SCRAP to be sold there.

So, next week’s list:

• Finish the jacket.

That’s it.  I’m tired of it and I want it finished so I can move on.  I’ve been nervous about it, so I’ve been busily procrastinating away with other projects, but I need to just stop thinking about it and DO IT.  I’ve decided that my reward for finishing it is going to be making my lovely Kaffe Fassett dress.

And I’ll leave you with some recent photos from my travels.

Yep, eastern Washington in February, complete with tumbleweed.  This is a wheat field on a hill above Kennewick; partner and I were scouting possible bike routes.

Interesting tree bark with moss from a walk with my mother near the fishing pond in Columbia Park.

Snowy hills outside Ellensburg on our way to Seattle.

Obligatory tourist shot, taken on a very soggy, gray Seattle day.

Needed to get a little color in there!  This is the Experience Music Project, which was very busy, despite the weather.

Have a great week everybody, and I hope you’re feeling bright and sunny, even if the weather is gray where you are.  Only two more weeks of February!

STH

 

Sunday Sevens: 03-15-15

Tags

cooking, recipe, Seattle, Seattle ReCreative, sewing, Sunday Sevens, travel, Washington, Woodland Park Zoo

I spent most of my time this week working on a present for my sister’s birthday, but here are a few pictures of the other stuff that’s been going on here.

Okay, this is totally cheating, because I’m sure I’ll blog about this at some point.  But on Monday I was tired and nursing a sore foot from too much exercising, so I didn’t do much except sit and work on this UFO from a class I took years ago.  It’s a hand applique quilt block with an interesting 3D look that I like.

(The quilt’s not even done, but I’m already regretting those dark pencil marks.  Several-years-ago-me, what were you thinking?)

Tuesday’s dinner was this hash with turkey sausage, broccoli, and spinach; I topped it with chopped tomatoes and green onion and shredded sharp cheddar.  Technique is here.

Me stylin’, as per usual.

From Thursday’s walk with my mother in Columbia Park.

Friday’s task was to make cookies for my honey’s Saturday randonnee, which just happened to fall on Pi Day.  So I made cookies with filling, the closest I could get to portable pie he could eat with his hands.

Any kind of jam would work in these; I pulled some homemade Rum Raisin Apple Butter and peach-blueberry jam out of the freezer and used those.

Early Saturday, my partner headed out for his (rainy, windy, AND hilly!) ride, while I met up with my bestest BFF for a day of fun.

First we headed to Seattle ReCreative, looking for craft bargains.  Oh, what a fun place!  Lots of random and interesting odds and ends there for all sorts of creative endeavors, plus room for classes and kids’ activities.  If you don’t mind a little digging, there are a lot of treasures there.

I was in the mood for a splurge, and came out of there with a bag of fabric:

Can you tell I’ve been longing for bright, spring-y fabrics?

(Not shown is a dark blue crinkled rayon maxi skirt that’s going to be cut up and refashioned.)

I got about 10 yards of fabric for $11–that’s my kind of splurge right there.

Next was a massive diner brunch, then on to Woodland Park Zoo, where we obviously failed to impress this very handsome family of lions.

After yet another huge brunch this morning (I have definitely exceeded my quota of hash browns this weekend), honey and I headed home.

Have a wonderful week, folks, and find the time to connect with a friend if you can.

STH

Photography 101, Day 10: Mystery

Tags

photo101, Seattle, travel, Washington, Woodland Park Zoo

I wonder where the mountain goat is today . . . .

Taken Saturday at Woodland Park Zoo, Seattle, WA.

Sunday Sevens 02-08-2015

Tags

recipe, Seattle, sewing, Sunday Sevens, travel, Washington

Busy week here, with both of us sick early in the week, then the Bike Swap in Seattle today.

Just a small portion of the stuff to take to the Bike Swap–half our living room was taken over by gear (and gears!)

Recipe here; I used whole wheat flour, turkey pepperoni and sausage, and part-skim ricotta and mozzarella for these.

I got a very polite kick in the butt from the designer of the pattern I promised to test–must finish that this week!

Partner had previously asked me to remove the pocket from this bike bag, then he asked me to put it back on so he could sell the bag at the Swap.  Out came the big needle (which I promptly broke), thimble, and pliers.  Not my most favorite kind of sewing.

I grew up in the ’70s watching musicals–how is it that I never even heard of this one?  Someone on Tumblr recommended it to me, but I couldn’t even imagine what a musical about the Declaration of Independence would be like.  It turned out to be surprisingly fun.  Yeah, it was made in the ’70s, so there’s some orange-y makeup and Liberace-esque wigs, but how can you beat a movie that has Thomas Jefferson with writer’s block because he’s, um, missing his wife?

Apple pasty–part of our Saturday night dinner in Seattle.

Bonus tourist shot:

A few bits from our very successful Bike Swap!

Have a great week, everybody.

STH