Little Girls ....

Have I mentioned how I love little girls clothes? Probably not ... but now you have heard it from me. I LOVE little girls clothes. However, I like little girls clothes to carry a twist. I find pastel has its place, but I much prefer a bolder look. After talking to a few wee ones, I have discovered they want to look like their Moms.

As soon as I find decent little girl mannequins ... or a way to photograph the little darlings clothes, I will begin sell them (the clothes, not the little girls) on etsy. Here is one of the outfits. This one is a girls size 6. Three pieces consisting of jacket, skirt and petti-underskirt.

Back to the mannequins. Ebay has some nice cloth type ones that appear to be right up my ally. The one I have now is a hard plastic and there is NO way to manage the arms properly. It is beyond difficult working sleeves of dresses onto this bazaar mannequin. So, as soon as I replace her, I think she can go to live at Goodwill or something.

Idiom for the day: Can't Cut the Mustard .... in other words, a new girls mannequin is an absolute must!

The sky is, again, abeautiful shade of blue and hardly a breath of air ...colors are beginning to turn. Autumn is beautiful here ....

Idiom: Sitting on pins and needles ... OUCH!

Alright, so it doesn't mean to actually sit on pins and needles .... but it does mean someone is very anxious and/or nervous. Where am I going with this, you ask? Well, it never ceases to amaze me how life can generally get in the way with something you may really want to do. If you find yourself overly thinking about those desired aspects you find yourself anxious. But! ....

Life is finally calming down.

I "should" be able to get crafting and work out those business ambitions.

I should ... I should ... I should ...

Well, here is to a positive outcome. As always, I have such high hopes and dreams to really get my business up and running. So many things that scream for attention from sewing to knitting and a bazillion things in between.

I woke up this morning to the sun shining. The sky has been the most amazing color of blue today. My sewing room is completely located to a wonderful new room. And as I sit here writing to you on this blog site called Pins and Tangled Needles, the only anxiety I feel is the anticipation of the bright days coming.

Perhaps each blog should contain a Idiom ... I like them ... they make me smile.

Have a tremendous rest of the day ... see you tomorrow!

Ewe Ewe Yarns Cafe Latte Cowl Knitting Patterns - NobleKnits Yarn Shop

Ewe Ewe Yarns Cafe Latte Cowl Knitting Patterns - NobleKnits Yarn Shop

I absolutley love this little pattern! Is it to early to start thinking winter knit wear? I mean really ... is it?

As I sit here, pondering this question in the comfort of an airconditioned house, knowing that it is 90+ degrees outside, I know I can long for the cooler months of fall. So with that in mind, shouldn't I be prepared? Shouldn't I enter the cooler months in style?

ABSOLUTELY!!!!''This pattern will be downloaded ASAP, and with kniting needles in hand, I will venture into the land of COOL!

Farewell Young Zucchini ....

Never have I seen a Zucchini plant die! The hail we experienced while living in Cheyenne, Wyoming never even killed the ever producing plant. I have gone from going to bed at night, horror filled, just knowing those 3 inch fruits were going to be 2 feet long when I awake in the morning, to, "What the heck is going on with these plants?!" (yes, you read that right, we are insane enough to love zucchini and we plant more than one plant .... sigh ....). In a short period of time I have seen the plants, tall and thriving, reduced to flat and dieing. The picture at the right was taken when we were hoping it would return to its former beautiful producing self.

First they were checked for the dreaded Squash Beetle. Those little buggers can suck the life out of a plant over night! Alas, no beetle. hmmm .... We don't like to spray our veggie plants. We like it organic. However, nothing organic was working. This called for the tough stuff.

Plants still declined.

The next thing to do was ..... Google.

The culprit? The Vine Borer. Some nasty little worm that is the result of a moth. Once the worm is in the plant there is nothing to be done ....

After the playing of Taps, the plants were pulled .... and new ones planted to take their place. In 3 to 4 weeks we will once again be enjoying one of our favorite garden veggies.

In the meantime, peas are just about finished. Tomato plants are setting fruit wonderfully. Peppers are coming along great, as are the onions and potatoes. We've been enjoying a big variety of lettus, spinach and mustard greens .... the radishes fell short this year, and I don't even want to talk about the cabbage (the life was probably sucked out of them by the vine borers cousin or something)

But even after witnessing the demise of garden veggies, life does go on .... and not just out in the garden. I don't know what has happened! The planets have finally aligned and I have been super charged with creative ideas! Holy cow! This is great!!! Let's just say for starters, I am up-cycling men's neck ties ..... from assorted new accessories to jackets (which I am working on today). Items to be sold via Willow Mesa, and more on that later.

You ALL have a wonderful day!!

This poem made me smile ....

Actually, it made me laugh!

Allow me to share it with you.

To Stash or not to Stash....is that the question?
by Juanita K Bard (With apologies to Shakespeare's HAMLET)

Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer

The slings and arrows of outrageous mis-organization

Or to take arms against a sea of clutter

And by opposing end it? To organize?To give away? To sew not more?

Nay...To sew I must..perchance a new patchwork

Or try a new paper piece pattern

For who can bear the whips and scorns of

The ever present 1/2 price sale ads

That makes a calamity of our credit cards..

To file or not to file my patterns

To group by pastels and darks

And by organization to say we end

The heartache of rummaging around

For just that right piece of fabric
That our sewing is heir to, 'tis a consummation

Devoutly to be wish'd..to organize,

To conceal in boxes...and boxes galore

In plastic containers that overflow on the floor

To organize, perchance to achieve it....ay, there's the rub;
For in that great organization of fabric what dreams may come

When we have shuffled off this mortal unorganization

Must give us pause there's the respect

That makes calamity of so organized a sewing room;

For who can bear to whittle down her Stash...

The pangs of that separation of fabric

To grunt and sweat under the strain

Of not seeing forever the beloved Stash...

But that the dread of something after death,

The undiscover'd boxes...from who boundary
No traveler returns, puzzles the will

And make us rather think we have

To give to others that we know not of?

Thus conscience does make swappers of us all;

And thus the native hue of resolution
Gives way to the pale thought and enterprises

Of that great moment with this regard

To our current Stash...Organize...give away!!!!

And lose the name of clutter... Soft you now!Oh, fair quilters... in they orisons

Be all my Stash remember'd.....

Knit in Public Day ....

June 11th is Knit in public day .... http://blog.lionbrand.com/2011/06/06/3-ways-to-celebrate-world-wide-knit-in-public-day/

So! This morning I went and bought some Vanna's Glamour yarn by Lion Brand. This week, with a Michael's coupon, you can get $5 off with each $25 you spend. I don't know how you feel about having stashes, but my personality loves it VERY much. FYI, my fabric stash is winning by far, but the yarn stash gets added to whenever I come across sales and coupons like this one at Michael's. ;)

If you click on the link I posted above, you will see the little bracelet patterns for free. I decided to make the knit cable stitch bracelets (I LOVE cables!). I purchased metal colored yarns. Silver, gold and brownish copper. When they are knit, I plan on adorning them with some beads, pearls, charms and the like. Might as well make them look like bracelets, I guess.



So here I sit with size 4 bamboo needles and fun glittery yarn. Will I be knitting in public on Saturday? I'll give it my best shot. But it would be easier if I had a knitting buddy to knit with .... Who knows? Maybe I have a knitting buddy who will be looking for me as much as I am looking for them ....

Natural Form era gown ...

Finally finished and out the door to it's new owner .....

Here is the side front and back views.

Created with salmon taffeta, light green woven textured satin, floral silk, off white satin ribbon, dark green braid, tan lace.

Normally listed under House of PoLiegh Naise. This is the last gown which will be created under that title. I need a break from making historical gowns. The economy does not allow these gowns to be sold for what they should be properly sold for. So until the economic situation increases, I think PoLeigh will just take a vacation ;)