laowai = foreigner

SEWING, BAKING, SHOVELING

We got a nice dose of fluffy snow on Friday so I spent the day shoveling.  

I started a sleeve on my sweater. I'm using the magic loop method - that's when you use a circular needle instead of multiple double pointed needles. It's all new to me.

I made two scone/biscuit recipes. The first is Smitten KItchen's Very Blueberry Scone recipe.

And then I tried Erin Jeanne McDowell's Drop Biscuits with chocolate chunks. I think I like the drop biscuits better but I want to try them with blueberries or some other addition.

I made a third Bistro Dress that I'm really happy with. Brian and I are going to a wedding in May and I think I can wear this to the welcome dinner. I used a medium weight canvas fabric. Actually it's from the same line of fabric as the curtains that I made for my bedroom (is that strange?). It's a great pattern and I'm still super pleased every time I put in an invisible zipper.

COLD AND SWEET

We went for a quick cold walk at the Chicago Botanic Garden over the weekend.

And I made panna cotta with mango curd for dessert.

Also, how can it still be January. This month is dragging along.

GENEVA BLOUSE #2

I made another shirt - my second Geneva V-Neck Blouse from Liesl and Co. This time, I'm more in love with my fabric choice. I chose a Liberty of London lawn fabric. It's always a splurge getting Liberty fabric but the feel of their lawn is the best. It's light and silky but also strong and easy to sew. And I won't apologize for using this fabric that is probably meant for children. I just love bright cheery patterns! 

I made one big change to the sewing pattern. The lantern sleeve in the original pattern just felt funny on me so I used a sleeve with a button cuff from the Gallery Tunic pattern. Also, since I can fit this shirt over my head I made all the buttons and buttonholes fake. I just sewed a line of close zigzag stitch to look like neat buttonholes.

The neckline on this pattern is flattering but I can't stand to have my neck exposed this time of year - brrrrrr. The cows and cats and spiders will have to wait 'til summer to be worn very often.

And in other news...

I am ready to bind off my sweater!!! I shouldn't get so excited because I still have the sleeves to do but it's getting there. Yay.

Brian was all packed and ready for a work trip but it was cancelled at the last minute because a bunch of the people that were going to attend got Covid. 

And so it goes.

STARVED ROCK WEEKEND

We spent the weekend at Starved Rock State Park. It's a couple hours southeast of our home. I think in the summer this park is overrun with people and that would probably be a big turn off. But there weren't too many people this time of year and I really enjoyed our weekend.

The park runs along the Illinois River. The river is much bigger than I imagined and there is a lot of history about its importance as a trade route for native Americans and European explorers that I was totally unaware of.

We stayed at the old lodge that was built by the CCC in the 1930s. I love seeing the lodge architecture and the special details that remain today.

On our first day of hiking it was cold and cloudy but that didn't slow us down. There was a nice dusting of snow from the night before that made the woods really pretty. The park is full of sandstone formations and canyons with frozen waterfalls.

On the second day I was so happy that the sun came out. We hiked to one last big canyon before we headed home. 

IT'S STILL JANUARY

I appreciate any bit of sunshine this time of year.

Things are quiet, I've been puttering.

I mended a wool sweater that I've had since high school. First time trying this. Should have used finer yarn but I chose to match the color instead.

I sealed my kitchen/hallway/bathroom floor. 

And I splurged on some Liberty fabric. Getting ready to sew a shirt next week.

We're going to get away for the weekend - going to drive to a State Park not too far away. I'm a sucker for park lodges built in the 1930s so that's where we'll be sleeping. Hope we can banish the stir crazy - cabin fever- zombie feeling that the family has been feeling on the weekends. Also, hope we don't come back with Covid. Stay tuned...

CRAFTY WEEKEND

I just spent a really fun weekend away - a girls crafty weekend in Michigan City, Indiana. I had the best time! Most of the five ladies are big into scrapbooking but I decided to do a few different paper crafts. The rental house was all set up with work stations for each of us. It was great to work on crafty techniques that I've been meaning to try while I hung out laughing and chatting with a group of lovely women. 

I also got to go on some nice walks since the rental house was really close to Lake Michigan and we had some sunny days.

Here are the projects I made. First, I've wanted to try paper cutting - like the folk style Scherenschnitte.

Then I wanted to do some collage work in the style of an artist I admire named Clover Robin. I first made a little calendar to hang in my kitchen.

And then I made some collages based on photos that I took in Switzerland.

I had so much fun and I'm so grateful that I was invited!

SWEATER PROGRESS

This is my first sweater and sometimes when I look at it and I see all my mistakes I want to unravel and start again. But I also want to finish it and I look forward to my next sweater. Sigh.

IT'S JANUARY

We have been getting snow and that makes me happy.

We've taken some snowy after-dinner walks.

I took down all the Christmas decorations.

I've been hanging some pictures and vacuuming up all the Christmas tree needles. 

A January tidy up always feels good.

SOME SEWING

I tried a new blouse pattern - the Geneva V-neck Blouse from Liesl and Co. Can't quite decide what I think of it. As usual the pattern itself was great. It has these lantern sleeves that are sort of funny. And since I made it in this bright fabric it feels a bit clownish. I think the pattern really wants to be made in a lightweight pretty fabric - something flowy and feminine. I'll make this pattern again for sure.

It felt nice to spend all the time I wanted in my sewing room. That's what these days between Christmas and New Year's are great for - just doing what you feel like doing.