Snow and Seedlings
The weather is so sloppy here, but we’re not having tornadoes or thunderstorms so I will keep my whining to a minimum. I feel bad for the husband. He has to spend the day getting ready for the fire department auction this weekend, which means being outside in this weather setting up the equipment field. We are under a winter weather advisory for a back door cold front. That will mean wind from the east in addition to the snow and rain.
Errands yesterday included a stop at the farm store for more crushed oyster shells for the chickens. I visited with one of the managers about chicks. She is so frustrated. She said that the orders have been “trickling in” and that when she checks the tracking numbers given to her by the hatcheries, the shipments are never where they are supposed to be. The US postal service is going to collapse under its own inefficient weight if this keeps up. I think we’re just going to skip getting chicks this year.
I went back through my collection of patterns and pulled out McCall’s 8650 for my quilted Bernina University jacket.
This is what I want: something neat and simple, and long enough that I won’t have to make any alterations. I traced it off yesterday. I’m going to make up a muslin in some pre-quilted fabric from Joanns. I want to make sure that everything fits before I go to all the work of making one with the Tim Holtz fabric.
I stop at Joanns every time I’m in town, because one of the employees told me they are still getting shipments from the warehouses. The apparel fabrics—not that our store had a big selection—have been marked down to 50% off but the quilting cottons are only 20% off. I check the remnant rack for any bits of Kona. The store is looking pretty empty, to be honest.
In preparation for making some spring tops, I retraced a few of my woven top patterns. I’ve frankenpatterned so many different combinations that things are starting to get confusing. My perfect woven top pattern combines the upper bodice of the Love Notions Candace with the bottom of New Look 6543, but I want to make a V-neck version and add a collar like the one on the Sew Over It Susie Blouse. (I have that pattern, too, so I traced the collar pieces.) Now I have a clean version in both round-neck and V-neck versions.
And I caved and bought the Itch to Stitch Kashi Dress pattern while it was on sale. Kennis is such an excellent pattern drafter that I know I won’t have to make a lot of changes beyond lengthening the pattern a few inches. I need some summer dresses for church.
******
The seedlings are staying toasty in the greenhouse despite this weather. Half of the peppers are up. Most of the tomatoes have germinated. I’m going to plant squash and cukes toward the end of next week.
I dug up two of the raised beds in the herb garden on Sunday and sprinkled lettuce seeds over them. We’ll see what comes up now that they have been well watered.