From Rags to Riches

Well, not exactly.  But these were being used as rags, and now that I have given them a work over we can once again use them for washrags.

Ready to be put back into use

 I was getting a larger pile of rags than I needed, so I decided to use my Serger to remove the frayed edges.

Serging the edges. 

Look how nice the edges look

     

This machine is very easy to thread.  It really cuts down on sewing time.  It allows you to use standard thread spools, unlike other machines that require you to purchase expensive thread, like shown in the picture below.  Since I have a large supply of embroidery thread, that is what I use.  My embroidery thread is a heavier weight and more durable to use when serging.  Normal lightweight thread is not suggested as it may have a tendency to break when serging because faster speeds are used.  There are so many things you can use a serger for.  I haven't begun to experiment with all of its uses.

Brother 1034 D Serger

My girlfriend is getting a goat

My girlfriend is getting a goat.  She has wanted a goat for so long.  I'm so excited for her.  I can't wait to see the pictures.  We joked about it riding in her van. I would love to see pictures of that!

Years ago when I had my goat, Barney (a pygmy goat) , my cousin brought him to my house in his truck.  I won him during fun days and had no way to get him home.  My cousin said he would bring him to my house.  He put Barney in the front seat of his S-10 truck and drove around town for all to see.  I wondered what was taking him so long to get to my house.  He was out parading Barney around town.  That little goat sat in the front seat like a dog. My cousin got a kick out of every one's reaction seeing a goat in his front seat.   It was comical.

I miss Barney and can't wait to get another goat.  Every day he would untie my shoes with his lips. Goats make good pets, but then, so do chickens.

Today I had the babies outside and they all decided they wanted to sit on my lap and perch on my shoulders.  My husband thought I was putting them on my shoulders until he watched them climb my arm like a parrot.  The chickens were fighting for a spot on my lap.  If one would get shoved off she would try to get back up to be with the others.

Little Leghorn is the sweetest of them all.  She wants to be held and cuddled.  She is perfectly fine going to sleep being cuddled.  She has a personality all her own.  Not at all like any of the others.  It will be interesting to see how long she keeps liking being cuddled.

Embellishing My Kitchen Curtains

After living in this house for almost eight years and still not finding the time to sew curtains for the rest of my kitchen windows I opted to purchase some. 

I found these for $7 a piece which was a total cost of $21 since I needed three of them to cover the windows.  

 They are a micro fiber fabric which is more expensive than a basic cotton material and will wrinkle less.  I didn’t think that was too bad of a price when you take into account your time spent sewing, along with the fabric cost to make them myself.

This is the Brother SE-400 sewing/embroidery combination machine my husband gave me for Christmas this past year.  I have only used it to add decorative stitching to some items and embroider a little.  The machine works so well, I really should try to use it to sew with.  I have two machines, one from each of my grandmother’s I prefer to sew on for the time being.  I also have a new Brother Serger I really like.   I will write about it more in the future.

The bobbins come with clips to keep the thread in place when in storage.

 

The machine even cuts the thread for you.

Look how easy it is to see the bobbin on this machine.  No more running out of thread!

I picked a thread that would blend but still show a little on the curtains.

I chose this stitch to add to the bottom of my curtains.

Since it was time to take the curtains down to wash, I thought it would be a nice touch to add some embellishing to them.  

 

Watch how easy it is to use this machine.  

You don't even need to use the foot feet.  Everything can be done with your fingertips.

  You can adjust the speed to go as slow or as fast as you would like.

Completed design

The detailing reminds me of lace.

Ironed and hung.

What I am Thankful for Today

It’s days like today that make me thankful for things like electricity, air conditioning, and refrigerators.  With the heat in the high 90’s and the heat index well above 100 it’s not very pleasant to be working in the garden.
I water the garden beds late in the evening, or early in the day.  If I go out late in the evening, I have to wear a light jacket as the mosquitoes will eat you alive in our back yard if you don’t.

Today I took the baby chicks outside to play around while I worked in the garden.  I’m sure most of you are wondering why you can see a dog pen in some pictures out in the middle of my yard.

It’s for the chickens.  We use it to keep them safe from roaming animals.  We move the pen around the yard to allow them to eat the grass. 

Last night I put the little ones in the middle of the pen, and before long they realized they could walk through the openings and get out.  Today was they same way, only this time one had grown large enough she could no longer fit through the openings.  She chirped and chirped and finally the others came back inside the pen.  They seemed to be following the “leave no man behind” motto.  Each time they would venture out, she would chirp and they would come back inside to be with her.  I don’t think they cared for the heat.  They were more than happy to come back inside where it is cooler.

The older birds tend to squawk more during the hotter part of the day.  I think it's just to let you know they aren’t very happy at the moment.  They sit in the shade and bury themselves in the dirt to keep cool.  Luckily the wind has been blowing and I haven’t had to get a fan out to keep them cool.  I am hoping the heat will lessen for the upcoming holiday weekend.