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TALE OF TWO GARAGE SALES – IF YOU’RE GOING TO HAVE ONE, HAVE A GREAT ONE!

(re-post)

The advertisement in Friday’s paper said, DECIDED TO HAVE A GARAGE SALE.  NEIGHBOURS, RELATIVES AND FRIENDS CONTRIBUTED. HELP!  1234  CITY STREET.  9 – 2.

Some easy-to-read signs had gone up in the neighbourhood  the week before as well but without the number on the street, just the advice to WATCH FOR BALLOONS ON DAY OF SALE. (“Otherwise I’ll get people banging on my door all week long,” says the holder of the sale, from past experience.)

On the actual day of the sale signs saying GARAGE SALE with an arrow were put up just before nine o’clock at the nearest intersections.  The man got his son and a few friends to take care of this detail.

He and his wife and several of the aforementioned neighbours and friends had gone over the items the day before, sorted, priced.   Three sets of people came by banging on the door Friday afternoon and evening inquiring about the sale and asking for a preview but were politely told to come back on the actual day.  The man told one woman he was impressed by her story that she would be in the operating room doing a brain transplant so could not make it the next morning but no he would not make an exception for her.  And besides, it wasn’t anyone he knew on whom she was doing the surgery, was it?

On Saturday morning quite a few people came by early and a few knocked on the door but were asked to come back at nine.  When they started bringing stuff out from the garage and putting it on tables in the driveway Sam put up a streamer across the end of the driveway and asked that people wait until they had set up to avoid total chaos.  And yes, they would open as soon as they were ready.  Which they did do, twenty to nine.

One person sat at the end of the driveway with a cash box and a notebook and wrote down the amount with the colour of the sticker that was on the item to designate who the seller was.  This worked fine except during the initial rush and a couple of other times when there were a lot of customers when it got congested and confusing. It seems there is no easy way to take the money if more than one person is involved in a sale at a single house.  At  street sales it works better because each person is responsible for their own goods.  Fanny sacks or shoulder bags are preferable to cash boxes, which too often have ‘gone walking’.

Some people paid the asking price for an item but most people expected to bargain.  The man holding the sale said to the others involved when they were pricing, “Decide ahead of time whether you want to sell an item for a price that may later give you angst that you could have gotten more – but you have the money in hand, or do you want the item hanging around and maybe not selling with the firm price on it.  Or sold at the last minute for far less than you had hoped.”

The ‘brain surgeon’ showed up, said the operation had been cancelled, and bought armloads of stuff.

“I bet she’s a dealer,” one of the neighbours said when the woman had left.

  The man holding the sale, who went to many garage sales himself, said, “Well, lots of dealers go  to the sales, they are the best customers, if, by dealers, you mean anyone and everyone from the woman who occasionally sells books she finds to a used book store, to that woman who possibly rents a booth at a flea market, to they guy who collects records and sells duplicates to a record store, to the young couple who buy up funky clothes and then have their own garage sale every few months, to the people who make extra income looking for furniture at garage sales which they put in auction houses, to consignment store owners who buy some of their stock this way, to owners of antique stores looking for a treasure.”  He paused for breath.  His listeners were impressed.

The free box at the end of the driveway soon emptied.  It had contained all the items that they had decided would not even be offered for pickup for a local charity.  But people thought the price was obviously right so they took them.  “I’ve been looking for this kind of turntable for my microwave for ages, “ one woman said, “Mine got broken.”

“I didn’t even know that’s what it was,” commented the man who had put it in the free box.  “I thought it was a funny kind of plate.”

Anything doubtful as to working order or dirty or needing repair or much worn was put on an AS IS table at rock bottom prices.  Most of it sold quickly as well.  Almost anyone will buy almost anything for a quarter.

April 8 2006

"Fixables"

   (re-post)

The water pressure in the kitchen tap got so bad I was motivated to go down the basement and stare at the pipes.  No leaks or bulges. A bunch of pipes by the water heater that seemed to make no sense sent me scooting back upstairs in a rather confused avoidance and denial. Then I peered under the counter. Looked fine.  Turned on the tap.  Not impressive, the flow, but the little side spurt made me unscrew the thing on the end of the spout that directs the water with the intention of screwing it back on more firmly.

Glanced inside. Holey-smoley!  Both mesh filters were clogged and brown.  Years, possibly decades, of gunk!  Crossed my mind that it is only because I use a filter system for water I drink that I have not poisoned myself (or guests!).

I took it all apart and cleaned it.  Spent some time trying to remember in what order all those seven parts fit back together again. Fit the thing back on the spout.  Turned on water.  It gushed out magnificently.  Well, I’ll be darned. So simple a solution to an annoyance I had put up with for too long.

The experience made me wonder what else was so easily ‘fixable’ so I wandered around the house in a thoughtful quest.

Sept 19 2008

Quilting: honouring the (hidden) 'soul'

(re-post)

Over the years I have admired quilting in its many applications  - bed covers,   accessories,  jewelery,  wall hangings,  garments...    I have made  enough of these  to realize what goes into quilting,  the scope,  the satisfaction,  the enjoyment of the process and the product.

Awhile ago, having unexpectedly  acquired a raw fleece,  while getting to know it with eyes and hands,  the thought occurred that fleece has likely been used as batting for its warmth,  which is the whole point of quilting.  And it suddenly struck me what a hidden treasure  the ' filling' of the  'sandwich'  is!

How to reveal the 'secret' of a quilt resulted in a small hanging and a greeting card.  The decision to 'go public' turned into this carry bag.  I wanted the fleece to be visible from front and back so a medium gauge plastic has been used for the back  of the bag.  The material  for the front and back of the quilted piece is nylon/polyester  finally chosen after many trips to fabric stores and thrift shops:  some just didn't 'work' and were either too flimsy or too dense;  taking some fleece with me would have been a big help!  The raw fleece was loosely placed between the  nylon material and  machine quilted in a random freeform pattern, a sort of trapunto.

The handle is some of the nylon fabric sewn into a tube and a long length of fleece threaded through it  with a very long  (sixteen  inches)  sturdy safety pin (I have no idea what it was meant to be used for but I could not resist buying it at a thrift store: it looks very nice hanging on a wall and was effective  in this instance as a bodkin) . 

Here is the view of the bag so it can be seen through. 

I think it is finished:  it seems to be at  'the artist knew when to stop' stage.  Three - and only three - French knots were added to the front.  I like the simplicity. 

It is not a bag to carry groceries or library books.  It is a bag to take mail to the post office,  or deposit  gloves,  and perhaps scarf,  while one is browsing in a  store, or tuck a branch or two when strolling in the garden.

It is a bag that may well whisper  "Baaa..."   when I am carrying it  and I will smile broadly should I happen to 'hear'.

Posted on March 26, 2008 at 04:17 AM | Permalink

 

Over the years I have admired quilting in its many applications  - bed covers,   accessories,  jewelery,  wall hangings,  garments...    I have made  enough of these  to realize what goes into quilting,  the scope,  the satisfaction,  the enjoyment of the process and the product.

Awhile ago, having unexpectedly  acquired a raw fleece,  while getting to know it with eyes and hands,  the thought occurred that fleece has likely been used as batting for its warmth,  which is the whole point of quilting.  And it suddenly struck me what a hidden treasure  the ' filling' of the  'sandwich'  is!

How to reveal the 'secret' of a quilt resulted in a small hanging and a greeting card.  The decision to 'go public' turned into this carry bag.  I wanted the fleece to be visible from front and back so a medium gauge plastic has been used for the back  of the bag.  The material  for the front and back of the quilted piece is nylon/polyester  finally chosen after many trips to fabric stores and thrift shops:  some just didn't 'work' and were either too flimsy or too dense;  taking some fleece with me would have been a big help!  The raw fleece was loosely placed between the  nylon material and  machine quilted in a random freeform pattern, a sort of trapunto.

The handle is some of the nylon fabric sewn into a tube and a long length of fleece threaded through it  with a very long  (sixteen  inches)  sturdy safety pin (I have no idea what it was meant to be used for but I could not resist buying it at a thrift store: it looks very nice hanging on a wall and was effective  in this instance as a bodkin) . 

Here is the view of the bag so it can be seen through. 

I think it is finished:  it seems to be at  'the artist knew when to stop' stage.  Three - and only three - French knots were added to the front.  I like the simplicity. 

It is not a bag to carry groceries or library books.  It is a bag to take mail to the post office,  or deposit  gloves,  and perhaps scarf,  while one is browsing in a  store, or tuck a branch or two when strolling in the garden.

It is a bag that may well whisper  "Baaa..."   when I am carrying it  and I will smile broadly should I happen to 'hear'.

(re-post)

Over the years I have admired quilting in its many applications  - bed covers,   accessories,  jewelery,  wall hangings,  garments...    I have made  enough of these  to realize what goes into quilting,  the scope,  the satisfaction,  the enjoyment of the process and the product.

Awhile ago, having unexpectedly  acquired a raw fleece,  while getting to know it with eyes and hands,  the thought occurred that fleece has likely been used as batting for its warmth,  which is the whole point of quilting.  And it suddenly struck me what a hidden treasure  the ' filling' of the  'sandwich'  is!

How to reveal the 'secret' of a quilt resulted in a small hanging and a greeting card.  The decision to 'go public' turned into this carry bag.  I wanted the fleece to be visible from front and back so a medium gauge plastic has been used for the back  of the bag.  The material  for the front and back of the quilted piece is nylon/polyester  finally chosen after many trips to fabric stores and thrift shops:  some just didn't 'work' and were either too flimsy or too dense;  taking some fleece with me would have been a big help!  The raw fleece was loosely placed between the  nylon material and  machine quilted in a random freeform pattern, a sort of trapunto.

The handle is some of the nylon fabric sewn into a tube and a long length of fleece threaded through it  with a very long  (sixteen  inches)  sturdy safety pin (I have no idea what it was meant to be used for but I could not resist buying it at a thrift store: it looks very nice hanging on a wall and was effective  in this instance as a bodkin) . 

Here is the view of the bag so it can be seen through. 

I think it is finished:  it seems to be at  'the artist knew when to stop' stage.  Three - and only three - French knots were added to the front.  I like the simplicity. 

It is not a bag to carry groceries or library books.  It is a bag to take mail to the post office,  or deposit  gloves,  and perhaps scarf,  while one is browsing in a  store, or tuck a branch or two when strolling in the garden.

It is a bag that may well whisper  "Baaa..."   when I am carrying it  and I will smile broadly should I happen to 'hear'.

Measuring cups inspire thoughts on design

(re-post)

I've been wanting some measuring cups for those things that are not in containers (the containers having their very own cup - one cup in the flour, 1/2 cup in the sugar, 1/3 cup in the spelt flour, 1/4 cup in the brown sugar:  I wonder if this is a common practice) like, oh, say, raisins or water for the sugar for the hummingbird nectar or chocolate chips for brownies : the raisins and chocolate chips are in old glass mason jars.

So I have had a measuring-cup-alert in effect at church sales and thrift stores and other people's kitchens where the scope is far-reaching and limitless.

These captured the antenna immediately at the weekly church 'store' and they became my proud possessions for fifty cents.  I like them so much they are on display on the counter and are admired frequently (by me and possibly by that sea gull who continues to stare in the kitchen door)  which got me wondering about the instant and ongoing appeal.  They are unique in shape from the usual round measuring cups and this is likely part of it but it is also that they are  a good design because of this  difference - a pleasing elongation  and a worthwhile  depth for both function and form.  It's a nice green, not a 'trendy'  green.

A slight tangent here: it was very recently that I realized that the use of the word "trend" was meant as a positive thing and people were being encouraged to follow (as in " buy!") whatever was being touted as 'trendy.'  I had previously thought that trendy meant something a bunch of people were doing in a rather sheep-like way and this  was being noted, not promoted.

Do the measuring cups  'work' well?  Um,  hang on a sec and I'll go try them out:  they have been so pretty to look at,  it just now occurred to me to actually use them............

Well, they work great!  They scoop nicely and the 'squashed round'  (it's not oval enough to be called oval)  shape lets you easily and neatly  pour stuff into them.  I would make the handle a teeny bit more 'grippable'  - rounder rather than so flat - but this is not a serious drawback.  There isn't a 1/3 cup in the set and it almost looks like there never was one, they stack so nicely, the threesome.   But I will keep my eye out at the church sale next week in case 1/3 got separated.

This is what I was using to test the new measuring cups - bird seed.  The cup that lives in the container is the stainless steel prospector cup.

Or maybe it was used at the water bucket in an old one-room school house. 

It 'works' perfectly now for scooping out the bird seed in the morning and taking it out onto the deck to scatter for the juncos (who are still around perhaps because there is still frost on the roofs first thing) and sparrows and finches.  Having taken this cup out for the photo, perhaps I will leave it out on the counter for awhile as well.  I like its reflection in the mirror of the container.  I like its light sturdiness.  I like its cool demeanour.

Posted on April 04, 2008 at 04:30 AM | Permalink

I've been wanting some measuring cups for those things that are not in containers (the containers having their very own cup - one cup in the flour, 1/2 cup in the sugar, 1/3 cup in the spelt flour, 1/4 cup in the brown sugar:  I wonder if this is a common practice) like, oh, say, raisins or water for the sugar for the hummingbird nectar or chocolate chips for brownies : the raisins and chocolate chips are in old glass mason jars.

So I have had a measuring-cup-alert in effect at church sales and thrift stores and other people's kitchens where the scope is far-reaching and limitless.

These captured the antenna immediately at the weekly church 'store' and they became my proud possessions for fifty cents.  I like them so much they are on display on the counter and are admired frequently (by me and possibly by that sea gull who continues to stare in the kitchen door)  which got me wondering about the instant and ongoing appeal.  They are unique in shape from the usual round measuring cups and this is likely part of it but it is also that they are  a good design because of this  difference - a pleasing elongation  and a worthwhile  depth for both function and form.  It's a nice green, not a 'trendy'  green.

A slight tangent here: it was very recently that I realized that the use of the word "trend" was meant as a positive thing and people were being encouraged to follow (as in " buy!") whatever was being touted as 'trendy.'  I had previously thought that trendy meant something a bunch of people were doing in a rather sheep-like way and this  was being noted, not promoted.

Do the measuring cups  'work' well?  Um,  hang on a sec and I'll go try them out:  they have been so pretty to look at,  it just now occurred to me to actually use them............

Well, they work great!  They scoop nicely and the 'squashed round'  (it's not oval enough to be called oval)  shape lets you easily and neatly  pour stuff into them.  I would make the handle a teeny bit more 'grippable'  - rounder rather than so flat - but this is not a serious drawback.  There isn't a 1/3 cup in the set and it almost looks like there never was one, they stack so nicely, the threesome.   But I will keep my eye out at the church sale next week in case 1/3 got separated.

This is what I was using to test the new measuring cups - bird seed.  The cup that lives in the container is the stainless steel prospector cup.

Or maybe it was used at the water bucket in an old one-room school house. 

It 'works' perfectly now for scooping out the bird seed in the morning and taking it out onto the deck to scatter for the juncos (who are still around perhaps because there is still frost on the roofs first thing) and sparrows and finches.  Having taken this cup out for the photo, perhaps I will leave it out on the counter for awhile as well.  I like its reflection in the mirror of the container.  I like its light sturdiness.  I like its cool demeanour.

A Different Perspective on Parking

(re-post)

(My apologies to the young man, yesterday,  who stopped to watch me with my camera pointed at car wheels who stated "You're taking pictures of tires' with a "what the heck are you doing?" tone and,  prompted by that horrid need for correctness, I replied,  "Hubcaps" and he then said/asked "There must be a lot of kinds of hubcaps." and I answered, "I'm going to write about these" and he looked absolutely flummoxed when he realized it was my car as I got in and drove away. I felt he would have been even more bewildered had I tried to explain the "conversations" aspect.)

Many months ago when I had already had my lovely Yaris for a few years I parked her in the Village, got out, and noticed a man staring at the car.  At the hubcaps.

 "I see you also have 'conversations with the curb', he said.  The "also" got me standing and staring with him.

"I've not had this problem before, " I told him.  "I think it's because the car seems to be wedge-shaped and I misjudge angles when parking."

Well, turned out he had a Yaris, too, and had come up with the same conclusions!

Yesterday, when I caught sight of the increased evidence of  'conversations' I thought of that man and how a problem can become rather endearing when viewed differently.

 

Posted on November 25, 2013 at 10:46 AM | Permalink

(My apologies to the young man, yesterday,  who stopped to watch me with my camera pointed at car wheels who stated "You're taking pictures of tires' with a "what the heck are you doing?" tone and,  prompted by that horrid need for correctness, I replied,  "Hubcaps" and he then said/asked "There must be a lot of kinds of hubcaps." and I answered, "I'm going to write about these" and he looked absolutely flummoxed when he realized it was my car as I got in and drove away. I felt he would have been even more bewildered had I tried to explain the "conversations" aspect.)

Many months ago when I had already had my lovely Yaris for a few years I parked her in the Village, got out, and noticed a man staring at the car.  At the hubcaps.

 "I see you also have 'conversations with the curb', he said.  The "also" got me standing and staring with him.

"I've not had this problem before, " I told him.  "I think it's because the car seems to be wedge-shaped and I misjudge angles when parking."

Well, turned out he had a Yaris, too, and had come up with the same conclusions!

Yesterday, when I caught sight of the increased evidence of  'conversations' I thought of that man and how a problem can become rather endearing when viewed differently.

 

Hat?oh! Summer version

(re-post)

Unfinished needlework projects are not uncommon fibre archeology finds unearthed at thrift stores and this was one.  The center had been finished and the background, in a cream,  barely started.  The back is as lovely as the front with all the ends woven in and I suspect the person who started to fill in the background was different from the one who did the flowers but gave up after two or three rows.  I am touched by the amount of time and work and decided to 'rescue' it, honour it,  by turning it into a hat?oh!

It was cut into a 15 inch diameter circle,  zigzagged around  the circumference,  sewn to a 15 inch  circle of linen,  turned right side out,  edges left free.

Bring on the sun!

Posted on December 03, 2009 at 01:01 AM | Permalink

 

Unfinished needlework projects are not uncommon fibre archeology finds unearthed at thrift stores and this was one.  The center had been finished and the background, in a cream,  barely started.  The back is as lovely as the front with all the ends woven in and I suspect the person who started to fill in the background was different from the one who did the flowers but gave up after two or three rows.  I am touched by the amount of time and work and decided to 'rescue' it, honour it,  by turning it into a hat?oh!

It was cut into a 15 inch diameter circle,  zigzagged around  the circumference,  sewn to a 15 inch  circle of linen,  turned right side out,  edges left free.

Bring on the sun!

(re-post)

Unfinished needlework projects are not uncommon fibre archeology finds unearthed at thrift stores and this was one.  The center had been finished and the background, in a cream,  barely started.  The back is as lovely as the front with all the ends woven in and I suspect the person who started to fill in the background was different from the one who did the flowers but gave up after two or three rows.  I am touched by the amount of time and work and decided to 'rescue' it, honour it,  by turning it into a hat?oh!

It was cut into a 15 inch diameter circle,  zigzagged around  the circumference,  sewn to a 15 inch  circle of linen,  turned right side out,  edges left free.

Bring on the sun!

Bracelet heading toward glove : wearable art

(re-post from July 2009)

 

 The Habu yarn which is paper/linen/acrylic and looks like leaves on a vine fascinates and delights me. 

I knit the ring and crocheted an edging with silk.

Then I knit a piece about 3 inches by 8 inches with the Habu with a few rows top and bottom of the silk.

It was freeform knitting and purpose evolvable.

Suggestions as to what it could become included headband,  necklet,  panel in a garment  and all were considered.  Veil on a hat as my mother used to wear came to mind. 

Then,  idly twisting it here and there on my wrist,  this ...... happened.   A bracelet that crept over the hand and pranced up the finger.  I liked it!  More silk got added to the ends of the piece and joined,  the finger shape got stitched. 

I wanted to show the 'profile' of the Habu and have it visible to me as I wore it.  

The yarn looks delicate - but is very sturdy.  I could likely play baseball wearing this.

Posted on June 19, 2018 at 01:01 AM | Permalink

 

 

 The Habu yarn which is paper/linen/acrylic and looks like leaves on a vine fascinates and delights me. 

I knit the ring and crocheted an edging with silk.

Then I knit a piece about 3 inches by 8 inches with the Habu with a few rows top and bottom of the silk.

It was freeform knitting and purpose evolvable.

Suggestions as to what it could become included headband,  necklet,  panel in a garment  and all were considered.  Veil on a hat as my mother used to wear came to mind. 

Then,  idly twisting it here and there on my wrist,  this ...... happened.   A bracelet that crept over the hand and pranced up the finger.  I liked it!  More silk got added to the ends of the piece and joined,  the finger shape got stitched. 

I wanted to show the 'profile' of the Habu and have it visible to me as I wore it.  

The yarn looks delicate - but is very sturdy.  I could likely play baseball wearing this.

(re-post from July 2009)

 

 The Habu yarn which is paper/linen/acrylic and looks like leaves on a vine fascinates and delights me. 

I knit the ring and crocheted an edging with silk.

Then I knit a piece about 3 inches by 8 inches with the Habu with a few rows top and bottom of the silk.

It was freeform knitting and purpose evolvable.

Suggestions as to what it could become included headband,  necklet,  panel in a garment  and all were considered.  Veil on a hat as my mother used to wear came to mind. 

Then,  idly twisting it here and there on my wrist,  this ...... happened.   A bracelet that crept over the hand and pranced up the finger.  I liked it!  More silk got added to the ends of the piece and joined,  the finger shape got stitched. 

I wanted to show the 'profile' of the Habu and have it visible to me as I wore it.  

The yarn looks delicate - but is very sturdy.  I could likely play baseball wearing this.

Chesterfields

(re-post)

Across many years I've been trying to make sense of chesterfields.  Two or three people sitting side by side with the intention of socializing but having to twist head to talk to person(s) beside them seems a bit odd.   Chesterfields that are deep enough to comfortably allow for reclining and reading or napping or serving as a guest bed are too deep to be comfortable for seating unless one uses pillows or bolsters.  Chesterfields never seem long enough to comfortably allow for reclining etc.

Then, a few years ago, I came across this day bed at a church sale.  It's a day bed because both ends are the same height, I was told.  It's hand carved from cedar but no one at the sale knew by whom: it had been a donation.  The bonding was instant and that carver has been receiving my grateful thoughts ever since.

It got put in the sun room of my home at that time and was used as a day bed and a night bed for a number of months until a daughter-in-law was visiting and gifted me with an epiphany.  She sat at one end, legs outstretched, on one side.  It suddenly made sense to sit at the other end on the other side, legs outstretched.  I think we may have grinned at one another.  How perfect to be sitting so comfortably, spaciously, facing each other.  I got rid of the chesterfield I had and have not had one since.

This chesterfield alternative - chesteralt? - also serves as a guest bed and suits people who like to sit cross legged. 

Posted on November 19, 2007 at 05:30 AM | Permalink

 

Across many years I've been trying to make sense of chesterfields.  Two or three people sitting side by side with the intention of socializing but having to twist head to talk to person(s) beside them seems a bit odd.   Chesterfields that are deep enough to comfortably allow for reclining and reading or napping or serving as a guest bed are too deep to be comfortable for seating unless one uses pillows or bolsters.  Chesterfields never seem long enough to comfortably allow for reclining etc.

Then, a few years ago, I came across this day bed at a church sale.  It's a day bed because both ends are the same height, I was told.  It's hand carved from cedar but no one at the sale knew by whom: it had been a donation.  The bonding was instant and that carver has been receiving my grateful thoughts ever since.

It got put in the sun room of my home at that time and was used as a day bed and a night bed for a number of months until a daughter-in-law was visiting and gifted me with an epiphany.  She sat at one end, legs outstretched, on one side.  It suddenly made sense to sit at the other end on the other side, legs outstretched.  I think we may have grinned at one another.  How perfect to be sitting so comfortably, spaciously, facing each other.  I got rid of the chesterfield I had and have not had one since.

This chesterfield alternative - chesteralt? - also serves as a guest bed and suits people who like to sit cross legged. 

Across many years I've been trying to make sense of chesterfields.  Two or three people sitting side by side with the intention of socializing but having to twist head to talk to person(s) beside them seems a bit odd.   Chesterfields that are deep enough to comfortably allow for reclining and reading or napping or serving as a guest bed are too deep to be comfortable for seating unless one uses pillows or bolsters.  Chesterfields never seem long enough to comfortably allow for reclining etc.

Then, a few years ago, I came across this day bed at a church sale.  It's a day bed because both ends are the same height, I was told.  It's hand carved from cedar but no one at the sale knew by whom: it had been a donation.  The bonding was instant and that carver has been receiving my grateful thoughts ever since.

It got put in the sun room of my home at that time and was used as a day bed and a night bed for a number of months until a daughter-in-law was visiting and gifted me with an epiphany.  She sat at one end, legs outstretched, on one side.  It suddenly made sense to sit at the other end on the other side, legs outstretched.  I think we may have grinned at one another.  How perfect to be sitting so comfortably, spaciously, facing each other.  I got rid of the chesterfield I had and have not had one since.

This chesterfield alternative - chesteralt? - also serves as a guest bed and suits people who like to sit cross legged. 

"Leather" flooring

(re-post)

(re-post from Feb 11 2009)

The upholstery material I put down in the hallway several months ago "to see what would happen......"  has proven a success and I plan to tweak it as an acceptance of being no longer an "experiment".

Taking up the carpeting in the hall did not reveal the lovely fir flooring of the living room:  glued down tiles and mis-matched painted wood was not pleasant to look at or care for or walk upon or - like! 

For the first winter I cut a gorgeous felted rug made in the mountains of the European region where my ancestors lived and used this as flooring in the hall.  It worked well but when spring came I wanted bare floors that could be easily cleaned. 

I have lived in countries where housekeeping involves a daily sweeping of the floors out open doors and that experience of such simplicity appeals to my nature and sense of health and well being  to the extent that I want to mimic it as much as possible.

The question of what to put on the hall floor was hovering in the back of my mind while browsing in the fabric section of Capital Iron and motivated by having tried two rolls of a wooden bamboo runner purchased in China Town which were too short and too narrow and looked very nice but inadequate. I  happened to glance at the upholstery material in Capital Iron that looks like leather.  I could 'see' it along that hallway! 

How it would wear would only be known once it was - well, 'worn'.  Furniture gets traffic of a different kind than foot (mostly!) but I decided to risk the $100 cost and bought an adequate amount.

It was installed quite easily and quickly - I laid it on the floor with a bit of newspaper padding put down first over the rougher spots on the floor but in retrospect I don't think this was necessary and part of the tweaking will be to remove the newspaper.  It is a good upholstery material and has a backing.

It looks soft and natural and friendly.  It dry mops or sweeps  easily.  A damp mop cleans it easily.  It is warm to walk upon.  There is no sign of wear from the amount of 'traffic' I give it. 

I repeated the process in part of the office area with another piece of upholstery material and put a sheet of heavy gauge plastic over it in front of the computer where my chair rolls back and forth.  This is working as well but needs further tweaking as the material was a garage sale find with lines from being folded. 

It also amuses me to think that I could, if so inclined, suddenly take up my floor and make a garment from it!

Posted on June 20, 2018 at 01:01 AM | Permalink

(re-post from Feb 11 2009)

The upholstery material I put down in the hallway several months ago "to see what would happen......"  has proven a success and I plan to tweak it as an acceptance of being no longer an "experiment".

Taking up the carpeting in the hall did not reveal the lovely fir flooring of the living room:  glued down tiles and mis-matched painted wood was not pleasant to look at or care for or walk upon or - like! 

For the first winter I cut a gorgeous felted rug made in the mountains of the European region where my ancestors lived and used this as flooring in the hall.  It worked well but when spring came I wanted bare floors that could be easily cleaned. 

I have lived in countries where housekeeping involves a daily sweeping of the floors out open doors and that experience of such simplicity appeals to my nature and sense of health and well being  to the extent that I want to mimic it as much as possible.

The question of what to put on the hall floor was hovering in the back of my mind while browsing in the fabric section of Capital Iron and motivated by having tried two rolls of a wooden bamboo runner purchased in China Town which were too short and too narrow and looked very nice but inadequate. I  happened to glance at the upholstery material in Capital Iron that looks like leather.  I could 'see' it along that hallway! 

How it would wear would only be known once it was - well, 'worn'.  Furniture gets traffic of a different kind than foot (mostly!) but I decided to risk the $100 cost and bought an adequate amount.

It was installed quite easily and quickly - I laid it on the floor with a bit of newspaper padding put down first over the rougher spots on the floor but in retrospect I don't think this was necessary and part of the tweaking will be to remove the newspaper.  It is a good upholstery material and has a backing.

It looks soft and natural and friendly.  It dry mops or sweeps  easily.  A damp mop cleans it easily.  It is warm to walk upon.  There is no sign of wear from the amount of 'traffic' I give it. 

I repeated the process in part of the office area with another piece of upholstery material and put a sheet of heavy gauge plastic over it in front of the computer where my chair rolls back and forth.  This is working as well but needs further tweaking as the material was a garage sale find with lines from being folded. 

It also amuses me to think that I could, if so inclined, suddenly take up my floor and make a garment from it!

Raincoat ...... possibly perfect ...... (mostly) seamless design

(re-post)

Last week it began to  downpour as I was getting ready to go out on the daily route of errands, library, groceries etc. and so decided it was a great opportunity to test the new raincoat design.  

Well, considering the intensity of the rain,  I should have realized it was, once again, Victoria mimicking her big brother Vancouver to show that she had what it took to raise eyebrows and umbrellas but did not have the wherewithal, or interest, to sustain it.  Rain mellowed to a mere drizzle and then stopped.  But the wind continued.  The raincoat is awesome in the wind: clothing as architecture, housing the body;  it provides a cosy shelter.

This does seem to be (finally!) waterproof (not just resistant!) fabric.

I wanted the coat as seamless as possible so a single piece of the 60 inch material is used (76 inches in all);   the width from wrist to wrist,  folded at the required length from hem to shoulder (for the back), cut off at waist length (for the front).

The material is then cut in from either side to form the sleeves above (which are sewn on an angle -the only inside seams- to make a 7 inch wrist opening) and to also form  the front left and right sides which are  layered slightly over  each other and stitched for the middle front seam.   The end of the material that ends at the waist is stitched  over and to the tops of the right and left front.  I may stitch the very end to the front to form a pocket or muff but so far it is hanging free.

There are no shoulder seams,  upper sleeve seams, side seams or front seam above the waist.

Two slits provide the neck opening and I may or may not add a collar/scarf.

I added an extension to each wrist opening which can be rolled up to form the cuff but  unrolled provides a nice protection for the hands which I usually find get wet in the rain with regular raincoat sleeves and gloves get soaked.  The extension also gives a good means of opening a wet car door or trunk etc. without wetting gloves or hands.

The hood is a simple style with depth that can be adjusted with the fold;  the crossover collar fastened and adjusted with a kilt pin.

That extra material is possibly for the collar to the coat.

The pull over design is loose enough to provide easy on and off .  

I look forward to the next downpour.  

Posted on November 21, 2011 at 10:32 AM | Permalink

 

Last week it began to  downpour as I was getting ready to go out on the daily route of errands, library, groceries etc. and so decided it was a great opportunity to test the new raincoat design.  

Well, considering the intensity of the rain,  I should have realized it was, once again, Victoria mimicking her big brother Vancouver to show that she had what it took to raise eyebrows and umbrellas but did not have the wherewithal, or interest, to sustain it.  Rain mellowed to a mere drizzle and then stopped.  But the wind continued.  The raincoat is awesome in the wind: clothing as architecture, housing the body;  it provides a cosy shelter.

This does seem to be (finally!) waterproof (not just resistant!) fabric.

I wanted the coat as seamless as possible so a single piece of the 60 inch material is used (76 inches in all);   the width from wrist to wrist,  folded at the required length from hem to shoulder (for the back), cut off at waist length (for the front).

The material is then cut in from either side to form the sleeves above (which are sewn on an angle -the only inside seams- to make a 7 inch wrist opening) and to also form  the front left and right sides which are  layered slightly over  each other and stitched for the middle front seam.   The end of the material that ends at the waist is stitched  over and to the tops of the right and left front.  I may stitch the very end to the front to form a pocket or muff but so far it is hanging free.

There are no shoulder seams,  upper sleeve seams, side seams or front seam above the waist.

Two slits provide the neck opening and I may or may not add a collar/scarf.

I added an extension to each wrist opening which can be rolled up to form the cuff but  unrolled provides a nice protection for the hands which I usually find get wet in the rain with regular raincoat sleeves and gloves get soaked.  The extension also gives a good means of opening a wet car door or trunk etc. without wetting gloves or hands.

The hood is a simple style with depth that can be adjusted with the fold;  the crossover collar fastened and adjusted with a kilt pin.

That extra material is possibly for the collar to the coat.

The pull over design is loose enough to provide easy on and off .  

I look forward to the next downpour.  

(re-post)

Last week it began to  downpour as I was getting ready to go out on the daily route of errands, library, groceries etc. and so decided it was a great opportunity to test the new raincoat design.  

Well, considering the intensity of the rain,  I should have realized it was, once again, Victoria mimicking her big brother Vancouver to show that she had what it took to raise eyebrows and umbrellas but did not have the wherewithal, or interest, to sustain it.  Rain mellowed to a mere drizzle and then stopped.  But the wind continued.  The raincoat is awesome in the wind: clothing as architecture, housing the body;  it provides a cosy shelter.

This does seem to be (finally!) waterproof (not just resistant!) fabric.

I wanted the coat as seamless as possible so a single piece of the 60 inch material is used (76 inches in all);   the width from wrist to wrist,  folded at the required length from hem to shoulder (for the back), cut off at waist length (for the front).

The material is then cut in from either side to form the sleeves above (which are sewn on an angle -the only inside seams- to make a 7 inch wrist opening) and to also form  the front left and right sides which are  layered slightly over  each other and stitched for the middle front seam.   The end of the material that ends at the waist is stitched  over and to the tops of the right and left front.  I may stitch the very end to the front to form a pocket or muff but so far it is hanging free.

There are no shoulder seams,  upper sleeve seams, side seams or front seam above the waist.

Two slits provide the neck opening and I may or may not add a collar/scarf.

I added an extension to each wrist opening which can be rolled up to form the cuff but  unrolled provides a nice protection for the hands which I usually find get wet in the rain with regular raincoat sleeves and gloves get soaked.  The extension also gives a good means of opening a wet car door or trunk etc. without wetting gloves or hands.

The hood is a simple style with depth that can be adjusted with the fold;  the crossover collar fastened and adjusted with a kilt pin.

That extra material is possibly for the collar to the coat.

The pull over design is loose enough to provide easy on and off .  

I look forward to the next downpour.