Month: January 2024

Tall boy

On By CarynIn Cats
Photo description: Gray tabby with his back paws standing on the floor and reaching his front paws onto the counter. Calico cat watching on a pink fuzzy blanket on the couch in the background, and in the foreground, one fuzzy ear of a black dog.

I saw Thor the cat stretch up to reach the counter and marveled at how far he stretched. To get the picture I put one of his toys up there. He’s 10 months old.

Missed Anniversary

On By CarynIn Uncategorized

Oops, WordPress helpfully reminded me that it was my 5th year blogging anniversary… on January 19th. The traditional 5-year anniversary gift is wood. I love carving wood and making shavings and sawdust, but I currently don’t have time. I thought I would have AI whip something up for me, but it kept wood burning the edges of the “5”, so I grabbed a leaf photo and some wood grain from my collection, then added a chiseled emboss and a drop shadow. The original picture of the leaves and the wood was nearly the same tone, so I played with a hue adjustment layer and fell in love with the teal. (I really wanted to do a color-shifting background in an animated GIF, but wasn’t sure it would work on the site. Future tests are in order.)

Photo description: Carved wood number 5 on a bed of teal colored leaves, completely Photoshopped.

I also just secured the crittersandcraft.blog domain name. My chickens are aging, and I’m not going to get more, so it seems strange to have a chicken and craft blog, when I don’t post much about chickens. Now to figure out how to make the switch and not break anything. Or maybe I already have. Technology is my frenemy.

Another way

On By CarynIn Craft

Here is another way to reduce the likelihood that machine sewn stitches with unravel: tiny stitches. On a sewing machine that doesn’t have a reverse stitch, like my Singer model 66 treadle, turning the knob to the left to make the stitches smaller for a few stitches, then back right to increase the stitch length for the rest of the seam, is a little extra insurance. It also helps work the sewing machine oil (SMO) into the threads of the knob. Bonus.

Photo description: seam stitched on the diagonal of a light colored fabric strip showing smaller stitches at each end of the (wavy) stitch line.

This actually takes about the same time as turning the fabric and making a “reverse” stitch, currently. The stitch regulator knob of the 107-year-old machine is still a little stiff.

Yes, I can sew a straight line. I just need more practice sewing a straight line while turning a regulator knob and controlling the balance wheel so it doesn’t go backwards and break the thread. Goals.

Playtime

On By CarynIn Cats, dog
Photo description: In the foreground, a calico cat reaching for the thin blue ribbon dangling mid-ground with a gray tabby watching the ribbon sitting next to a green holey roller ball watched by a shaggy black dog.

Thor comes and asks to play and everyone else joins in. The thin ribbon is favorite, but I have to keep close watch for tears and loose bits. Missy doesn’t care for the ribbon, but could I please throw/kick/move her ball? (She has an obsession.)

Undressing

On By CarynIn Craft

So if putting fiber on a distaff is called “dressing”, then taking it off would be “undressing”? I’ll just file this under: Things that pop into my mind as I spin.

Photo description: 3D printed Turkish-style spindle with a chaotically wound “turtle” or cop of yarn next to a partially undressed distaff. The fiber is gone, but the handkerchief robe and tie are still attached.