I’m going to wait for a while before I harvest the corn-looking protuberance. I did not plant it; the most likely culprit is a squirrel.
It looks like corn?
The incredible sweater machine
I bought an “incredible sweater machine” (as seen on TV) on the FB marketplace, because I read that it was an easy beginner’s machine. These were being produced in the 1990s, and production stopped in England in 2015. It is a very basic setup, but I wanted it to make custom pieces for my youngest, who has a hard time with off-the-rack clothing.
I decided to use the Singer treadle table to set up the machine because the solid wood top was the right thickness and the narrow depth looked like the tables in the demonstration videos. Someone kindly transferred the VHS to YouTube, so I was able to watch it (90s flashback, wow).
Reading the manual and watching the video helped me get started quite quickly. I made the first square in about a half hour, including backstitching the live edges.
I later did weave in the ends, but was quite impressed with how well the simple machine works.
And how did I not know about backstitching the final row of knitting?!? I need to try it with ribbing next. So stretchy and neat.
Adding a top
When my youngest was little, I made a little table/bench from pine with screw-on wood legs for her as a play surface. I painted it white, but she festooned it with stickers of ballerinas. The little table was outgrown many, many years ago, and the disassembled pieces have been sitting in my craft room. I decided to use the wood slab as a mockup top for my Singer treadle base. I cleaned off the stickers with a flat craft knife (they were the horrible kind that comes off in tiny pieces if pulled).
I cleaned the residue up with a Magic Eraser, and removed the brackets for the legs. Then I screwed the treadle base to the board.
It isn’t fancy, but the pine will be easy to saw holes in for the drive band to come through. The yarn winder design is still in the thoughtful stage, but I’ve had a couple breakthrough ideas that may work out well with the tools and skills I have.
Throwback Thursday: catio
In May of 2018 my eldest and I finished building a catio on the back side of the house. We built it from 2×2 lumber, painted it, and encased it in welded wire fence material, with a screen door. Izzy the cat still loves it.
It attaches to a back window so the cats can come and go as they please. After eight years, though, it is looking rather raggedy.
Things I learned with this catio:
- Even though I painted it, I should have used all exterior treated lumber
- Small hammocks made from outdoor fabric are fantastic, the cats love them, put a grommet in the center to let the rain drain
- Put sand in the bottom, but also have kitty litter boxes
- A nice long ramp wrapped with outdoor fabric makes a good scratching surface
- Multiple staggered high shelves are appreciated
- On the next one, I’ll probably add a roof
Jewel orchid bloom
Here is a closeup of my jewel orchid’s bloom.
It is not as showy as other orchids, but I’m still excited that I found a setup in which it will bloom. It is in a small mason jar full of live moss, and capped with a large clear acrylic upside-down vase, in a southern facing frosted bathroom window. I add water maybe once a month.
Critters and Craft 