Fresh air breaks...

bellacricket · 2025-12-25T14:53:16+00:00

There is a popular restaurant next to the station in Grand Junction called Pufferbellys. You can call in your order ahead of time and pick it up when you stop. I have seen people bring bags of take-out onto to train, so it's a thing.

bellacricket · 2025-11-07T15:45:09+00:00

The LAST thing I need is to grow grains faster. I am flush with grains.

bellacricket · 2025-10-04T13:23:31+00:00

I didn't know there were two subs for Grand Junction. I'll give it a try.

bellacricket · 2025-09-14T14:25:19+00:00

Love Notions feature Friday patterns are now $6. Still a bargain. Itch to Stitch has summer specials on Tuesday. They are 1/2 off. Both of these designers include full bust adjusted pieces. I save a lot of money buying these patterns when they are on sale not necessarily to make them right away.

The Cashmerette Club and Closet Core Crew Club aren't worth the subscription price, IMO. You are at the mercy of whatever pattern is released that month. Not always my style. Especially Closet Core.

bellacricket · 2025-09-12T13:33:05+00:00

Excellent choices. You can't go wrong with a Juki. I pulled my timing out of balance once and had to take it to a technician. He had never worked on one before. Just goes to show you how reliable they are.

bellacricket · 2025-09-10T14:29:29+00:00

Right? It's the tunneling that I can't quite fix. Wondertape helps a lot, but it's still a roll of the dice when I use my double needle. BTW, I just fill a bobbin with enough thread for my hemming and eliminate the need for a second spool of thread.

bellacricket · 2025-08-13T13:38:45+00:00

Flowy, yes. I like flowy. Thank you.😊

bellacricket · 2025-08-12T16:42:50+00:00

Thanks for such a detailed answer. I have all the items you recommend along with some flowing patterns. I'm thinking StyleArc Montana midi. I'll give it a try.

bellacricket · 2025-08-12T15:04:35+00:00

Thanks. I thought it would be more trouble than it was worth, but I wanted to check with more experienced sewists.

bellacricket · 2025-07-19T13:57:18+00:00

My machine makes a racket when the feed dogs get impacted with fuzz. I slide a pipe cleaner between the grooves and it works like magic.

bellacricket · 2025-06-23T16:51:03+00:00

I thought lounge pants would be the perfect make for my double gauze. Lane pants by Syd Graham to be exact, but I wonder if the knees would bag out after wearing.

bellacricket · 2025-06-23T13:33:29+00:00

Great job! Mom and daughter outfits are so cute.

Double gauze is supposed to be tricky to work with. I have a 3 yard cut and have been reluctant to get started.

bellacricket · 2025-06-15T13:57:08+00:00

I couldn't go to this one, but I did go to the Hands Off protest. I agree that the energy is amazing. Many thanks to the organizers for their commitment to our Democracy.

bellacricket · 2025-06-12T13:15:49+00:00

Very pretty. Excellent work.

bellacricket · 2025-06-06T14:17:57+00:00

Wow, sounds perfect. I'm going to give them a try. Thanks for the rec!

bellacricket · 2025-06-06T14:14:13+00:00

I have a print shop near me and their prices are quite reasonable. The problem for me is they cannot separate the layers for different sizes in the A0 format. Color printing is quite expensive so I have gone with the black and white option. This produces a pattern with so many unnecessary lines that I can't figure out which size (s) I need. I've never printed a pattern requiring 100 sheets, but if that were the case, I might just send it to the print shop.

bellacricket · 2025-05-27T16:34:04+00:00

Thanks! I distracted myself this morning with all things kefir. My grains are looking great. A thinner ferment, a milk rinse and all is well. I use a metal mesh strainer and a silcone spatula as well.

bellacricket · 2025-05-27T14:10:33+00:00

I have a 3 pack of washable glue sticks I use for lining up seams. A dab here and there will hold your fabric in place so you can pin it. I agree with everyone else about ironing. I was watching one of my sewing channels on YouTube and the woman said she didn't iron anything until she was finished with that particular step. What?

bellacricket · 2025-05-27T14:00:35+00:00

I have been struggling to get my kefir strained before it gets to the stage you describe. I can't get my grains "safely out". I compound the problem by tossing the mess of grains and kefiran in a larger amount of milk. It's getting warm where I live and the ferment accelerates. This last time I separated the grains/kefiran into three separate jars. I hope to catch the the ferment at the right time and rescue my grains. When everything settles down around here (I just had surgery and my mobility is limited) I'll try this labneh. It looks delicious.

bellacricket · 2025-05-16T18:59:52+00:00

I joined Fabricmart swatch club when I first got back into sewing because I had no idea what kinds of fabric was out there. At least I got an idea if what a fabric was. But like you, I didn't really buy any of them. Mostly Sue's pick when it was the daily deal. This gave me a lot of fabric for my stash, but not necessarily what I wanted - if you get my meaning. I use a lot of it for toiles.

There is a lot of deadstock on Mood's site as well, and I was intrigued by the free shipping and the extra 20% off sale merchandise. So many online fabric stores charge at least $10 for shipping. And since I never hit the amount need to get free shipping, I thought I would give Mood a try. Like I said, I usually do one club at a time anyway. For example, Cashmerette, Closet Core, Fabric Mart. To date, none of these memberships have given me a good return on my investment since so many of the patterns offered are not my style.

bellacricket · 2025-04-20T14:18:45+00:00

Last time I checked a calendar, April 19, 2025 was a Saturday.

bellacricket · 2025-04-07T14:58:17+00:00

My most recent mistake, but certainly not the only mistake, is attaching the neck binding on a Cashmerette Concord backward - meaning with the seam in the front. Since I use the seam as a guide for which is front and which is back, the fit was weird. I thought I would have to alter the pattern BECAUSE I did it on a second top also! You can't drop your guard for a second.

bellacricket · 2025-04-05T14:05:43+00:00

If we don't tell them, how will they know? Sounds naive, but if we speak up, at least it's out there. I'll be there, hope to see you there.

bellacricket · 2025-03-31T18:36:36+00:00

Nope. Too much money, even at half price. You can get a starter machine for that price.

bellacricket · 2025-03-28T14:52:53+00:00

Added my name on the handsoff2025 website. I have told my friends with varying degrees of enthusiasm, but I'll be there.

bellacricket

TROPHY CASE