CAROL'S BLOG

• www.babbel.com
  I started my free lesson; next day, I got an email offering me three months free with a three-month paid subscription. Thus, only about \$26 for six months—definitely worth it.
• www.duolingo.com
  All free; very professional site.
• memrise.com
  Vocabulary practice. You can choose from user-submitted flash cards to help you remember the words. They must offer them based on most popular user selection; I usually end up using one of the first cards offered.

• macrame wrap knot (for the top of the plant hanger, just below the ring)
• four-strand crown knot

• macrame picture frame
• chinese knot heart picture frame
• great tutorial for basic knots: square; spiral; larkshead knot (to attach a new cord to an existing cord); reverse larkshead knot; half hitch; double half hitch;
• macrame angel decoration
• macrame happy man
• macrame turtle and tortoise
• macrame school videos
• a macrame flower
• macrame snowflake with beads
• macrame easy snowflake
• macrame mandala flower hairclip
• macrame wall hanger
• macrame micro snowflake
• easy macrame flowers
• elaborate macrame plant hanger
• basic macrame plant hanger
• macrame tree of life and frame
• macrame wrapping, lace style

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• The concept discussion for Review of Circles (and related concepts) is pretty much finished, but no exercises yet.
• I've just barely started the concept discussion for Length of a Circular Arc (and related concepts).
• An annoyance with the vagueness and variety of uses of the word ‘subtend’ ended up in lots of productive discussions with my husband, and a section of its own (in progress): The Angle Subtended by a Geometric Object at an External Point.

• I bought a 100-lb bag of washed, screened, and kiln-dried sand from Lowe's for about \$10.00. (Walmart was charging almost \$15.00 for what looked like about a 30-lb bag!)
• wrap each collection of flowers loosely with floral tape; extend the stem with a small piece of pipe cleaner, as needed
• assemble the paper lantern by putting the metal bracket piece inside; this youtube video How To Set Up a Paper Lantern (1:45) was helpful to me to do it in a way that doesn't tear the lantern (they're quite fragile)
• insert the flower stems through the bottom of the lantern (the part without the hook on the bracket); attach to the top of the bracket by twirling around a couple times
• carefully hold the lantern between your legs, with the flowers hanging down (toward the floor); be careful not to crush the flowers
• push two gallon plastic bags (the cheap twistie-tie type) inside the lantern, one on each side of the bracket
• pour a heaping cup of sand into each side
• twist the tops of the two bags together, seal with a twistie-tie, and tuck the excess plastic and tie inside the lantern

• piece of felting foam
• Clover fine-tip felting tool

• circle template board
• circle sizer
• mini mold (this video uses the mini mold and the curling coach; she makes a cute little flower pot)
• quilling comb

• shake markers first
• draw with marker on wrong side of image
• the cheaper the paper, the more transfer images per drawing
• pre-heat the fabric with iron before transferring
• protect ironing board with non-stick pad
• use temporary spray adhesive to prevent shifting
• will smudge if you iron too long
• cut away transfer line if it isn't going to be covered with thread or such
• after cutting out a little piece that requires machine embellishment, can sandwich between two layers of water-soluble solvy and press lightly; this will hold it in place (use a machine embroidery hoop; see below) and prevent shifting for sewing detail

• tear away
• cut away
• water away (water-soluble)
• heat away

• making paper hyacinths
• making paper tulips
• Susan Tierney's mini-daisy (search on this page for ‘daisy’)

• ScanNCut Part I
• ScanNCut Part II

• For copy paper, they recommended 3: I used 1, and it cut fine.
• For thin construction paper, they recommended 3.5: I used 2, and it cut perfectly.

• Here's the Flowering Quince tutorial. I just purchased soft pastels for coloring the petals, sharpies for making speckles, and I now have the correct type of glue! We've been gluing these mini-flowers onto bobby pins to use in our hair. We've gotten lots of nice compliments—so beautiful!
• I like this DIY accordion-pleat and dye crepe paper flower on a stem. The dyed crepe gives a very natural look.
• Another crepe paper flower (Fancy edging scissors or fringing scissors could be used.) I like the newspaper stem idea!
  Use this very clever crepe paper ruffling on the sewing machine!
• Curly paper flower hyacinths
• This time I'm going to get the correct Janome gathering foot!
• Machine ruffler foot
  I'm getting such a great set of tools to use with my new Janome sewing machine!

• First quilt on my new Janome sewing machine!
• First project using the special curve sewing foot!
  (Curves still require a lot of patience. Think my next few quilts will have nice straight seams...)
• First project using 505 Spray Fabric Adhesive!
  (I used it, instead of pins, to hold the cover/batting/backing together. It's amazing!)
• First project using the even feed foot (it works FANTASTIC on the cover/batting/backing sandwich)!

• Meatball Monday (pasta)
• Taco Tuesday (or burritos)
• Wok Wednesday (stir-fry, usually with chicken)
• Tater Thursday (super potatoes; shepard's pie)
• Fishy Friday
• Soupy Saturday (homemade soup; canned soup and grilled cheese)
• Scrambly Sunday (eggs, quiche)

• Loopy Bloom Die-namics Tutorial
• Large Royal Rose Die-namics Tutorial (a two-toned version)
• Rolled Daisy Die-namics Tutorial
• Susan's Garden Tool Kit (general tool intro)
  See the tools in action while making a lily:
  • The loop tool shapes a petal (press from end to stem on molding pad)
  • add striations (use the green leaf pad) with the (sharp) leaf tool
  • pinch the stem with the tweezers
  • use the ball stylus to crimp petal ends
  • calyx: use the ball stylus (on the molding pad), stirring method, to make it pop up

• Janome Even Feed (Walking) Foot
  Use the tiny screwdriver than comes with the Janome!
  Be sure to put the bar above the needle screw!
  
  This next video shows how to attach the quilting guide.
  (You have to push down a bit.)
  
  I tried sewing through a cover/batting/backing ‘sandwich’ both with and without the even feed foot. The even feed foot certainly helps eliminate the puckering problem!
• Janome Needle Threader

• a great little introduction to the Janome 2212
  Pay attention to how he uses the thead cutter!
  My thread kept coming unthreaded when I started to sew again—I think I wasn't stopping the needle at the highest position. Now, it's working great!
• the four-step buttonhole Who needs a one-step buttonholer when it's this simple?
• Janome binder foot (2:10) The point-with-pull-thread is a very helpful hint. The proper width is CRITICAL. One inch is TOO WIDE, and it doesn't work. I've found that 7/8" is perfect. It didn't work well for my quilt binding: the three layers (top/padding/backing) was too thick, and it didn't work well on the curves. But, for straight binding, it works beautifully.
• the Curve Master Presser Foot
  Make sure the fabrics are positioned so that they separate—top fabric curving to the left, bottom fabric curving to the right.
  another Curve Master video
  This makes my apple core quilt sewing MUCH easier! It took me about a half dozen tries to actually get it to work smoothly, but once I got the hang of it, it really helps.

• Tiny House Building Checklist
• How Long to Build a Tiny Hours (in man hours)? (and other statistics)

• Susan's Garden Mini Lily
• Vintaj DecoEtch Climbing Ivy (This is for metal embossing—oops!)
• Using the Silicone Pad and Impressions Pad
• Cutting, Embossing and Stenciling with Thinlits

• A Fabric Scrap Memory Game
  I can make this for (future!) grand-kids, or for gifts for small children.
• Fabric-covered Picture Frames
  I'm thinking I can buy inexpensive plastic frames (say, at a dollar store), and then make them look nice enough to use for myself or to give as gifts.
• Fabric-Decorated Bobby Pins
  I think these will make thoughtful gifts for young girls.
• Wristlet
  I could make ‘crazy fabric’ by sewing together lots of tiny pieces in any-which-way to use for the outside.
• Quilted Bowl Tutorial
  Wouldn't they make an awesome Christmas gift, filled with some goodies?
• Microwave Heating Bag
  My Mom couldn't live without these!
• Fabric Tape/Stickers
  Why use ordinary boring tape? This can make a little package extra special!
• Quilted Bouquet Holder
  Perhaps for Julia's wedding?

• Crepe and Watercolor Flower
• Paper Rose Wedding Bouquet
  (Here's a video for a single rose.)
  There are free templates to print here (scroll down)
• Crepe Paper Peonies

• tissue paper flowers
  She talks about making a stem first; the flower instructions start at about 2:20.
  This is easy and inexpensive to make; perhaps wrap around napkins.
  If using cheap tissue paper, be careful not to tear the paper as you're scrunching up the petals.
  Basic technique: pleat a rectangular piece of fabric/paper; wrap wire around middle; fluff/shape.
• a fluffy tulle or organza flower (requires a glue gun)
  basic technique for each layer: repeatedly fold a long strip of fabric; cut petal shape and unfold; singe edges to curl petals; baste along long edge; gather; shape into circle and secure
• one-piece Kanzashi flower Cool idea; I love the folding and gathering idea. I've tried two, and they haven't come out very well. I was trying to use fabric instead of ribbon; that may be the problem.
  basic technique: do a special folding of a long strip of fabric (or ribbon); baste along (special) folded edges and gather; singe edges; shape into circle and secure
• shabby chic flower This one is great for using up little pieces of fabric and miscellaneous buttons (for the middles). I went out and bought a small hot glue gun.
  basic technique: fold small individual fabric squares in a special way (for each petal); glue onto a circular (felt) base; if desired, repeat for more layers; glue on center adornments (stamen, buttons, etc.)
• individual petal Kanzashi flower $\,7\text{ cm}\approx 2.75 \text{ in}\,$;   $\,4\text{ cm}\approx 1.5 \text{ in}\,$
  This is beautiful, but ribbon is expensive, and I wasn't able to get even one petal to look ‘right’ with three tries—I don't think I'd be able to make 150-200 of these for a wedding!
• Japanese hair flower These are similar to the petal style above, but are a much smaller flower. I like the use of the common pins to hold them together until sewing. I recommend starting considerably bigger than $\,5\text{ cm}\times 5 \text{ cm}\,$ for your first one! The finished flower can be glued to a circular felt base.