bits of vacation

I've had a busy few days off - and done most of the things I'd told myself I needed to get done.  I made two new yarn toy bags for Esme's room, found a hanger hook bar at the thrift store and put it up in her room for coats and hats (no bookends, though.. still thinking on that one -- she has some on one of her tables in her room and I might move them), went through some of my fabric and patterns, made two good new items for Esme's closet, and sorted out all of the too-small and stained things that had to go.  I cleaned a bit more, and made banana bread :) 

It feels good!

Plus, I asked Mark if he could find me one of his hard-drive platters to make a stand for my cone thread.  I saw a cone thread holder on a website for $$, and was pretty sure we could mock something up that would work in a similar fashion.  I have this big cone of thread a coworker gave me.

This is the result of one safety pin (hooked on top of machine), a size 1 knitting dpn (double pointed needle) and a hard-drive platter that spins on its own ball bearings. 

It really works, without any more adjustment than just sitting there.  The thread goes through the safety pin on the bobbin winder, through the tensioner like normal, and through the needle.  It slowly unspools itself as the machine runs.  I had to take the cone off to wind the bobbin from it, but it wasn't that much of a hassle to put it back on.

Then I drafted a shorts pattern for Mark using something from my collection and they worked out, too.  If I sit down and make a pair for Esme (out of some different fabric) I'd have made almost everything I had planned on during this vacation.

I work tomorrow, and then two 'regular' days off.. Thursday is Esme's meet-the-teacher registration day.  We bring the school supplies and get her registered in the class.  Friday is her first full day at school.