Things to think about
Last week, our dishwasher's top rack fell out twice, on top of being a leaky, loud, fairly ineffective cranky bastard. So we talked sort of noncommittally about buying a new one. At one point over the long weekend, we were at Sears (where Nate loves to ride the elliptical trainers for AGES) when I started thinking about our nasty dishwasher. So we wandered over there and my mom found a floor model that had been discontinued for $179 (originally $360+). So I bought it. It's a bit smaller than our previous one, and still has a very slight leak, but it is quieter, works better, the leak is fixable (unlike the old one), and it has a delay! So you can load it and start it with a 2,4, or 6 hour delay, and it'll come on later when everyone is done with their showers, or after the washing machine is done, or whatever. No more forgetting to start the dishwasher!
redsquirrel posted about her underwear, mentioning that she had drawn a thread out of the fabric to cut it exactly on grain. I have no idea why I had never thought of this before, but I hadn't. I'd been cursing at my linen for a few weeks, since it is so hard to cut straight. Well, now I'm drawing a thread out to cut it exactly on grain, and my life is so much easier! Especially when it comes to hems. Slubby linen isn't the most fun thing to draw a thread through, especially a 60" piece but hey, it works. I'm just glad I hadn't heard about this technique before pressing my pleats. I'd have drawn a thread for every single one of them, and I'd still be on the 2nd pleat. My underdress is progressing well, just needing the back of the neckline sewn down and the big pieces sewn together (and fake-surge stitched). 3 hours maybe, tops. I have pleated front and sleeves, and flat back. The overdress will probably wind up being stitched down the side and maybe hemmed, but not shaped in any way. In other fibre news, I've finally finished the rainbow belt and warped up some card-woven straps for my overdress.
The science of raising smart kids is getting more notice these days. I tend to teach Nate how to do something rather than do it for him, and he's getting fairly persistent in trying things. He'll keep trying something even while he asks for help, and he often manages the task himself right then. I'd read about this study at the beginning of 2007, and I'm rather pleased with myself that I'm doing fairly well in teaching him how to learn instead of just letting him get away with 'I can't do it!'.
No parties for us this week - we're dreadfully boring that way. Ah well. Sewing is good, weaving is good, new doorway is good, new dishwasher is good. And we played with Nate a lot, and read to him a lot, and just generally hung out, too. No resolutions, mostly since I think New Year's is the 2nd dumbest holiday out there (the August Bank Holiday in the UK is first - it doesn't even HAVE a reason, except just to have a holiday).