Over the last week I’ve been getting the same questions in comments here and in emails from blog readers. Here’s the most asked questions of the last week and their answers:
- How do I get the hat pattern you’re using: http://orangebettie.com/2021/05/31/summer-bucket-hat-tutorial-and-free-sewing-pattern/
- What interfacing do you use on your hats: Pellon 931TD Fusible Midweight Interfacing
- How can I get that salmon soup recipe: https://food52.com/recipes/73800-lohikeitto-finnish-salmon-soup
- Where can I get your Frankenbag pattern: https://agilejack1.com/2021/03/25/frankenbag-tutorial/
Today was another rainy day. It rained most of the morning and sprinkled off and on through the afternoon. So there was no pickleball for me. I went to a friend’s house for dinner and after that the sky was amazing. This is my back yard at around 8:00 this evening.
After dinner and conversation I took my boys for a lovely evening walk. It was nice and cool and the skies were gorgeous. This photo is looking due east.
I actually had a little bit of productive time today. I’ve been getting annoyed at how cluttered my plastic container drawer in my kitchen has gotten. It was past time to go through the drawer and match containers to lids and get rid of everything that doesn’t have a partner. Look how calm and serene this is!
I wonder how long it will look like that.
I’ve been keeping all my completed hats on the bed in my guest room and caught this glimpse of them as I walked by this afternoon. They all look so pretty together. ‘
I did spend a little time in my sewing room today. I’ve been thinking about making some crumb blocks out of all the scraps I’ve been producing as I’ve made hats. So I sorted through all those recent scraps and separated out the pieces I wanted to use and started sewing.
I really love crumb piecing because it’s very free form and relaxing. No seams have to match, you just grab two pieces of fabric and sew them together, and then grab another two and just keep going until you have a long string. Here’s a bunch of sewn pieces on my ironing board ready to be cut apart and pressed open.
Once you press them all open, sew these pieces to each other, and then sew those resulting pieces together and so on. Here’s a few crumb blocks that I made today.
Because of the shape of the pattern pieces for the hat, I’m left with a lot of triangular scraps, which makes for really interesting crumb blocks!
Of course I did all of this with the intent of making these blocks into a hat. How much fun would that be?!?!?! So I thought about cutting the hat pieces from the crumb blocks and decided that the easiest way to do it would be to carefully cut my interfacing pieces, use them to determine how big my crumb blocks needed to be, then fuse them to the back and cut out the hat piece. The interfacing will also help keep all those seams in place when the hat is worn, washed and dried.
I got enough crumb blocks made, fused on the hat pieces, and got them all cut out.
That’s going to be a fun hat! It’s a good thing I made it in the size that fits me.
I tried a bunch of different options for the lining and landed on this red Guinea Flower fabric. I got the lining all cut out and fused.
Maybe I’ll get this sewn together when I get home from agility class tomorrow night. It will be interesting to see how difficult all those crumb seams make the assembly.
When the pandemic hit and I started working from home more than two years ago we were told we would be working from home for a few weeks. So I started a daily post on Facebook called my Flatten the Curve Diary. It was a fun way to keep track of the days and what was happening at the time. Today was post #800 and our final post.
Here’s what I wrote today:
Flatten the Curve Diary: Entry 800
800 is enough. I’m done.
When the pandemic first started they told us we’d be working from home for a few weeks. So I thought I’d do a daily post until we went back to the office. 800 days later, working in the office is still nowhere in sight. So I’m done. 800 daily diary entries is enough.
Here’s the photo that accompanied my post:
And here’s how a friend of mine edited that photo:
My nephew and his girlfriend will be visiting next week. They will be in town for a friend’s wedding and will spend a couple days with me. I’ll have to do a little housekeeping this week to get ready, but all the heavy work has been done.
agilejack 
Can’t wait to see this hat! Love all the colors and red is the perfect lining!
A lot of respect for you hanging in there for 800 days of thoughts! That’s a very long time. I’d be interested in reading it but I’m so dang sick of living the pandemic, it’s going to be a loooong time before I could even consider it. Lol I know you understand. When I first started hearing about covid, I did some reading up on the Spanish Flu so I knew what was coming .. More or less. But even I can’t believe this has continued so lo ng! And now monkey pox is hot on its heels. Guess locusts will be next. I think we all learned a lot about ourselves, our values and beliefs during this time. Hopefully, it will lead us all to be better, happier people. One can only hope. Meantime, we all have our sewing machines and fabrics to keep us sane. I was admiring just today, how noticeably my stash has shrunk! That’s been my goal during this time. Naturally I’ve bought a bit of fabric to keep my fav venders going (ahem), but I’ve still gotten more done in these past 2 years than I could have ever dreamed.
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Thank you for posting the pattern links. I know as time goes by that I will be wanting to make one (only one?) on those hats. And I love seeing your boys. I would include a picture of my rescued Zelda, except that I haven’t taught her to sit still for a picture. She is a bossy cattle dog/border collie mix who objects to my phone interrupting her agenda. Margaret SkaarupEaston PA
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You should make a hat. You need at least one and they would make great gifts!
Bender is a natural poser. Rico really hates it. Not every dog is meant to be in front of the camera!
anne
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Every morning I look forward to reading your latest post. I really enjoy hearing what you and your boys have been up to, and your latest projects, etc. Just love this latest hat idea using the crumb blocks and can’t wait to see the finished product! Super fun!
Your photos of the area where you live and all those roses make me want to move to Oregon. Then again I’m sure it isn’t all roses and besides that ,it’s a large state, especially compared with little Delaware.
Thanks again for making my days! Give the boys some extra love from me! ( As if that’s possible)
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Oregon is a beautiful state and varies from east to west and from north to south. The Willamette Valley and NW Oregon are very wet from October through May, and especially wet this year. So it’s crazy green here, but my veggies and strawberries want some sun!!!
it’s a beautiful place, but all the rain can be a bit much if you’re not accustomed to it.
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Thanks for reading!
Anne
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I’m sure the scrap hat will look great! It doesn’t seem like you can make a wrong move with this colorful fabric.
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Oh, you CAN make a wrong move, but you have to be dedicated to it!!!
I’m anxious to see this hat done.
Anne
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I think your crumb pieced hat will be epic! Can’t wait to see it. But I’m sure it will be more challenging to sew it with all those seems. Making this hat is still on my bucket list!
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You should make a hat! They are a quick way to try something new and maybe you’ll end up with something really fun!
I couldn’t force myself to start sewing when I got home at 10 pm tonight. I want to be fresh to deal with all that bulk.
Anne
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800 days is enough. I wholeheartedly agree. Time we find our new normal and move on. I can’t pick a favorite on the hats. They’re all unique, interesting and GORGEOUS.
Bender and Rico are so handsome. Your sky, flower and coast photos make me wish that was my home state. Thanks for relisting all the tutorials. Working from home right now has the advantage of not paying the high gas prices!!
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Gas is crazy expensive. It’s up to about $5.50 a gallon here… still a lot less than in Europe but expensive for us. Most of my recreation takes place in the country so it takes gas. I’m fortunate that I can afford these increases. I feel bad for those who can’t
Anne
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What all of the above said! Yes, and, I—too—look forward to your posts. They are evidence of a calm, ordinary, creative life, something that has eluded me (and perhaps others) during these last two years. But I also love your creative tips, your sharing of the trial and error process you use, and the color! Oh the colors are just yummy. Thank you for this ordinary/creative/beautiful moment in each day.
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Wow! Thanks so much! I never thought of my life as calm, but I guess it is. I’m not a huge fan of drama and chaos. but I do like new things!
Thanks for reading!
Anne
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Thank you,I look forward to trying a hat.
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You should make one. You don’t have anything to lose but a half yard of fabric and some time!
Anne
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You seem like such a fun person. I wish I was 20 years younger and lived next door. LOVE your color combos – and your dogs are so photogenic. Thank you for sharing.
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I wish I was 20 years younger too! Imagine the trouble we could get into!
Anne
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Hi Anne
Love your blog and the boys. We had a sweet border collie for 13 years. Best dog ever!
Question… do you have a web site where you sell your creations?
Your projects make my heart sing.
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Border collies are great dogs! Can’t imagine life without one.
I don’t have a website where I sell my stuff. I can’t make enough to keep a site or store stocked. I basically sell by word of mouth. So if you see something you like, message me about it.
Anne
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I love your imagination. The hat will be fabulous, and your wee doggie’s are gorgeous. We have a 17 year old border collie, who is like a very old lady. We think she has dementia, but she’s still lovely.
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Bender’s dad lived to be almost 17. And his mom lived to 16. I think he will live to be 20!!
Nothing better than old dogs! Give her a hug for me!
Anne
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That photo of your backyard . . . stunning! You must live in the PNW ~ so green! I just found you and am enjoying your work and stories. Thank you!
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I was really lucky to find this property. And yes… I do live in the PNW! Those skies are very PNW!!
Anne
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I will miss your posts. I have followed you from the beginning and have thoroughly enjoyed all of your knowledge that you share. Will you be writing some things on Facebook? It was good to hear how much weight you had lost in the pandemic process. How much total did you lose? Will we still receive your regular emails? Greetings from Idaho.
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I’m still going to do my blog, just not my Flatten the Curve Diary entries on FAcebook. I’ll still post on FAcebook, I;m just tired of the pressure of doing a daily post.
Anne
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I’m going to try this pattern! The other one I tried was too snug & I don’t really feel like I have a big head! Wish me luck! Love your hats!
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My head is 23 inches. The pattern printed at 105% fits me nicely. I’m using a 3/8 inch seam allowance.
Anne
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I am finishing making my first hat. I just found my head measures 22″ and the inner seam of the hat measures 24 5/8 so this hat is loose. Just pinching it while it’s on my head, I figured I should make it an inch smaller and I imagine that would affect the size of the circle at the top of the hat as well. I’m surprised to see you completing the brim before sewing it to the crown. I thought the whole outter hat and the lining were supposed to be completely sewn separately, sewn together at the brim and then turned inside out. Then finished with the quilting lines on the brim. Aren’t you left with a raw edge on the inside when you sew the crown to the brim the way you are doing it?
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I’m using the Orange Bettie pattern but putting it together the way the Sweet Red Poppy hat is done. You can do it any way that floats your boat. I might try your method and see if I like it. I like being able to work on the brim alone because that’s important detail in the hat and I want it to be really nice and well done.
When sewing the outer hat part to the brim andlining, I leave a 2 inch opening along the bottom of the hat top. Then it’s closed with a line of top stitching that goes all around the upper hat.
Take a look at the Sweet Red Poppy Bucket Hat tutorial to see how it’s done.
Anne
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Where did you find this pattern if I may ask ,thank you.
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I put a link to the pattern I use at the very top of the post… question #1.
https://wordpress.com/read/blogs/127952583/posts/13457
Anne
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I wish we never had to go back. Now when I go in the office someone is always coughing and I’m like ugh lol.
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There are things I really like about working from home, like hanging out with my boys and getting our mid day walks. But I miss the people. . . which is astounding because I’m a raging introvert.
Anne
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Yeah same, it is nice to have the time with them. Especially people I’ve worked with for 16 years
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Thank you 800 times over for your posts. I have enjoyed every one (except this goodbye not so much) full of color and dogs and scenery and beaches and everything else.
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Well, I’m not stopping my blog, and I’m still on FAcebook. I’m just stopping those daily diary posts. it’s too much pressure!!!
Thanks for reading!
Anne
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Hope you got to see the dog agility competition 6/19. Kaboom, B C won the class. Maybe we’ll see you compete next year !
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I actually set my DVR to record it and watched it later. I like being able to fast forward. It was fun!
Anne
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Found this free pattern you might like. I would probably stitch more around the rim – like you do with the bucket hats.
Enjoy!! Sharon
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I can’t see the pattern. PLease email it to me at anne@agilejack1.com
Anne
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