Elizabeth Hartman is a very talented designer. She has a whole line of pieced animals, she has even put most of them into one quilt pattern. She is meticulous and in her patterns she has you cut out squares and rectangles and as you sew the pieces together, an animal emerges – accurate every time.
I made two rabbits to use in another very talented designers project. Sarah Lawson and her pattern Creative Maker Supply case. She writes the best patterns for bags, backlogs, purses, you name it, she has designed it. Her patterns are very well written as well.
My two rabbits were larger than her dimensions, but I had no problem resizing on my own. I love using By Annies Soft and stable, it adds body without weight. I machine quilted around the bunnies.
Have to look at the back to see. 
I also changed the interior somewhat, I put in a vinyl pocket as well as a mesh one. I learned how to insert a zipper with a binding, so the case opens flat as well as being roomier. Other great advice, use a handbag zipper. It’s not just longer, the tape is wider, so it’s easier to sew in as well as affording more space.
Using up my foxes and other animal prints left over from Shira’s quilt.
Still Rabbit with hibiscus. Another nice thing about certain handbag zippers is the two pulls.
I haven’t found these zippers at JoAnns, but there are many sources through Amazon, I made a point of buying a few zippers.
Another project I just made as a last minute gift for a friend – a little zippered bag. Reverse appliqués the heart.
Matched the zipper to the flower on the handle.
Made sure the lining also picked up some of the red.
There are so many tutorials online for little zippered bags and they are wonderful gifts.
Author: Leah
More Halloween
I’m beginning to think that we are all very familiar with what the skeleton looks like, even though most of us have very little to do with death.
Getting Fido in on the act.
Even apartment dwellers are in on the fun.
Although this homeowner should win some prize, not for having rabbits on his fence, but for at least including them in the holiday fun.
Some decorations are old fashioned.
Others are all about the inflatable, with the Peanuts in the starring role. Maybe I should be glad that spider wasn’t inflated.
Because this one is scary!
Combining Halloween and Day of the Dead in one display.
Very realistic ghost, you can see through it. 
Love me some Jack
And Sally.
And then some people really go overboard with the gore.
Other events do take place that have nothing to do with Halloween.
Winter dress
Although it still feel like summer, I’ve started my winter sewing. 
I must confess to really liking the Big Four pattern companies. I HATE to print and tape together patterns at home, which is what one often has to do when buying an indie pattern. Or else I have to pay $15-18 dollars plus shipping for a printed indie pattern. I will do so from time to time if the pattern is unique enough, but I find that the Big Four know what they are doing and I am getting very adept at hacking the patterns.
Love the peplum, do not love a V-neck for a winter dress, I tend to get very cold on my neck.
I didn’t take a picture of the fabric before I cut it. Suffice to say, this is an ITY knit (probably poly-lycra) that I bought for $5 a yard at Michael Levines, in the regular store, not the bargain loft. $10 for a dress isn’t bad.
It was a border print and I’m happy that I was able to cut the peplum out of the border section of the print. As I get older I find myself more willing to wear black – that is if there is some very interesting print on the black. This one fit the bill.
Now was the time to make some finishing decisions.
This fabric is rather thick, so folding a hem didn’t seem like a good idea. Instead I serged this with a rolled hem stitch. Because most of the fabric is cut on the bias and it’s a very stretchy knit – I didn’t get a lovely clean finish, but no-one will ever get this close the the skirt. A finish is better than non at all, which was an option.
I was thinking of using the border print as a neckband, but thought better of it. Rather than framing the whole dress with this print, why not only have it on the bottom of the dress and sleeves. I feel it gives a more balanced look to the dress.
Also, I ran out of fabric, I had enough for the sleeve bands, but not enough for the neck.
Yes, this looks more natural and finished than the jarring border print.
The whole dress was made only on the serger, no sewing machine at all. Which means the darts as well. I could have lifted the knife and sewn the dart whole, but I don’t think that would work. Sergers aren’t made to have any fabric on the right side of the needles. So it’s just as well that I let the knife cut the excess fabric off.
I folded the cuff in half and serged onto the sleeve, nice clean and neat.
The inside. I love my serger!
And now, for some cool weather. I think my photography has improved a lot since I started this blog, yet there is always room for improvement. I need to pay more attention to the background. That rose bush is distracting! I have signed up for a Craftsy Class on how to photograph ‘product’, we’ll see what that does to my photography.
The Mount Lowe Railway
We arrived! This was the end of the line for the funicular portion of the Mt. Lowe Railway. This incredible feat of engineering ran from 1893 to 1938. It was a must see and must travel destination in Southern California. Very little remains today, and what does was brought back by the Mount Lowe Preservation Society.
Like this massive Wheel that pulled the funicular cars up and down the very steep hill.
That is the haulage cable, and you wonder why I can’t get enough of this man made steel.
A thing of beauty.
From here, a conventional railway continued up to the summit of Mount Lowe.
Ascending 3250 ft, at some points as steep as 62 grade. In contrast Angels Flight which only has a 33 percent grade and is only 315 ft. long.
The top of the tramway, from here one would switch to an electric cable car. Notice how there is a sudden drop off?
Looking down at the concrete pilings that held the funicular tracks.
An old photo of the funicular arriving at Echo Mountain House, a 70 room hotel. No way could anyone build this today, those men just standing on the front of the car with no security measures?!?! Those were very different times.
Another very famous image, after leaving the hotel, an electric car took you to the top of Mount Lowe. And no, I wasn’t going to hike another 5 miles up there.
Very little remains of the hotel today. Weather, flooding and a drop in profitability closed down the railway in 1938. Some of it was salvaged and sold, some simply stolen by scavengers. Unfortunately the Forrest service finds old structures to be a nuisance. They have no sense of history and whenever possible they simply destroy standing structures. My guess is they fear law suits. So very little remains of the hotel, just the foundations. Notice the large circular structure?
That was a natural gas tank, when the hotel was built, the gas was used for everything. A short while later an electric line connected the hotel to Alta Dena bellow. I’m glad that the preservation society is keeping on top of the graffiti. Have I said how much I hate graffiti?! No one has the right to desecrate either public or private property. Either buy a building, or work on a canvas – I don’t care that the tagger calls it ‘art’ – it isn’t.
Luckily some structures are too difficult to remove, here is the stairway from the station up into the hotel.
A beautiful stone wall. Kudos to all the workmen who hauled up the materials and built these walls and the buildings that no longer exist.
How cool is this, we are on Echo Mountain after all, the preservation society has reinstalled one of these echo phone (love the name). There may have been more to it in the old days, I tried and I heard no echo, maybe I can blame it on the fog.
Hiking Echo Mountain
The weather finally turned cool and it was feasible to go for a hike. I can’t get over the fact that within 30 minutes of us there are so many incredible hiking trails. On weekends these trails are full of fellow hikers, some people like to get away from the crowds, I’m just happy to see so many other Los Angelenos out enjoying our mountains.
The San Gabriel mountains were shrouded in clouds, so much so, this almost doesn’t look like Southern California.
A two and a half mile climb starts with a nice flat road and big flowering bushes.
Starting the climb and looking back at some alternative paths below.
A California Live Oak with bare roots next to the path.
I’m no geologist, but these layers of rock fascinate me. What gives the pink one it’s color? How did that strip of white get trapped there? 
The views are supposed to be spectacular. We had cloud cover the whole way, yes it really was that grey. So the commercial area of La Canada stands out, but it wasn’t worth taking pictures of haze. 
Unless one walks right under the tower that holds the power lines and the top is disappearing into the fog.
Or a hawk appears to be just a silhouette against the nothingness.
Soon we were above the power lines but still only about half way up the mountain.
I even remembered to hand Joel the camera so he could get a picture of me.
We made it to the top!
People enjoying a picnic. I thought I was focusing on the people, my camera thought otherwise.
A five mile hike is plenty for me. I’m impressed with those who walk the whole 12 miles up to Mt. Lowe and back. But this is where we turned back. Of course there are some wonderful things up at this level, but that will be another post.
This hike starts at the top of Lake Ave in Alta Dena. Anyone who knows Alta Dena knows that there is good soul food to be found. No we didn’t go to Roscoes Fried Chicken and Waffles, it was Sunday after church, the line was out in the parking lot. Instead we stopped at Louisiana Fried Chicken, food served in plastic baskets and only a few plastic tables. We earned the right to eat fried chicken and what can I say – there is nothing moister than good fried chicken. The batter has a little kick and the steam just wafted off the basket. I’m getting hungry all over again, but my legs are still sore from Sunday’s hike, so I will just enjoy the memory.
LeahYou Made Me?
That is what Shira says whenever I give her something. You can imagine, my granddaughter appreciating my work, makes my heart sing. Also makes me make her more things.
Months ago I made this sweater. 
It was the middle of the summer when I finished it and it made no sense to give it to her a the time.
The yarn is from Sarah, a knitting friend, she was de-stashing. Apparently she bought this on sale in North Carolina years ago and never used it. She bought an adult sweaters’ worth, so I sill have some leftover. This cotton/acrylic blend knit up very nicely, and once again, I used different color buttons.
So the day, or rather night finally came and I gave Shira her new sweater.
Modeling with glow wand. My guesstimate works, big enough for her to grow into this winter.
I really don’t like taking flash photos, it washes everything out, but as I mentioned, it was night.
Yup, Aytan had to photobomb.
Really photobomb. He wants a yellow shirt. He has no interest in hand knit sweaters.
And finally, the happy grandkid photo!
Orcutt Ranch
The Valley is huge, it has more residents than the state of Wyoming and covers 260 square miles. It has the reputation of being a suburban wasteland – mostly by people who never set foot here. Of course like any place else, it has many interesting historical sites.
Rancho Sonbra Del Roble or the W.W. Orcutt ranch is such a place. It is on the very far western reaches of the valley. Not an area I frequent but I’ve driven by enough times that I figured it deserved a visit.
Built in 1926 as a working ranch and vacation home for the oilman W.W. Orcutt. One of the things I enjoy about my explorations of local areas is learning about important people who contributed to the LA basin. Orcutt is responsible for using geology in oil exploration as well as discovering the fossilized remains at the La Brea Tar pits.
Sonbra del Roble means under the Oak tree and this ranch has some beautiful old California Live Oaks.
This old tree looks like it has needed the propping up for a while. Unfortunately I’m sure these trees are being affected by that nasty foreign beetle that came in with the shipping containers.
These mighty oaks do come from little acorns.
The ranch used to have cattle and citrus. Today the cattle are long gone but some of the citrus sill remains. In 1965 24 acres became a public park, as it is today.
A water pump stands on the ground and I simply couldn’t resist photographing some rusting iron.
A wonderful connection between Orcutt and these local coyotes, since he discovered the bones in La Brea tar pits he was honored with the naming of the prehistoric coyote – Canis Orcutti, another animal may have been more impressive, but the descendants of his coyote are freely roaming both his ranch and the nieghboring suburban homes.
The adobe home is lovely, Mary Orcutt lived out her days here, by the mid sixties this was no longer a lonely ranch, Canoga Park had sprung up around it.
The grounds are open to public, the house and garden can be rented for weddings or special events. School children come to learn about the history of the valley.
A rose garden and lovely tiles surround the front door.
The large sundial with the famous saying, Grab the day.
The house is built around a courtyard with a lot of shade.
And of course a fountain with fresh water. There is a stream that runs through the property – when it rains.
A lot of tiles, both inside and out.
Of course I’m wondering if that discoloration happened during the firing of the tiles or later? I guess I’ll never know.
Another material that is used as a decorative element in cement, so unless someone brings out a cushion I’m not sitting here.
A sculpture of a padre, no the years haven’t been kind, the concrete is crumbling.
Though not as bad as this mythical sea creature. Who despite the use of rebar has lost his arms, or maybe it was fins, once again, I’ll never know.
One design element that is all over the ranch, on the gate post, on the house is the swastika. No I won’t take pictures of swastikas. I understand that before the Nazis the swastika symbolized good luck and prosperity. I even recall that in the Great Gatsby, Fitzgerald created the Character Meyer Wolfsheim who has a company called The Swastika Holding company. Authors are prescient, in 1925 Fitzgerald had no idea what the swastika would come to symbolize, but it is ironic that the caricature of the Jew, is symbolized by that image. And I’m not cutting Fitzgerald any slack, he was antisemitic, sure, that was all acceptable in his place and class. Interesting how people forgive Fitzgerald because they love his writing, but don’t forgive Washington or Jefferson for owning slaves – when that was perfectly acceptable in their time.
The ranch still functions, I don’t know how much citrus is harvested, but the orchards are well cared for. Also couldn’t tell you that this truck is still used, but it certainly looks like it is in good enough condition to still run.
Shira’s quilt, finished.
Well, almost finished, I do need to make a label.
I decided to mix things up and go to the park for the photo shoot.
Here I am, quilt in bag and camera already set up.
I just saw instructions from Quiltcon about how not to photograph your quilt. This is an example. I’m not submitting this to any show, so I actually think that capturing these different angles are a fun way of showing it off.
Or this way, where you can see both front and back.
OK, so here is the kind of photo that is necessary when applying to shows. It gives the chance to show off the whole quilt without distractions. As well as show the border quilting, which I did do with a ruler, not a walking foot. I’m pleased with the corners. There are always options and this is what I chose.
Here is a close up of the corner and the edge quilting. As well as the turquoise circle – where I used ruler work. I’ve been taking a craftsy class on ruler work, sometimes these classes teach you what you don’t want to do. I am happy with how my free motion quilting is getting better and I’m glad I have learned some ruler work – but I won’t be investing in a slew of different rulers, the inaccurate look works for me.
The reason the backing of my quilts are pieced is because I’m too cheap to buy more fabric just for the back. I’d rather use up fabric and then go buy some new fabric that I’ll enjoy in another quilt.
A nice thing about a large solid fabric on the back is that you can really see the quilting. Since I use prints so often, the quilting can get lost. Very impressive quilting if I may say so myself. Practice is really helping.
That Aurifil thread works like a charm!
And now for some more artistic shots, simply because I had so much fun at the park
There actually were kids at the playground, but somehow I managed to get these pictures without getting any children in them. That in itself is an accomplishment and yes, I think I will go farther afield than my own yard for future photo shoots, it was fun!
Fall in LA
Fall here is cool mornings and evenings and hot in the middle of the day. Or else, we have Santa Ana winds blowing and it’s just scorching hot with the winds coming from the east.
October means that Halloween in almost here, sure stores have had items for two months already, but now is the time that people start decorating. The house across the street from me always changes to orange lightbulbs.
Another house puts up a fall colored wreath.
Even the cacti get in on the color changing act. 
Rust makes this rooster look orange, but he stays put year round.
As does this part of a pair. I’d never noticed them before, it pays to go looking for Halloween decorations, you never know what you will find.
Nature provides a lot of orange this time of year.
In my neighborhood pumpkin is king.
This tree house definitely wins!
The creepy begins to take over, these light up at night. I need to venture out further for the macabre, I know it’s out there just not on my block.
And of course my front porch. Every year I buy a bunch of pumpkins and gourds, they accent my Mexican pots beautifully.
This oddity is new to me. It looks diseased, but someone figured that it would sell, so they kept breeding for more of this look. It also reminds me of insulation foam. As if someone took a smooth pumpkin and just used up a can of that foam to create this look.
Next, I will move farther a field and find some more of the unique and unusual.
LeahCrazylikeFox
The year is going by, here is what I made for our October girl in the gift exchange
She asked for an apron and of course I had to use cute fox material.
It works well with this word fabric I’ve had forever. The woodland animal fabric is adorable. So much so that someone on Instagram said she had to have it! Who is the designer. I was a little put off, she never mentioned if she liked the project. (I used this in Shira’s quilt as well). Just I have to have that fabric! Well I have a small scrap left and no more selvedge so I have no clue. For me, fabrics are my color palate – I can’t get into this whole adoration of certain designers. Sure I love the plethora of fabric designs out there, sometimes I’ll see a name I recognize and if the fabric appeals to me, I’ll buy it. But if I get the sense that you are more interested in the fabric than my work – I have a problem.
Cute botton and a great buttonhole! I need to sew more garments now that I have an amazing sewing machine that really does good buttonholes.
The skirt of the apron isn’t lined.
The top is, just gives it a little more body. I also love my serger, I made the bias tape myself and for this kind of project, a serged edge is nice and neat.
I have the special heat resistant batting, so why not make a matching oven glove.
For this I didn’t want the merged edge showing, so I folded under the seam. I also put in my label, I think I forgot to do that on the apron.
Nice gift, and yes I included a few more goodies, but forgot to take a picture.