Sew Cute

I was so productive during that snow day! I did three loads of laundry (and folded and put away!); read three chapters of a book; walked the dog; made lunch and dinner; blogged; and made this pumpkin pincushion!

Because I did not have the called-for templates I went around my house measuring circular things looking for a 6" circle. I cut the pieces and sewed them back together. And then I took this picture because look how those points meet! They're perfect! And then you weren't going to be able to tell. {Sad trombone.} No, instead what you can tell about this, is that I sew a frickin' lumpy circle. LOL

I had a felt leaf, so I didn't have to make one, but it seemed naked so I did a bit of embroidery. The button is my conceptual stem.

Defeat: Tape Measure Cover

I've been defeated by a tape measure cover. I simply couldn't turn a half inch tube. I did give it an honest try, working on it for an hour. Frankly, I'm not sure it's possible. I'm going to skip it for now and work on the projects that I had planned this week, and possibly return to it over the weekend. Or maybe burn it in a spectacular way.

Some ways to cover a tape measure:
Fabric tape measure cover (PDF)
Yoyo cover
Felt cover

Love Your Slob

Hey, gang. Our trip to D.C. was fun and we got to visit some fabulous friends. And we got home soon enough that I was able to head up to the craft room to make something.

I had this tie napkin pinned, but when I went to follow the link, it was dead. Still, I know how to do a fusible applique. Mostly. Sometimes. When I finally remember to use tear-away stabilizer. I figured it out on my own, but what I realize now is there was a reason I had pulled out a striped fabric. Stripes would make it easier to see the difference between the knot and the tie. In this example, not so much. But you get the idea. I love this fabric as a tie, even if the execution is iffy.

I did another search, and I found a new link to this project. This is pretty much how I made it up as I went along.

Remember to use stripes!

Thanks to all of you who are commenting regularly--or at all really--this blogging every day thing gets a little disheartening, and your little notes really help me along! I appreciate your visit and your messages. 

March is National Craft Month

Let's celebrate!

Here we are in year three of celebrating National Craft Month. I've loved doing the real-time craft-a-day, but with the new job and other priorities for the year ("Connect!") I just wasn't sure I could keep up. Still I felt like this project should offer some sort of a challenge. What challenges crafters?

What?

Who?

Oh, right.

Men.

We struggle to find things to make for men and boys. Or at least I do. Or did, you know, back when I made all my Christmas presents. So this time around I am going to let myself work ahead. My crafts won't be things I did in a day. Some might be made over a week or over the whole month. Sometimes I might make three to five items in a day but I will be sharing them one per day as I have done in the past. As usual, I will range across genres--sewing, paper, decoupage, painting, kitchen crafts. But every single item will be something you can make for a man.

Let's start the adventure!

My first project for Craft Month was a little sleeping bag for the dude's Kindle. Sewing projects may be the "easy" craft for men. If you choose the right fabrics, you can create something that a man will be happy to carry around, even if you are working from a pattern that a woman made for herself. I had these fabrics in the stash, but my dad has a iPad case that is made of recycled suit fabric. It's very manly, and sort of ironic since he's retired and doesn't wear a suit. (But his iPad does!) There are a lot of ways you could adapt this. 

 If you'd like to make one for yourself or for your favorite man, this is where I found the pattern. 

Oh, there you are Kindle. Hello! (I couldn't be bothered to do the math that would make this fit absolutely. So the Kindle fits inside even when it is wearing the case that the dude bought. The very boring case.)

What are you waiting for? Go craft!

Care for some Tea?

Thanks for all the love for the spider! If you think your Christmas tree needs one, I highly encourage you to give it a try. Good directions. Very straightforward.

I got myself into the craft room earlier yesterday. I planned to sew something...and I know how sewing projects can turn into marathons when I get behind the pedal. In fact, the tutorial says the project will take about 45 minutes and it took me almost two hours. But don't be put off. I'm sure it will take most people much closer to 45 minutes. After all, I had to deal with a bobbin disaster right from the start.

Maggie--who has a birthday coming up--loves tea, lemon ginger to be specific and restaurants often don't carry it. In fact, they can't always find it in the grocery stores up there. So I am sending her an emergency stash and a carrier.

I love how this came out. I should make another one. (Two fat quarters will do more than one.) But around here, herbal tea isn't that weird. I could take it with me when we travel to England, though.

It's only been five days and the craft room looks like Michaels, AC Moore, and Joanne's exploded in there. I'm going to spend all of April cleaning up this mess, aren't I?

Day 10: Bookmarks

Day ten...I dicked around for a while, a treat for having cleaned a couple of rooms in preparation for company. After dinner, dishes. Then I turned to crafting. In the middle of making this project, I shouted down to the dude to find out the time (Note to self: need clock for craft room). It was 8:40 pm. Where had my day gone? So, I cut out two of these, but only made the one.

The button is a nice touch because it prevents the bookmark from slipping out of the book.

My inspiration began here but I went to Sew Mama where there were four more examples and five different tutorials. In the end, I just sort of winged it. I've cut another one out, and I will sew it soon. If not today then Monday. I do have people coming for dinner after all. And my sister has requested Irish potatoes.

Making Things Happen

Manly scarf, free pattern--can't find it.
Lion Brand Vanna's Choice, taupe

Yesterday at quilting class I was bragging about how I make all my Christmas presents (except for the ones I buy at the last minute, right?) and someone asked how many I have finished. Many moons ago I wrote that I had to make something every four days. I'm pretty sure you know how that went. When I got home, I made a list of all my peeps and crossed out the ones that I've completed. Of the 24 names on the list, I've crossed out two. Why did I think I was doing so well?

Not as wonky as it looks.
Pattern from the Village at Chelsea Lane.

(I know why. Even though I am finished with two, I have eight more that I am nearly done. Add in one that I am buying (my cousin-I-never-talk-about gets gift cards because she's down on her luck) and I'm almost halfway done. Next weekend, the dude will be playing in a chess tournament, so I should be able to whip out four or five more. Also, I am a cockeyed optimist.)

I still don't know what I'm making for my dad, but Sew, Mama, Sew is doing their Handmade Holiday round-up again and they've gotten round to men.

Restitched that black lining three times.
Charming.

Quilt Skillz

Last night was my last quilting class, and I'm sad to report that I did not finish my quilt. I skipped last week's class to dine out for the dogs (a favorite restaurant was giving 15% of your bill to the fostering program I work for). And I forgot to go buy stabilizer, so I still haven't zigzagged my applique.

Because I knew I couldn't work on the quilt, I brought the sewing box to class. (Another woman had "had it" with the quilt, came to class and sat for an hour, and then left. How weird is that?)

The sewing box itself comes from a DKNY sweater my mother bought me last Christmas. Since she was in the process of moving, she requested gift wrapping and paid an exorbitant sum to get this box wrapped with a ribbon! I was going to leave the box at my sister's but my mother guilted me into taking it since she paid so much for it. In her defense, it is a pretty nice box; it has a magnetic closure and everything. In my slow-paced craft room reorganization (I need a helper*!) I decided to use it to hold sewing projects that I have cut out but not completed. And it was a smart idea, because last night I just grabbed that and knew there was something in there for me to work on.

I finished the five seams on my MIL's Amy Butler bags from last Christmas (remember, my machine clattered to a stop).

Then I finished sewing the pillow I was stitching for my aunt when she was diagnosed with breast cancer. That was two years ago; she is already cancer-free.

It's just so weird that I can manage to juggle ninety million tasks when I have a job--at home and at work--but I am so discombobulated when it comes to my hobby. Really, a former boss once called me "terrifyingly efficient" and used to drag me into her office twice a semester so we could reorganize it. Maybe that's why it's a hobby because if I were organized and task focused it would be work?

* It'd cost about $300 to hire a professional organizer. Should I start a fund?

Photo Gallery

Here is a photo of the scissor case "right" side up. (It's going to be turned on point to sew, but I didn't stitch on the diagonal. I did that once. I got too confused.) I threw in my Putford scissors so you can see the relative size. The Putfords measure 2.5". It is stitched on 28 count I think, with Belle Soie "blue heaven" which has a periwinkle hue.

Here is my Amy Butler Stash and Dash case. It is sewn with home dec weight fabric. (I hate interfacing.) The stripes were in the sale bin last fall, and I bought what was on the bolt. Which means I can make 100 Stash and Dash bags. Or maybe a beach tote. The houndstooth is on the shelves at Joann's now. I kind of wish they had had that one in khaki. It's lined with a surprsing brown and blue combo.

And for Jenna:

Finished

Bag, finished last night. I'm finished now. I think I have food poisoning.

-----written earlier, waited for photos to post------

I didn't have a chance to post my last list of March, though I did manage to post every day. It's okay anyway, the list was called "List #31: Camp List, the Boring Edition," which was my packing list. Wanted to make sure I made one. I also found a list of lists I had made back in the beginning of the month, in case I ran out of lists. These are the ones that didn't make it:

1. Design Firm names to Attract New Audiences to Cross-stitch
2. Projects I really should finish-finish (turns out, there's a lot of overlap with some of the lists you saw here!)
3. My favorite colors
4. House Colors (that is, colors my rooms are painted) in DMC numbers
5. Knitting WIPs

Last month, I set out to stick to a schedule:
Monday: sewing class
Tuesday: Anna's Bird
Wednesday: beading class
Thursday: Apple Sampler
Friday: Emerald Mermaid
Saturday: marquoir
Sunday: marquoir
Traveling piece: Rose Bunnie
I'm going to blog every day in March as well. Lists! Woohoo!

I did go to my classes, but I didn't work on most of these projects. I had also planned on doing the final finishing on four projects since I didn't do the two for February. I have to tell you, I finished one! I am also three inches (of handstitching) from finishing a second. I sewed up and stuffed two more ornaments, but they're left with no trim. Poor things.

At any rate, I'm making just two plans for April:

1. Go to Camp (April 3-6)
2. Bring the finish-finishing of 2008 to six items, not counting the ones Mona is giving me at camp.

Bunnies in my Garden

I made these bunnies from recycled sweaters following (sort of) betz white's directions here [PDF]. I added a little pocket on the back; my plan was to put a candy bar in there, but it came out a little small so I stuck in a fiver. I didn't have the equipment to do needlefelted accents, so I appliqued the hearts on. I also wish I had a pompom maker but AC Moore was closed today, go figure. Betz makes this all look easy, but it was a little harder than I anticipated. That pink bunny was made with an old cashmere sweater in which I recently discovered a hole. It stretched something fierce when I sewed it. Especially the little heart appliqued onto the white bunny. I may have been better off if I had fused it first, but you don't always think of these things at 10pm. The ears are lined with a little scrap I had left of purple crocus fabric. Astute readers will notice the irony. The bunnies are posed with the crocuses I was bragging about yesterday. Apparently I have to stand out there with the shaker of cayenne to protect the crocuses. Live and learn.

Puppy!

Here is the puppy quilt that I made for my niece. It was a very successful present. She didn't shriek like she did over the stocking I made, but she did jump up and give Uncle Dude a big hug. Clearly, she has no idea which side the bread is buttered on. But that runs in the family; when sissy was little, she always flipped her toast* as she brought it up to her mouth and ate butter side down.

I used the directions that Wendy over at Knit and Tonic shared. In the future, I would make one change: Some of the squares fell apart in the washing machine. However, the edge was double stitched--straight stitch then zigzag over it. It held much better than the straight stitch. (I spent a lot of time repairing holes after I washed it.) Even better, the zigzag looks cute! So next time, I'd do a zigzag stitch instead. The most exciting part for me is that the squares on the back actually match up square. I must be getting the hang of this sewing thing. (It was a good idea to back it in horses, XMaryX, but this is a self backing "quilt"...)

Good news, CinDC found her floss box. Thanks for taking the quiz. It seems I should have added another option, the question my mother always asked when I couldn't find something: "did you try looking with your eyes open?" And you wonder how I got to be a bitch?

Can I make 31 lists? Surely. Could I make 31 blog-relevant lists? That might push me off the deep-end. I'll think about it, Diane.

*Or blueberry toasties, remember those from Howard Johnson's available in your grocer's frozen food aisle?

Promises, promises

I promised you a photo of the marquoir , but I have to admit that I didn't work on it at all this weekend. I spent much of Saturday working on a present for my niece's birthday. It's a rag quilt made from puppy flannel fabrics. Of course, I bought this fabric in December, and they're changing her room decor from puppies to horses (her other obsession) this month. Of course. We're also going to (God help me) take her to Strasburg when Thomas comes.

Then the dude called in one of his Christmas presents--a monthly trip to a new-to-us restaurant that was packaged as "around the world on your stomach, without ever leaving home." We went to Vietnam on Saturday night. There's a Vietnamese place of that name in Philly's Chinatown. We started in the third floor 40's style lounge. The dude thought it reminded him of "that movie...the one with Michael Caine." "The Quiet American," I said. Then we noticed it was playing in an endless loop on the flatscreen. We were sitting in a location where we could mostly ignore it because it's one thing to sit in Philadelphia's Chinatown in a 40's style French-colonial-inspired Vietnamese lounge, and quite another to sit on a fake Quiet American movie set while you watch the movie in an endless loop. We had some delicious food. So no stitching on Saturday.

Then on Sunday, I went to an alumnae club craft group. It was mostly knitters but one woman was spinning cotton and I stitched on Tall Flowers. I couldn't bring the marquoir and my travel piece is just cute, not very impressive. So I brought something that I hoped was funky to encourage people to see the possiblities of cross-stitch. It was a great group. Two students showed up (we met on campus) and we had alumnae from the 40s (dedicated argyle sock knitters as undergrads), 60s, 70s (the first class who could wear trousers to class), and 80s (the first computer users). I'd tell you more about the woman from the class of '62 except that she asked if anyone could show her how to do cables, and the woman in the most beautiful cabled sweater I've ever seen could. She spent two hours concentrating on that but she promised to come to our next meeting and participate a little more. We meet again in April.

After Sunday dinner I went back to work on the blanket which is due next Sunday. I sewed together three rows of seven squares. Six to go. Then it's on to Sissy's overnight bag.

Applique: Goodbye to All That

Last night was my last applique class. Sniff! What will we have to talk about on Mondays and Tuesdays from now on? I'm sure we'll think of something; especially now that I can sew! Maybe I'll start finishing some of those 78 projects, and I'll be able to show you those.

The teacher asked if we will be in the class next semester, and I think I shall. I'm going to need help finishing this silly overnight case--last night, I started step 3: make cording. I cut and started sewing the bias binding. There are about twelveteen more steps, and I'm not sure I've got the fortitude.

I did manage to finish this for my dad, the beer wholesaler:


And this for my MIL:


It's an eyeglass case made from felted wool sweaters. But it didn't come out nearly as cute as Betz White's stuff. It did only cost about $4. And I made it with love...

Just in case you are keeping score, all the presents showed up: Cariboo for the little one and two Gryffendor hats and scarves for the Potter-crazed nephews. (Yeah, I paid a lot but I couldn't have whipped those up in 3 weeks.) So I'll be going away soon, but I'll try to stay in touch. I mean, it's only England. I think they even have the internet.

Applique IX: Sew Ready for Christmas

At last I have finished Amy Butler's Frenchy bag. As you can see, I used a toile. I think my aunt will love it and not just because I made the pockets inside fit for pens and pencils as well as a cell phone. I can't believe this bag took so long! Next week, our last week, I will start Sissy's overnight case. Actually, I hope to do some work on it this week. I should at least give you a peek at the fabric I am using.

As for the camera, I found it just before I fell into bed on Wednesday night. The dude was printing out our tickets between London and the northeast of England (where his mother lives) and he was bitching that there was no paper. I knew we hadn't used a whole ream of paper, so I got down on my hands and knees and looked into the desk cabinet (it's supposed to be a CPU holder). There is a shelf in there, and I don't think either of us realized that it doesn't hit the back wall of the cabinet. The camera fell back there, and then the ream of paper (minus 40 or so sheets) fell on top of it. I must have looked there 4o times! Who actually moves things when they are desperately searching for something?

Applique VIII

I shouldn't even call this applique any more. I'm still working on the Frenchy bag. All I have left to do is sew in the lining. I might try to finish this on my own because it is taking so damn long. I definitely want to have the overnight bag cut out for our next class, which isn't for two more weeks. I should be able to manage that.

After class, I worked on Summer Place for an hour. Camera...blah...blah...blah...sorry.

Applique VII

Ah suppose man, ah'm just too much ay a perfectionist, ken? It's likesay, if things go a bit dodgy, ah jist cannae be bothered, y'know? --Trainspotting

I thought I was going to finish the Frenchy bag tonight, but I have discovered why sewing's not such a good fit for me: it requires too much perfectionism.

I made pleats. They were such nice pleats. I made the handles. I wished again that I could sew a little straighter (and iron straighter). I sewed the handles to the bag, then I went to sew the top bit to the main bag panel. One fit. One needed a lot of "ease." The teacher was trying to get me to ease it, "that fabric has a lot of stretch," "it'll be fine." Then it occurred to me to measure both main bag panels. One was 11" and the other 11.5". Could the pleats be moved without repositioning the handles? No, handle location was measured from the pleats. So I had to take apart one half of the bag. Only when "ah jist cannae be bothered," it's not my perfectionism that's gotten in the way. It's what sewing demands that I cannae manage. (It's okay, my mil talks just like this. Just for proof: when the dude takes off his shirt, he glows; he's so pealy-wally. Shoogle the pot when you're making popcorn. If you stop and burn it, you might seem glakit. )

Searing Shoulder Pain and Clarity

My left shoulder is in unbelievable pain. Like an 8. Yeah, I used to not know what those pain numbers meant, then I had bunion surgery. I have been to the 10, and I know I'm not there yet. It's not a constant pain. It's worse when I breathe in and when I swallow hard. I have no loss of range of motion. On Monday, if I make it that long, I'll go see the former Phillies doc I work with. He's an orthopaedic surgeon, and he knows shoulders.

I didn't realize the poll would cause so much angst. A project is finished when you take the last stitch. If it has buttons and beads on the pattern, they must be added. And we're only counting, let's say, embroidery. So yes to punch needle, Theresa Layman French knot pieces, needlepoint, but no to knitting, quilting, sewing, and crochet. Just because I don't want to have to count the knitting, quilting, and sewing projects that are in the basement. As for the finished but unfinished projects--the ones that you have to make into pillows, ornaments, wall hangings, or framed pictures, we'll talk about them next week.

Of course, I am ashamed to say, I have to add the Mirabilia Christmas Fairy and the Theresa Layman mermaid to my count below. I don't, however, have to change my vote!

I went to Joann's today to pick up fabric for the Great Stocking Finishing project. Pictured here. The plaid goes with Elisabeth's stocking. The floral goes with Jillian's. Both are miniwale corduroy. I'm a little worried about the plaid, I prefer working with all over patterns. You know, because I suck at sewing...

Applique VI

I still can't find the camera, so I scanned the placemat, which is too big for the scanner. You'll just have to imagine that it is octagonal. Maybe when we find the camera (where? ideas welcome...) I can take a photo of them in situ so you can see how really adorable they are. And that little pucker that is all you can see in this scan hardly shows irl. It's weird but the stripey white fabric shows through the plain red cherry in the scan. The fabric is sort of mottled red on red. No stripes. I started cutting out the Amy Butler Frenchy Bag that I am making (and should I be offended that it's "Frenchy"? Or does she mean the character from Grease?) I am making it for one or another of my aunts (two would like it) from gold and royal blue toile that features chickens. I still plan to undertake the overnight bag, don't worry!

Applique V

I am almost done with the placemats. Last night, I was able to finish the applique (one looks like practice and the other is brilliant) and sew up to the point where I turned it. Now I just need to do some hand sewing and add a spot of quilting! I should finish that next week. I'll do the photo then, because they aren't going to look much different.

Then we're going to make a pocketbook. I think after that (shouldn't take too long) the instructor and I are going to make Amy Butler's weekender travel bag together. That's the plan anyway.

I'm starting to have a new-found respect for the GF. Last night, as they were packing to go to DC, I actually heard her say this sentence: "That's not my sweater; those are your underpants." I can't even imagine the circumstances under which that would need to be said. The dude says his father is a dufus (he's a brilliant former classics professor, but he can't get himself across the street without help). I think the dude finds it a little wearing to be with his father, but the older his father gets the more time he wants to spend with his son. (For example, this trip here, now. The dude and I are going to England in December. FIL wants the dude to go back in the summer.) I suspect he wants to make up for the time he was being a brilliant classics professor and ignoring his family, but he's not the only one who gets to make that decision... Or maybe not. I just don't get the English. I sit quietly by and observe, but I am so steeped in my own tradition, I find it difficult to offer other interpretations of their behavior...