Week 4 [con] - NSM

I could have easily sat on the laurels from finishing my tissue pack cover, but that's just not my style (at least this week ;D). It seemed an awful shame that I have so many yards of delicious fabric that I never get to see since it's in storage containers under my bed. I decided to do something about that! So last night I pulled some fabrics--some Sandi Henderson (Meadowsweet & Farmer's Market), Michael Miller, and Kona cotton. Oh, yeah, and some Tula Pink ladybugs.
I decided I wanted a new wallet, something small for my upcoming trip to Alabama. With that in mind, I sorted through various tutorials, but eventually settled on this one from Lola Nova, the Summer Wallet. I made a few changes to suit my own tastes (and the size of fabric I had available).
All-in-all, this was an easy to put together project. I made it this morning while my daughter watched Handy Manny and Jungle Junction. This project also reminded me that my weakness when it comes to construction is 'attention to detail'. I change measurements and elements mid-way through and forget to go back and make the REST of the project match. I'm sure I'm not the only one with that flaw. I need to make a big sign (or maybe a sampler ;D) to hang by the sewing machine to remind me, lol. Maybe that will even be my New Year's resolution!

Week 4 - NSM

After I finished making the Lawn Chair quilt top, I was mildly surprised at the amount of scraps it produced. Some sections were large, and worthy of being saved--in fact most were.
I wanted to find a project to utilize the above pictured. I think I will eventually make a postage stamp quilt (or something similar). A few pieces, however, were destined this morning to become a tissue package cover. You know, those purse-sized ones? I thought it would be cute to look a little patchwork-ish, and I was totally right, lol ;D
I took 3 of my larger scraps (they measured close to 6.5 inch square, but had selvage on one edge or had uneven length edges with selvage) and orientated them so that the Bella snow strips were on the top and bottom. I trimmed a half inch from the top and bottom to make the snow-colored sections equal in length and so that the finished size would be 5.5 inches. I then cut the width to be 3.5 inches wide, discarding the selvage edge. I selected two rectangles for the top, and folded the fabric under a little less than half the width (x2) and over lapped the folded edge a little (so that it became the same width as the remaining rectangle) and pinned together. I then put the right side of the remaining rectangle and the pinned top together and sewed together--voila! Easy and fast. I totally luff it.

Wrapping Up Week 3 - NSM

I think when a person blogs they need to have a sense-of-humor about themselves--like when I say I have a fabric addiction, and my next post includes a fabric shopping list. Things like that make me laugh at myself. Anyway, my MIL took my girl yesterday to see her Grand-Aunt and Uncle, so I had a few hours to myself. It's amazing what one can accomplish when that person has uninterrupted time! Like finish a NaSewMo project!
I gave her the 'map' when she came home, and she loved it. We spent the rest of the evening identifying everything on the map (she especially likes HR's mermaid and unicorn, but that was only to be expected! A close third are the butterflies).

Backtracking

I haven't finished my week 3 project yet. I need to hand sew a few elements, and that has held me back. We had guests all day yesterday. By the time I had the opportunity to sew, I was plum tuckered out and went to sleep. I haven't started my binding yet, either, but I know that's because I don't have my backing fabric yet--so no pressing interest in completing it. In effort to control my wild fabric frenzy, I've tried to narrow my next month's shopping list to needs with only a few wants. I'm putting my foot down (so to speak). If it's not somewhere on this list, I am not buying it in October (yes, have to be firm with myself!)

• Swell: assorted prints
• Hushabye: lime owls
• Hello Betty: backing fabric (3 yards)
• Whimsy: assorted prints, maybe a charm pack (I really do love this range)
• Pop Garden: assorted prints
• Meadowsweet 1&2: assorted prints
• Nest: branches in assorted colors
• Sweet: Jelly Roll
  

I can't believe September is nearly over. Time has truly flown for me. Wednesday my nephew has surgery and his throat. I hope everything goes well. He's only 5 and so it might be more traumatic for him. I know I'll be on pins until he's home and in recovery.

I decided to revisit another neglected hobby--stitchery/needlework. I embroider my quilt tags, but that's the most I've done with this medium in AGES. My swap partner sent me a book that completely rekindled my interest. I think I'll try my hand at it again and see how it goes.

Discovery

I am in need of some craft self-discovery. I am drawn to many crafts, and have worked with my hands for years. I am forever trying to find the craft that really makes my heart sing. The one my creativity can pour through like a lightning rod, and become grounded in reality and not just the amoebic make believe in my mind. I can feel it right at the surface, and it's really fighting for realization. I just got kind of distracted and wandered down a path of entropy in which I became obsessed with OOP fabrics. I mean, really, I would never cut into some of these. They are swapping investments, and that's no real way to pursue a creative outlet. The money I spent on acquiring these antiquities could have been invested in fabric I would feel confident using (and not be eaten alive by guilt doing so).

Is quilting my *thing*? I've wanted to do it for nearly 10 years before I made my first block. I never had opportunity (or the resources) until now. I've only made 4 quilts in the year and 4 months I've been sewing on my borrowed machine--does that a quilter make? I see some of my peers who are churning out projects like they are possessed by rabid muses.

Heck, it took almost this whole year for me to not balk at fabric that cost 10 dollars a yard. The very first time I went fabric shopping with my Mother and she gave me cart blanche, I bought THREE fat quarters at 1.85 each and I thought that was an ungodly amount at the time (and I passed on so many things that I would give my front teeth for now). I would only shop online at shops that sold .25 or less cuts. I still have the bare essentials in the way of notions because the cost of some of these things boggle my mind.

So, is quilting really my thing?

I don't know.

But I know that I have an addiction to fabric. One that may need a serious intervention.

Week 3 - NSM

NaSewMo continues and so do I :D My newest project was inspired by my darling daughter. The last few days she has asked me to draw her several maps. She loves Dora the Explorer and runs around with the map singing the map song. Yesterday, I thought it would be nice to give her something more durable than a sheet of printer paper, and decided to sew her a map. At first, I was going to make it a treasure map, but I wanted it to be more flexible. It's just a generic not-at-all-to-scale 'world' or region map. I made a good bit of progress yesterday.
I started with two fat quarters (one for the background and the other for the backing). They are each in fabric styles that I don't really like any more (civil war, I believe), and I sincerely doubted I'd ever find a way to use them. And then I raided my scrap bag. After I started pinning on elements, I decided it should be a map of a magical place. You know, a world of wonder and majesty? So I added one of Heather Ross's Mermaids (I guess the fresh water variety since it's a river ;D). But then the flower field looked awful lonely this morning, and unicorn moved in from Far Far Away.

I decided against using any batting only because I didn't want the finished product to be too bulky. In the end, I want this to be able to fold easily in half and roll-up (going to add a tie ribbon) for easy portability.

I can tell she likes it already because she keeps coming to to the table and showing me the butterflies (like I don't know they're there. So cute!). I can't wait to see her play with it! Hopefully, it will be done before the weekend...which would give me time to work on my quilt binding.

Wrapping Up Week 2 - NSM

I really didn't think I'd manage to complete a project this week, especially with the time I devoted to my Lawn Chair quilt top. To make matters worse (well not worse, just lazier, I guess.) my binding didn't get finished either. But, I was determined. Mostly, leading up to today, I couldn't think of a small project for something I needed. You know, something not frivolous? I would think of something, and almost immediately cross it off the list once I challenged myself to find a purpose for the item. I just couldn't let it end that way! No, there had to be something--and there was!

I have a ton of loose needles. They are pinned here and there on folded bits of scrap fabric. I don't have a pin cushion (been meaning to make one), and I had been fancying a needle book. I did a little search this evening, and found a darling one called The Little Letter Needle Book that I found on the blog, Em ay kay ee {make}. OMG so undeniably cute AND practical. Not to mention incredibly easy and quick, too. Just the kind of project I needed since I was down to the wire.

Now that I had a pattern, I had to wrestle with the next most difficult task--deciding on fabric. After a few false starts, I ended up with some West Hill designed by Heather Ross and some white yardage (either muslin or kona cotton. I can't tell. I want to say Kona.) For my contrasting color I selected medium pink thread and felt (English Rose from National Nonwoven).
Admittedly, it is not my neatest work. I had the rest of my wisdom teeth pulled today. Pain killers + Sewing= Interesting experience. Regardless of those little handmade quirks, I am completely in love with this needle book. I'm glad I made it, and I can see making one for a swap partner in the future :D