Done! And just getting started

Blanket finished!! How satisfying it is to finish something, especially when there wasn't much left to do. It makes me wonder if that's why I put projects aside when I'm so close to being done. Actually, in some ways I think I'm hesitant to finish because I'm unsure if I'll like the result. Regardless, when I do finally finish I'm usually smitten with the final product and it is very satisfying for the final push to go so quickly!

On that note, I've been trying to be a little more impulsive in my crafting. I have been an over-thinker and a perfectionist, and crafting is a great way to practice doing things with less plan and more "let's just see what happens". On the other side of that, I've been enjoying letting things simmer in my mind passively and letting creative thoughts come. It's definitely a low pressure way of doing things, and that's good because with the amount of sleep I've been getting and the pace of chasing after two kids, I can't always string two thoughts together!

I always feel like hobbies should be low stress, otherwise, why do them? Perhaps that's part of the reason why I put projects aside sometimes. I come to some sort of fork in the road, a design dilemma, and instead of dealing with it, I leave it alone for a while (*ahem* years). Funny thing is, once I pick it back up, whatever was bothering me doesn't seem to be an issue anymore. For this blanket, I remember the "issue" was the binding, and how working with such thick fabric (flannel) was starting to annoy me. I guess I just felt done! Well, I have to say, I really enjoyed finishing this project. I machine stitched the one side of the binding, and then hand stitched the other edge so that the stitching was invisible.

It's a good thing I'm feeling favorable towards flannel, because my next project involves lots of it. In my last post, I shared a picture of these cute panels I bought on clearance at Fabricland. Well, I went to another fabric store and bought 2m each of bright blue and hot green flannel fabric to act as backing and binding. I'm planning on alternating the colours for each blanket and possibly doing an applique of the first letter of my sons' names on the back of each. Flannel top, flannel backing, and flannel binding. We'll see how far I get with this before I put it aside! Since there's no piecing to putting this together, my next dilemma is how to execute the quilting. Part of me, let's call her a sucker for punishment, is considering hand quilting to outline the features of the top panel. I would maybe consider that if there were only one, but there are TWO blankets to construct, and I would not put in that amount of work twice! I'll probably cut out the backing and sandwich it together and then let my mind mull on it a bit.

Last, but not least, I impulsively bought a ziplock bag of scrap fabric off of a lady who chops handwoven wraps (of the baby wearing variety) and (I'm guessing) turns them into things for the owners... possibly more structured carriers? I don't know, I didn't ask. Anyways, they really are a rag tag bunch of scraps, all shapes and sizes. I brought the bag with me to knitting the other night and my friend Michelle (of mprsdrose) helped me go through it and rip out any hems to maximize the amount of fabric. It feels soooooo nice on the fingers, handwoven. The baggie had some larger pieces of black and some gray. I'm thinking I could make some stuffed animals or something. The gals at knitting gave me some good ideas to mull over.

Btw, since picking up this blog again, I've decided not to stress over how my pictures look. I simply do not have the time to get beautiful pictures, so I'm letting go and just snapping for the sake of documenting and moving on. Life is too short!

Back in the Saddle

Well over a year since I've posted in this blog, and I'm totally alright with that! I'm not even going to summarize all of the things that have happened in that time, except to say that our family has a new member: little R born in the summer of 2014. He's now 9 months old and about as mobile as a baby can get without independently walking. He's crawling, standing, squatting, and cruising using furniture and even moldings on the walls! Today, both hubby and I noticed him standing independently for a few seconds at a time.

I made the decision, when I started this blog, not to share face pictures of my kids. I feel sometimes that it limits my ability to add visual interest to my posts, especially because they're so darn cute! I like to limit their online profile and let them dictate that for themselves when they're older.

Instead, you'll get cute pictures of them in action from behind, and pictures of my crafting. Speaking of crafting, I recently picked up two panels from the clearance section of Fabricland. They were the last two, and the surprise was I thought there was only one! Such a great surprise at the til, since I've got two boys. I've decided to make them each a lap blanket, for snuggling on the couch when they feel sleepy or sick, or for long car rides. They'll be identical, except for the backing and binding. I bought some bright green and saturated blue flannels (not as good a deal, unfortunately, but what can you do?) and I'm going to alternate them for the backing and the binding for contrast and to distinguish them. I'm even thinking of doing an applique of the first letter of their names on the back of each quilt. Should be fun! (famous last words... I'm sure I'll be swearing during the applique process).

Artsy picture from two years ago

While looking for appropriate fabric in my stash (I didn't find any), I came across a blanket of sorts that I started for Z during that year off. It's made from flannel receiving blankets that I got as a shower gift which were never really a good size to use as receiving blankets. So, I did what anyone would do, I hummed and ha-ed for an eternity and then cut them into strips and turned them into a blanket. Except, I made it a bit interesting (challenging) for myself by placing the strips slightly off kilter. I did this to maximize the size of the blanket (it's still quite small... maybe closest to a crib blanket).

The back

The front (standard bad cell phone pics)

Only a little bit left to go!

I think I originally thought Z could use it as a daycare blanket, but in true ME style, I got about 85% done and then put it aside because I was tired of it. That is so typical me when it comes to craft projects. I don't know what it is about the finish line, but I seem to like to avoid it, only to rush towards it with renewed vigor when I pick the project up again years later. Regardless, I was pretty happy to come across it and realize that I only had the two shorter sides of binding left to do, one of which was already machine sewn on one side and pinned and ready for hand stitching on the other. Woohoo!


Anyways, I finished the hand stitching on the pinned binding the other night while watching a Miss Marple murder mystery that I had PVRed. I already have the remaining piece of binding (I did each side as a separate piece), so I just need to machine stitch that and then watch another movie and it'll be done and all ready for R to enjoy!! Good thing I found it when I did, otherwise it would have had to be a baby shower gift for someone else (which would have been nice as well).

ETA: Just found my post about starting the above project... July 2012!!!! So, there you go... 2.5 years later and finally finishing it!

Lately

Lately I've been sewing and not knitting. I've been feeling this shift for a while now, not really being "in" to my knitting. I'll be at my weekly knit night, and someone will comment that I've hardly knit at all, just been sitting there enjoying the conversation. This, I should point out, is never actually judged upon at my group, and even if it was, what would I care? No, sometimes it's just nice to sit and not do anything, just enjoy the conversations and partake a little in them yourself.

But, to get back to sewing... I've been making a crib blanket for Z. I had this idea quite early on after having him. I had quite a few new receiving blankets, presents via baby showers, that just weren't quite big enough for what I tend to use receiving blankets for (covers for his crib mattress, covers for his changing pad) and too lovely and fleecy for the other common use (burping pad!). So, I had this idea to use them as sort of really big fat quarters to make a quilt from. When I had this idea the weather was just starting to get colder and I thought, perfect, I can make two and use one in the crib, and one as a stroller blanket. Well, as nice as it is to think that I would get straight to work and a quilt would just appear, these were not the old days of having entire days to myself to sew away. Babies keep you busy, and sleep deprived, and I was well aware that I didn't want to be cutting fabric while sleep deprived (hello? recipe for disaster!) especially as I was essentially making a quilt from "free" fabric and didn't want to ruin it beyond repair. Oh, I should mention that I had just the right sized piece of left over batting from another project... see? free!

 

So, I went easy of myself (something I've learned to be better at since becoming a momma), chose the moments when I really felt like working on it. Over the months, I came up with a design, something simple yet different enough to be a bit of a challenge (humph... should have left it at plain simple). I decided to do plain stripes of alternating three fabrics, no sashing, with the binding done in a fourth fabric. I made things a little more interesting by placing the fabrics on a slight diagonal. This is what actually gave me the most grief, or challenge, however you decide to place your perspective. Being the perfectionist that I am, although I tried to approach this quilt sans hardfast plans, more of an improvised and quick-sew, if you will, the diagonal slant created challenges with the length of the fabric strips being inadequate (or at least not generous) and so I found myself ripping out seams and re-placing the strips to get the optimal coverage. Oh, how that is me to a tee! We must optimize!! More like cue swearing.

Plus, let's be honest, there is tension when things are slightly off the horizontal. 

You constantly feel like your head's not on straight.

I found the backing fabric (I hadn't planned that far ahead initially... see? improvise!) at a local fundrasing rummage sale (Grandmothers for Africa). It was an oddly shaped piece, but fleecy and the right colour, and I think I bought it for a couple bucks (definitely the right price). I made it work by placing a striped panel (not on a diagonal, thank you very much!) partway down the back. That made me feel special, as I'd admired that style on numerous other quilts... kindof gives extra interest.

Now, I am working on the binding. This is my second time binding a quilt, and the first time using a separate fabric, not just wrapping the backing around. The lady we bought our house from left me her craft supplies and stash of crafting books (you should have heard me when I opened that box!), included in was Singer: Quilting By Machine, something I turn to whenever I make a quilt as there is always something I need a refresher on or have never done before. I've chosen to machine sew the binding on the front, but hand-stitch it on the back, as I like the idea of the stitches being invisible. So far, one long side is entirely done, and the opposite long side has been machine stitched. It's great work for tv watching (or sitting with friends or on the patio). I've chosen to do the invisible ladder stitch, which you can find a tutorial for here. My progress is by no means fast, though I'm sortof enjoying that at the moment... taking my time with the very last step of this quit. I've decided that this will be Z's daycare quilt. I'm going to place it in his crib for the month of August (or whenever I manage to finish it) so that it can take on the scent of his room, and hopefully it'll give him some familiarity and comfort when he starts daycare in the fall.

Stranded

For those of you who live in Victoria, or anywhere on the West Coast for that matter, you know that we have had some crazy weather as of late. Super low temperatures and lots of snow, we seem to have received our annual snowy winter storm, albeit after Christmas. The hubs and I have two vehicles, which typically affords me the luxury of being able to run errands with the little one. But the family mobile drives better in these conditions than our truck, so while DH is at work, I am stranded at home (on the day of my mommy-group no less!). Believe me, I considered venturing out with the little one in the carrier, but I just don't think that would be the responsible mommy thing to due in these sub-zero temperatures (and non-shoveled walkways).

So, here's the plan for today:

Hang out with this little dude...

working on his sitting

Shovel some of this...

Bake some of these...

via

Work on this...

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