Two in a series

I really have a thing for tea/coffee related images.  Probably the lovely associations, whether it's coffee on my own or tea with a friend.  One of my favorite quilts is Kaffe Fassett's rice bowls, which I think look like tea cups.   I started these as a way to practice achieving volume on a 2-D space, but I also loved the personality of the spot and the handles and I plan to paint my other two tea pots soon.   Both of these tea pots are actually white, but white is tricky, so I colored them in.  And now, to make some coffee...

Hot Pink Picket Fence Quilt

Say that three times fast.

Pop the champagne, I finished my second quilt.  Don't peek too closely at my craftsmanship (especially the binding), but oh, this one was fun.  I just cut some strips that I liked and put them all together.  For the back I framed a piece of fuschia flowers with some of the brown flowers from the front.   It's a gift for a little baby girl who is due in just a few weeks.  I don't think she'll fuss over the wonky binding or a crooked strip here or there.  I can't say it's perfect, but I'm sure that it's one of a kind.   I'm not sending it until I know her name and birthday and can make her a little patch for the corner.  

Nearly all of the fabrics are Kaffe Fassett's, because I simply love his crazy, bright flowers.  There's an Amy Butler green in there and a Jennifer Pagnelli pink and orange stripe.  I am terrible at getting baby gifts finished on time, usually because I get so involved in the planning, the gathering, the starting and not so good at the finishing.  But oh, it's so satisfying to finish something, isn't it?

Inside the Elves Workshop: a patchwork bag, a purple flower, a pair of pears

I love receiving homemade gifts, but I don't give as many as I used to, or really, as many as I'd like to. I'm too fragile to give to see my handmade gifts received in a cursory way by folks who just don't quite realize the time and love of a homemade gift, or may not want it.  Some people would really rather have a gift card or something lovely and delightful from the mall.  Sigh.

Molly's making a beautiful book, chronicling the holiday with daily entries and her gorgeous pictures.  I love seeing her process as well as the product, so I thought I'd put up a few shots of some things in progress over here.

First, a patchwork bag for a smart friend on her way back to school. This:

is supposed to become this:

from this book

And I made these beaded flowers:

which may become necklaces, or pins or something (ideas?) but I'm not sure that I like them.

I have few other works which are not camera-ready or cannot be shown yet.  But here's one of my paintings in progress.  Slow going and not that impressive, but I'm learning a lot from my new teacher and am loving the process, even if the product is not quite what I'm going for.

What are your favorite things to give?

 

Huck Finn Pants for my Little Imp

Yes, I'm still sewing small projects. That's the time and space I have right now. Plus, it's mighty hot in that grey cottage studio.

Made a wee pair of monkey pants from Heather Ross' Weekend Sewing. Well, she calls them Huck Finn pants, which at least makes them sound boyish, though they're certainly unisex. The sock monkey print is just the sort of novelty print I usually dismiss, but I thought it suited a two-year-old boy who likes curious George. I bought it from the one of the only two local fabric shops around here with just these pants in mind. I have my doubts about quilting cotton for a pair of little boy pants, but they only have to last a few wearings before the season changes.

I didn't have 1/2" elastic on hand, but my little guy was wearing a pair of elastic waisted pants that looked a bit small when he wandered out to find me. I sat him down, took his pants and used a seam ripper to take out the elastic. I installed it in the new pants, and voila.

I'm nothing if not impatient, I mean, resourceful.

Zip it. Zip.com. Zipperhead. (In which I attempt a zipper)

Inside my bag is always a proceed-at-your-own-risk proposition. There are markers and tampons and lollipops and receipts from CVS promising $5 the next purchase. Somewhere there's a wallet and a notebook and hopefully a little pink felt pouch of pens. Well, today, I had a wee bit of time and of course, all kinds of fabric, so I went for the small-and-easily-finished unlined zip pouch. I used the zip pouch from Denyse Schmidt Quilts for my basic idea then zoomed off with some IKEA fabric, some leftover country faire and a red zipper I had in a sundries bin. And, voila. The zipper is funky on one end, and really, I would have preferred a lined bag. But this little pouch will do just fine to corral the little guys, wooden animals and such who populate my bag and jump out when toddlers need entertaining.

Next I think I'll make one with a tether for inside the pool bag to hold the sunscreens & bug spray.

Abandon or Restraint?

Are you the type who crafts with abandon or with restraint? Do you follow a pattern to the letter, planning out all of your materials before you begin and return the unused portions when you've finished? Or do you just begin and see what happens? Surprise, I'm the latter. I'm starting to think that one's first quilt should not be the place for complete abandon. I like scrappy quilts, modern quilts, kaffe fassett quilts, denyse schmidt quilts and I figured I would wing it.

I just cut a bunch of strips and sewed them together, and then I cut the strips into blocks. I have enough for two rows at this point (I referenced Denyse Schmidt's Hop Skip Jump quilt for block size and piecing ideas). With another half hour, I could have a third row. I think I'll do four rows for a crib-sized quilt (lucky Jack). Well, here's where I am so far. I have to force myself to stay on course. I already brought the blocks in to try them as a runner. And truthfully, I'm leaning toward placemats.

project improv tops

project improv tops
Originally uploaded by Jacquie G

I'm a part of this project! It's my first internet-a-long. My blocks are not on the quilts pictured, but I did submit three blocks for a red and aqua quilt. The parameters were that you had to improvise your piecing and submit at least one 12.5" block. They are being assembled into quilts and dontated to charity, and perhaps auctioned, with the proceeds going to charity.

The second half of the challenge involves creating your own "project improv." You are supposed to use a new quilting technique, improvise in some way, and challenge yourself to break out of your usual patterns.

Considering that I am a new quilter, it should be simple. Also, I really tend to craft with abandon, rather than with restraint, so this improvisational business is music to my ears. I have something in the works that I'll post soon.

Uh, yeah, I'm still a Consumer

I wish I had loads of creative projects to post. My head spins with ideas, but I just have trouble finding the time to get out to my beloved grey cottage studio and play around. I did finish two more blocks for Project Improv, today, but I think I'll post them tomorrow, along with a technique that I like to think I made up (ha ha ha).

To file under the "no one cares but me" drawer, a shout out to:


My very favorite tea. Today, I finished the tin and it may be a while before I get back to the T Salon to get more. Sniff.



My new bag. You like? Target. Broke it out this weekend and it works, if you know what I mean.



My new wallet. Bought before the bag, yes I know they don't look like they go together, but I'm not such a matchy-matchy girl. Bought it from etsy, and I was a little unsure what to expect from the photos. But, it is better than I thought, both in style and in function. I had a red silk wallet a few years ago (that I bought at a pharmacy of all places), and that thing lasted for years. I guess I like cloth wallets. I think I'm in a minority here, but I can live with that.

Oh, good news, the jeans are fitting better too.

Holidaze

I had grand plans to finish all my Christmas shopping by Thanksgiving this year. Yeah, you're right. I'm just not that kind of girl. There are so many things I would like to do for the holidays and yet, I just don't feel like I have the time. I was thrown this weekend due to a fall on Friday (yes, I am getting old). I fell in a parking lot while carrying my 21-month-old son. No, not wearing heels or anything, just walking down a slight hill on my way to a bakery of all places. Somehow I fell and managed to save Jack from harm but scrapped up both my knees, ripped my pants and sprained my ankle. Yes, our weekend plans changed from dinner in the city with old friends to a movie at the local multiplex and a few hours at Barnes & Noble (one of our favorite date nights). Actually, we had a great time, but it has slowed me down.

Anyway, I've been scurrying around in my little grey cottage making holiday preparations. I don't do too many handmade gifts because, sadly, I've found many of those on my list just aren't that into them. Well, to each his/her own. I will persist however, in making some tokens, and hope they are well-loved or at least, liked.

Another round of book bags. Pattern from Lotta Jansdotter's Simple Sewing. I like her proportions and construction. I think those will pair with some pashminas I got in the city and perhaps a book in each from the aforementioned Barnes & Noble trip.

Some mittens for moi. Only one pictured, the other one does not have a pink thumb. Just because.


I did finish my portrait of one of my sons last week. I will have to take a picture and post it next week. I couldn't save that one until Christmas.

First snowfall today. Of course, I dashed out to capture that perfect snowy-Christmas-card photo. Not quite!


Tomorrow when everyone's back to school (I had a sick child home for all of last week too), I'm going to put up the wreaths and the outdoor lights. I think I'd like to surprise everyone with a little holiday magic. I have grand plans for another tree outside, but we'll see if it works out in real life to be as glorious as it is in my head.

Turning a Sweater into a Shrug

It feels like shrug weather. Not yet cool enough for a sweater, but just cool enough for something extra on your arms. While tossing my 19-month-old son around in his music class at the Y, I noticed that my beloved, but admittedly bedraggled, shrug from Anthropologie (home of all things shrug), had an armpit hole. Not the most attractive feature in a shrug. I have knit shrugs before, but they take much longer than a nap time to complete and they seem to grow as you wear them. I'll post a picture of my knitted shrug soon. But, here's how I made an upcycled shrug during Jack's nap. (OK, the order of the photos is completely wrong.  But somehow, I cannot figure out how to move them around.  I'm starting to loathe blogger).

Step 1: Dig out a sweater from those I've collected from thrifting with an eye to turn them into something else.

I have actually washed and dried this one because it is 100% cashmere and you can do that. 

Then, I cut it up the center.

Next, I laid my old shrug on top, as a rough pattern, and cut across the bottom and roughly followed the "ties" on the old shrug.

That's it.  Voila!  Shrug-mania.

Now, full disclosure, I made another one first, a former thin cashmere turtleneck which I think turned out better.  The open turtleneck made sort of a sailor collar and the thinner weight looks nice, however, it has three moth holes which are still quite visible (of course), so it may need some embroidery or be turned into a stuffie.

Also, I don't love this new blue shrug, so I'm thinking that I might cut up another sweater and stitch on a bottom.  Then, I might add a fat snap and cover the placket with some ribbon to make kind of a reconstructed thing.  It could all turn out to be very homemade, but I will 

Branching out from Bags

Hurrah.

I took a breather from my bag obsession and made a pillow. It's actually a project that I started at least a month ago.  One of those things that took about a half an hour to finish, and yet it sat there for weeks. 

 I started this log cabin pillow as a way to use some of the green fabrics I had accumulated and also just to try the technique.  I went about it very roughly, just sewing on strips and trimming as I sewed.  I really didn't even have a size in mind.  I love that wonky log cabin look (and it's really easy).  I added some Ginger Bliss fabric as a border and backed it with a table runner that really was too small for my table.  I cut it envelope-style so I could take the cover off for washing and so I wouldn't have to hand sew the opening closed (I saw another week on the shelf if I added another finishing step).  Using the table runner was easy since I didn't have to hem the sides.  Anyway, I like the pillow on the black club chair, however, I was a bit dismayed this morning when I noticed that someone had actually sat on it and squished it.  Occupational hazard if you're a family room pillow, I suppose. 

I Actually Made Something from a Japanese Craft Book

Well, sort of.

Like many others in the blogosphere and beyond, I love Japanese craft books.  The gorgeous photography and the sophisticated, simple projects all look so alluring.  I bought this bag book at Kinokuyiya in Manhattan one day this summer when I took the boys to the city for an afternoon.  They had to go to the craft section with me and in return, I patiently waited in the Pokemon section for them.  Fair deal.  Anyway, today I finished my first project from this bag book.  Well, project, inspired by the bag book.  I really didn't take the time to practice the red line enough (though I do think it makes the bag) and I used some ribbon on cotton webbing for handles.  Also, I tacked up the corners to give it a bottom so it would stand up, rather than just a flat magazine bag, as pictured.  I think it needs some kind of embellishment, but clearly, it's a pretty blank canvas, so I'll think of something.  

I think I like it, but it doesn't thrill me. I think it's the handles.  I'm convinced that handles can take a bag from passable to fabulous.  Consider it a work in progress, and my biggest digression from a pattern.  More bags from this book to come.

Charmingly Slapdash? Applique for the Time-Starved

This project was whirling around in my brain at around 4 a.m. this morning. I'm not sure if the results look homemade in a cool way, or in a sloppy way, but it was a new technique for me. Sort of a poor man's applique. (or woman-sewing-during-nap-time applique).

I really like tea/coffee images if they're modern and not sort of Victorian. I love the Kaffe Fassett rice bowls quilt, which reminds me of tea cups.

But today, I went for it. Just something to put my coffee mug on. Roughly modeled on the coasters I made from Bend-the-Rules Sewing pattern. They're really a little big for coasters, because I was thinking about a cup of coffee and a biscotti or toast and tea. I think I prefer the "tea cups" to the coffee mugs, just because there's something fun about the coasters.

I also tried my hand at writing with the sewing machine. Not great results, but at least I know I can do it. This whole sewing thing is really an exercise in learning through doing.

If I have time tomorrow, I might make a drawstring bag to keep them in.