Creativity

 It has been a long several days.  Sidney had a bad case of the flu and was pretty much couch ridden.  So what does mama do in between child snuggling, house cleaning, and running around managing the crazy stresses of chick hatching?  Well this mama put on her thinking cap for a new project.  I began really thinking about the creative process when I read this post of julochkas.  I tend to gather things around me that inspire me, some things I find patterns for, then kind of go it on my own to see what I can come up with.  Just like when I am cooking.  When I try something new, I need a recipe, then I start adding and substituting my own stuff and it evolves into something else. 

I fell in love with the amazing art work on these towels.  So I thought, kitchen towels are a cool way to go.  I began drawing some homestead inspired pictures, started sifting through my stash and tried my hand at my first applique.  Not too shabby for a first go at it!  I tried to embroider a nest under the eggs on one, and that was an amazing failure, so I guess I need to decide if I'm going to add more finishing pieces or leave them minimalistic.  What do you think?

Time To Get Moving!

 Taken a couple of weeks ago, I do long for some snow now!

I was back to work today.  The scramble of completing year end paperwork coupled with a few full moon-esque crazy things, really made me appreciate how I entered the new year.  With my family,  great food, and a couple quiet days (so unlike me)! 

Now, I'm ready for more!  Well, actually that's code for, the gift card that I got for the fabric store is burning a hole in my pocket.  My breath was taken away by julochka, deciding to begin a new quilt on 1/1 and having the top completed on 1/3!  Oh and having a fleece backing...I'm in heaven!  Yikes, I gotta get moving, the year is passing me by! 

There are so many things I want to do, there is no time like the present!  

I have got film and fabric to buy,

sewing to be done and taught, 

tea to be drank, 

money to be saved (maybe a blog camp in my future, someday, maybe sooner than later), 

reading to be done (I promise I will make it to book club more often this year), 

of course the kids are always a central focus and source of joy, 

and then the homestead, 

the dream.  

Oh 2011 will be a good year!

Quilt Top!--QAL

 Well, this is it!  Amy gave us the sashing instructions this week and lookie what we have here!  I would say it was a cinch, but I had a little trouble with the top row.  Once all laid out, I had to put on the final strips.  Somehow I reversed the direction and put the final corner piece on the wrong side.  My visualization failed me this time, I guess I was just a little too tired when I was doing that part last night.  It finally came to me in the light of day this morning and I fixed it.  Not to shabby hugh??  ;)

A funny aside,  I had to re-sash the top four blocks to fix my mistake.  Now, I began sewing about 7 months ago.  I made it through the 1st grade musical costumes, had to do a few re-do's involving lots of thread pulling and I began to pull threads on the sashes.  Then while painstakingly pulling individual stitches, I figured out I could run the seam ripper along the whole thing and it comes right apart!  Sheesh!  I guess that's why they call it a seam ripper and not a seam puller!  Yes,  you may laugh now.  I'll tell you though, this self-taught sewer was pretty thrilled at this time saving tip!

august break

Attempt #2

Freshly finished reversible apron (notice I'm sporting the lovely Tommy Hilfiger tunic sweater that I scored in Friday night's clothing swap)

I'm happy to report that round two went much better than round one! I still had to battle the bobbin, it was epic, but as a result of having fifty or so false starts, I think I'm approaching amateur status.

Far from perfect, this was my first attempt at touching something even resembling a clothing item, unless you count sewing on Girl or Boy Scout patches. As I worked my way through this project (that took much longer than the stated 1 hour) I did begin to gain some confidence in the technique involved. I also began to relax a bit and enjoy the process. Here's to baby steps!

Sew Crazy

Let me make myself perfectly clear, I was only moments from chucking this machine across the room! Evening one of teach myself to sew complete and I survived....barely.

A little background. I've had one lesson from a friend a year ago, and we got my machine up and running and bobbin threaded through. I've used it several times very satisfyingly on anything that I could sew with the white thread that we loaded it with. It is with this white thread I was going to begin an attempt in earnest at proficiency.

Step one: the whole damn thing came apart and I had to start at square one with the supplied cryptic instructions (thanks Brother)! Step two: struggling, scrambling, cursing at the lower bobbin for the illusive loop to make an appearance (thanks to Brian for finally getting it). Step three: for criminy sake, remember to put the foot down when you've accomplished getting all above threaded, and begin to sew. Step four: give yourself a wide berth for error. Attempt something much larger than this cute (or should I say supposed be cute) project. Step five, survive it, have a glass of wine, bask in your accomplishment and prepare a list of future projects.

I am much embarrassed by the above bird which will take up residence on the machine as a reminder of my humble beginnings. But now you can all hold me to my commitment, track my progress, and know that there's no place to go but up!