settlers peace

Creative Fuel

The invitations were ordered, received and ready to mail, senior photo shoot this weekend and prom plans made! So what else have I been up to?

• A little bit of this and that. I made a top with the Schoolhouse Tunic pattern, love it and hope to make more!
• Devoured the book by Jenny Lawson, "Let's Pretend This Never Happened" and laughed until my sides hurt. The fact that the first 100 pages were like a flashback for me, made me feel kindred in some twisted way, I guess to say that all of those memories, while seeming so absurd at the time, actually make us who we are, and they're pretty darn-good stories to tell once you make it out the other side!
  
• Steal Like An Artist by Austin Kleon is an awesome read, especially with all of the Pinterest sharing going on. I've found myself withholding my creations afraid to really let it out into the world. Then in the end have to ask myself "What if we give it away?" and I have to answer, it's just too hard to hold onto, let it go.
  

• I'm feeling very inspired by old blocks, patterns and fabric, and wondering how to make something old new again. The mind churns......

Oh my goodness! I've been trying to learn to post from my new iPad, and have been having an issue of them disappearing when I hit a wrong button, and I just found them!!!! So exciting! Now maybe I can attempt to be more consistent. Hope that your weekend is full of wonderful discoveries as well!

 

Oh, Pins and Needles

I recently participated in a Pincushion swap, and got a bit over-zealous in making one to swap.  I simply kept trying out patterns and ideas and have amassed a growing collection.  So here are some that I have made, and a few created by friends.

I received the owl in a swap some time ago, and the makers name is no longer attached, sorry.  Felted wool pincushion and scrappy patchwork pincushion made from leftovers.

Large round pincushions made from this pattern. This cute little pocket was made by Tammi D. and what I came home with after the swap.  Such a clever idea, and the perfect size next to my machine.  I love the little calico kerchief sticking out of it.

The big flower pincushion was my swap entry.  The one in the background is a pretty cool traveling pincushion.  The pincushion is actually sewn to the inside of the plastic lid, so it sits flat when stitching, then the bowl attaches over the pins when done, and can be easily tossed in a bag with no worries of losing a pin or needle during travel.  The precious wool pincushion in front was made by my friend Susan E. 

And if that isn't enough cuteness for you, take a look at this precious hand stitched ornament that I got in a swap during the DMQG meeting this month.

Created by my friend Angie of Retromama's Ramblings.  So blessed to be among several groups of very talents quilters and stitchers, so lucky to call them friends.

Now, a binding awaits!

The Sounds of Summer

Oh, the dreamy sound of a happy sewing machine!  It practically purrs.  I love that hummm.

Nothing irritates me more than to have to schedule an appointment for my machine at a dealership, an hour away, to "drop off" the machine and then go back two weeks later to pick it up.  Several years ago I was given the name of a repairman in the Plano area, he is a dream to work with.  I still have to schedule an appointment, but it's like a doctors visit.  I drop it off, go to Starbuck's- journal, read, doodle, run errands, whatever, and return 2-3 hours later and take that baby home!  He works on all models and I am happy to share his number, just leave a comment and let me know.  Your machine will thank you!

The other sound of summer that I particularly enjoy, is that of cicadas or locusts.  I know, kind of loud and annoying at times, but there is a certain comfort in the buzz for me.  However, I will say that I am very happy that I have air conditioning and can escape the sound by coming indoors.  Can you imagine years ago, having to suffer through this heat, day and night and then have the sound of those bugs screeching all. day. long.?

And I mean this kind of heat.

When we go to bed, it's still in the 90's.  Which makes it no surprise that my most favorite hummm of summer is that of the air conditioner.

What about you?  What sounds of summer do you enjoy?

Day 4

Well, the weather here has been quite the topic.  Today was the 4th day this week with school cancelled due to snow.  This cartoon says it all!

Day 1, I went into the sewing room and worked like crazy.  So much fun!  Day 2, I began losing steam, but finished the projects of Day 1.  This was really against my grain as I wanted to start a new project each day, but I am so happy to have these little guys done.

Pattern is Effie and Ollie Elephant by Heather Bailey.  Now to choose one to put into a pincushion swap at The Quilt Asylum.  Day 3, I awoke the girls early so as to keep somewhat of a schedule, and paid the price ALL day long.  Teens can be so annoying.  Day 4, I avoided the lioness' dens completely and retreated into the sewing room adding sashing to some blocks on the design wall, simply hiding from the kids and avoiding looking out the windows at our captor.  Photos to come when I remember to carry the camera upstairs.

In an act of desperation, D. has bought us a Wii and Just Dance 2.  An attempt to keep us entertained and burning off some of the calories that we've been consuming while creating sweets in the kitchen.  I don't know if we are burning more calories dancing or laughing at each others attempts!  

So far, I guess that we are fairing pretty well, but really, I am over the snow.

Oh, and just last Saturday, yes, back when it was 70+ degrees outside, we celebrated my Grandmothers 90th birthday!  Such a firecracker she is.  Happy Birthday, Grandma!  

Pillowcase talk

My local Quilt Guild recently had a program on Last Minute Gifts. I am a big fan of giving pillowcases, so I thought that I'd do a tutorial on how I make mine.

I use French Seams so that all edges are finished.

I use three fabrics, cut as follows:

Pillow body - Floral - cut 27" x width of fabric

Pillow Cuff - Stripe - cut 9" x width of fabric

Accent strip - Blue Graphic - Cut 2" x width of fabric, press in half, wrong sides together.  

Trim all pieces to 40" wide.  Pin the accent strip and the cuff piece to the floral body, right sides together, along a 40" side.

Fold the body of the pillowcase back and forth, so that the cuff fabric may wrap around this 'roll', as shown above.  Align the other 40" side of the cuff with the pinned edge, and carefully pin this layer in as well.  Using a walking foot, seam together with a 1/4" seam.

Pull the pillow body 'roll' out of the seamed cuff.  Press the seam in the cuff from the front and the back to get a crisp cuff.

Now, pin the pillowcase together along the open side and bottom, with the wrong sides together.  I fold a tiny corner down along the top edge to help keep the seam clean when finished, see the last photo.  Sew a scant 1/4" seam.  When you get the the lower corner, sew off the edge.  Beginning off the edge, sew across the bottom.  This will serve as a folding guide when you turn the pillowcase.  Fold seam allowance along both stitching lines and turn the corner wrong side out, using the stitching line on the other corner, do the same thing.  This will aide in getting crisp corners on the bottom of your pillowcase when done, see bottom photo.  Now with the pillowcase inside out, carefully press the seams as crisp as possible.  Take it back to the machine and sew a generous 1/4" seam along the side and bottom of the case, simply turning at the corner.  Turn right side out, and your done!

I hope that you enjoy, please let me know if you have any questions!

Words Worth

Years ago I made a giant Candy-gram for my Dad, incorporating all of the candy names into a story.  Here lately my  mind has been spinning with the many versions that could come out of my bag of selvedge edge strips that I've been collecting.  But I'm stingy and hate to use a whole lot of any one thing in a project.  So as my creative juices were going, I grabbed up some old cloth napkins, ripped them into smaller sizes and started making some collages.  Not much planning, but I had some definite people in mind as I made each one.

It was fun to see them develope, as different as the people they were made for.  I stitched each of them onto a cover of a journal filled with graph paper.

Which them became part of a drafting kit in a pencil pouch along with some mechanical colored pencils.  These were made for the retiring Board Members of our guild.  I will really miss working with each of them, but I look forward to the new board members that will be serving with me this next year.  I also made some little pouches for tiny embroidery scissors for those that had served as a Committee Chairperson.  Hopefully they will all be able to enjoy some time being creative.

I just love working on projects that are small enough to finish, with a deadline to make it happen.  

Good Mail Day

Yesterday I went to the mailbox and had the lovely new issue of Sew Somerset in it.
Since I had not ordered the issue, that could only mean that a submission that I had made (in Jan. 2009) had been published.  There on page 122 are photos of my "ScrapBook"!  Insert Happy Dance here!   Here's the book.

And here are the pages that were published.

The pages were simply made from bits and pieces and had no purpose until I found the old cover.  I decided to replace the fragile paper pages with 'fabric' scrapbook pages and remake the book to corral these small works together.  

The directions for making you own book are in the magazine.  I had no idea what elements of the book would be photographed when they asked for directions, so I did not go into page construction as each page is so different.  It really was a fun project to work on combining my love of fabrics, quilting, art journals and book making.   

Now, I'm of to relax and enjoy some time reading about all of the other amazing submissions that are in this new issue of Sew Somerset, it is pure eye candy!

Workin'

Well, I have been working on some projects.  I have had an eye for leaves lately and decided to applique some onto brown linen.  Makes me think of a photo from Washington last year,when I realized that there really were pink leaves in nature!  I made a journal out of the linen piece for another project that is in the works.

I have also been helping S. with a dress for the Homecoming dance.

Note the green tulle, what a lovely first project!!!  Anyway, the dress was finished, and I'd love to show you a picture of her wearing it, but she couldn't seem to take a sane photo.  This is as close as I could get.  

At least her feet didn't hurt during the dance.  She hasn't worn matching socks in years now, but I do wish the shoes had been washed!

I had the opportunity for another 'joy' moment this past weekend.  I had the privilege of spending some time in a building that I have admired for years.  You know those old buildings that could tell stories of ages long ago, the mystery of what those walls could say, so intriguing.  A quick tour just won't work, it takes time to soak it in, that was the great part, I had time inside this old place.

While the outside is weathered a bit, the inside has been restored and is beautiful.  The woodwork is all original, along with many exposed walls.  The small windows on the fourth floor are all trimmed in metal and wood, as is much of the ceiling up there.

The first floor even has the original shelving for the mercantile business that was there a hundred years ago.

I just can't call it anything except a blessing, to have something like this just handed to you.  Pure joy and bliss, such are God's gifts.

 

Bound

I've been fiddling with these journal pages for ages, and not really feeling like I've gotten anywhere.  Yesterday I sat down and bound them into a cover that I made with some scraps on the cutting table.  Now I feel like it is a real journal to play in, and I suddenly appreciate what has happened on the pages.

I've machine stitched many of the pages, adding bits of ribbon and trim and sometimes just doodles.

 I've really been in a journal making mood lately, but will hopefully spend some play time adding to the pages, instead of simply starting something else, yet again.  sigh  But I will celebrate that this project is at least assembled, and no longer in pieces!  

Stillness

I don't readily take to being still, I mean having to stay still.  I've been in recovery mode, and for once, have opted for stillness.  Amazing things happen when you're still.  For days there has been no tv, computer, and even music, just quiet and the occasional book, not newspaper nor magazine.  But man, when inspiration hits, it is SO fun.

Out came the scissors, old paper and fiber bits.  I set about free cutting leaves and trees and came up with a collection of cards.  I must say, they even reflect my stillness.

There are many rewards to stillness, allow yourself some today!