27.6.10

Through the haze

"My heart is like a singing bird."
   -Christina Georgina Rossetti

With my knee surgery two days behind me, most of my craft projects are on hold. No quilting for a few weeks. But... that doesn't mean a full stop! With inspiration from A Rainbow of Stitches I tried some embroidery. It's been years since I've done any, but I think I'll enjoy it for the next week, while I'm in bed. This was done on a flower sack and will be a dish towel in the kitchen.

16.6.10

From the start

I'm just at the start of a quilt...
Look at this wonderful fabric, just waiting to be cut-
The flowers in the middle were the first fabric I picked and the rest of the fabrics are colors from it.

Now, to begin the cutting.

15.6.10

"Who Hoo" will this go to?

The Owl and the Pussycat went to sea
In a beautiful pea-green boat,
They took some honey, and plenty of money, 
Wrapped up in a five pound note.

"The Owl and the Pussycat"
Edward Lear

I finished a quilt without a class and all on my own! And there are owls all over it!! What a wonderful thing!
Okay, on my own is stretching it. Without the class at Modern Domestic, taught by Elizabeth of oh Fransson! this quilt would not exist. I referred constantly back to oh Fransson's blog for tips with the quilt sandwich and binding. Tips that made no sense to me before I had a live demonstration of them. (I'm a hands on kind of gal)
 

I also took inspiration for this quilt from Cluck Cluck Sew. I made it smaller and learned a bit about planning for quilt dimensions. I should take a photo of my planning page in my idea journal- I'm pretty proud of it. Numbers, colors, careful planning. (And still, I had some errors- but I worked through them all)


I went with a pea green flannel background. Soft a cozy for the little guy who is getting this one. I also managed a binding on my own. Well, with reference of some tutorials for reminders.

The quilting process itself... less than satisfying. I kept meaning to get over for some open sewing time at M.D., but never did. I just shoved it through my machine and did some stitch in the ditch action. It worked, but not pretty. But it worked. And the people getting it will never know it could have been something different. I'm not ready to commit to that new machine until I know I'm really committed to this quilting and sewing thing. 

Oh, those Owls. I picked up the Owls at Bolt in Portland during their sale. I'm so glad they've made it into a project.

A tie for my guy

And indeed there will be time
To wonder, "Do I dare?" and, "Do I dare?"
Time to turn back and descend the stair,
With a bald spot in the middle of my hair--
(They will say: "How his hair is growing thin!")
My morning coat, my collar mounting firmly to the chin,
My necktie rich and modest, but asserted by a simple pin,
(They will say: "But how his arms and legs are thin!")
Do I dare
Disturb the universe?

"The Lovesong of Alfred J. Prufrock"
T.S. Eliot



With all the quilts and bags and such, a tie seemed like a smashing idea. Not that S. doesn't enjoy and support every other endeavor I have taken on... but finding a great project for a great guy has proved to be a difficult thing.
This is why, when I saw the class at Modern Domestic, I had to jump on it.
Just as with the quilt class, I left the tie class with information I never would have thought to ask about. Information about fabric, shortcuts, techniques. I'm a huge fan of this place! HUGE!

Shawn picked the fabric, I truly love it. He wore it to work, but I forgot to take pictures. I'll grab some the next time.
 
The tie is lined, and was finished with a hand stitch. I learned a lot about the bias of the fabric and how to use it to help this tie sit the way it should.

7.6.10

A little gathered clutch

I finally made something from my "projects to try" list. Meaning it might be time for a "projects finished" page.
Here is the "Gathered Clutch" from Noodlehead:
I learned a lot. There are mistakes everywhere, but mostly just because the first time through a pattern is about getting a feel for it. Also, no more projects with zippers until I get a zipper foot. Ugg.
I did use fabric from the wedding. The bird fabric was what I used for the ring pillow.

4.6.10

Curtains in the Kitchen

Let fall the curtains, wheel the sofa round,
And, while the bubbling and loud-hissing urn
Throws up a steamy column, and the cups
 That cheer but not inebriate, wait on each,
 So let us welcome peaceful ev'ning in.
The Task, IV, The Winter Evening
William Cowper

My first project for our home... curtains in the kitchen. I'm ridiculously happy about them... I mean it's curtains. Shawn and I picked out the fabric together. I had some nervousness about getting a pattern fabirc, my plan was linen with some embroidered designs, but I'm VERY happy with the results.
Here they are in progess:
I forgot to account for the fact that the fabric is directional... and therefore takes more fabric to complete the project. I ended up short - one window done, but the other only has one curtain. Apparently, S and I are not the only  ones who love this fabric, it was sold out all over town (But it did lead to my first trip to Fabric Depot! That place blew my mind.) I ended up ordering more online.
Here is one finished window:
I used the pattern from purlbee, Lovely Lined Curtains and I'm happy with the results. Details like top stitching, and pulling threads to make super straight lines gave it a professional feel. I lined it with kona cotton- I think it was coal. Anyway, I'm a happy girl. The fabric just showed up for the other curtain so I can get the other window covered up!