Tag: process

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Still here

I have had very limited access to the computer and a really bad time getting my pictures on to the web since my laptop’s unfortunate demise.  I haven’t bought a new one because I’m just sure we’ll be able to repair ours someday, somehow when we acquire knowledge that we just don’t begin to have right now.  but I’m sure we will one day.  🙂 
So, here is a picture of my project for today taken with the camera on my phone.
Check out that giant cork board that I scored at the ReStore for $5!  I think it’s like, eight feet long.  Awesome.
I’m tackling the fabric stash and trying to get rid of at least two bins of fabric.  Can it be done?  We shall see.
In the meantime, please enjoy this talk on creativity by John Cleese:
It’s a little over 30 minutes long so if you want the shorter version check out Brain Pickings, which you really check out anyway because I’m sure you would love it.  Thanks to my friend Jen for telling me about it.
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Tutorial on how NOT to make a rice bag

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Pointless But Fun Rehash

Pointless but fun rehash:
 
Here is the first quilt I ever made. It’s made from strips of flannel left over from our Christmas PJ pants (yes, those are skulls, don’t judge me) and the back side is a big piece of denim.  I decided at the last minute that I wanted it a little bigger so the left side has pieces of jeans on one side and flannel on the other.  The quilting stitches are a crazy nightmare but for a first time, forgivable.  We use it all the time. 
Then I made the epic corduroy/wool blanket.  It took a long time to make.  It weighs a ton and is ridiculously hot.  We haven’t really used it this winter because it’s been so mild.  It hung up at the Monona library for a while.  
Then I made this odd quilt.  It’s old linen clothes on the top and then flannel on the back.  I quilted it together using wool sock yarn.  No good reason for that, I just wanted to see how it would work.
This one is out of old thrifted shirts and curtain panels.  I thought it would be fun to play with the typical busy floral quilt theme.  It was.  I gave very little thought to the backing.  I wish now that I had picked something prettier but it’s done so I can live with it.  I hand quilted about 1/3 of it but then gave up and machine quilted it all.  I think I just had the wrong thread.  It’s all a learning experience.
I also made about 3 or 4 baby quilts  – Here’s a couple
  They are a great size to experiment on. 
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Also there’s the denim quilt which, up until now, has been my favorite.  It’s hanging on a wall at my house.
 For me, this one surpasses them all.  I love it so much.  It’s really soft.  I love the colors and the way they came together.
 It’s got some goofy pointless details – but not too many.  It’s the first time I used embroidery thread for a full sized quilt and I’m hooked.  It’s the perfect weight and has sooooo many colors.  Oh, and it’s cheap. 
And this meandering line thing that has all all warm and fuzzy inside.  All I have left to do at this point is the edging.  I just bought some black corduroy for that and I plan on starting this week.
I’ll post done pictures as soon as I can.
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It All Started With the Shoes

 It all started with these horrible shoes.  
They were just too plain.  So I drew Mehndi designs on them with a sharpie.  
Then my husband decided that he didn’t need this bag anymore and I decided I did need it. 
Spirals out of metallic gel pen this time.
 I realize that these are small, less than exciting projects but they make me very happy.  They also make me look at more things as blank canvases. 
What to do, what to do…
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A Meander I Can Get Behind

 Now THAT is a meander I can get behind.  Suddenly I’m over the “it’s just a blanket” thing.  This is very exciting.  I was feeling a little bit down on this project because the quilt was just looking like a blanket.  Super normal.
    
I am back on track because I got off track, where I belong.
Last night I started quilting on diagonal lines and they just wanted to follow their own path and I love it! 
I’m lollygagging.  As I should be.  I’m a lollygagger and always have been.
I just had to put this short post out there because I’m so re-energized.  
That is all. 🙂
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It’s Big and I’m Slow and I Get Distracted

I have now added the minimally necessary lines 
of stitching to hold the quilt together.
  It’s been slow going because it’s big and I’m slow and I get 
distracted by other projects so easily
 I’m good with all that, by the way – I’m used to myself. 🙂 
I laid it out on the bed yesterday to get a better idea of what it will be like.  It’s always a slight let down to realize that the epic project I’m committing so much of my self to is just a blanket. 
My side of the bed is the messy side. 
  I can’t help thinking that this quilt would be awesome with or without the denim squares.  I’m crazy in love with the corduroy.  It’s so soft and the colors are really mellow and comforting.
 I think I will add some diagonal lines of stitching.  It was tough to decide because I’d think of a great idea for once side and then flip the blanket it over and decide that that great idea would not be great on this side. 
The lines of stitches don’t meander as much as I hoped.  I think that’s just the result of switching from working on a small patch to a whole dang blanket. 
I took the pictures having left the camera on macro so I think all the weird little spots must be dust.  
Wha? 
I live in an air hazard! 
Oh, you know what?  It’s probably bad because I just flipped a huge quilt around a bunch before taking the picture – at least I hope that’s the case, yikes.