The new coat begins!

January 11, 2017January 11, 201734 Comments

I finally have all my parts to begin construction on a new wool coat.

I am excited to jump in and just start cutting, but because I am 63 and no longer very aware of my body shape… I will start with a muslin, to get the right fit, before I cut the pattern out or take scissors to Wool. I can’t remember the last time I made clothes for myself. Perhaps it was as far back as my wedding dress?

I was very excited to be able to order my wool Melton from Mood Fabrics with a discount of 60% off! Otherwise the fabric alone would have set me back over $150.00.

I will begin the measurement taking and start the muslin process on Friday.

~*~

Do you sew?

If so, do you make a muslin first or just dive right in?

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I make no resolutions

January 6, 2017January 6, 201729 Comments

Starting 2017 fresh and debt free has awakened a sleeping desire to create. Over the past few years I have come to my studio pulled things out, put them back; started some projects and left them lay…

Until I was just as depressed as before I started and now awash in fabric which had lost it’s meaning.

Previously I had taken the “*Process Pledge” and wanted to share with you what I was doing and how I was getting it done. However, my old nemesis Depression and his side kick Lack of Funds found me not able to function as I had intended. I needed a do over!

”The

The first step in this re-boot is to clean up, sort out what I have, and then finish a gift that is now overdue to my lovely Sister-in-law and a teal block for my friend Kate in Australia who sews them together, quilts them, and then donates them for Ovarian Cancer.

My steps:

Complete the gift for my SIL and the Teal block for Kate
Make a wool coat for me which is a lofty ambition, but I have my fabric and my lovely pattern. I will enjoy this even if it is slow work.
After practicing on me I look forward to a couple of fun coats for my Etsy shop. I have a vision of what I want to create and will be drawing it out before I tackle the fabrics!
Just keep creating and sharing my progress!

A journey begins with the first step and forward momentum takes it from there

I believe this. So, no resolutions, just a call to creativity for myself and then share the process and progress along the way! The projects will get done when they get done. Knowing this when I start means there will be no pressure and no deadline.

~*~

What lies ahead on your map for 2017?

*NOTE: The Process Pledge was begun by Rossi of Rossi Crafts, who is a creative powerhouse! Thank you Rossi for your inspiration!

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My Scrappiness

April 14, 2016April 25, 201625 Comments

Posted for April 15th, 2016

As I have mentioned before I began my quilting adventure in 2011 by crafting a quilt for a new friend I met when visiting Jayme from Tales of the Coop Keeper. At that time I had the desire to quilt, but no knowledge of the plotting skills or the math involved to pull it off…

Ergo, after making a “watermelon” quilt

I had tons of red and white squares and triangles to spare and they have been stored in a Ziploc bag, at the bottom of my scrap drawer, till now…

I have joined up with Kate Chiconi at Tall Tales From Chiconia in ScrapHappy. This is a creative group of like-minded people who want to use it all up and have fun making their scraps disappear. Then we all share on the 15th of the month. Links to all participants will be listed on Kate’s blog site! Please follow the link above to see what the other more experienced quilters have come up with.

After much experimentation, and cutting down I am left with a pair of ten inch blocks. A bit of blue border has given them a decidedly patriotic flair.

Windmill block to the left and Hourglass blocks to the right.

I haven’t finished them yet, because I can’t decide if I want a table runner or pillows! If a table runner is in their future I will have to come up with a third block to tie them all together.

This process of laying out and working with my scraps has reminded me of the Inuit carver who studies a bone or wood specimen to see what is living inside, then begins carving to release the spirit and image within. No spirits in my work, but this time around my *points are coming along nicely. 🙂

Practice, practice, practice!



Embed from Getty Images

NOTE: Points refers to the area in the quilt block where all the corners meet up. Getting them to get along is very exciting for a budding quilter. Well, actually, I think it may be an exciting moment for any quilter! Those little corners can be rather pesky.

Still MIA: what I am working on

February 1, 2016February 3, 201619 Comments

Because my little Viking is still in the *shop I have been keeping busy with a new task. It is one I have wanted to try but never gave myself the time.

I love it!

This is my quilting table with my latest WIP creation all laid out.

They are hexagons. Each little disk of cover stock was carefully cut out, hole punched and then pinned to a square of fabric. The fabric was clipped with a generous 1/4 inch + edge for turning under and basting. Each of the basted hexagons were then trialed into different arrangements until I decided on this one.

After I complete the right side of my layout I will be making half-hexies to allow me a smooth edge for binding. Then I will be painstakingly sewing the little bits together to make a whole.

The finished item will be approximately 16 inches wide by 48 inches long.

Looking from this angle I am suddenly reminded of the pattern on the Diamond Back Rattlesnake. This, of course, was unintentional. Bees also use this shape for construction of their honeycomb! I find the patterns in nature to be awesome. Don’t you?

A Diamond in the rough…

~*~

*I’ve called three times regarding my little Viking and the repairman (I use the title loosely) says he’s still waiting for a bulb. 😦

And although I am holding out for the repair of my old machine I am facing facts, and have begun a search for a new Viking with these criterion:

It will be a fair price.
It will use my presser feet collection ($$$!!!)
It will be a newer model (from China, I know, but what other options do I have?)

I simply can’t abandon all the money I have invested in specialty presser feet. So, if I must replace my old machine I will want one that is lightly used and substantially less than the sticker price of a new one!

They are out there. I just need to keep my eyes open.

This one would certainly be nice… Click on her to see what she can do!