tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-41883243787438435162024-03-14T04:52:53.183-07:00When She Gets Bored...Shayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15280511004786935567noreply@blogger.comBlogger36125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4188324378743843516.post-68726196144900304232012-02-23T08:23:00.000-08:002012-02-23T08:23:33.487-08:00Bodice of Dooooom!<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBMugBVYpyiFyPmbGnS8ZI-IYdVYzNZlUhvkDuF-WGU_7jwH9WsSp4vKqVD3pH9vcJoXC69u9_ui_GS1bj6djZvPz38mcgF1lk3WjUBFVdUKj66x4FbaZVKaw4-DV0suMnjFV_TcuDR0Y/s1600/doom!.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" lda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBMugBVYpyiFyPmbGnS8ZI-IYdVYzNZlUhvkDuF-WGU_7jwH9WsSp4vKqVD3pH9vcJoXC69u9_ui_GS1bj6djZvPz38mcgF1lk3WjUBFVdUKj66x4FbaZVKaw4-DV0suMnjFV_TcuDR0Y/s200/doom!.jpg" width="150" /></a></div>The bodice of doooom! My co-workers say it's Easter colors. I suppose that's true... but NOT a finished product! Just the test bodice. Strangely enough, I kind of like it. It's growing on me - a little like mold, sneaking up and settling in. <br />
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The lining material is stuff we had lying around the studio - heck, everything in this is stuff we had lying around the studio! I know it will work for workshops, which is all I require of it.<br />
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But I do like the bright and cheery colors of it.<br />
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Other than that, I've been cutting out skirt panels. I have two skirts, both circle skirts. The underskirt is two shades of yellow, the overskirt green and blue. And trimmed out the ears. My goodness how they are going to be trimmed!! This is by far the most trim-laden character I've yet to play. Oh, Penelope.... how bright and shiny you will be!<br />
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On the quilt front, I'm still a little stalled on Boston Molasses Flood. My weekends are now officially GONE, which only leaves me weeknights. And since I am still working on costuming... well.... um. Yeah, excuses, excuses. I'll get back to it soon. Really.<br />
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We put bird feeders out this week - finally - and filled them with bird seed. The blue jays love the peanuts, and we're getting hordes of little birds. Little Attila the Hun birds... invading from everywhere! The weirdest thing was not the squirrel sitting in the middle of the bird feeder - that's normal. No... we looked out a window this past weekend and saw a cat picking up a peanut and chomping down. ?! Do cats actually EAT peanuts??? Shayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15280511004786935567noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4188324378743843516.post-823122409610634522012-02-14T05:43:00.000-08:002012-02-14T05:43:14.156-08:00Bodices and writing and sewing and stuff!<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUBGPFIc3VxOu-tIb-Qtj6IGuPxUz8gwH-az0mDFcaZmn2xIirh5TPk44FXRpM17n2muuvwYmNkdE3ue-GrrqZNtBwvT_YMkwPFLtELctg2FQP6170eJlhRbmSiaM7Lm467Q23n58CwEk/s1600/test+front.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUBGPFIc3VxOu-tIb-Qtj6IGuPxUz8gwH-az0mDFcaZmn2xIirh5TPk44FXRpM17n2muuvwYmNkdE3ue-GrrqZNtBwvT_YMkwPFLtELctg2FQP6170eJlhRbmSiaM7Lm467Q23n58CwEk/s320/test+front.jpg" width="240" yda="true" /></a></div>This past weekend I made a bodice for faire this year. This isn't the final version - more of a test version, in similar but entirely inappropriate fabric. (Her colors aren't quite so vivid and certainly not PINK). It's not done yet, as it's not been bound at the edges and doesn't have grommets yet. When all that's done, I will have a completed test bodice to wear... sometime. :) It seems - in some ways - a complete waste of time to make a full and complete bodice that I may never 'really' wear. I could fit it to myself without all the work. Mostly. But I couldn't tell how I could move in it, if I could do all the things I want to do. Nor could I tell how the real thing - made of very similar outer material - would stand up to all those things. So, the full bodice. <br />
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I find myself doing versions of the same thing in my writing. It may just be a scene to get the writing flowing, but it needs to be coherent and consistent - or I can't necessarily tell how the characters will interact, and so forth. Even if I never use that scene, it exists in my head as a 'oh, okay, remember that time when?' I know more about my world, more about my characters, and more about my writing. And maybe that's what it's really about - finding out more about me and what I expect from myself - both for writing and for sewing.<br />
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Both the 'real' bodice and the 'real' story will take time. But both will be better for it - stronger, more precise, and far less likely to fall apart on me!Shayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15280511004786935567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4188324378743843516.post-71114463251960764082012-02-08T05:43:00.000-08:002012-02-08T05:43:54.328-08:00Writing again!Inspired by a friend, I have dipped back into the waters of writing - well, really more of a full plunge. Even through everything else in life, stories and writing seem to be a constant for me. Due to not-enough-time syndrome (also known as Shay is too lazy to make time for sewing, writing and house-cleaning all at the same time), I haven't written anything more than a story idea or a note to go back and fix something in an old story. <br />
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Rather than be sad and mope about it - I am going to DO something! Check it out - <a href="http://rachaelharrie.blogspot.com.au/">http://rachaelharrie.blogspot.com.au/</a> - The Fourth Writer's Platform-Building Campaign. Hah! So write I shall, once more! <br />
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Nervous? You bet! Between sewing for faire and for a friend and working on Boston Molasses Quilt, can I pull out my writing brain and send it forth to do what needs to be done? (I really need to lay off the Lord of the Rings movies for a while - they make my brain think in strange ways, I have a lovely mental image of my brain on horseback, riding under the banner of the Rohirrim). <br />
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Here goes nothing. And everything.<br />
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<a href="http://rachaelharrie.blogspot.com.au/">http://rachaelharrie.blogspot.com.au/</a>Shayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15280511004786935567noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4188324378743843516.post-10651895078005499182012-02-06T05:49:00.000-08:002012-02-06T05:49:31.037-08:00Quilting and costumingA friend said recently that I was the only person she knew who both quilted and made costumes. Apparently, most (at least in her circles of friends and acquaintances) do one or the other, but never both. I jusr smiled and said something along the lines of "I guess I'm just unusual," which is fine. But I wonder... am I? Are there really that few quilters who make costumes (and by costumes I really don't mean no-sew or little sew Halloween costumes. I mean clothing from another time period, I guess) and that few costumers who make quilts? <br />
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Right now I have a full yeoman woman's garb to make - bloomers, chemise, bodice, two skirts.... and still find a straw hat to go with.... and I am working on quilting Boston Molasses Flood and planning my next quilt (Texas Daycare). <br />
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Took a break this weekend to go to First Monday Trade Days in Canton with a group. Half of the group had never been. There was much walking, some shopping, and much fun. Several of us bought things for our characters at Scarborough Faire, and those that didn't bought other stuff. I came home with a blue flying goat made of metal, a dachsund cracker holder with a spreader for a tail, and several other small things. There'll be more trips to First Monday, I know!Shayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15280511004786935567noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4188324378743843516.post-1831165420496110142012-02-02T07:12:00.000-08:002012-02-02T07:12:50.339-08:00Fabric in general....Tonight I will get BMF on the quilting frame and get started with the hand quilting. Yay! And I am pleased with the back - I think the pieced actually doesn't look too bad. Moreover, I think it will grow on me until I more than like it. So that's all good. The next quilt is perking in my brain - I know what fabric I need, I know what I need to do (and this time I will be more careful about measuring for the borders and back!).<br />
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And in preparation for Scarborough Faire this spring, since my new character is a weaver, I have started weaving. I sincerely doubt that I will ever get into it enough to make my own fabric (not to mention that the looms I have are so small it would take a lot of piecing and joining to make a piece sufficient to sew), but it's interesting to watch the weaving go together. I can now (in theory) go from raw wool to finished piece of clothing. I find that fascinating - the whole process of sheep (or plant) to clothing. <br />
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As far as planning quilts goes... I am now 21 behind. I think. Until this evening, when I think I will be 22 behind, because there's another one working its way up from my hindbrain.... I need to sew faster!Shayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15280511004786935567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4188324378743843516.post-1986047560233584352012-01-30T06:15:00.000-08:002012-01-30T06:15:19.776-08:00Quilt frustrationBoston Molasses Flood is fighting me all the way. Entirely and whole-heartedly. My measurements are off, and I don't know how I managed. I barely got enough fabric for the borders (but did), and failed miserably in purchasing backing material. I got half as much as I needed. HALF. Seriously??<br />
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But all will be well. I managed to find more of the same fabric, so I can piece the backing together. But this quilt is getting more and more frustrating. I know this, too, shall pass. And it shall be a lovely quilt. I just have to get there!!<br />
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And I need to work on garb. And clean house. And... and... <br />
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Oh, and exercise. Seriously.Shayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15280511004786935567noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4188324378743843516.post-87069508917960332472012-01-27T13:11:00.000-08:002012-01-27T13:11:40.039-08:00Of quilt patterns and suchTo the stage on Boston Molasses Flood wherein I have to start quilting. (Have to... more like get to!). I knew going into BMF exactly what pattern I wanted to quilt. And then changed my mind. About seven times. And now I am down to the wire - and I THINK I know what I want to do. Since I am hand-quilting everything (not nearly enough money for a longarm quilter, which is what I so much want!), I am making choices. And in all honesty, my original idea wouldn't have stood out at all - not just wouldn't have added anything, but wouldn't have really shown at all without WAY much work. And if I really want to do so, I can add it afterwards. Don't think I will, though.<br />
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So, now I am down to stitch in the ditch for most of the quilt, and borders featuring newspaper headlines and information about the Boston Molasses Disaster. I know it will look good, but there is a part of me that mourns the loss of the original quilting plan. *shrug* I know it will be all right, maybe even better this way.<br />
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As far as quilts go, though... I have plenty of ideas. I am up to 24 in my notebook, and I've only finished two... BMF is #3. I'm getting further and further behind! One of these days I want to take a day off from work and just... sew. Quilt. Piece. Until then, I will toddle along as I've been doing, working at a randomly decent pace. (I'm not complaining, just commenting. I can't do more than I can do in a day!)<br />
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Soon enough (like this weekend), I start losing my weekends as far as sewing quilts. Scarborough Faire (my home renaissance faire) starts getting into prep time soon, which means costuming and character work and all that. And hopefully living chess match. We shall see!Shayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15280511004786935567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4188324378743843516.post-43301094697178600152012-01-16T07:03:00.000-08:002012-01-16T07:03:23.157-08:00Boston Molasses Flood and Ostrich Stroganoff<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNmJ35ytWKEOGhtJ92gooBXq3tAvgONXnHPsgWt-Oiz-LCrUxfX0dQPLkIQbroDdkp_c43f0JdtND0y0UNEUd_Eiyozph-VkYSjQuS9Yi2Skn1-blAQBzQcMr0csF1_rxo9vscLsFL-hg/s1600/bostonmflood.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="220" kba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNmJ35ytWKEOGhtJ92gooBXq3tAvgONXnHPsgWt-Oiz-LCrUxfX0dQPLkIQbroDdkp_c43f0JdtND0y0UNEUd_Eiyozph-VkYSjQuS9Yi2Skn1-blAQBzQcMr0csF1_rxo9vscLsFL-hg/s320/bostonmflood.jpg" width="320" /></a>The newest quilt in the works id the Boston Molasses Flood quilt. I've finally got all the slivers pieced together and am in the process of stitching diagonals... With luck, I'll have the top completely pieced by Saturday afternoon (once I get the material for the borders and such...).</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">The borders will also be brown - I haven't decided what fabric, but it will be a solid or tone-on-tone. Then will come the fun part - quilting! I've already figured out how I will quilt it - I just have to find the right picture and such.... more details on that later.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">There is another color variant on this one that is done in blues - haven't started that one yet. Might take a while to get to it, but it will happen eventually. The blue variant is "Isaac's Storm," after the 1900's Galveston hurricane.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">I am hoping to have Boston Molasses done before faire starts (well, before workshops start in earnest) because once faire happens, my sewing time drops dramatically. Costumes, etc., have to take precendence. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Other than that, we're settling into the house well. I made ostrich stroganoff this weekend - easy to make! I found ostrich at our local Central Market - love that store. We also bought elk, but haven't done anything with it yet. Anyway, the ostrich was very tasty, but I had strange nightmares afterwards. Since I'm having leftovers today for lunch, we'll see if it's the ostrich that does it! :) Tonight's dinner will be a stir-fried chicken and veggies in a light cream sauce. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">I do wish the Texas weather would make up its mind. It is supposed to get up into the 70's today. In January. *sigh* I don't know WHAT'S going on. Neither do the plants. My lime tree has blossoms. It's probably going to be unpleasantly surprised by the end of the week. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Shayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15280511004786935567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4188324378743843516.post-57955028892439526872012-01-10T07:28:00.000-08:002012-01-10T07:28:26.222-08:00Long time no boredWe're moved, we're in, we're mostly tidy. And now I have the luxury to be bored again! (And I have been, in brief spurts of time). So here's what I've been up to.<br />
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1. Planning quilts. I am now 19 quilts behind my designs. I need to sew faster!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9pDtsOyuE21JKNEI8DQYXpWlI5EbjvQC6i7Rw3wE1PG-VgWiBO3OQTfnwz3V_kuhhdzPFWPKcJwl-4viE9UNlfbvcmrt77sy-uV8pqcOXVGHmKddz5o-YFp4EvNBrou9njLN7wObtQk4/s1600/Winter+Quilt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="159" kba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9pDtsOyuE21JKNEI8DQYXpWlI5EbjvQC6i7Rw3wE1PG-VgWiBO3OQTfnwz3V_kuhhdzPFWPKcJwl-4viE9UNlfbvcmrt77sy-uV8pqcOXVGHmKddz5o-YFp4EvNBrou9njLN7wObtQk4/s320/Winter+Quilt.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">2. Making a Winter quilt. It's simple, but I like it. It's a very basic one, and the photo doesn't quite do it justice. The background fabric is white with white dots of varying sizes that look like snow falling. Quilted on the diagonal-ish - I wasn't too concerned with straight lines, because what little I know of snow, it doesn't fall in straight lines when there's even a breeze. The trees are appliqued over the quilting. Bound with plain white, and it's done! I am pleased with it. Just need to hang it up so the few little wrinkles will fall out.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzcyHD9lKEMQGtIC5I_H8-3V0RutcDYsC3Wtog6bS55ALUjO1SZ6eo5gFgrkOdAqMT2Ud8FJ2yOu3qM8o3hoUG2SVWtikqVvAdTEpXL0rMTZ7VpFLJr74cLlm2ytQgpmlzlWJ8ym7DMrM/s1600/hearts.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="153" kba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzcyHD9lKEMQGtIC5I_H8-3V0RutcDYsC3Wtog6bS55ALUjO1SZ6eo5gFgrkOdAqMT2Ud8FJ2yOu3qM8o3hoUG2SVWtikqVvAdTEpXL0rMTZ7VpFLJr74cLlm2ytQgpmlzlWJ8ym7DMrM/s320/hearts.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">3. Valentine's Hearts - aren't they cute? I have a limited space to decorate for work, so I am making a bunch of little stuffed hearts for Valentine's Day. I will put them in a nice clear glass vase that sits on my cabinet. I am considering attaching numbers to them and having a stash of goodies to dole out by numbers... ("Here, draw one! Oh, number 5 - that's x. Here, have x! Happy Valentine's Day!") We'll see....</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Other than that, it's been attack the overgrown shrubbery at home. The house was unoccupied for a time, so things kinda... well, got out of hand. The honeysuckle in particular! So we're chopping honeysuckle and cleaning up the gardens and such. No pictures there yet. Maybe later. It will be all pretty when we're done. And I am looking at getting a birdbath and more bird feeders to attract the birds. Yay! </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
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</div>Shayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15280511004786935567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4188324378743843516.post-35519831370200363612011-11-01T11:54:00.000-07:002011-11-01T11:54:30.094-07:00Defining boredomNow that I'm this far into my blog, I guess I should take a moment of time to explain boredom. (Well, THAT sounds pretentious!) Okay, explain what boredom is for me. That should be easier.<br />
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Boredom = getting all my chores done and having nothing planned that I must do, or having my brain not entirely occupied by whatever task I am on. Now, since I live with ADD (not the worst case, by any stretch of the imagination, but enough to make things interesting usually. I multi-task like a pro!), it doesn't take much for my brain to go wandering. It can be a five second trip or far far longer.<br />
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Lately, while I've not had the time to be bored physically, my brain is still taking side trips. From that springs more ideas and more plans. Today, boredom means I have three new quilt ideas. Gr. Not a bad thing - not saying that - but it does make me wish my brain would settle down a little every so often! Let me catch up a little. I feel sometimes like I am about to be lapped by my brain.<br />
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My design notebook - because yes, I am keeping one - is up to 14 more quilts planned (as well as the finished one and the one I am working on). I need to sew faster! I need to stay off the computer in the evenings! I have two quilts planned for gifts - one for this year, one for an event next year. I've got time, but they lurk in the background, waiting to pounce.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI92NIjlb8yB6oQ-Yok0ScAmtgNMtZcwpyL5zmrt6oPRKxwaiCaDoiWf7GpSZxdBvSCJJ14ClRD8f4Sup0zbR4V-1KV1KeKChp89HVJnw_UNtf17LFvB6Rv8gJkyl5qQ26eI0AIia895c/s1600/La+Catrina.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" ida="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI92NIjlb8yB6oQ-Yok0ScAmtgNMtZcwpyL5zmrt6oPRKxwaiCaDoiWf7GpSZxdBvSCJJ14ClRD8f4Sup0zbR4V-1KV1KeKChp89HVJnw_UNtf17LFvB6Rv8gJkyl5qQ26eI0AIia895c/s320/La+Catrina.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>Yesterday at work we were allowed to dress up for Halloween. Not many did, but I was one of those few! It's an excuse to haul out the good stuff and ponce around! How can I not? So, here I am: La Catrina - the elegant one! (symbol that even though you're rich, you're still going to die!) The costume was a borrowed one; made it too too easy! Many compliments and not a few creep-outs! (Bonus!) You can't see all the hat's glory in this shot, but I'll try to root out a few others - I got my photo snapped a LOT.<br />
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At any rate, have a blessed Day of the Innocents or All Saint's Day, as you choose. Remember thiose who've gone before, and ready your thoughts for those days ahead. Take time for yourself - the season's about to get crazy!<br />
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Shayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15280511004786935567noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4188324378743843516.post-2144702315790154732011-10-31T19:22:00.000-07:002011-10-31T19:22:22.776-07:00bored bored?No, not really. Only for a few minutes here and there. And yet, that is apparently sufficient. For what? Well, for designing more quilts. Sheesh. I am up to 12 now, putting me at 1 finished, 1 in process, and ten more to go. Always assuming I don't come up with more, which is highly unlikely at this point. As my roommate says: "Eh, give it a day. You'll have another." Too true, it seems. Now, I am not going to say they are all winners - I have no idea on that score. But so far they seem to be rolling.<br />
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So in between packing and working and prepping for other stuffus, I have quilt ideas. Wheeee! (Actually, this is a good thing, and I am not complaining). It feels weird to be this... productive, at least on an idea scale, when there's so much else going on!<br />
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Halloween is over (well, in a few hours, anyway). Day of the Dead is tomorrow. After that, the stretch to Thanksgiving and beyond. I have no small crafts going. But I AM still being creative, and that somehow eases the lack of projects. I may not be MAKING with fabric, but I am MAKING. I am making designs and plans. So long as I carry through with those plans and designs, it's not wasted time.<br />
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And tomorrow at work I'll take down the Halloween decorations and put up some autumn-themed ones until we're closer to Thanksgiving. The turkey has to stay tucked away just a little while longer. :)Shayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15280511004786935567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4188324378743843516.post-79680124159644739172011-10-27T12:12:00.000-07:002011-10-27T12:12:10.719-07:00Sarlaac Pit RugJ. Random Thought for the moment - I found a lovely quilt pattern. It's a Pine Burr Quilt pattern, and it's the state quilt of Alabama. <a href="http://www.archives.state.al.us/emblems/st_quilt.html">http://www.archives.state.al.us/emblems/st_quilt.html</a> I wonder if Texas has a state quilt? I'll have to look.<br />
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However, the point of this post is this: the Pine Burr quilt is lovely. Beautiful. And I looked at it and thought to myself "Hmm... do that in browns, ivories and pink and you have the Sarlaac Pit from Return of the Jedi!" So now I want to make one - not as a quilt, but as a rug. Out of felt. I think it's do-able.<br />
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The Sarlaac Pit rug would have one major advantage/disadvantage: it would catch all the dust and random pieces of stuff on the floor. All those layers. So I may make one, for a dust catcher and cat toy, if nothing else!<br />
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Random Thought of the Moment over.<br />
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P.S. I didn't immediately find a State Quilt for Texas. Wouldn't surprise me if there is one. Shayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15280511004786935567noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4188324378743843516.post-90906433260926285012011-10-27T07:30:00.000-07:002011-10-27T07:30:29.727-07:00The newest newsPack pack pack pack.... shifting close dates... I feel like a ping pong ball! Yeah, looks like we're moving. The date is still up for grabs, which makes planning a little weird. (Try impossible). Also makes crafting a little difficult. There's still so much to be done, and so little time to do it in with packing and stuff. Not to mention the craft stuff is getting harder to get to! (It will all improve, I know it will. But right now I live in frustration land!). My boredom craft got buried somewhere - no clue where, so I guess I will try to finish it in time for Thanksgiving! <br />
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However. The next quilt is long past the stage of planning and fabric gathering and is almost out of the cutting fabric stage. Only about 80 more pieces to cut and then I can (in theory) start putting them back together! That may be after the move, but we shall see. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib9pBouhizeZ8xSvcEAkLa6XUJM_1j16czjezR_db_uvbLn87mQmG5woRJy_EEZ9S5mfMVnVkOjtfNi8CATelLvhECneU8NCb39CAkjKHK4-XGRp36BjjOvGMqRm9vL9lxtYGoBbGULhw/s1600/boston.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" ida="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib9pBouhizeZ8xSvcEAkLa6XUJM_1j16czjezR_db_uvbLn87mQmG5woRJy_EEZ9S5mfMVnVkOjtfNi8CATelLvhECneU8NCb39CAkjKHK4-XGRp36BjjOvGMqRm9vL9lxtYGoBbGULhw/s320/boston.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>In the meantime, here's the test piece for Boston Molasses Flood. I read a book about the Boston Molasses Flood earlier this year, and it made a fairly impressive impact on me. It sounds silly, especially when people find out it happened in January. However, when it's a flood up to 15 ft tall moving at 35mph, that's no laughing matter. The shape of the tesselation is taken from a map of the disaster. The darker area is the warehouse area of the company which owned the tank that gave way. The lighter area is the area where the tank was.<br />
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On the real deal, the darks and lights will (if all goes as planned) not only be shaded by small and large, but shading from dark to light from top to bottom of the quilt, as a mark of how the molasses spread and the damage lightened as it went. (If that sentence makes sense).<br />
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There is another colorway in my head, with different prints, that could accurately be called Isaac's Storm - after the Galveston Hurricane of 1900, which killed somewhere in the region of 10,000 people. When I am done with Boston Molasses Flood, I may farm out Isaac's Storm to someone else to be done. We shall see. <br />
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I look forward to being moved and the crafting area - no, really it's going to be a crafting studio - we will have. A two car detached garage that was used for car care - plenty of shelves, work space, and all nice and tidy. He kept a clean work area! AND it's heated/cooled. Even better. :) But until then, it's pack and pack and make lists and organize and stuff. And try to stay calm.Shayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15280511004786935567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4188324378743843516.post-83869446639814739752011-10-21T06:08:00.000-07:002011-10-21T06:08:05.423-07:00Ack! Almost the end of the month?!Really? Where has October gone? (Yes, I know it's 'only' the 21st, but um... I have stuff still to do!) It's been a busy month, not really full of time in which to be bored, as I believe I've mentioned before. There's any number of things going on in life, from work to house-hunting to those projects which I suppose I should consider scheduled. And a little socialization, too.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZDZnc4CNkAxKDx6J3vc_rWPbkKGAQaW8cMpwIHvoFirSCfXNA9QGHKf6q3slOplIsdQNgus4lKQzEfRLwofSSKe2wZLtWZQbKgQWUHeM4rFcL7urOG6QR2kHk7xIUh58k3TDAfX5IHE0/s1600/babydone2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" rda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZDZnc4CNkAxKDx6J3vc_rWPbkKGAQaW8cMpwIHvoFirSCfXNA9QGHKf6q3slOplIsdQNgus4lKQzEfRLwofSSKe2wZLtWZQbKgQWUHeM4rFcL7urOG6QR2kHk7xIUh58k3TDAfX5IHE0/s320/babydone2.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Isn't Baby cute? (Well, I think so!)</td></tr>
</tbody></table> <div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">At any rate. I have now finished my first self-designed quilt. I've also made the pattern for it, with yardage and everything. :) I feel... productive! So, I introduce to you: Baby's First Steps! </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Here is Baby in all his glory: taking his first steps into the big world of humanity - and stomping it flat! Bright nuclear green footprints mark Baby's path through the city, as do overturned cars and flames. You never know what kids can get up to once they start walking, that's for certain! The world will never be the same!</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Baby's First Steps is a simple pattern, pieced and appliqued. The entire quilt is 30"x40", so perfect for a small child or a wall-hanging. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">And just because I could, and because it added to the cute Baby factor, here's a close-up of Baby himself:</div> <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDfvgFsXAK4B1POwosLtmgwIANm16CLzZE4fagMfjFaP4y4QYG0v9bYXL2PV3HiFX4vW9keosKEOmIiv99nUFNkTztcNKabcp7yH1MNIDoeivciJ6TI9Z2YArBaYUw84GK_sb59Y4wHwI/s1600/Baby2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" rda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDfvgFsXAK4B1POwosLtmgwIANm16CLzZE4fagMfjFaP4y4QYG0v9bYXL2PV3HiFX4vW9keosKEOmIiv99nUFNkTztcNKabcp7yH1MNIDoeivciJ6TI9Z2YArBaYUw84GK_sb59Y4wHwI/s320/Baby2.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Isn't his eye just the brightest?</td></tr>
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</div>He's got a bead eye. I had the right kind of bead just hanging out, so of course I used it!<br />
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I think if I ever redo Baby, his skin fabric will be a little less busy, let some more of his details show through. Maybe a gentler batik... but this is the one I found and liked. :) So I ran with it. And on the whole, I am pleased with how Baby's First Steps came out.<br />
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This weekend it's off to a couple of quilt stores with Baby's First Steps to see if any of them would be interested in selling the pattern (if they think there's a market for this style). <br />
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And I start working on the next quilt, which is considerably more "serious" - no wandering giant monsters. It's a little more tricky - fewer squares and more odd shapes, but tesselated, so there's really only two shapes. It's got color variants already, but the first one, and the one I am truly looking forward to, is the Boston Molasses Flood quilt.<br />
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So, between the Boston Molasses Flood quilt, and house hunting, and all that other stuff, there's not much time to be bored. I am almost done with the only "I'm bored" project - just one seam left to do and I can post my pics. It's a stuffed pumpkin from a pattern from... well, it looks like the 1970's, really. I got the pattern at an estate sale, so there's no telling. <br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Shayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15280511004786935567noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4188324378743843516.post-33008182283794631982011-10-12T08:35:00.000-07:002011-10-12T08:35:39.919-07:00October project and bored time<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIuvjeHpezoIMQcPeaL0plqmAq9xwUNWXBWh2qafG0Tk5pAJjxpHzUW4-JScUXGJPRcGJha7gLJjofIrPat2A-UUZqtj6aP2M6RiFwmZ41_5JQDqb0iHRC6trj0oivJslRZllEMhNvjtM/s1600/V1140.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" oda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIuvjeHpezoIMQcPeaL0plqmAq9xwUNWXBWh2qafG0Tk5pAJjxpHzUW4-JScUXGJPRcGJha7gLJjofIrPat2A-UUZqtj6aP2M6RiFwmZ41_5JQDqb0iHRC6trj0oivJslRZllEMhNvjtM/s200/V1140.jpg" width="189" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">In keeping with the "No, really. I'm going to work through my patterns and make one piece of clothing a month. Really. I am." I am posting the pattern picture for October's project. I don't have the fabric yet - well, I haven't gone through our fabric stash to see what I've got to use. I don't feel like buying more fabric when we've got SO much already, so this will be a stash buster project to boot. Makes me feel positively virtuous, it does!</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div>Here it is. I am already making modifications in my head. I don't like the sheer on the shoulders, so I'll use a lightweight something - a really thin cotton, maybe. We shall see what's available. Maybe silk dupioni... lord knows we have enough of that roaming around! Pair it with velvet, maybe. Depends on how much of each I've got, really. That's tonight's project - finding the fabric.<br />
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Of course, I am also getting to the quilting on my next quilt (yay!) and making a "I'm bored" project: a stuffed pumpkin. It should be cute when I get it done, which shouldn't take too too long. I'd like to have it for Halloween and beyond. :) If I get it cut out today, I should be able to stitch it tonight and finish it tomorrow. And then find another "I'm bored" project!<br />
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I've got too many projects in my head - a steampunk navigator (who needs an outfit comprised of pieces from around the world - got fabric for some of that already), my next Ren Faire character, and so many more. I want another sewing machine - so I can have one in my room to work when it gets really late and I don't want to disturb the roommate. Maybe I'll take another look at a basic machine. <br />
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We're finally getting more rain. Yay for rain! I don't have pics, because things are in upheaval right now and the camera is... somewhere.... But there is rain, and the plants are happy. Temperatures are cooler for the time being, and it's almost like having fall!Shayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15280511004786935567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4188324378743843516.post-58197047763631985082011-10-10T06:42:00.000-07:002011-10-10T06:44:03.921-07:00More finished (and almost finshed) itemsIt was a relatively quiet weekend - rain, which was nice, and quilting and sewing and such. Oh, and a visit to Screams Haunted Theme Park. Very cool! <br />
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</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">On the crafting front - finished my September sewing project (yeah, yeah, a little late. I have good reasons, really I do). Now I need to pick October's sewing project. Should be able to do that tonight, and will post picture of finished project and the envelope for the next one. As a refresher, here's the Burda envelope: </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3-C9KvHyEoseNnhA5mvZpNonD_Zr5EfUdMkF7YwOQ006Hkh9PJT7MROr36eHTusQE5A8NHzgyfto5GlcPioyawJh0ZTkLPSKG23Pt0TTk74r0KFP2lEUqgm0zXguH9L4ZcwVIPDzzPX0/s1600/8627.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" kca="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3-C9KvHyEoseNnhA5mvZpNonD_Zr5EfUdMkF7YwOQ006Hkh9PJT7MROr36eHTusQE5A8NHzgyfto5GlcPioyawJh0ZTkLPSKG23Pt0TTk74r0KFP2lEUqgm0zXguH9L4ZcwVIPDzzPX0/s200/8627.jpg" width="113" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">And here is my finished product, still on the dressmaker's mannequin (Beatriz is her name, and she's been most helpful since I've had her). </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEO9Yupq7CblXxQ7Di6UFm4Aba2afiGbAJZgHSDaDSw_PQAO4uShTcDsGRoo-kTTVhO5vuQT7qPFi5lid0eyZSGGapGgV7stR0Fi-5lCBBSVljy1VCS8qWlwt2beUWloHYMDhVz3sTglY/s1600/September+finished.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" kca="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEO9Yupq7CblXxQ7Di6UFm4Aba2afiGbAJZgHSDaDSw_PQAO4uShTcDsGRoo-kTTVhO5vuQT7qPFi5lid0eyZSGGapGgV7stR0Fi-5lCBBSVljy1VCS8qWlwt2beUWloHYMDhVz3sTglY/s200/September+finished.jpg" width="150" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">As you can see, I added lace and did not cuff the sleeves. Yes, it's a little wrinkled; it's linen, so it's going to do that! I'll steam it well before I wear it and get those pesky wrinkles out. On the main, I am pleased with September's monthly sewing project. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">And in my defense, this one is late because I lost the fabric for two weeks. And then when I found the fabric, I lost the directions. *sigh* This is why we need a dedicated sewing area! And will hopefully have one soon.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
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</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHH-WA22PUXKqDPg61-mGK8VbKwHzlfGgf5aa79Y2Wv6HYMW-8UA2LAxeV6pBD42M3sjZnsrsKFPy58c0UABWXpc3_Qww5ZrE7Thlnf04mqUotzBTFx7pJ7Z8mYVByGzo2wLUlWGoodDE/s1600/test+zilla.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" kca="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHH-WA22PUXKqDPg61-mGK8VbKwHzlfGgf5aa79Y2Wv6HYMW-8UA2LAxeV6pBD42M3sjZnsrsKFPy58c0UABWXpc3_Qww5ZrE7Thlnf04mqUotzBTFx7pJ7Z8mYVByGzo2wLUlWGoodDE/s200/test+zilla.jpg" width="150" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfuaeFtXu7zmO2ggrYzef54GU2Le8aeUABExKjVjExab4ihCmGYM9NVUrDC9L8z4fCDVf1RDjgaD2b3oIuSMxaLNxrJQcMz8vciYhkrRA4y-HW61Mr4IAqDvVZbrX1f-73hdN5bz71VB8/s1600/quilt+on+bed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" kca="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfuaeFtXu7zmO2ggrYzef54GU2Le8aeUABExKjVjExab4ihCmGYM9NVUrDC9L8z4fCDVf1RDjgaD2b3oIuSMxaLNxrJQcMz8vciYhkrRA4y-HW61Mr4IAqDvVZbrX1f-73hdN5bz71VB8/s200/quilt+on+bed.jpg" width="150" /></a> Since the Massive Quilt-o'-Doom is done and on the bed, I have been working on my next quilt. I won't post the picture until it's done - complete and total - but I do have a pic of the test applique I did this weekend. The colors are wrong (I'm just using scrap fabric for the test appliques, so I don't waste my good stuff) but you can kind of see what it will be like. Yup. It's a baby Godzilla! He'll be rampaging through a city with radioactive trail and overturned cars and everything. If it comes out right, maybe I'll do some of the other monsters - Gamera, Ghidorah, Rodan... maybe even Mothra. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Maybe.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">At any rate, there's the completed stuff and almost completed stuff and plans for the future. There's so much going on right now that boredom isn't really an issue. And I admit that some of my "bored" time has been spent reading. I enjoy it, and last night read an entire book because I couldn't put it down. And because it was creepy and I wanted to get to the end and a happy ending (that I suspected would be there) so I could go to sleep on a good note! The book was Ghost Trackers - written by the guys from Ghost Hunters with assistance from a professional novelist. Good book!</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
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</div>Shayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15280511004786935567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4188324378743843516.post-16228164123193115392011-10-04T06:25:00.000-07:002011-10-04T06:25:26.277-07:00...she finishes things! (finally!)<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijXr9HurLQ9CHGIfbeOErvgn675MrbGpG_FkSZQkGZe2RwyTWItd7BW4TNUVXmgW9CcyKDsUqgMvkDMDBeBJACowbI_6D17OeqEpn88jegxMgDt_g5tSE__hCQcU236fmu6BupIVkfXHI/s1600/quilt+done+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" kca="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijXr9HurLQ9CHGIfbeOErvgn675MrbGpG_FkSZQkGZe2RwyTWItd7BW4TNUVXmgW9CcyKDsUqgMvkDMDBeBJACowbI_6D17OeqEpn88jegxMgDt_g5tSE__hCQcU236fmu6BupIVkfXHI/s320/quilt+done+1.jpg" width="240" /></a>The Massive Quilt-o'-Doom is done! Completed! Finished, even! Not the best picture ever, but here it is! A nice, flame-y looking bargello quilt.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">I quilted in the ditch, because it was just easier, really. It's been a while since I quilted, so I thought for once I would do something easy. It didn't turn out too bad! </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">The cat HAD to make a guest appearance. She's been sitting on the quilt since I got to the point of binding it. She particularly seems to like the yellow area - brings out her eyes, I suppose. :)</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Anyway, I hope to have a better pic of it on my bed this evening, but I had to take it to work to show my co-workers. (And then I ran off and forgot it and had to go back for it... good thing we don't live far from work!).</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">I've started cutting the pieces out for the next quilt - Baby's Day Out, aka the Baby Godzilla quilt. More pictures as they happen. It's smaller, so hopefully it won't take as long to do.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGbetLtqJLkOUmbDnAA6NcyOLN9atG09jLj8C_0wRY9ZsfhxbBhltwtB6TjtZYhx-imd2qONY9U7h1Ov0Fw9J2WoiDcZrzZi2VtpsiZVNA5bu7ZGZV-1UD0fRTRQN8bkam06FaSgbT38c/s1600/halloween+banner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="61" kca="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGbetLtqJLkOUmbDnAA6NcyOLN9atG09jLj8C_0wRY9ZsfhxbBhltwtB6TjtZYhx-imd2qONY9U7h1Ov0Fw9J2WoiDcZrzZi2VtpsiZVNA5bu7ZGZV-1UD0fRTRQN8bkam06FaSgbT38c/s320/halloween+banner.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">And I finally got my Halloween pennants up at work. The ribbon is hard to see here, but it's a fancy ruched-looking textured ribbon that does add to the look. I'll get a better picture up here after I get one. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">And I failed to get my Burda pattern made. Got everything cut out and ready - and then lost the instructions, so I couldn't put it all together! I am going to get another copy tonight (grrrr) so I can make it. *sigh* Already behind. But I will catch up and get back on track!</div>Shayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15280511004786935567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4188324378743843516.post-29252818418841024072011-09-26T14:44:00.000-07:002011-09-26T14:44:39.139-07:00Designing madnessI am now up to five quilt designs - none of which I've found online or in books. As far as I know, they are original. Which brings me to my dilemma: at what point do I attempt to sell these designs? I know I should have the quilts done - not just to test the patterns, but to make sure that they look exactly like I want, and to have a picture of the finished quilt on the cover of the pattern.<br />
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Tonight is a night for working late at the day job - computers not terribly helpful today - so there will not be much happening this evening at home. <br />
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At the rate I am going, I will have more patterns in a very short time. I need to find a way to sew and quilt more. Anyone want to do my household chores? ;)Shayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15280511004786935567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4188324378743843516.post-4729900881614946312011-09-25T17:08:00.000-07:002011-09-25T17:08:03.551-07:00Quilt.. quilt... quilt.. repeatThis weekend I accomplished nothing in the way of actually SEWING, but I did buy more fabric. Technically it's fabric for the next two quilts, so it's okay. There's a use planned for every piece I bought. I just have to finish the Massive Quilt-o'-Doom first.<br />
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Oh, and there was inspiration for yet another quilt. I just have to think on it some.... <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHVap-fzSaGlO8RrsBdLg97V4-a7rDpMAbzLJIPyzlZ4S20t8DvXaTuojeaR8agewTW4f9PiYFknsl-1Sppjz7WTI1R87p8wkMo2JLgAWDnpzVmrzWpc4YW_wG0DfU9POW80EP3PByOp4/s1600/fabric+for+godzilla+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHVap-fzSaGlO8RrsBdLg97V4-a7rDpMAbzLJIPyzlZ4S20t8DvXaTuojeaR8agewTW4f9PiYFknsl-1Sppjz7WTI1R87p8wkMo2JLgAWDnpzVmrzWpc4YW_wG0DfU9POW80EP3PByOp4/s320/fabric+for+godzilla+1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Anyway, here's the fabric for the next quilt, which will probably be called Baby's Day Out. Grays and blue-grays. Deliberately so. Baby will be various shades of green, and there will be spots of color in a few locations... in my mind's eye, I see the finished product already.<br />
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Oh, and there is actually another next next quilt. I am just not sure if the pattern will work yet. And I am trying to limit myself to only three future quilts at a time. I think I am about to violate that, but hey, why not? It's a goal, right? Plus, if I am thinking about designing quilt patterns, I should have a stock of patterns with completed quilts to show, right? That's my excuse right now, anyway.<br />
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So, that's where my weekend went - wandering around, seeing cool and interesting things - oh, yeah.<br />
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We road-tripped this weekend to the Texas Hill Country. We stayed at a FABULOUS Bed and Breakfast - Jolly's Haus - oh, so comfy there! We wandered around Fredericksburg and shopped some, and went to see a bat emergence, which was TOTALLY cool despite the noisy and unruly children. We went to an estate sale, where I found two folding rocking chairs. (Cute and functional! Pics later!) Spent my roommate's birthday wandering the countryside at quilt stores and fudge shoppes (I think Fredericksburg survives on wine and chocolate!), and on the way back today stopped at Longhorn Caverns and took a hike through a cavern carved by an underground river. Again, seriously neat and interesting and cool despite a child who decided halfway through that he was afraid.<br />
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Along the way, saw a live skunk - a little one - crossing the road. He/she was cute! And since we cruised the Hill Country during the evening, we saw LOTS of deer. Didn't hit any, which is good, because those things will run right out in front of you! Lots of cows, lots of goats, and lots of horses. All in all, a good weekend!Shayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15280511004786935567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4188324378743843516.post-15471307113428367012011-09-22T19:29:00.000-07:002011-09-22T19:29:36.328-07:00...she finally posts a tutorial!<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Right. So. Massive Quilt-o'-Doom is rocking along just fine, but my finger is tired of being stabbed and my eyes are telling me it's time to quit for the night. Besides, I have other stuff to do! Like posting this exceedingly long overdue tutorial for my version of the pennant banner. I am still working on the Halloween one - might have it done by Monday. Maybe. No promises.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Anyway, on to the tutorial!</span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My version, obviously… for cube decorating and backs of chairs and for wherever you need or want them to go!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s a simple thing, really.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There isn’t a “hard” part, just the time consuming part (picking fabrics and patchworking them together)<o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> <span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span>Print the pattern (and enlarge, if desired) downloadable from Google docs. <a href="https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=explorer&chrome=true&srcid=0ByYnX0orZpZPYjg0MTRiNGUtZWFhMS00ODM0LWEwYTAtMzFjMGFlM2RhMzgw&hl=en_US"><span style="font-size: x-small;">https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=explorer&chrome=true&srcid=0ByYnX0orZpZPYjg0MTRiNGUtZWFhMS00ODM0LWEwYTAtMzFjMGFlM2RhMzgw&hl=en_US</span></a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> <span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span>Pick your fabrics (of all the steps, the most fun, other than hanging the finished product up)!</span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA0GtkX2qDTrLtiM948M8ztYveMrTT5JHyd7OHvhdgn-zHteTekCV7t_JAHNO-oy2fC3MLj4MUsRjKt8qLALURmUWGVGXtBsXx2-Wn2XdtffspvkqnNqFaE14cJw0lhGpcba9CXMKqY9o/s1600/pennant+front.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA0GtkX2qDTrLtiM948M8ztYveMrTT5JHyd7OHvhdgn-zHteTekCV7t_JAHNO-oy2fC3MLj4MUsRjKt8qLALURmUWGVGXtBsXx2-Wn2XdtffspvkqnNqFaE14cJw0lhGpcba9CXMKqY9o/s320/pennant+front.jpg" width="240" /></span></a><o:p></o:p><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> <span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span>Stitch fabrics together in patchwork – try to be random and go for small patchwork so you can see several fabrics on each of the pennants.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Press<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>the seams open. (just like you do with all your quilting-type projects, right? RIGHT?). </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> <span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">4.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span>Trace the pattern and cut out pennants from patchwork and from back fabrics. It's easy - just like cutting out anything else. I wasn't particularly particular (if that makes sense) about it. As long as the front and back pretty much matched up, I could jerryrig it. I'm okay with that. If you're the type that has to be perfect about everything... well... go for it. You have my blessings. (I'll just mention that several societies - as distinct and disparate as the Arabs and the Irish - tend to believe that perfection cannot be attained by mankind, but only by god(s), so everything they do is slightly flawed. Just sayin'.)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><v:shapetype coordsize="21600,21600" filled="f" id="_x0000_t75" o:preferrelative="t" o:spt="75" path="m@4@5l@4@11@9@11@9@5xe" stroked="f"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> <v:stroke joinstyle="miter"> <v:formulas> <v:f eqn="if lineDrawn pixelLineWidth 0"> <v:f eqn="sum @0 1 0"> <v:f eqn="sum 0 0 @1"> <v:f eqn="prod @2 1 2"> <v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelWidth"> <v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelHeight"> <v:f eqn="sum @0 0 1"> <v:f eqn="prod @6 1 2"> <v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelWidth"> <v:f eqn="sum @8 21600 0"> <v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelHeight"> <v:f eqn="sum @10 21600 0"> </v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:formulas> <v:path gradientshapeok="t" o:connecttype="rect" o:extrusionok="f"> <o:lock aspectratio="t" v:ext="edit"> </o:lock></v:path></v:stroke></span></v:shapetype></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPg8goLSFPz36hWl3P8_JDQQHZcASB7fFuw0nok7YTorodmXBoddJ03DtdX_lj2X_hqNW8wktTyHosGLBodF-2Iiy8j9cz6du1f8-LURL2sJk1FucVX8q66XX-cYP-5Tw6dl8xn_Mb9vY/s1600/pinned+with+lace.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPg8goLSFPz36hWl3P8_JDQQHZcASB7fFuw0nok7YTorodmXBoddJ03DtdX_lj2X_hqNW8wktTyHosGLBodF-2Iiy8j9cz6du1f8-LURL2sJk1FucVX8q66XX-cYP-5Tw6dl8xn_Mb9vY/s320/pinned+with+lace.jpg" width="240" /></span></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">5. <span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span>Lay out lace/trim along front fabric, cut to fit. Pin lace/trim between front and back fabrics, which should be right sides together. (That would be a given, one would think, but best to include it here! You never know!)</span></div><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSn6qQsnzNKFYVSIpJG2aB06ieu-_9ZC2FB_f77yHrOnAn0kAuy4RGbW_64ZFEJz44L-F7hcM1j-yGPfK_OuTYlPdAoW7vIZTCkVvbNqUxqe4MGH07MMh5sdRIDAYay-S7y96CsjsLeiQ/s1600/pennant+turned.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSn6qQsnzNKFYVSIpJG2aB06ieu-_9ZC2FB_f77yHrOnAn0kAuy4RGbW_64ZFEJz44L-F7hcM1j-yGPfK_OuTYlPdAoW7vIZTCkVvbNqUxqe4MGH07MMh5sdRIDAYay-S7y96CsjsLeiQ/s320/pennant+turned.jpg" width="240" /></span></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">6. Stitch the triangles with lace, leaving the top open for easy turning. Following that, turn the triangles right side out. How easy was that?! It's all good - we're getting close to being done, believe it or not. From here, repeat for each pennant you want to make. </span></div><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> <span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span>7.<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"></span></span></span> Grab your bias tape/binding/ribbon that you'll be using to suspend the pennants from. Mark desired distance between pennants on bias tape/binding. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Place pennants onto bias tape and fold bias tape over. Stitch with desired stitching close to edge, capturing tops of each pennant in bias tape.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3sL9IX-qDpSHiBG9IxiPfLTQcMqPWNrLHvVpz9SQggCNlTvUiRz0xSChqNH7vY7wI4g2A3BzxYeicyPuUcAwBarwPdGwNST6fnvF4KvJISsrPMx-9KxfCxu-0GDQvuTnLvvvj9hIytQI/s1600/pennant+sans+acorns.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="185" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3sL9IX-qDpSHiBG9IxiPfLTQcMqPWNrLHvVpz9SQggCNlTvUiRz0xSChqNH7vY7wI4g2A3BzxYeicyPuUcAwBarwPdGwNST6fnvF4KvJISsrPMx-9KxfCxu-0GDQvuTnLvvvj9hIytQI/s400/pennant+sans+acorns.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Here's mine. Almost done! Although you can't really see it here, the stitch I used was a decorative one - a vine and leaves pattern. Because I could, and I think it adds something when you look at it in real life. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">On mine, I used a commercial pattern for acorns to make small acorns to hang between the pennants.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The same thing could be done with pumpkins, jingle bells, or anything else that your mind desires.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> The Halloween one will have little pumpkins. Probably. Maybe ghosts. We shall see.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">Hopefully this tutorial is clear and easy to follow. If not, let me know and I'll make what changes seem needed. And maybe I'll get more stuff done, now! (Right, off to work on my September sewing project).</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span>Shayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15280511004786935567noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4188324378743843516.post-91733247361454054442011-09-21T19:03:00.000-07:002011-09-21T19:03:23.662-07:00More designs?! Really?I really need to sew faster. And win the lottery so I can get a quilting machine and stand, so I can quilt as fast as the ideas are flowing.<br />
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Yes... there are now two more ideas in the queue. One can easily be postponed. The other... well, let's just say that I was enthusiastic enough to make a test piece to make sure it did exactly what I thought it would. And it did. I have quilt pattern! (yayayayay! arms flailing like Kermit the Frog). <br />
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But... but... I'm not done with the Massive Quilt-o'-Doom yet! *sigh* Right, right... put other ideas down. Step away from the ideas. But... it's so lovely! And it's not something I think I've ever seen before! (I'm almost afraid to post a pic, so I won't. Not yet, anyway). Right now, the newest one (the one that I made a test piece for) is called Boston Molasses Flood. With a few minor color changes it will be called Isaac's Storm, after the Galveston Hurricane of the early 1900's. Both events happened in the early 1900's, so there's one connection. All the flooding and damage is another. <br />
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I have the tutorial for the pennants almost done - except that I left the pattern piece at work, so I can't scan it in currently, which means I couldn't supply it, which I want to do... so that will have to wait for tomorrow. And I really need to get my stamp made. Yeah, I'm going to dabble my toes in the selling of patterns and finished stuffus. Soon I will jump onto the Etsy wagon (and hope I don't ever wind up on the Regretsy page. If you've never been there, GO. Really).<br />
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But boy... I really need to get a move on! Halloween pennant being worked on, September sewing project being worked on, Steampunk-ish jacket being worked on (well, I cut out the pattern today, does that count?), and MQ-o'-D being worked on. Oh, and the beginnings of a doll. Shayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15280511004786935567noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4188324378743843516.post-11376237575690897342011-09-19T09:20:00.000-07:002011-09-19T09:20:05.512-07:00... she designs stuffMore patterns! Yeah, I know... I have so much I should be doing - and I did! I worked on quilting for a LONG time this weekend. The massive quilt-o'-doom is coming along.<br />
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Which is a good thing. I now have three quilt designs I want to try. Two are fully fleshed out, down to fabric choices and everything. The other one is slightly more nebulous, because it involves several different appliques which I am also having to design. <br />
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I am thrilled in one way - I begin to think that I COULD design quilts. Maybe not for a LIVING, but I could maybe sell a few. I just need to be a faster quilter! Or find other people who like to quilt who could help me out. :) At any rate, I need to finish the designs completely - figure out yardage, and applique patterns, and all that stuff. Write up instructions. See what the actual pieced part looks like put together and all.<br />
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And get a stamp made. I need to scan my design as a higher quality pic first, so I CAN get it made. <br />
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No pics today. Maybe this evening. We'll see. I pulled fabric for the Halloween tiny banner last night, so I will try to get that started, too. Shayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15280511004786935567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4188324378743843516.post-1267038892003132832011-09-17T19:17:00.000-07:002011-09-17T19:17:30.991-07:00.. she goes fabric shoppingOh, dear... more fabric. Yeah, yeah, I know. I have too much fabric already. BUT. It's really cool and pretty and I have a use in mind for about half of it already, and... and... yeah. I bought more fabric.<br />
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On the plus side, we drove to Denton to a quilt store - my roomie wanted to show them her quilt, because last time we were there she told them about it and they asked to see it. I took pics of the current massive quilt-o'-doom (halfway quilted now, yay!) and my IPad, with the rough sketch for the Baby Godzilla quilt. (Or as I am coming to think of it, Baby's Day Out.). They were amazed that I was designing my own quilts and told me I should start selling quilt patterns. Yoiks! Really?? Both women independently said so, and the other ladies shopping were impressed with the design too. I didn't think it was all that awe inspiring, but *shrug* we shall see. So. Now I have to finish the quilt-o'-doom and then the Baby's Day Out quilt and make a coherent pattern/instructions for it. And then move on to the next one, which is one I merely thought about earlier, and now am considering doing for real. Although I'd have to get better at applique work first. :)<br />
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So, apparently I have the glimmerings of a plan. Shayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15280511004786935567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4188324378743843516.post-59924829544150921322011-09-15T07:04:00.000-07:002011-09-15T07:04:11.072-07:00... Crafting Condor?<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1fpvZ8kZsOsite2VzpuPU35SG5vNepb-W6r-iSl2AcjlB2OSMmuQ3xLwvRJIGwiGMYmzewh57UGFXMKtDvvhQGp7CfmyclQf2olB6TGmVYZd2KzUot3l-HqmGIW718IbIQAqQUaP13g8/s1600/condor.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" rba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1fpvZ8kZsOsite2VzpuPU35SG5vNepb-W6r-iSl2AcjlB2OSMmuQ3xLwvRJIGwiGMYmzewh57UGFXMKtDvvhQGp7CfmyclQf2olB6TGmVYZd2KzUot3l-HqmGIW718IbIQAqQUaP13g8/s200/condor.jpg" width="145" /></a></div> Crafty Condor? Something? I want this as my stamp for patterns and stuff. Because I think he's cute! (I also made a Christmas version for cards and so on... because I could). I like his little spats and the fact that he seems to be smiling.<br />
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There's that done, then! Stamp stamp stamp stamp! <br />
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And managed to finish two other "hey, I am bored" type projects, including the one mentioned in the last post. I went home that night and started, and now I have the finished version. No letters on this pennant, because I'm too lazy to get out the embroidery machine and figure it out right now.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIT6g6rwgi95VFN0LbyBCaAi8Jl07WLUNdcjLw2DSx9iSeN7dj_w9gZ2ose9PVBeOm51GlVvueOzOulA2IluZzzVyOv45EP9-7NfS4neU4n8tdxYdT78tnE4KfMK8zotPp4exT1pqCYGI/s1600/finished+and+done.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" rba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIT6g6rwgi95VFN0LbyBCaAi8Jl07WLUNdcjLw2DSx9iSeN7dj_w9gZ2ose9PVBeOm51GlVvueOzOulA2IluZzzVyOv45EP9-7NfS4neU4n8tdxYdT78tnE4KfMK8zotPp4exT1pqCYGI/s320/finished+and+done.jpg" width="320" /></a>The banner of pennants for fall. I wanted something to decorate my cube, and here it is! Short and simple, it's all of four pennants long and five acorns. It's all made of scrap fabric, with tea-dyed lace around the edges of the pennants. It's cute, and for once, it's actually what I saw in my mind's eye. Since that happens so rarely, I will take it!</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC2PCAIrxtH-GXJoK1fsfhLP-dOqPOVsubxVH1JYFn7rk8SAPKRH6prrquZ6ujX94-57EDoQEq0KoWN6Ad_dZaR4grp2OO6PVQsaFxEvU7oeSJki_51U4nlVT7UFtE3QL020st5aMd1ik/s1600/banner+with+lace.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" rba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC2PCAIrxtH-GXJoK1fsfhLP-dOqPOVsubxVH1JYFn7rk8SAPKRH6prrquZ6ujX94-57EDoQEq0KoWN6Ad_dZaR4grp2OO6PVQsaFxEvU7oeSJki_51U4nlVT7UFtE3QL020st5aMd1ik/s320/banner+with+lace.jpg" width="240" /></a>I'm pretty sure I'll wind up making more for various holidays/seasons/etc. Oh, and ignore the state of my cube... it's a little messy. Work and all, y'know. Here's a closer view of one of the pennants: I think they came out rather well, actually.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJCrcIIqS8xDqptjjrKJo09P0D6fQP52KyL40dUFUs2d33b25CpAjnP1jclApGaHBk3FETv6UBrOw0ylNcAjwrA-O9p4iQvqJgkLo5hJNpeCnl5FxyFotTwPTR1p0X13gpAntGMcB-4iE/s1600/paisley+spats.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" rba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJCrcIIqS8xDqptjjrKJo09P0D6fQP52KyL40dUFUs2d33b25CpAjnP1jclApGaHBk3FETv6UBrOw0ylNcAjwrA-O9p4iQvqJgkLo5hJNpeCnl5FxyFotTwPTR1p0X13gpAntGMcB-4iE/s320/paisley+spats.jpg" width="240" /></a>And.... more pics! More finished projects! (Well, one more, anyawy...). I made a pair of spats. Not steam-punk spats, but "I want something to keep my ankles warm during winter and be bright and cheerful at the same time" spats. :) Pink isn't usually my thing, but I like the fabric. It's striped on the other side. They are completely reversable, with buttons on both sides. The pattern was one I made up... it's not perfect yet. I have a revamp of the pattern, so when I make pair #2, they should fit better and go higher up my leg. But these work for a first attempt!</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;">The other thing I finished was a new needlecase based on the purselet pattern. Pics of that one later, because there are already lots of pics here! And one again, I have tutorials in mind... just have to get around to doing them!</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;">Tonight I SHOULD have time to work on the massive quilt... hopefully. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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</div><div align="left" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div align="left" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Shayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15280511004786935567noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4188324378743843516.post-32317806048030313692011-09-12T10:23:00.000-07:002011-09-12T10:23:08.337-07:00... she makes patternsWorking away today, before lunch break... and idea for decorating my cube for autumn and thanksgiving and so forth... and Halloween. Definitely Halloween. Anyway... decoration idea happens. And since I have myself half-convinced I can make anything I see, I decide I shall.<br />
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The plan is this: make little pennants on a string to decorate with. They sound cheesy, I admit it. In my mind's eye, however, they are a work of beauty. I will most likely be ultimately disappointed, as rarely do the physical manifestations of my ideas match the actual brain candy, BUT I am going to do it! Patchworked in either silk or cotton, depending on how the silk works, backed with appropriate fabric, embroidered with letters for FALL or WINTER or HALLOWEEN or whatever. Add little buttons at the bottoms or bells or acorns... and string them together. I will like them. I may even add the tea-dyed lace I got at an estate sale, depending on the front patchwork. <br />
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I think maybe the right orange and black combo, old-fashioned looking, with tea-dyed lace might be kinda neat. Old-fashioned lettering... Or maybe do a black and white one with black lace... hmm... <br />
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Having decided I will do this, I needed pattern. Not terribly complex, obviously, since it's just a bunch of triangles. But I want the RIGHT size and the right proportions... and so on. A few shapes later, I have my finished size pennant. A few minor adjustments for seam allowance and I am done. Wheee! All during lunch break!<br />
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I have this urge to get a stamp for my patterns, labeling them mine. :)Shayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15280511004786935567noreply@blogger.com0