A Story With a Happy Ending

 

When I was 12 or 13, I got a sewing machine for my birthday. Or maybe it was Christmas... or... ANYWAY, my mom thought I needed my own machine, so I could make stuff that I wanted to make, and practice my sewing skills while leaving her machine for her to use. It was an old (even at the time) Singer machine that just did straight stitching and it was a work horse. It was in a wooden cabinet, that you could put the machine down into, and fold the worksurface over the top of, to make it more of a table. I used the heck out of that machine for a LOT of years. Finally, I got to move on to machines that would do more that straight stitching, and the old Singer kinda got pushed to the side. Then a few years ago, the cabinet - at 50 something years old, in NM with dry rot, and moving a few times - gave up the ghost. I took the Singer out of the cabinet before it fell out of the cabinet. It was a close thing. Sadly, I didn't have another good place to put that machine, so it sat. On the floor. Collecting dust and sadness. I needed to put it somewhere that would hold the machine up off the table so that the mechanisms could move as they should for sewing. But I didn't know what or where that was.

So then, I was talking sewing machines with my friend, and talked about the machine my mother had. The machine she had taught me to sew on. Mom had a Necchi, a pretty fancy machine for its time, it had cogs wheels that you could put together on a handle, and fit into the top of the machine, to create different stitches, like making button holes. When my mom passed away, I inherited her machine, but I never used it much, so I gave it to a friend before I moved back to Las Cruces. When I went through my crafting stuff a few years after that, I found the instruction manual, the case of cogs, and the foot pedal for that machine. OOOps. But my friend had already gotten rid of the machine (and I don't blame her). BUT my friend looked online, and found a Necchi Supernova, like my mom's for sale, and she bought it. When it came, it had been poorly packed, and the bottom of the machine case (the only part of the case in the box) had been treated roughly in shipping, and broken apart.  

(Do you like my story telling so far? Wish you could see the pictures in my head of my memories of these machines.)

Enter Cruces Creatives, the makerspace that I belong to. Well, besides the textile area, and art room, there is a woodworking area, and people who like to work with wood, like I like to work with textiles. We saw an old machine that someone had built a wooden stand for. UREKA!! I posted on the CC communication platform about needing some built for my machine(s), and a week later, I had them! WOOOO!!!

A new base, and welcome back!

Hello machine like Mom's!

Yesterday, I had a goal to actually get the Singer sewing again. I have already had it cleaned and checked, and I plugged it in and put her to work! She's now part of the happy sewing place! She needs to use the templates I have to make some beautiful button holes soon!

New quilt block, old machine

As you can see from the picture of the Necchi, it needs a good clean, and going over, and a new cord (the plug on the old one was in a state. NOT a safe state), so she has gone into the shop for a going over, and probably won't be out until June.

The Turquoise Dragon

I finished another dragon. This one was a special request, AND my first time using a new pattern.

He's a cutie, right?

 

My cousin requested a dragon, for a friend of hers, who saw her dragon and wanted one too (I mean, not to toot my own maker horn, but right??). So when she brought out yarn for me, I couldn't say no.

I wanted to start fresh with a pattern I hadn't used before, so this is where I started.

Here's the book...

And here's the pattern

The pattern looked like it would be reasonably easy to make. SO I got started. I found the instructions to be pretty accurate, and could follow them well. Even though there were a lot of parts to assemble on the head, I got them in place pretty well. The eyelids were a little problematic, but ultimately, I feel like their slight wonkiness creates expression on the dragon's face.

fascinating (a Spock reference)

So what are my take-aways? 

One, the row of spikes on his back are BORING to create. Tiresome. They actually stopped me for a while. I got the head spikes done and sewn on, then FINALLY powered through the rest. 

Two I'm finding that sewing the parts on with a needle helps with more accurate - even if not always perfect - placement of those pieces, and I think it goes quicker as well. Tapestry needle for the win!

Three. Dragon toe beans!!!

Cute as heck!

In fact the construction of the leg as a whole. It was made it two pieces and I think the shaping allowed by that was good! Between the legs and the tail, this dragon is very stable sitting upright. I appreciate that.

Four, I'll be trying another pattern from this book SOON!

So, are those spikes worth it???

An Eye Monster Named Charles

 

Once upon a time, there was a bestie, who had a daughter (Ok, two, actually). Their family is definitely part of my family of the heart. I shared how I made the younger daughter an apple, because she is a teacher with a new teaching job. Now it is time to meet Charles.

Everyone, meet Charles

One of my Christmas presents was this book:

A very fun instruction manual

It has instructions for all kinds of monster parts, to let a crocheter build the monster of their dreams. It is not the first or only book I've gotten by Megan Lapp, and I have found their instructions reasonably easy to follow. So this would count as a recommendation.

Here's an example eye monster

This, then, is where we started. I didn't have much trouble with the eyeball itself. I did one with a crocheted iris, and then added a safety eye anyway. I used the biggest one I had, but wished I had a bigger one. Still it does give a shine. I didn't have trouble making the eyelid, but the yarn was bigger than what I had used for the eyeball, I think. Anyway it looked like this

Not the close fit I wanted.

Darn it! So I tried again with a little smaller yarn.

Better, right?

Still, I kept the green/blue eyelid, you never know what you'll need some day...

Then, came the arms and legs. I debated with myself whether I would even stuff them at all. Lapp does include instructions for putting wires in, in case that is something you want to do, but I left Charles soft and lightly stuffed.

In process with one arm

In process with feet and legs

I wasn't positive I had enough of the variegated yarn to make the whole monster, so I added a bit of grey for the eyelids, and at the elbows, heels and knees. I couldn't resist pinkie toes either. I mean!

I got him sewn together with the needle (Yep, I think that's a learning curve I navigated), and I'm pretty happy with how he sits.

So, this is not the only eye monster on my agenda. I think I have to make one for Ron, and maybe one that has spider legs. You know what else? They turn out the perfect size for a Christmas ornament! Would it freak you out to find your Christmas tree looking back at you?

What else will I find in this book of monsters???

Charitable Crafting and Community Quilt Building (update)

 

I'm a member (since it opened) of our local makerspace, Cruces Creatives. I get a lot of enjoyment from being a member there, and trying out arts and crafts without worrying about buying all the equipment and supplies related to that activity. This week, I took a friend to go try out the Art Room there, and we worked on embossing some blank greeting cards, with only limited success. Let me say, though, that the enjoyment of success of the project is really secondary to the enjoyment of the process and the doing, and the learning that takes place! We have some ideas to try next time, and we enjoyed ourselves!

Most of my time at Cruces Creatives is spent in the textile room. Sewing. I know, what a surprise. Sewing isn't the only activity that goes on there, though. There's a new crochet club, that I would really like to be active in, but I haven't made it there yet. YET. I am also very active in a group called Charitable Crafting. I think I've written about some of our various projects here. The group identifies a need for something and then makes and donates those items. We've made LOTS of bags, for different groups. We've made some comfort items for cancer patients. We've made kid's clothes so that kids who needed clothes for school could maybe even choose new ones, along with the gently used items that are often donated. 

Our latest project is a Community Quilt Building project. I'm super happy that the person that leads many of the children's programs at Cruces Creatives has adopted the project as well. I've helped the various groups she leads build quilt blocks, and I've volunteered at an elementary school so kids could work on quilt blocks in a safe and kid appropriate way. It was fun to see the various students so busy picking fabrics, and looking at colors, and feeling the various textures. We will be donating the quilts to a group that works on housing people who are struggling with homelessness and housing security, with the thought that a beautiful blanket will be a welcome addition to their new home.

Many of the people who regularly contribute their time and efforts with Charitable Crafting are quilters, and do projects for groups like Linus as well as Charitable Crafting. Many of the quilts they work on are kid sized quilts, not full sized. We wanted to do adult sized quilts for this project, though, since there would be the expectation of adults (or adult sized kids) would receive them. We decided on making twin sized quilts. We also decided that a quilt as you go project would be easier to complete, since it would already be quilted when the construction of putting the blocks together was done. We also wanted anyone who wanted to help to be able to do so, whether they were novice quilters, or even new to sewing. 

Here's an example block - my latest finish

The back of the quilt is a variety of fabrics, the edge of this one sticks out beyond the pieced block. There is a layer of flannel in this block for the batting. The first quilt we did had batting that we cut that was a similar weight, even though it was cut from different pieces. We work from donated materials, and found that someone had donated a lot of flannel that had been cut into squares already. The quilts turn out kind of crazy quilt-ish, and they are beautiful! And now, I'm questioning why I haven't taken more pictures of them!

Here's a pillow that goes with the first of our quilts. Someone also sewed a bag to hold the quilt and pillow.

That first quilt had a lot of yellows and reds in it!

The quilt building has been very educational for me, in terms of making projects accessible to more people who would like to contribute, AND for my personal quilting knowledge as well! 

Edited to add:

 I've asked some people for some pictures of quilts from the project, and I've gotten some to show you!

One of the student made quilts. BEAUTIFUL!

I think these blocks were made by elementary school students. AMAZING!

I LOVE this project!

Apple for the Teacher

 My bestie's daughter is a teacher, and she is celebrating a new and hopefully fabulous job. She starts her new classes this week. She's so very psyched to be in this job! What could I do but crochet her a little something?

I have collected several books in the Zoomigarumi series, so here's the one I worked from:

These books are full of fun!

I have made several of the very cute amigurumi animals from this set of books, so when I looked on the back of this one, and found this:

The perfect little wormy apple!

I mean, isn't it the perfect apple for a teacher???

I started with a darker red, with a little color texture in it. The apple itself is fairly simple, not quite a ball. It does have a tunnel or tube for the worm, though that you crochet first and then insert as you build the apple. There is a little "blossom end" on the bottom when you're done that helps the apple stand up. That's pretty cool. I like it when my creations are ready to pose!

The worm is pretty easy, and I put safety eyes in the white cups for the eyes. I forgot the antenna though. I don't think it looses much without it. I didn't have any lime green thread with me, so I used a variegated pink with little green stripes for my squirmy wormy.

This apple is done!

This worm is your friend!

So, even if I that dragon is still waiting for his spines, I still got a finish in last week! I really have enjoyed the projects from the Zoomigurumi collection of instruction books!

Trying to Keep up with the Making and the Posting of the Making

 I've been doing several crochet projects recently, and it is time to catch up on them. Since the Sheep Ring Toy, I've worked from a few of my other crochet instruction books. This one was one of my Christmas presents.

Sounds like somethings I might like to make, right?

My cousin asked me about crocheting a dragon for one of her Eastern Star friends to have as a mascot. I had made her a green one (her favorite color) and this friend wanted one too. Since I have made several by that pattern, I though it was time to try something new.

I thought I would try out this fine fellow.

My cousin gave me yarn that matched her friend's favorite colors, and I got started. He is a bit bigger than the other dragon, but he has a lot of nice details. I think the eyes add a little character, and the ears and nostrils are adding some cute as well. He's got a nice tail. It was interesting that the legs were made in two pieces, the "haunch" and the foot. He's got some cute toe beans, too.

Mostly complete. Mostly.

Then there are the spikes down the dragon's back. Ugh. OK, they add something to the look of the dragon, but they aren't fun to make. It's a lot of little bits that then get sewn on in a (more or less) straight line. I got the head spikes done, but just haven't gotten to all of the back spikes yet. I will, but, sheesh! I'll get them though, so I can get the wings done too. When I finish, I'll update this post with a photo.

I do want to say that most of the time, when I'm crocheting a stuffed animal, I have just used the crochet hook to connect the pieces. I used a tapestry needle to close up the Sheep toy, and I've used it here to sew on the various pieces. I'm surprised to find that it looks a little cleaner, and that I actually get a little bit better placement accuracy. Sometimes I struggle with that, actually, so hmmm, learning curve activate!

While I really like the other dragons, I like this one as well. He's a little bigger, and a little rounder, and between the legs, and the tail, he sits up pretty well. And the toe beans ARE cute!

Button Down Shirts, a Learning Curve

 I have, in my sewing time, made MANY button down shirts. Not usually fancy dress shirts, but more of what qualify as a casual, camp shirt. I followed my mom's footsteps, and mad then for my dad. I made them for myself, and my brother when times were such that it wasn't easy to find clothes in our sizes. I made some for Ron, and Raine, both (with varied success. What do I mean by success? "Did they wear them?" is my measure of success). I have also used various versions of "kid's clothes" projects to make button down shirts as well.

Here's an example of a shirt I made for Carl

Historically, I have struggled with things like getting the collar centered, getting the fronts to lay flat, and pocket placement. I have a tried and true pattern that I have used so often that the newsprint remake of the worn out pattern pieces is wearing out, too. I have learned a lot about pattern adjustment working from that pattern. I have learned the value of using/not using the edges of the fabric in certain places. I've learned that interfacing is your friend, when sewing, and so is your iron. I've also learned, through using a variety of button down shirt patterns, some other lessons. I mean, practice makes a difference. I won't say perfect, because perfect isn't really my aim. Better, however, BETTER is something I DO strive for. 

I like to sew for kids. I don't know that kids like me to sew for them... many of the garments I make for kids have been donated to groups that provide clothes for children who need them, like to go to school in. Often those groups provide space for families to come look at the clothes, find what their child needs and wants, and what fits them, and I never hear comments about my particular garments, or see those clothes being worn. SO, there may be "other sides" to what I donate, and I can only go by my own experiences. When she was young, my niece liked the clothes I made for her. I let her pick fabrics and patterns as I could, depending on the time we had together to do such things. She loved trying them on, and giving me a "fashion show." With kids I didn't know, I tried to make practical garments, that were if not actually "in style" at least pretty commonly considered staples in a kid's wardrobe. Button down shirts work well in this category. 

Kid's sized button down shirt

There are some reasons that I like using kid's clothes as practice for "adult" sewing. One, kids are smaller, so it takes less fabric, and is cheaper. When I'm making things for Charitable Crafting, at Cruces Creatives, I have access to donated fabric, which I can use at no cost. Even a yard of fabric is often enough to make a garment for a child. I also have a rather large collection of patterns in a large range of sizes, so I don't have to spend more money if I have a pattern already in stock. A basic pattern like a casual button down shirt is pretty common, and perfect for school.

Button down shirts can be fun!

I've gotten to experiment with various elements of these shirts, and have discovered some things. When it comes to front facings, it is easier to make a front facing with a separate piece behave, and change fit if needed. Use the curve of the armhole as a guide for placing your pocket, but don't get too close to the front facing. A set in sleeve is more common, but there are some patterns with a cap sleeve (I think that is what it is called) that you cut when you cut the shirt fronts and back. it is usually shorter than a set in sleeve, and a lot quicker to finish. That being said, there will be people (even kid people) who want the set in sleeve, because that is what they commonly see. It is something to think about. I will make either one, but usually leave the cap sleeve for a smaller size shirt (younger kid).

This shirt has the cap sleeve

Getting to make this variety of patterns, helps me when I choose a pattern for Raine, or anyone else. I ask things like how fitted or loose? How fun can we go for fabric? ( I love, love, love a fun fabric!) and I use the tips and hints I have found to help me through the process of creating a nice, casual, button down shirt.