Honey Pot Bee January

One of my goals for this year is learning crafty/sewy stuff. To that end, I decided to try out a quilt block bee, and the one I chose is the Honey Pot Bee, which I found out about on Facebook, from one of the Sewing pages I have show up on my timeline. You should also be able to find them on Facebook. I know there is a Facebook page for the bee.

The first block - a bonus block - was for a tree. Actually, you make two of them, reversing the fabrics. Here are mine:

Trees!!

I haven't decided whether I will complete the challenge and make a whole quilt top from my blocks, or just figure out projects for the blocks. I'm leaning toward the quilt, because well, yeah. QUILT! But, I know I will also find projects along the way. For instance the top set of trees is becoming mug rugs. Here's the progress on that.

Front of one block, back of the other. They both will have the same fabric on the back.

I just need to stitch around the edges, and machine quilt them to be done. I haven't decided what exactly to do for the quilting. I don't really think just outlining the shapes will be enough.

The second set of trees got sewn together to make a block for the quilt-to-be. The blocks for this bee will be many different sizes so I will probably have to figure out something for borders, but that can be a future decision.

one quilt block CHECK!

The two official January blocks are a star block and a strawberry block. I have been working on my star block, and haven't decided on whether I will take on the strawberry or not. I probably will if I can find fabric I like for it in my stash. I will also decide whether it will be red/pink or some other combination.  One of my personal challenges for something like has more to do with aesthetic than it does with sewing skill. Don't get me wrong, the precision piecing takes practice and patience, and one of the things I really like about the tree block was that it didn't have to BE precise. I'm fine that the trees on my block above are a little wonky and off center. I don't think that hurts the block at all. But the half-square triangles on the star block will have to be more precisely sewn. It will be a challenge, but not like the challenge of picking fabrics that work together. Again to the trees above, I really like the yellow with the busier browns and reds, but that so could have not worked. Some times, my taste is all in my mouth. So that is a challenge. For a finished quilt, will I be able to pull them all together somehow?

Anyway, the half square triangles are sewn for the star block, and my next step will be to sew them together in the block. The instructions suggest working out from the middle of each row, and I will definitely try that. In the mean-time, here is the layout for the star I'm making.

A star in black grays and black.

I like it, I think, even though some of the grays have some pinkish tones and others do not. I tried to be thoughtful in the placement so they would play well together. I have enough for two blocks, but I won't sew them together like the trees. I'm not even sure they will both go into the quilt pile, but I think they will.

I'm happy with my progress so far, even though it is only the first month.

New Year 2017

I'm not so much of a resolution maker. I am, however a goal setter. I think there is a difference. Resolutions are kept or - more often - not and then they're gone. Goals are a process. Something that gets worked on until its met, and the process may be as much about the road as the destination.

Generally speaking my goals are to improve my health, physical and mental. For me, mental health includes creation. I haven't posted much creatively this year, sadly, and although that doesn't mean I haven't been creative, I haven't been as productively creative as I would have liked. And I haven't been as good at recording my efforts as I have been in the past.

Blogging about my creations seems... braggy? Show-offy? Attention seeking? Perhaps I am willing to do all three of those things, but to do it continually gets to be a little much. For a while, I was reading several sewing blogs regularly, but not so much any more... and many of those bloggers have moved on... to new blog sites if nothing else.

I think I've written about creative learning process here, and making this space about that. The problem is, I haven't made as much of a point of sharing that as I set out to do, so I will remind myself of that and set some goals.

1.   Sewing with knits. I need help and practice. I bought a Craftsy class on it, and on using my serger and somewhere between those two things, should come some improvement, and some practice. I bought some (what I hope is) lovely bamboo jersey knit. I know, right? I can't wait to feel it! And I definitely want to make something wearable from it! So, I have some incentive to work on this creative goal.

2.  The Christmas ornament boxes. You know, the ones I wrote about in my last post. I've made a little progress getting snowflakes crocheted and I've been soaking them in sugar water and stretching them to dry. They still need to cure some, to really harden up, but they look something like this now.

stack of snow flakes

I need to make some more and get them through the process, hoping to add a dozen snowflakes to each box of ornaments. I also want to do some smallish cross stitch ornaments, which will also store flat and fit easily into the box. I have plenty of patterns to choose from, and none should be a huge project in itself.  I have cross stitched some ornaments onto perforated paper in the past and been happy with how they turned out. A little fabric paint on the back holds the threads in place, and makes the whole thing  a little more substantial.

3. I have been wanting to do more quilting, and so I think I will participate in a quilting bee this year. I found one that will be happening all year, and at the rate of 2 blocks per month, I think I could do that. And then have a quilt by the end of the year.

4  One last project that I would like to get done this year, is a Christmas tree skirt. I thought about making one while I was on this winter break from school, but the motivation didn't really happen. Sigh. I helped Carl with some sock monkeys, so it wasn't like my sewing machines sat totally idle.

smile, sock monkey, smile!

I also hemmed some receiving blankets in case of any new arrivals.

So cheerful and happy...

So, I should keep myself busy, right? And write about it to, right? Part of processing and internalizing that creative process.

I should also update the afghan progress. It did get repaired, and finished. It has also received the feline nod of approval.

Artemis and Janis say it is quite comfy.

I also admit to enjoying some social creativity, so maybe, that will happen some this year, too, one way or another...

Happy New Year!

SNOWFLAKES!

Inspiration and Instructions

I'm making snowflakes. Can you tell? Do you love snowflake ornaments like I do? One year I made dozens, and gave them as gifts, and (of course) kept some too. Now, it's time to do it again.

I have some growing-up young people around, niece, friend's kids, my own kid, and I think about them getting out on their own and how long it took me to amass my favorite Christmas decorations, and how much I've enjoyed making many of them. So, I put two and two together, and thought, what a great gift! Handmade Christmas decorations to get them started when they may not have too much money to spend on them, but still like to be festive. I got a plastic shoebox for each kid, and I'm on my way to adding decorations to each.

One of the easiest - and quickest - are crocheted snowflakes. The last time I made snowflakes, I didn't have this booklet, so I thought it would be a fun place to start. My goal (for this year) is to crochet 6 of each style. I just started the 5th style last night.

Snowflake #5

They are quick to do, and make a great take-along project. Since they are all 6-pointed snowflakes, they will be pretty easy to get starched and stretched, although I will have to set up a starching board, and I haven't yet, so none of these are truly finished.

Snowflake #4

I have a hard time saying which is my favorite snowflake as I think they are all pretty, and I like that there is a wide variety so that I can do a no-two-snowflakes-are-the-same package for each giftee. Cool, right?

Snowflake #3

When I do starch them, I will - as I did before - use a 1-1 sugar water solution to wet them through, then pin them out on a board. I have had no problem with the snowflakes I made before becoming limp, and it has been... 20 years or so since I made them (that long?!?!?). It also has the added benefit of being non-toxic for small children and pets.

Snowflake #2

I found it very helpful last time to make a pattern to pin the snowflakes on. A line for each point helped them be symetric. I also found adding a t-pin, which is a little bigger around, on one of the points a good way to make a hanger point.

Snowflake #1

For the hangers, I used a length of a fairly fine fishing line. If you make a large enough loop to go over a branch, then you don't need a hook as well, and it can pretty much disappear once you hang the snowflakes, Then they really look like they are just falling into the tree. Pretty!

A snowflake in action

Work in Progress Disaster

Before the Christmas break, one of my co-workers and I collaborated on a couple of very cute baby afghans for two of the other coworkers who were expecting babies during the break. When we were done, and the shower over, and the presents given, I still wanted to crochet. The weather was chilly, and there is nothing like building a warm blanket to keep your lap, and then your legs warm on a chilly evening on the couch.

I picked up all sorts of orphan skeins, and parts of skeins, and thought I would make a stripey single stitch afghan, with just kind of randomly ordered strips of four rows. I have a technique where on the first row of the four, I pull the loop through at the various levels of the four rows below, and  it makes a kind of zig-zag design. Ron thought it looked so good that he asked - very sweetly - if he could have it when I was done. And would I make it LONG.

All was going swimmingly, and the afghan was over 5 feet long, when disaster struck in the form of a very sweet dog, rather prone to chewing.

The Damage. 

I was so enjoying having her at my feet, keeping me company. I don't even know what really alerted me to the possibility something could be wrong, but this is what I found. Two different colors chewed through, and one partially pulled out. AAAHHHHHH!!!

The Whole Hole

She did not get beaten, but she did figure out that I was not happy. We both pouted for a while. I think it can be mended, but it won't be the same as it was... and the thought of going that far back to do over is pretty much a stopper. Right now it is sitting in my craft room, trying to avoid further pulling out while I work up my nerve to fix it.

Sigh.

Snowman Christmas Apron

So one of the crafting challenges I've set for my self this year (if not for the next few years) is to do some Christmas Crafting. It isn't just for December you know. Or even Christmas in July! This apron is for my Mother-in-law. It was supposed to be for Christmas 2015, but I got busy at the last moment helping my brother make 9 sock monkeys for his co-workers, and 7 pairs of sleep shorts for my cousin's grandson and grand-niece and -nephews. For a while there, I thought I might have the 12 days of Christmas in sewing projects.

I had picked out some cute fabrics earlier in the fall, and had been looking forward to playing with them, so was excited to finally get the ball rolling right before school started. With a little prep work done last weekend, like putting the pockets and constructing most of the bib, I got to work on Saturday and had everything done but the waistband. Well, and all the things (on an apron, that is pretty much everything) that attaches to the waistband.

I really enjoyed deciding how to piece everything, and I really like how the apron came together. I'm not a great model, though, with great model poses. Maybe I'll have to work on that. HA!

Spoiler alert, Linda!

Christmas apron just in time for 2016

I didn't want to actually tie the ties because I wanted them freshly ironed for gifting, but I'm very pleased with this apron, if not the picture. Hi trailer, how are you? Pay no mind to the trash cans behind me...

New Year, New Goals

 I don't want resolutions this year. I need goals. I want to have some creating goals, and some goals about blogging about the creative process, and products.

One of my goals is to blog more often, and part of what will help me blog more often is to explore what exactly it is that I want from this blog. At one point I played with the idea of becoming a professional blogger, working on getting sponsors, and worrying about how many people read my posts. But I don't really want to be some company's commercial. I don't want to have to use only the "latest and greatest" fabrics and products. I don't want to be a fabric elitist. Sometimes those bloggers do seem like that to me. Name dropping fabric lines, and longing to make that next product with the next series to drop into their favorite store.

Don't get me wrong. Those fabrics are lovely. But so are the ones I can get in the clearance bin at Joann's. Well, at least some of them are. How about that 50% off coupon? And frankly, I am just as happy to find a good use for a piece of fabric from one of my bins of fabric - some of which was inherited, and some of which came from estate sales. I would also like to try my hand at repurposing fabric from garments from thrift store or ??? who knows where. I have ideas, you know. Not all of them may amount to much. Many will fail almost completely, except for the success of trying something. Creating something. Learning.

So, one of the purposes of this blog is to continue recording my creative learning process. This is a good goal, whether one person (me) or more read it. THAT is where I would like to go with this blog. I don't want it to be a "brag" book, but more of an open-to-the-public portfolio. Whether the public is interested in looking isn't going to be my concern, because that isn't the goal. Filling the blog with experiences, learning from those experiences, enjoying those experiences and being able to look back on them and share them with those who ARE interested, THAT sounds like a lovely goal. Having said that, the opportunity to enter a creative community through this blog, would be outstanding.

So, what am I hoping to create in the coming year? I have a laundry basket of projects, just waiting to be sewn up, including a second pair of pants. I've already been doing some alteration projects for my brother, and I have to alter the pair of pants that I made recently. They are still too big at the waist.

alteration one, but they're still too big!

I have an idea to make Christmas decoration starter kits for some of the young people I know so that when they get out on their own, they have some ornaments to help them out. (And I like making Christmas decorations, so fun for me!) I have really enjoyed sewing with my cousin Roxanne, and hope we can manage to get more sewing time together this year as her health improves. It also leads me to another goal, which is to sew/craft more with others. My friend Sara loves making stuff, and we had a great time today making some mug rugs for her parents.

Sara did all the sewing on the one in her left hand!

The basic goals here? Have fun creating/making stuff. Share the fun with others. Keep a record of the fun and the learning and the creating. How can that not be a good direction?

Pants! The New Sewing Project

Yep, you heard me. I'm sewing some pants. It is a self challenge, really, as I have made myself pants many times, with varying degrees of success. Mainly, I make double knit pants with elastic waists for myself. Not terribly fitted, and but sometimes, I've made pants that just didn't turn out right. I would wear them a time or two and the fit wasn't right. Or they felt funny. Or???

I think my skills have improved over the past few years, though, so I psyched myself up to making some fitted, waist-banded, twill pants.  I got this jeans pattern several years ago, and it has been waiting patiently for me to decide that the time has come

with instructions on fitting them

I looked at the pattern, and the instructions. I watched a video class from Craftsy. I made a muslin, and then cut out two pair, one in khaki and one a very nice blue twill. I cut out some pretty pocket lining for the khaki pair, but I haven't cut into the fabric I want to use for the blue ones, so those will have to wait. As many things as I cut out over the summer, I can't believe there is still a pile to be cut.

So, Sunday, I pulled out those pants, and got started.

The pockets went together first.

Then the fly went in. 

The front of my pants!

I'm very happy with the detail sewing that is happening. I followed the suggestion from the video to to the top stitching with a stitch that goes over itself a couple times. While it isn't my first zipper, I think it may be my first fly front. 

Gosh I hope they fit right, because so far they look awesome! 

No, I don't think my head is getting too big. I know I still have the waistband to deal with, and how those never do seem to come out like I think they should. Sigh...