June 4: social tote

It's been awhile.  I haven't been doing too much sewing in the last month.  Life has been crazy, but I was also in Portland, OR for a week for Quilt Market.  While I was there, I got all of my friend Carolyn's new patterns, including her new Social Tote and the applique pattern Alturas.  I also taught her how to do my big stitch quilting - we had so much fun!  We didn't get a lot done that night, here's my progress (which included time spent quilting on the plane).

It's hard to photograph because all of the fabrics are shot cottons.  It's really much prettier in person!  This will be a wall hanging for our hallway.

When I got home, I decided I wanted to make the Social Tote, which is perfect for all of my hand sewing.  I will say, this pattern is not for the faint of heart!  I decided to do more fabrics than the pattern called for, which definitely made it more difficult, but there are also a few things that I'd do differently next time.  I'm really glad that I did use a bunch of different fabrics.  I feel like it showcases some of my favorites that I've been hoarding, including that outside print with the skulls, which is actually a canvas-weight print from Kokka.  I didn't use the pincushion pattern she had, because I already have a gazillion pincushions that are the right size.  The one that's in there now is one of my own designs done with tucks. 

I'm beginning (like, just beginning) a quilt for our friend Kelsey.  This quilt is a graduation gift, birthday gift, and a thank you for being our maid of honor.  I couldn't wait to try out the Alturas pattern, and since I'm doing a sampler-style quilt for Kelsey anyway, I decided she needed at least one Alturas block in her quilt.  You can see it below in the bottom of the Social Tote.  The outer edges are almost done, I just have to do the middle parts.

We're leaving town again tomorrow...  I'm trying to get everything together, including some sewing projects.  I'm taking my Circle Game blocks - I have two cut out and ready to piece and one that just needs two seams to be finished.  I'm also thinking about taking some more fabric to do Alturas blocks.  If you look at the pictures of my tote, you can see that I have a template all ready to go!  I'll have more to share when we get back, including all the pictures I've been taking in the last three weeks!  We'll also be getting legally married while we're there, and hoping that by the time we get home, our marriage will be legal here, too.

May 2: Bubble pouch

Last Friday, Michelle over at Michelle Patterns announced that she was discontinuing quite a few of her patterns and was offering a special deal if you bought all of them.  I liked a few of the designs, and I knew my wife would love some of the others, so I decided to just buy them all!  I printed off the patterns for the Bubble Pouch, the Pleated Pouches, and the Box Wallet.  I grabbed some scraps - some of Carolyn Friedlander's Architextures line (I'm getting near the end of this - my favorite print from her line in what my co-workers would call "Phoebe green") and a piece of Kaufman's Essex cotton/linen blend in Grey.  I experimented with the interfacings and used woven fusible interfacing (Shape Flex) and Dream Cotton's Select-weight batting (my favorite!) - next time I think I might just do the woven fusible interfacing.  The final result:

A darn stinkin' cute bag!  It's about 4" x 3" x 1.5" - a little on the small side for me, so I'm not sure what I'll use it for.  Oh well, I enjoyed sewing it, and the pattern was great, which at this point is all that really matters!

Sorry for the not-so-nice pictures.  It just wasn't going to happen any better today, and I so wanted to show it off!

April 12: hand made bowtie

We had quite a few friends over for dinner last week, including our friend Dean, who just turned 25.  I decided to whip up this fun bowtie, using this tutorial from Make.  I chose orange and blue in honor of his Alma-mater UVA.

I changed a few things from the pattern/regular bowties.  First of all, I cut the pieces on the grainline, and it seemed to work fine.  Because it was on grain, I just cut one long piece as opposed to having a seam in the back.  I also used one layer of Pellon's Shape Flex Woven Fusible Interfacing, which had the perfect amount of body.

I didn't actually get a picture of him wearing it, but it fit perfectly!

February 23: Pow-Wow and a doll

I've actually had these two things finished for awhile, but haven't had the chance to post the pictures.  First up is my sample for Pow-Wow, which is a class I'm teaching in April from the Pow-Wow pattern by Cluck Cluck Sew.

Next up is a fun little doll.  She's from the Kit, Chloe, and Louise pattern by Wee Wonderfuls.  I've decided to name her Arianna.

I've actually been finishing a lot of things lately.  It feels really awesome.  I need to get back into blogging, so that I can show them all off (that is, after all, the point of a blog).  I'm also really jumping into designing.  I have about 10 sketches waiting, and 2 that are actively being worked on.  I can't wait to show them!

January 5: new year, new beginnings

I've been reading many places that this year, instead of resolutions, people are picking a word for the year.  This really struck a cord with me, as I want guidance, but without the pressure of a resolution.

My word for this year is: ME.

Now, that might sound really selfish, but here is how it's intended: this year will be about taking care of myself.  Putting myself closer to first, as opposed to always dead last. 
-I'm going to start taking care of myself.  I already eat decently, but I will start to exercise, as well.  We're considering (finally) doing the Monument Avenue 10k, and my wife just mentioned something about the Richmond Half Marathon in November (haha, yeah right).  For me, this will mean lots of walks (not sure about running yet) and going back to yoga.
-Making time for projects for my heart, old and new.  This includes some new clothes.  I'm going to start with more Painted Portrait Blouses, and maybe a dress from the same pattern (this is the shirt I'm wearing in the picture at the beginning of the blog entry).

This will also include ongoing handwork projects such as my English paper piecing.

(debating on a background color)

-Going back to school.  And following my passion while I'm there.  This time I'm doing this for me, not for a job, not for a degree (okay, maybe a little for the degree).
-Learning to say no to pressure and yes to opportunities.  This will give me the chance to find a base for myself.  To hopefully find some peace.  When I give myself this chance, I will have more to give to other people.
-Include myself.  More specifically, include myself in my photographs.  But I think there is a deeper meaning to this, too.
-Us.  I got married last April.  It was the one saving grace for last year.  Now that we've been married almost a year, our lives our finally falling into the shape we want.  It's time to focus on us, along with the "me."  This year is shaping up to be one of the most important for both of our careers, as well as our life as a family.  Within the me is the just as important us.

The 2013 Challenge

What is the 2013 Challenge, you ask?  I don't know, yet.  I've started with the amazing Aquabee Super Deluxe Sketchbook.  It's 9" x 9" and designed for all mediums.  I purchased it at my local art shop, Main Art.  This may be sketching, it may be painting, it may be journaling, it may be quotes.  It is evolving.  It is the pressure to try something new, but without the commitment or pressure of something else.  I've started an idea board on pinterest, so that I can just watch this challenge evolve.

Reading

My first finished book of the year was Zaatar Days, Henna Nights by Maliha Masood. 
This year I want to keep track of what I read a little bit better.  I read a lot, and at the end of 2012, I found myself wondering how many books I'd actually read.  To help me with this, I've joined Good Reads.  Feel free to follow me over there as I read my way through 2013.

Finished Projects

Just for recording purposes, I'm going to start (trying) to post every time I finish a project this year.  By finished, I mean that all small projects must be DONE, and all big quilts must be at least finished tops.  Big is up to my discretion of the moment.  My first finished project this year were these two zip pouches.  They were meant to be an experiment, and a chance to let myself sew after the craziness of the holiday season.  They didn't turn out the way I intended, but that's okay.

Finally, I'm going to remember the two best pieces of advice that I received in 2012:

Acknowledge your truth: know who you are, and follow a path that lets you acknowledge yourself.

The desire for change is the root of unhappiness:  more specifically, to change another person or a situation you have no control over.  I'm not saying all change is bad, or that we shouldn't want to change ourselves, but that you can't change someone else.  Acceptance brings peace.