Busy bee

For the past few years I've spent a large portion of my time in April and May to assist with a music festival,  Roots Fest.   This year is the 8th annual festival and my 7th one attending to help promote local and regional performers and artists.  If you happen to be in the Chattanooga/North Georgia area swing by Cherokee Farms in LaFayette, GA this weekend ... tickets are discounted currently on www.roots-fest.com.

Anyways this year I have finally felt completely aware of all weather types to be prepared for and have done as much crafting as possible in preparation ... thrifty should be my middle name.  Since last year was a flood, quite literally, I have had to come up with tarp designs to prevent soggy tent and allow standing room outside of my tent and even worked on a rug, of sorts, to allow muddy shoes to dry.  I have also attempted to be a healthier camper this year so much cooking will be happening this week ... roasted chickpeas, kale chips, baked tortilla chips, granola, and who knows what else I will find the time to make.  There is also the thing of needing much sleep while camping, which the DJs playing until 4am and the sun rising at 6:30am doesn't allow. So of course some more crafting was done ...

crocheted rope rug

tore my hands up and isn't perfect but it'll do

padded extra thick eyemask for a friend

and one for me

What kind of must have crafts do you take with you camping?  

I'm alive

And I still make things too!  I have been rather busy social wise recently, which the warm spring days require, so I have been slacking with the blogging.   Many apologies to everyone out in the blog-o-sphere.

Recently a friend of mine, whom I've known a lifetime, set the date to get married to this awesome lady.  I knew I just had to make something but had the hardest time deciding on what.  A quilt? Matching scarves? A picnic blanket? His and hers booty warmers for those cold nights watching soccer? Finally after a few weeks of drawing up possible ideas I decided simple was perfect for these two and began sewing away.  Of course the design ended up not looking as well as I had hoped but I had run out of time to draw up a whole new design!  Thank goodness for trusty seam rippers because I removed half of the embroidery I had done, erased the template,  and decided to use my fabric piecing skills.  I searched the internet for free Union Jack templates finding one on Craftsy ( http://www.craftsy.com/pattern/quilting/home-decor/union-jack-quilt-block/52747) only it was way too big!  I tried editing it down to the size I needed but could not for the life of me get it right.

Sometimes when things are just getting too complicated you are forced to simplify ... and so I wung it.

Eeek, hello there

I've been a very bad blogger *hangs head in shame.*  To be honest I've been slacking on the crafting as well but not entirely ... just not feverishly creating.

Let's see there was that mug rug I finished and the panels for the back of MINE and finding some old items I made back in high school and oh yes getting ready for Spring by fixing up my garden and sadly without picture the blanket I'm crocheting for charity.

Probably my favorite mug rug thus far

80% done with the back piecing for MINE

Completely hand sewn back in 2001 from a pair of capris

Growing plants is creating so it is kinda crafty, right? If not, that rock edge is lovely and (not pictured) the rock pathway I added yesterday certainly made me feel creative.

Just a little bit

I swear I've been a good little crafter,  I've just been a horrible blogger.  It is a new year though so I'm going to try to be better.  For the most part I've been keeping up with the posting on Instagram and so the majority of the below pictures have already been posted there ... ok so maybe all of them.

Aside from all of that I am in the works of collecting fabric for a new quilt.  Bright, bold, crazy, eye catching,  and colorful has been my signature with quilts thus far as I am a spring person who believes neon yellow is a staple in anyone's wardrobe but for a special someone (my sister) I shall be making a pre-technicolor quilt.  The lack of color will be a new challenge for me (as will the surprises I have up my sleeves) but I'm excited by it all.  Thus far I've gotten about 5 different patterns and fabrics with my eye on about 27 more ... isn't that every quilters plight?!

But here's what I have been occupying my time with ...

Crocheted ornaments

Hand quilted mug rug

Crocheted pot holder

Crocheted fingerless gloves/mittens

Crocheted ear warmer

Granny square that keeps growing

coin purse made from vintage fabrics

Baby its cold outside!

Being from the south I know my idea of freezing cold is what most people would consider a cool day which is exactly why I prefer to layer up with a cardigan than wear a coat but this year things are feeling much colder than before.   As I posted in my previous blog I've recently taken up crocheting as a hobby and I'm really enjoying it.  Something about working with yarn just feels season appropriate and it helps that you can quickly whip out a blanket or scarf to help combat the shivers.  This weekend was no exception as I found myself shivering in the wind and a Joann's just a few minutes away ... it also didn't hurt that I had a coupon and they had yarn that screamed my name louder than anything I've ever seen before.  After watching a few tutorials on YouTube I set out to make my very own scoodie.   For those unaware scoodie are scarves with hoods and sometimes pockets/mittens. Why yes an all in one cold weather accessory that won't mess up your hair like a hat!

It took almost 3 skeins of yarn and about 5 hours to complete the whole thing and I am absolutely in love with the outcome!

Tis the season

Since Hanukkah happened super early this year I can go ahead and post the presents that have already been given, opened, and loved. I've previously posted the quilts I made for my nieces and the apron for my brother-in-law so here is the rest of it ...

A pot holder for my ma

if you look closely you can see the Celtic knot quilted into it

another pot holder for ma

a scarf crocheted for my grandma

another pot holder (i had binding issues with this one but hey all stripes are going in the same direction!)

a floor cushion, green lantern crocheted yarmulke, knitted scarf, and embroidered "teacher" bag for Josh and Bethany ...plus a tummy stuffer monkey cause it was cute

Hope everyone that celebrates Hanukkah has a great one! I'll be posting Christmas crafting over the next few weeks. Happy Holidays!!!

Almost time!

The holidays are coming way faster than I would like but isn't that the norm?!  My list of to-do has grown smaller and smaller which I am ever thankful for but until December comes I am not able to really post any of the projects I've been working on.  That being said I do know how long it has been since I've posted any thing at all so a small bit of spoiling is in order.

My brother-in-law requested an apron for the holidays and since he even drew up exactly what he wanted I see absolutely no harm in posting a picture of that ... though I did add some personal touches and flair to the apron that were not requested (I've got a problem with wanting little details in the things I make ... it is a good problem to have though.)

This was quite the learning experience for me because I've never really sewn on a machine with denim.  Sure I've made purses and water bottle holders from old jeans but that was when I was all about sewing by hand; connecting with what I was making and blooding my thumbs to the point of frustration simply because the sewing machine scared me.  At least I now know that denim and french seams do NOT splice!  But this did end up being the biggest apron I've made and I won't lie when I tried it on I totally felt like I was 3 again trying on my dad's coveralls.

Not only did I get some sewing done but I also taught myself a new craft.  For quite some time now I've wanted to learn how to crochet and since I was all sickly and snuggled up on the couch why not at least be productive?!  So I set out with the one crochet hook I some how ended up with and a thing of yarn I bought when I was all "I can knit with a loom" and went to town.  Armed with a book my grandmother gave that was published in 1978 a chain stitch was simple to learn but as you can imagine everything after that just didn't make a lick of sense to me.  Of course I was way too lazy to get on the YouTube to see if I could find a great tutorial for the super visual learner so I just wung it ... one day I'm going to realize that 9 times out of 10 that doesn't yield the best results.

 

But hey at least Gus enjoyed my sitting still for long periods of time though the yarn seemed to grab her interest more than my wishing she'd just sit down and keep me warm.  Now on the to-do list: learn to make a hat!  I have to say this crochet thing is probably the best craft learning experience because if you mess up or don't like what you make just a tug on the yarn makes the whole thing disappear and you've not wasted a single thing.

Playing dress up

I love costumes!  I'm one of those people that wears "costumes" on random Tuesdays just for fun ... blue gingham tank top check, red lip gloss check, white cardigan check, today I'm Dorothy! Because I've never lost my childish enthusiasm to play dress up Halloween has always been a favorite holiday of mine.

This year I decided to use my new found passion of machine sewing by making my very own costume.   Years before I would buy these poor fitting cheaply made things for way more than they were worth and let's just say that began to aggravate me.  As a kid all I would ever wear were costumes my ma would make: black kitty, princess, hillbilly, sock hop-er, and you get my drift.  So making the leap as an adult really wasn't that far for me.

The final result wasn't exact to the pattern,  some errors were discovered at the end of the night, and I rushed the overdress but I'm still rather proud of what I accomplished. Snow White has never looked so voluptuous!

Snow White with her bff Joan Holloway

Princess selfie

The first step is the hardest

Or at least that is what I am hoping for.  I've never been good with following patterns.   For the most part I see the general idea of the project and just wing it and for the most part I've failed miserably.   "Who needs interfacing, I mean really?  I bet I don't." Yeah there is a reason why patterns call for it, why there are different varieties of it, and if a pattern calls for it use it. 

Why I decided making a costume would be easier and cheaper than buying one I'll never know because in the long run it has been more expensive and time consuming than going to a store and grabbing something would have been.  That being said I know that this costume will last and if I happen to lose more weight (fingers crossed) I could alter this one to fit since I've made it and know how it was constructed.   Now here is to hoping I can finish the second part of it this week so I can wear it on Saturday!

Thankfully with my lack of experience with patterns and making clothing I was able to find a great tutorial online for the exact pattern I had bought. https://www.professorpincushion.com/professorpincushion/simplicity-1773-medieval-dress-series/ Seriously if it weren't for that YouTube video I don't know how I would have been able to finish the dress and it actually end up looking halfway decent. The dress alone came out decent enough I would wear it for more things than Snow White in the enchanted forest ... like Ice Skating Princess, expensive harlet from a beer tavern, lady kidnapped by pirates, Maria Antoinette post beheading, and I'm sure I could come up with more concepts. 

The dress

I decided to add some embroidery

Another one bites the dust

I've been busy, I promise.  Ok so maybe not 100% true but I've been doing stuff.  This past weekend I finished the quilt for Kara. It isn't perfect,  but really in a way that makes it perfectly handmade.  As the old wives tale about the humility block goes and what not. Some how there are pictures attached, I don't know where since I'm a phone blogger and I don't have all those lovely editing dohinkys but still I hope you enjoy! 

Handmade with love as always!

Quilt front: Saddle Up Bandana panel by Riley Blake

Quilt back: Saddle Up Medallion by Riley Blake

The back is my favorite print

Hand quilting detail

The quilt front