Earthtones Girl

So this weekend I did everything I could not to make those Orange Creamsicle Cookies.  And while I succeeded that means I did the next best thing, went shopping.  It was not R&R (Reckless and Random) shopping, it was shopping with a purpose.  Supplies to make that Lattice Quilt.  I know, did I really have to buy more fabric? No.  Isn’t there more than enough in my stash? Yes.  Was it fun and exciting?  Hell yeah!! 

As usual this picture does not do these gorgeous bundles justice.  On the left, Hot Spice, the other Pretty in Pink.  These would be so darling in that Lattice pattern.

Simple Modern Sewing…this book just jumped out at me and I fell in love with almost every garment in it.  Next phase…garment sewing.

Some rulers, fabric, thread and other notions also for the Lattice quilt and to finish up another one.

I can’t wait to see what how that variegated thread looks…

Nothing much but I’m happy and ready for my next quilt.

Not a lot of chat this week, I’ll just get right to the good stuff.

BLOG

Here’s a good one for you.  There is some fun stuff going on over there. 

A Quilting Life

LOVE IT

My friend May found this one on Pinterest and I swear my heart skipped a beat when I saw it.  All this says to me childhood, hot summers and sticky fingers.   Sweetness.  We are both going to try to hold out and make this one next time we’re together.  Good luck to both of us on that one.

Orange Creamsicle Cookies

TUTORIAL

I saw this yesterday and had that old, familiar feeling of I have to start this RIGHT NOW.   But of course I”m still a prisoner of my own rules.  Must complete before I can start…SUCKS!! But I’m holding to it…at least until I can get to the quilt shop to buy a 6.5″ square ruler.  Isn’t it gorgeous? And the instructions look so invitingly simple.

Lattice Quilt Block

Have a great weekend everyone!!!

There is a fire under my “seat” and it’s raging.  Is there anything more “driving” for a knitter, sewer/ist (still can’t decide which term I like better… opinions welcome on that one) than completed projects?

First completed knit for the year and it’s butter…better than butter and it’s PINK!!  I’m so happy right now.

That is my girlfriend Ann modeling so graciously.  As she was putting it on she said to me.  “Is this wool? You know I’m allergic to wool right?”  I said it is wool and cashmere.  As you can see after a few moments…allergy? What allergy?

And just in time, the weather report for the east coast this coming weekend isn’t promising.  Winter will finally be arriving…in force.

Ready!!!!!

Pattern: Windschief by Stephen West

I opted to knit the cowl instead of the hat (instructions for both included in the pattern)

Yarn:  Squishy by Anzula Luxury Fiber, colorway Wine. 1 skein. (purchased at Katonah Yarn Company)

Needles: #6 & 7

Mods/Notes:  I held two strands together. Worked the ribbing on the bottom on a #6 but then top ribbing on a #7.  Why? I forgot to change needles…(true hurts) but the knitting goddess was watching over me.  I decided to test my “skills” and see it I remembered how to do a tubular bind off (without looking it up).  Success!  I’ve still got it!!

This makes me happy on so many levels.  I can still knit…well.  I can still recall not-to-easy- techniques and I finished another project.

And did I mention…it’s PINK!!!

Just look at that?  Wow…I’ve really missed knitting.  More than I realized.  Onto the next project.

Clear away all the clutter from my sewing table and make room for more sewing.  But I needed a place to put some things.

Now I know that I just talked about spending too much time on the internet, wasting time but of course there I was AGAIN on Pinterest when I found a great tutorial for Fabric Boxes.  I got to work immediately.  See here and here too.

Followed the directions exactly…

Nested my seams…I love nesting.

And after reading some of the reader comments found a simple solution for the “rounded square box” problem.

IRON…ALOT!!!

Viola!!! Simple, eye-catching, super cute fabric boxes.

Happiness is!

They are the perfect size for charm packs and fat quarters (which I love to look at) and those annoying scraps you need to toss somewhere as you’re sewing so the floor is no longer employed for that purpose.

Phase 3…Finish up all those unfinished projects from last year.  Very few of you will get this but I refuse to start anything new until my UFO are out-of-the-way.  Motivation, yep!!   My list of new projects is getting long…fast.

PS.  This is my first finished project of 2012…

Every year starts the same.  We all watch the ball drop, drink a bit too, sleep in the next morning then wake up, rush to find pen and paper and write down a bunch of “new year resolutions” that we will probably only keep for about 3 weeks.

So no, I’m not making any new year resolutions this year but I am setting some simple goals for myself.  On the personal level, there are many and I”m sure very similar to a few some of you have made, relating to husband, children, family, friends, self.   On the creative level, I’ve got just a few…

1.  Get my sewing room organized.  Every year as the holiday season winds down, I get a certain look in eye that my husband recognizes as “I’m so over Christmas”. By January 1st I’m all but ripping down decorations and getting my house back to its origional state.  And I can’t seem to do anything else until that task is complete.  The same applies here.  I want to sew like crazy but can’t even decide what to do first because my stash is a mess.

2.  Work on no more than 2 projects at a time.  That was always my knitting rule and I stuck with it for years (to some degree).   I can feel over whelmed very easily or rather I can feel like I”m not getting anything finished.  But when I have just one or two things going I tend to finish so I can start something else.  Have one portable  and one stay home project.

3.  Set up a sewing space that I don’t have to get up from to reach anything.  I want to be able to cut fabric, sew at the machine and iron all without needing to get up.  ( I realize there are exceptions to this.)

4.  Sort out my stash.  I saw these on Pinterest a while ago and debated and debated ordering them.  I measured my space and the realized that the original sizes would not work for me.  But a few days before the new year I took another “stroll” by the site and there was a new size now available.  I measured,  ordered a few to test them out and BINGO!!! Mini bolts of fabric.  Who can’t appreciate the beauty?  You have no idea how happy it makes me to just look at these.

5.  Try to blog more frequently and don’t worry if I don’t.  I’m always so torn between doing and talking about what I’m doing.  Goal…find a middle ground.  I wonder how some bloggers out there do it?  I read profiles all the time about moms with multiple kids, jobs and what sounds like full lives who have these beautiful blogs FULL to the rafters with completed project after completed project and I turn greeen..How the heck do they do it?

5a.  Cut back on the things (Pinterest & Twitter)  in my life that eat away my time and so I can use that time to create…

Here’s a bit more on the organizing front…Made by my loving hubby (have I showed you this already? Forgive me if I have but I love it so much I have to talk about it)

6.  KNIT MORE. I miss it! 

7.  This one is the most important…

I saw this on Pinterest (see what I mean.  I should have been sewing or knitting)  this morning and thought…PERFECT!!! There is my new mantra! Which I will try to apply to ALL areas of my life.

After reading that I swear, I felt set free, because I had just been looking at a bunch of blogs, wishing mine humble little “place in cyberspace” could be so pretty, so well laid out, so fancy.  You know what?  It’s just fine…

So all that said…It’s time for me to sew and knit and create….

Change and resolutions

Cleansing, new constitutions.

What does a new year represent?

What will it bring?

How many changes will I make within?

What will happen in the world far and wide?

We don’t know now do we…

We just know we can’t hide.

Past: You are beautiful, painful, yet no longer near.

Present: I’ll pay more attention, embrace you, you’re here.

Future: I’m not afraid of you, I cannot fear.

                                                     by Julie Leonard (my amazing sister, written 12/31/11)

As I’m sitting in my sewing room, with a warm bowl of soup, thinking about my sister’s very wise words, I’m so filled with the possibilities in all the areas of my life….and I’m excited!

Love the coasters May, May….