Photos are disappearing!

from previous posts.  I am aware I don't take the most outstanding ones anyway, and to date I may be the only soul who has looked at this blog, but it IS irritating to put work into any project and then see it altered in an unhappy and unexpected manner!  I tried researching why and got some vague finger pointing at the Picasa photo site, which I guess archives photos for Blogger or something.  My PC is very ill and I only have the laptop to work off of and I just can't handle any big trouble shooting today.  So I guess I'm just whining.  I need to wash the dog but he's hiding under the bed, so I think I'll just browse pinterest until maybe the caffeine kicks in.  Grrrr.

Mostly stalled

on my latest project.  Within days of proudly finishing the cousin quilts I got seriously motivated to start and finish another baby quilt for the grandson due in August. I recognize that I like piecing much less than quilting, so I looked for a top that would be fast. I found Baby Bites from Modern Quilt Relish.  Great Guns! And I really DID finish it in about an hour and a half.  Then I had to go thinking it needed a border, and of course since I hate piecing I decide to do a half square triangle one.  But I do think it will add to this quilt.

 

I think only the white, red, and blue will remain and probably all facing the same direction.  I had a fleeting fancy about piecing lots of nautical flags but returned to sanity.  Red against the red and blue against the blue.  I am thinking about the quilting of it- some simple ship shapes on waves and waves and waves on the blue side, maybe some continuous curves on the red?  Its a bit of a shame I feel feathers would be wrong, I've been doodling the heck out of them on night shift and think I may be ready to quilt some nicer ones.  Maybe some wall hangings or table runners soon for gifts.

 

 

 

I did sneak in an afternoon of helping my granddaughter sew.  We made a patient gown for her AG doll, she already has nurse scrubs for the other.

She's getting better at cutting, seam finishing, and added curves with this project.  It won't be long before she can do it all alone from a pattern.

 

I confess, I really loved the authenticity of the backdoor waving in the wind feature.  This pattern and tutorial were free from myagdollcraft.blogspot

Cousin quilts are done!

 

These took wayyyy too long.  I guess about a year and a half for both.  Of course, I'm not a quilter (though I enjoyed these enough where I might become one.  Maybe I'm now a beginner quilter).

 

I have quilted two twin sized quilts and one wall hanging in the very distant past, and collected a fair sized quilt library.  These quilts are from a pattern from one of the books, my version of the Pink Mosaic Crib Quilt from Marti Mitchell's Scrap Patchwork and Quilting.  I've read enough books and blogs to know I broke a few zillion rules on these, but it was all by choice.  I wanted the pieced squares to be puffy, so there's no quilting inside them, while the surrounding blocks were fairly densely quilted.  I did so very much enjoy the machine quilting part.  I also chose to bind them with folded-over blanket binding, to give the toddlers  some silky stuff to rub their fingers on at nap time.  I almost lost my courage on that one come bind time, but in the end I was happy with that choice.

 

 

 

I ignored quite a few mistakes, but of course there were a few that just had to involve a seam ripper.  I really can't explain what happened here but toddlers were running in and out.  As I recall, it didn't take as long to fix as it looked like it would.

 

 

I found a tip for using the stuff offices use for gripping papers when filing to grip fabric and move it where you need it, such as when putting edges together to sew.  Much better than licking your fingers.  I bought some quilting gloves but it's summer and guess what?  If you put this stuff on all ten finger tips it works well at moving fabric for machine quilting too.  The gloves just sat there after I figured that out.

 

 

I can't remember binding any of those former quilts or sweating mitering corners.  This time I was a little unsure so I researched on YouTube and found a tutorial using bobby pins. (Lizzie Leonard, How to Mitre corners on Quilt Binding).  Even though I only had one and it was a little bulky with decoration, it worked well, especially with all those dense layers of folded satin blanket binding.  And yes, I did mix metallic, rayon, and 100% cotton threads on this quilt, with all purpose polyester in the bobbin.  My babies will like it.  I think it will last OK.

 

The second quilt I chose to hand stitch the binding onto the front.  A little more work, I liked them both equally.  Now I'm confident I can do it both ways, though the hand stitched looks nicer on the back.  Just slightly.

 

 

I found myself thinking about more quilts throughout this process, especially once I started the quilting part.  The piecing was a little tedious for me.  I was happy with how most of it matched up, and comfortable with what did not.  They are, after all, Grandma quilts, and imperfections add some to their charm.  I think it says to them, she struggled with this because she loves you.  As much as I loved the quilting, I'm not blind to how amature most of it is, though there were some places where I went into the zone and was very pleased with the results.  I'm now compelled sometimes to draw quilting in the air, and I print out stuff and copy the lines on paper.  I think I've been bitten by the quilt bug.  Alas, there are other projects out and waiting, and I don't expect to have another quilt top whipped up at lightening speed anyway.  Hopefully in less time than these two took!

I’ve been busy.

 May 1^st I had a bit of a shock when I found my hours had been drastically reduced, but I took a deep breath and said, “this could be a good thing”!  Within a few hours I had convinced myself it was going to be a very good thing indeed, and was full steam ahead with plans on how to live a new lifestyle, including different ways to make money.  May 2^nd I got a phone call saying, “here, take most of these hours back” and my mood plummeted for a while.  I might add all of these hours are night shift and after 3 years or so of this I am not adapting real well yet.  I’m fatter and weaker and less sharp and way less social, which is to say not at all.  But the alternative income is like the sound of a bird in the bush, and the night shift hours are a bird in the hand, so to pay the mortgage and electric…..

ANYWAY, I’ve been soothing myself with two needle crafts that I’d laid aside for quite some time.  At work, I’ve been doing hand embroidery.  It’s pre-stamped on pillowcases and not requiring any real creative input from me, but it’s something I haven’t done since the 1970’s.  I really really like doing it, and can foresee more stitching in my future.  I’m doing these for me and that makes me glad, I haven’t made myself anything in a long time.

 

At home, I got busy on the two crib quilts that got shoved to the back burner for a year.  I’m pretty confident that I will complete these before either Grand is in school.  I made some quilted bedding for my eldest granddaughter’s 18” dolls this winter and it reminded me of how much I loved doing free machine quilting.  I’m not very good yet, but I think I might learn to be. 

 

I very much enjoy the free motion even if I can't make it as smoothly as I hope to.  It's one of those activities where the zone thing happens for me, and I can forget time and worries for a little while and just DO.   I made 2 twin sized quilts 20 years ago, and one wall hanging so I'm still pretty much a novice.

Would you believe right in the middle of my groove my bigfoot broke?  I've had the thing for 20 years and have been unsuccessful trying to freehand embroider or quilt on various machines without it.  Stranger still, I impulse bought the darning foot pictured beside it this winter, thinking of doing these quilts and "just in case"  It works just as well.

When I started to piece some more on the second quilt, my little quilting foot with the quarter inch markings had disappeared.  I suspect a toddler.  Luckily I'm able to decenter the needle to the right and then the last mark on the throat plate is 1/4 inch away.  My piecing improved in just one quilt!

 

 

The advice you may have heard to fill extra bobbins when machine quilting is very valid, as I was reminded quickly into my project.

 

I spent some time and money investing in books on quilting and sewing before the internet got big.  Here are two great ones on just the quilting (nothing about piecing) here.  The Fannings also did a great one on machine embroidery.  They are probably still in print, and maybe at your library.

 

I'm already thinking of more quilts!  This summer I'm also planning on some pants, capri's, and shorts for myself, to fit my larger nightshift body.   I'm going to try to finish both quilts before I start another project.  I'm very good at letting projects rest for a while.

what I really want to do

is write.  Since I was a little girl.  I guess I don't, or haven't, wanted to do it enough or I'd have DONE it.  As previously mentioned, I used to crank out those long letters.  When I start on fiction I get bogged down by the mixing experience with fantasy.  I worry about getting sued.  I've had some outlandish experiences in my life that are too good to not put down.  There are other survivors and what if they picked up something and got mad at what they perceived as my portrayal of them?  I'm probably fairly safe with the stuff from my 1970's in backwoods Florida, not many of those folks still live and maybe only one or two read.  Likewise my times with the cold war army in the 80's (though I would guess most of those CAN read).  But the stories I really want to write come from my days as a prison nurse in the 90's and 2000 decade, and those could get me into trouble.  There's HIPAA (your federally protected health information).  There are all those inmates who are a very sue-happy population anyway.  There's the brotherhood (even though there are plenty of women officers) of correctional officers who'd be offended about everything I wrote about it, and I would still dearly love to go back there to work one day.  The clearance check for employment is pretty extensive and I'd probably never be allowed to go back if I told the stories even here online, let alone wrote a book.  There are some great stories though.  Prison is not what people think it is like inside, too much Hollywood.  I watched a couple episodes of Oz because I was told that was pretty real, but I didn't think so.  Even the reality shows skim the surface.  It's like watching a show on the beach versus going into the ocean and feeling those currents of cold and warm and forceful waters once you are in over your head, and knowing there are plants and creatures and fish all over down deep.  Or being in a big city and aware that you are in the midst of many cultures that you are not participating in, the foreign ones as well as the rich ones and poor ones and homeless and crazy and druggie ones while you are just on the bus trying to get to work and buy those pans and the throw rugs that your apartment needs.  Prison was fascinating for me, everyday.

I was watching Stephen King speeches and a documentary on him on YouTube.  He just wrote like crazy all the time, no matter how many jobs he was holding down while a young father.  He was driven and gifted.  I don't have that.  I am more niggled and maybe not gifted at all.  The fact that I do want to write says maybe I could do it, if I just did.  I think about Gone with The Wind, Margaret Mitchell.  Huge book this lady cranked out over the years, her only work ever.  I don't believe she ever submitted anything else, though they wanted her to.  I'd like to have a book written, probably more than one.  I work a night job that would afford me 6 hours or so each shift to do nothing but write!

I wrestle all the time about how much I produce.  Do I clean enough, exercise enough, create enough, etc etc etc.  I work an exhausting job, though it demands little enough from me while I'm there and almost nothing when I'm not.  Night shift sucks the life from you.  I'm gentler with myself than I used to be, almost 53 years old and still not back to where I was before hip replacement surgery last year I forgive myself for not getting it all done where I couldn't when I was 30 and 40.  Thank God!  I had my 5th kid after my marriage died and was working one and 1/2 jobs all the time, no local family support, no financial help.  My house was messy but clean under the flying debris of kid stuff, I was outside raking and planting and mowing, I was cooking real dinners and running to girl scouts and ball games.  I still went to bed thinking I should do more.  Now at least I feel virtuous sleeping whenever and as much as I can.

And if I didn't start that great american novel today (really, I just want to be as good as the Stephanie Plum novels) I did at least write!

Easter Dress

I made an Easter Dress for the first time since my grandbabies' mommas were babies.  It took me longer than I thought ("Oh, it'll only take me 45 minutes once I cut it out" phhhht!).  I really, really enjoyed doing it.  I blended a FREE and very lovely pattern and tutorial from Lindsey at The Cottage Home with a paper pattern, Simplicity 2688.  It's still so cool here and I wanted the little puff sleeves.  I am so glad I added them.

 

I was a little worried about using a sleeve from one pattern and just sticking it on another- but it was so gathered that it worked very well.  Match seams, pull up threads till it fits, pin and sew.  I loved sewing on this little bias cut band.

Because I added sleeves I had to change the way I put in the facing as well.  It now required hand stitching around the arm holes.  A little labor of love.

I am very proud of how well made it is, but there were as always a couple of flaws.  The biggest, I made the darn thing too big!  I always did this for my babies too.  I'm thinking about sewing in some pintucks above the contrast band hem, but the mommy was ok with it as is.  It really is kind of sweet that long, and the bodice has a little wiggle room too, so this dress as is may fit next year.  The other thing was I didn't mark pieces and whoops used the tie for the bottom band and vise versa.  It meant extra seams in the band, which didn't hurt anything.  Also it made the bottom band shorter.  I would have liked the impact of more inches of fabric contrast, but again this dress was long enough as is.  I'll watch out for that next time I make this dress.

I feel like writing

tonight.  I do recall when I first learned about blogs it seemed they were all about writing.  That quickly changed.  Most of the blogs I follow or even stumble across now rely as much or more on photos than the written word.  Even my journalist friend relies heavily on (his very wonderful) story- related photos.  I have had a fondness for reading and writing since I was quite young, so tonight I indulge myself here.

I miss letter writing.  I developed a mail phobia sometime after buying my house in the 90's, a kind of delayed post traumatic stress disorder reaction to being homeless while pregnant with my 5th kid.  I sailed through the homeless period remarkably well, probably because I've always enjoyed change.  I can always put some positive spin on change, while stagnation can weight me down into deep, suspended animation depression.  Anyway, though I developed the mail box phobia, it was ok because I had email.  I used to love early mornings at the computer with a big cup of coffee on a day off, kids at school.  I'd write lovely, lovely emails.  Now facebook and text messages have whittled down those long rambles of the written word to quick, little, and to the point notes.  I don't ponder and write much anymore.

Thank God for the library and Kindle, I still read plenty. 

It's still very odd to write what I think or what I feel for posting onto the internet.  For all to see, forever, right?