Roamin' FWQ Week 1

I'm not going to lie you guys working with this fabric was a little bit stressful. It is a super high thread count and feels a little stiff to work with. I'm not sure if this is how all high thread count fabrics are but it took a bit getting used to.

With that now out of the way, I can get to showing the block. I started with the first letter. In this letter the lovely, Mrs. J. E. F. talks about living in God's open air. I loved that expression. I live pretty darn close to Big Sky Country (Montana) and spent a bit of time up there in my youth and the Big Sky is no joke. I'm not sure how it does it but Montana's sky is bigger than Idaho's, Wyoming's, and Utah's...combined. Being out there, feels all at once infinite and minuscule. Part of the world and detached.

So I based these blocks on the theme of God's open air, which conveniently for me, seems to fit perfectly in the Western and Roam motifs. The first block is #54 Kitchen Wood Box and was the first, and only block, this week. Cutting the fabric was mostly nerve-wrecking and piecing as mentioned above took a bit getting used to (I'm still getting used to it to be honest).

I still plan on doing the second block this weekend, but you know how life gets, so maybe next week, I'll have three. Wishful thinking, but still probable.

I'm thinking I might need to invest in some other template or rethink my strategy of cutting the fabric. Right now, I've got the paper templates and have been gluing them to cardboard as a stabilizer, but found it difficult to maneuver the fabric while keeping the cardboard from rotating too and ended up cutting inaccurately. Any tips or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

* The legless sheep is a family inside joke, I never actually saw a legless sheep and neither did anyone else in my family (that I'm aware)

Roamin' Farmer's Wife Quilt

Oh my! I am so so excited to be writing this post. Giddy. Seriously, you should see me, I look like a toddler that's had too much sugar or soda. Either way, it's funny.

My amazing husband got me this book and fabric for Christmas and I immediately set about to making the quilt using these fabrics. I love love love this collection! We live out West (and have for most of our lives) so this color palette really struck a chord. And we need a new queen sized quilt for the bed. Our five-year old duvet is starting to look a little worse for wear. This will be perfect.

And the buffalo. So cute. I once had a close encounter with a buffalo that made them not so cute, but I can almost forgive that large mammal for wanting to visit my mum and I on a snowmobile in Yellowstone when the machines weren't banned (are they still banned? I don't even know). I remarked to husband that this is probably the first year in many that we haven't driven up there only for him to remind me that we've only be once in five years! What the what?!? I used to go every year when Nins was little...okay littler. It seems strange not to have gone when some travel from halfway across the world and we are so close. The last time we were there though definitely left an impression. Wookie was car sick and went through two changes of clothes and was wearing Nins' extra jammies by the time we made it to Old Faithful, which I missed because I was searching for her shoes. I don't know how we lost two hot pink sparkly shoes from the parking lot to the lodge but we managed. So she went barefoot. But we did see buffalo and that's really the whole point.

I love every single thing about this line and am totally terrified that I'll screw it up somehow. It's bound to happen, but I am being extra careful because that's what being invested will do for you. I wish I had toned down the excitement for Wookie's Wee Wander blanket and taken it slow and really done a top notch job, but I really was just so excited (and it was my very first quilt). It's not bad, but knowing what I know now, I think I could do it better. The Cabin Fever quilt turned out pretty well and I took more time with that one, so with that in mind, I want to try to complete two Farmer's Wife squares a week and post on Fridays, but if I only get one square done but done right then, yay! I also plan on writing my thoughts on the corresponding letter because the quilt is only part of this book. The other parts, the letters, are so great and vital to providing context and depth to the quilt.

Farmer's wife Fridays! Has a beautiful ring to it.

Cabin Fever

In the process of piecing this quilt together, I threw the biggest, most magnanimous temper tantrum that puts my Irish twins to shame. When living with toddlers do as toddlers do, right? Now, I honestly can't remember why. I know it had something to do with the sashing, and a couple of the squares don't line up quite right, but the proverbial straw is elusive.

In the end it looks okay, I hope. I spent so much time on this quilt. Actually, focusing on each step, to ensure that I didn't botch it last minute. Good intentions and all that. Of course the one little step I chose to overlook is pretty much the most important. Karma.

Originally, this quilt was for Nins, but upon closer inspection of my children's bedroom they each have piles upon piles of blankets on their beds, all of them handmade, three made by me. So this one is designated to the living room, keeping friends with the Cozy Cottage blanket. They're best buds.

Sewing is hard. Quilting is harder. I lack the patience for it, but I'm learning. I'm not sure why. I don't seem to have the passion that many of my favorite sewist/bloggers have. I'm a bit into metaphors so the I find the idea of taking something, fabric, yarn, floss and turning it into something else appealing. A creative outlet. Stress inducing stress relief.

Anyway, about this quilt. I bought the fabric from various places and have no idea about the brand names. I tend not to notice them too much unless I'm making something really specific or if I see something that I absolutely love. (Anyone else totally and completely anxiously awaiting the release of Somer by Sarah Jane. I swear that lady can do no wrong.)

The color scheme is reminiscent of one my earliest memories living in the UK. I was playing in the garden (which my mother had carefully cultivated with beautiful flowers that she can tell you the names of) when clouds covered the sun, so I ran inside and changed into warmer clothes, continued playing, then the sun reappeared, and I ran inside to change back into the warm-weather clothes. I must have changed at least half a dozen times. The mix of the grey and yellow and "rain-drops" and flowers all remind me of that memory. And the strawberries, oh the fresh strawberries.

I followed what I think is the typical Log Cabin fashion with 3 inch squares in the middle surrounded by 2 inch strips. One (or maybe two) of the blocks got a little off somehow so I had to add an extra strip to one side before adding the border to the sides. Sew and learn, and all that.

I used a flat sheet I picked up from a local thrift store as the backing and hand-quilted the squares. I was surprised to learn that one of the local quilting stores does not carry hand-quilting thread and received such a look of confusion and was pretty much told it was a waste of my time, which I guess it would be when you have uber fancy machines that can guarantee you a finished quilt in four days or it's free. But I like hand quilting. Or at least I liked it until I poked a hole in my finger, thimbles are around for a reason. I used a scrappy binding of all the left over 2 inch strips and discovered a super cool tutorial from Missouri Star Company on binding using one of the fancy stitches. I am pretty pleased about the binding. For some reason that is the part that scares me most on quilts and I was glad to switch it up from straight stitch.

So that brings my quilt count for this year to the grand total of ONE. Wowzas. I really didn't do the half of what I wanted. Better luck next year! I already have plans and fabric so hopefully I will manage to complete more than one in 2016. 

The Wookie cross stitch Reloaded

When May 4th rolled around, I posted about the Wookie cross stitch. At the time, it was a work in progress, but I was so excited to share and got a bit ahead of myself by posting anyway. I am really glad that I did because I have learned a lot about my creative process and my own expectations when it comes to making things.

As I had said in the original post, I loved working with the cross stitch but then struggled with the quilting part. Quilting is challenging. Cutting is challenging. Being able to recognize that something needs to change in order for the vision in my head to become a reality is challenging. So much changed about this little quilt. Because my vision wasn't quite matching reality, my instincts were telling me to scrap the whole project. My own little Wookie kept begging me to finish so I powered through, but not without making some changes.

The "original-ish" quilt had a couple of problems: The binding was too small, which is my own fault for not paying attention to the seam allowance; the quilting was uneven which made the back bunch awkwardly; and I had sewn several "layers" of a log cabin effect using two contrasting fabrics. I didn't like the contrast at all.

So I removed the binding, ripped out the quilting, and started again. The finished product is still a bit flawed, but I, and more importantly Wookie, love it. It can be hung on the wall, but right now she has a little "Wookie corner" on the top of the dresser so it's hanging out with the rest of her ever-growing collection.

For me this project seemed to epitomize my whole experience with crafting. I'm a novice. An impatient novice at that. I see what other people can do and I expect that just by looking at an image that I can replicate what many of these women have spent many many years working toward. I need to slow down and appreciate the process of making, for the sake of making.

Each project has specific phases and each phase exhibits a variety of emotions. The exciting planning phase (I love planning and planners so for me this is the most exciting phase), the joyful stitching phase, the cathartic cutting phase, the mandatory piecing phase, the not-quite-right phase, the disheartening ripping phase, the hopeful rebuilding phase, and the hallelujah!! it's finished phase. Each phase is equally necessary to building a craft. You may not experience the same emotions for the same phase of different projects, because each project is unique. What does apply universally (at least for me) is to take the time to really focus and work out the kinks to create a treasure that you (and the recipient) love.

I'm a rush-rush-rush kind of lady, always pushing for that end result, but I'm learning to slow down and really enjoy each phase. I'm also working on recognizing that if I don't like something, it's perfectly alright to change the plan. By being open-minded and evaluating each phase, I can save myself from ripping the work apart, and ultimately come to love the finished item as well as the process of making it.

GREAT grandma

Husband's Grandma passed away last week. It was not at all expected and quite sudden, we had just seen her on Thanksgiving and talked to her a few days before she was taken to the hospital. She was eighty-three and ready to go, but she will be dearly missed by us all.

This feisty "polar bear" (as she endearingly called herself to my kiddos) is the reason I started getting into crafts in the first place. She is the reason I know how to hem and patch pants. She is the reason I became even remotely interested in quilting and later crochet, which then led to embroidery and cross-stitch. All because this amazing woman shared her talent and her time.

For our wedding (actually a few months after, but that's entirely different story for an entirely different day), she gave us our amazing quilt. It is by far my most prized material possession and it has literally traveled over oceans with us. I don't think it has ever left our bed, except when one (or more) of us is sick, then it lives on the couch with us. The colors magically work and it is such the perfect combination of Husband and I with plaid flannel mixed with roses.

The last time we saw her I was terrified that my kids would destroy her living room. She told me in her very matter-of-fact, no-nonsense way, "If a house is not fit for kids, it's not fit for much." I am so grateful that she took the time to make this treasure for us and am even more grateful now for the knowledge, love and wisdom she shared.

50 State Stitching quilt top

A little while ago, I mentioned (I think I mentioned) that I am working on an embroidery/quilt project. The project is through Wild Olive and if you're interested I think that you can still sign up. You'll be a bit behind, but heck, I am too, so really it's just joining the party!

It's such a fun project and includes hand stitching and English Paper Piecing (EPP), two techniques I'm still pretty new to. Every Tuesday, I get a new state in my email. Mollie (from Wild Olive) is so creative and takes her task of choosing themes very seriously and writes the greatest letters to commemorate each state. My favorite star so far is the Virginia ham (and if you've ever seen The American President, you'll completely understand why).

At first, I was so good about completing each state the day I received it, Tuesday was my weekly stitching night and each star was completed by Wednesday, Thursday at the latest, and then....then I wasn't so good. I was going for a Civil War type theme with the fabric while keeping with the patriotic 50 states. I'm still catching up on the embroidery part BUT I finished the blocks and stripes today!

It's a terrible photograph because the light is wrong and the wind picked up and Little Man's shadow is clearly visible in the left corner but it's finished (sort of). The project is intended to last a while (next July to be precise) so keep an eye out for updates on the stars. 

And because I'm totally proud of this photo, I'm sharing it. Wookie's hair gets lighter every year and though it makes me sad my black haired babe is slowly morphing into a blondie, the highlights are truly spectacular.

Progress

Right now, I'm in the midst of several big projects and a few smaller projects that are meant for Christmas so sharing is off limits. Most work is getting done once kiddos are in bed, at that point the sun is long gone, and the heater is purring noisily. The sound of the sewing machine is soothing and the rhythm of my hooks comforting. There's a lot up in the air at the moment, but instead of getting anxious and crazy, as I have a tendency to do, I'm focusing on this season. This wonderful, magical, spiritual season.

I love that Thanksgiving feeds right into Christmas that feeds into the (shiny) new year, and I'm working diligently to remember all the things I am grateful for and all the things I need to work on. We constructed our Thankful tree over the course of November and it continues to hang in the kitchen near the table, serving as a reminder for all the things, temporal and spiritual, we have as we tuck in to our daily meals. Over the years, I've taken the whole resolutions making ritual quite seriously, but I'm thinking of changing things up a bit.

My hope is to have several finished projects to share in the coming weeks, though I can't make any promises. I'm also considering adding a more different venture, still along the same vein, for 2015. There are several things I'd like to leave in 2014 and several more I'd like to pick up in the new year and this would be the place to add and share.

Stars blanket

This blanket! Oh, this blanket gave me so much trouble, but I do love it despite harboring varying degrees of ill-will towards the process of making it.

One of my favorite songs (almost of all time) is "Stars" from the musical Les Miserables, especially the verses: "Stars / In your multitude / Scarce to be counted / Filling the darkness / With order and light/ You are the sentinels / Silent and sure/ Keeping watch in the night / You know your place in the sky / You hold your course and your aim / And each in your seasons returns and returns / And is always the same." I find it so reassuring. Stars are constant, sailors used them to navigate, that's how reliable they are. (This blog seems to be a whole slew of metaphors that I like rose, toast, stars: check.)

When I saw this fabric at Jones and Vandermeer, I felt compelled to have some to make a blanket. I ended up purchasing a meter (about a yard) thinking that I would create a whole-cloth quilt requiring zero cutting (because you can't just cut into Liberty fabric).

I bought a yard of minky for the backing in light gray and added a layer of batting to fill it up a bit. The Liberty is so very light and airy it needed a bit of weight.  

Being very much aware of how much I love this fabric based on my love for the song I was very cautious and spent a lot of time looking at the fabric with no desire to really get started. Perhaps the apprehension is what led to all the trouble. I began by pinning all the layers together in a quilt sandwich. Nerves, I'll blame the nerves, led to piecing the sandwich together wrong, a feature that wasn't noticed until all the layers had been sewn together. Out came the seam ripper! Ripping on Liberty is gutting. Absolutely heart-wrenching. I almost quit right then and there and put away my sewing machine for good. But it wasn't the machine's fault:

And the whole process began again. A task that I had imagined taking only a few hours ended up taking most of the day, but I did finish and do love how it turned out and think that it pays homage to my love of "Stars" very well.

Rocket man space quilt

Otherwise known as the easiest quilt ever.

After finishing the two quilts for the girls, I felt it only necessary to make a quilt for Little Man. I wanted something that wasn't too technically challenging after reeling a bit from matching up squares for Nins' quilt, so I took the easiest route I could find. I took half a yard of each fabric (5 in total) and cut them into strips. I wanted to showcase the fun comic looking fabric and the astronomical map so they were four inches in width while the others were cut at two inches

Did a bit of "fancy" quilting and stitched a quarter inch between the fabric (instead of in the ditch as I had with the other two) creating just a bit of texture.

I followed a great tutorial from Wild Olive that showed how to bind using a running stitch (also if you get a chance to look around, her site is absolutely fabulous and full of super projects. I'm currently in her 50 States Stitching Club, which I'll be sharing more about later).

As for the backing, I used (can you guess?) a sheet that we had on hand, am I predictable or what? This quilt was so easy to put together and took me less than a week from start to finish. I might just get the hang of this sewing thing after all (but I won't be turning in my hooks any time soon).

Wee Wander quilts

I first heard about the Wee Wander Collection by Sarah Jane Studios way back in Spring and was immediately smitten. The horse fabrics were enough to convince me that I needed to get my hands on some for one little horse lover currently residing in my house. In addition, the bright colors and other playful characters (there are fireflies and teeny footprints for goodness sake) made the purchase obviously necessary. 

I searched locally and came up with naught. I searched the internet and couldn't quite find what I was looking for, until I stumbled upon an Etsy vendor who was selling all 21 prints in a fat quarter bundle: perfect. I got both sets of the collection: Twilight and Sunrise. I love how these two seemingly different (at least to me) colors blend so well together.

Initially, I was hesitant to cut into the fabric. It looked so perfect just as it was and I was afraid I would somehow ruin it.  But I knew that I couldn't justify purchasing the fabric without actually doing something to it so I began the process of finding out what type of quilt I wanted to make.

My sewing machine and I are still getting to know each other and I am very much a beginner when it comes to machine sewing so I wanted to do something that wasn't too technical. I settled on a subway tile inspired design making the rectangles 7 1/2 inches by 4 1/2 inches.  This size was long enough and wide enough to avoid fussy cutting but still keep the integrity of the larger prints (and without chopping off too many animal heads).

One of the highlights for my little Wookie (the intended recipient) is that one of the animals featured is a little bunny that bears a striking resemblance to her Cuniculus (rabbit in Latin, Husband's a Classicist, what can I say? and yes, she almost pronounces it correctly).

Once cut into tiles, I organized the rows in a sort of ombre inspired fashion starting with the darker blues and turquoises fading into the white and back out with the oranges and pinks. For the backing I used a white sheet that we had on hand and made the binding from some of the leftover scraps.

I had quite a bit of leftover "scraps" and figured I had enough to possibly make another (smaller) blanket for Nins. When gathered together most of the scraps were about 4 inch squares so I cut them all to the same size and started chain-piecing. I chose to use a no-binding method for this quilt, partly because I didn't have enough fabric and partly for trying something new. For the backing, I used (yet) another sheet.

I love how both these blankets turned out and am excited to use my sewing machine for more quilty projects in the future.