I’ve been on a craftsy kick. It started out as an attempt to use up pretty scraps I had laying around, but then I took a look into quilting and uh, obviously that ended with me buying more fabric instead of using up scraps. So I’m not sure the fabric flow has been negative the last couple of months, but it might be holding kinda steady. Maybe…
Here are some photos of stuff I’ve been working on and photos of the ongoing house re-org.
So this is my first ever quilt completely finished! I found the tutorial online at Moda Bake Shop and the charm pack (the colored squares) were from Fat Quarter Shop. It didn’t actually cost a lot in terms of money to make, but it was really time-consuming. I dunno how people do adult sized quilts… I clearly do not have the patience for it. This is just a baby quilt and I was just like “raaaargh, are we done yet?!” by the end. ^^;
I had been hoping to be able to pay a local quilting shop to quilt it for me after I finished piecing the top layer, but apparently the prairie points (the little triangle tabs that stick out) make it a very manual job that would cost a lot. They told me it would be better for me to quilt it myself, so I ended up learning the whole entire quilting process from beginning to end.
Here’s the adorable fabric I picked for the back. It looked so nice before I ran the quilt through the wash and the flannel pilled. ;_;
Apparently I’m supposed to use high quality flannels from a quilting shop and wash with vinegar next time. Joanns flannel is not recommended. Too bad cause they have such cute prints. .. ah well, next time I know better.
Yesterday, I made a wine tote using this tutorial. I plan to use it to carry my tea thermos around because the thermos doesn’t have a handle, and I’m finding it aggravating to try to juggle my thermos, breakfast, purse and work papers on the way to the office.
I really like the end product but the tutorial instructions could use a good proof-read. She made some mistakes in her instructions when referring to things. It’s not like you can’t figure out what she meant, but it took me a couple readings to sort it out. I also think her steps are rather inefficient, and I came up with a faster way to sew the handle section. Maybe I’ll write up another post with my edits to the pattern…
Isn’t the fabric pretty? The wine tote was made completely from fabric scraps Aimee gave me years ago.
Here’s a shot of the inside fabric, which is also really pretty!
The tutorial actually has you just zigzagging the inside seams to finish them off and I didn’t like that. Unfinished seams kinda drive me crazy so I decided to do bias bound seams.
I just grabbed whatever bias tape I had laying around. I can’t remember what I used this weird shade of green for but I had a lot of it.
Bias binding the base was kind of a PITA but I managed it!
So an unexpected side effect of of me checking out quilting shops is that I ended up with a bunch of cute patterns for random craftsy things you can do with quilting fabric.
For example this sewing organizer doodad by Atkinson Designs.
This organizer was such a PITA to make but it’s pretty damn awesome. Lots of pockets and room to hold everything you need to be mobile!
Another gorgeous scrap I got from Aimee finally getting used.
I also picked up this pattern for making fabric boxes. Ok yeah, I really didn’t need this pattern but how cute are those boxes?!
I made a fabric box out of my never ending supply of lime fabric.
It’s supposed to be an organizer with all these pockets inside…
But I’m using it for my fabric scraps.
And in between sewing, I’ve been slowly cleaning the house as we re-organize. This is our new “study”. Formerly known as the dining room. LOL
Yes. Those are glass chair mats you are seeing on the ground. @_@
Marcus is a bit of a research freak and when he started looking into getting new chair mats, he discovered that nothing was going to work well on our high pile carpet except for glass mats and he actually found a place that sells them. They’re quite nice although you have to be gentle when rolling your chair or you’ll go flying and roll right off the mat. LOL
And here’s my new sewing area. It works ok for the most part. Serging is kinda difficult because I have to be careful not to put my chair into the cat water fountain. =D
And the only space I have for supplies.
Which is why everything else is in the garage now…
I had a friend ask why I can’t keep my thread in “a box” on my sewing table. LOL. Clearly he did not understand the magnitude of my sewing supplies.
And all the fabrics bins went into the garage as well.
I decided to go with fabric organizers to sort out my fabric. They’re not as efficient space-wise as just stacking fabric into bins, but it’s amazingly easy for me to find stuff now. I no longer have to upend entire bins to find something, which is nice because who wants to do that while standing in the garage? =P
And to make life easier for myself, I measured each piece as I was wrapping it onto a board and added a note of how much yardage there was.
I still have to go through and clean out some wigs and costumes, but I’m almost done organizing the house! The end is in sight!
