selfish quilting
well i had a minute during the daylight to photograph the quilt blocks I pieced together the other night....
This was my first time working with the log cabin pattern... I read most of the book before buying the fabrics but seem to have missed the line about not using too dark of a color for the "3rd light" for it distracts the pattern....oops! That would be the dark green on the outside. my bad. but i still like it. after finishing the blocks i could see that it would have looked better with a lighter color there, but once I laid out the blocks the way they they'll be for the quilt top, I like it just the way it is :) With a baby quilt with only 9 blocks there's not many layout options.... I guess I can see with some of the large quilt layouts where the darker color in that spot could be distracting to the pattern created by the blocks. I haven't even begun to quilt it yet, but already I'm feeling selfish and wishing I could keep this quilt for myself. This would be silly, since I'm designing it for my cousin's baby and it would completely clash with everything in our house. But it's my first attempt at "professional" quilting so I'm growing attached :) I've been reading lots of quilting and crafting blogs lately and keep glancing over at my fabric stash saying to myself, yeah i can see lots of quilts coming out of there, what a great way to use up a bunch of those fabrics that I'm currently finding no use for.... So I have a feeling this will be the first of many quilts for me. Maybe the first out of beautiful quilt shop designer fabrics, but I know more of those will come too.
I also sitched up some kiddo skirts.... spring it quickly approaching and with that comes the first festival of the season, Merlefest. Last year we did really well vending there, even with my incessant procrastination. So this year I"m determined to take full advantage of this opportunity, lay off the procrastination for a bit, and get some stock built up! Children's clothing was a big seller for us last year so I'm making sure I have a decent amount of that.... not too much of course b/c then that would curse me and it would be the worst seller this year!
This is my idea of "mass production" of handmade clothing! I had just enough fabric to get two of these skirt made, switching up the applique work to keep each piece one of a kind. These fit a range of about 2T to 4T. I love making children's clothing for two reasons, well three. first, they're super cute! second, most of the items I do are quick, so I can get a few made up and feel like I accomplished alot in a day. and third, I get to use bright, fun prints that I tend to stay away from when making adult clothing. So I'm feeling pretty good so far about getting ready for Merlefest. I think my "crafting with a purpose" enlightenment the other day has helped stay focused, which is definitely a good thing. Without a doubt I could use more focus, but I'm working on it, even if they're baby steps, hehe :)
Since I don't have any little ones running around yet, my lovely head model Moxie models the kids skirts. Say hello to Moxie...
Moxie is a mannequin head I scored at my old job at the photography studio. She sat around collecting dust for the 7 years I worked there, and finally I asked if I could take her home to model my crocheted hats that I make.
I'm not quite sure what her purpose was in the past, but judging from her makeup job I'm guessing her prime was sometime in the 80s. I thought of repainting her but I've grown to like her just how she is. I had visions of piercing her ears when I started making earrings, but then when I went to do it I realized she doesn't have ears :)
Well I just wanted to share some of my current projects and some old ones too. I had a freezing cold day at the day job today.... days like today I think of contacting that show Dirty Jobs and seeing if they'll come tape my day.... we were doing a "dig and dump" at an old gas station today. Being the environmental geologist on the site, we pretty much stand around and give orders to where to dig and when to stop, collect some samples, and do some surveying. But what a mess. this gas station was really badly contaminated, the minute I stepped out of my car I thought I was going to get an instant contact high from breathing in gas fumes pouring out of the hole we were digging. and this isn't a little hole, this was about a 20 foot by 30 foot by 7 foot deep hole, filled with gas and oil oozing dirt. It's amazing what you find at some of these places! Anyways, off to make some dinner :)
Comments
I'm going to have to find me a Moxie!
Screw them and their rules! Put fabric where ya want it!
Breakin' the law. . . breakin the law!!!!