Art, Craft and Needlework, March, 2013

[BookSaver]

March brings
* St. Patrick's Day on the 17th
* Equinox on the 20th (Spring for us in the north, Fall for Lynlee and others in the south)
* Passover on the 26th
* Easter on the 31st

Do any of these events inspire a spark of creativity?

[BookSaver]

I went to a sewing retreat in October and the projects that I took there are still unfinished, packed in the tote bag I used to bring them home.
My sewing machine has not been out of its case in several months.
I have already paid to attend 3-day sewing retreat March 14-16.

This one will be in my sewing group's regular meeting room. We can be there 9 AM to 9 PM, and then leave all our stuff overnight and sleep at home.

I have a piece of pretty floral double-sided pre-quilted fabric that I want to use to make a mat for under the sewing machine. At retreats we sew on plastic folding tables. The machine bounces and that gets really noisy. I'm hoping a mat will help.

I should be able to fold up one side of this fabric to make pockets that will hang over the edge of the table. The hardest parts will be (1) deciding which side of the fabric I like more and (2) finding a piece of coordinating cotton to bind the edges.

I started working with a complicated blouse pattern at the last retreat. This time I want to finish the alterations to it and try to make a wearable top.

[Harriet]

Hi, BookSaver! Just by planning so well, you are running circles around me! Proud of you for signing up for the mid-month fun!

This was ME in September:

If I could do the charity sewing that I'd like, I'd probably make more quilts for Wrap Them In Love Foundation. I'm looking forward to seeing the one I donated coming up in their photographs and am happy knowing that is the extent of their thank-yous. They haven't finished posting 2011 yet. I feel there is a lot of potential for comforting children and teens there. I would probably donate one for a teen next time.

This is me today because I got to see that photograph (among 500-plus others) on their pages of 2012 donations {or at least most of 2012 - they may not be finished for last year). I think they are wise not to try to thank personally, because it would come across as requesting for more, plus take away from their volunteers' time. The photo lets me know they received the quilt in good condition, documented it briefly, and now have it to give away when someone is in need.

I still recommend the pages of quilt photos at Wrap Them In Love Foundation for a happy browse, not because you see any "cutting edge" prize-winning quilts, but to see what quiltmakers in general are making these days, and what they are giving to charity. Even dd likes to look at new pages with me and decide which is the favorite or which is the most practical donation, which one a teen would like, etc.

[ellyphant]

BOOKSAVER and HARRIET, you are inspiring with your sewing and quilting!

My latest bit of creativity involved calligraphy. I used to go to a class for that 30 years ago. Was looking at 2 large frames that I had hanging up with mats and outdated photos. Recycled the mats and used a marker to write inspirational words on the underlying cardboard. So pleased with this. DIdn't know I still had this skill!

[Ivy]

I decided on 2 afghans for Christmas. 1 is for grandson-4 3/4 at Christmastime. It's at:

http://www.redheart.com It's called "Kid's Stripes Throw" - WR1857.

The other one can be found by going to:

http://www.yarncrazy.com it's called "Bearghan." It will be for grandson 2 1/2 at Christmastime.

The baby granddaughter, who will be 11 months old at Christmastime will get "Kitty Blanket" at:

http://www.caron.com I thought it'd be sweet for a baby girl almost 1 year old.

Now, on my list of things "to do" will be to sort through my yarns, to see what I have on hand, what I need to purchase, how much and then get going.

I have 1 pair of potholders and some matching dishcloths to crochet a friend for her birthday for May 6 and I have some dishcloths to crochet for a friend's June birthday, too.

HAPPY CRAFTING EVERYBODY!

[Nancy]

Mom cave time done today! I've been reclaiming it after the chicks went out to the coop feels like it's been all winter but it was actually only a couple of weeks. Any way I've been sewing. I made one of those feed sack totes my machine does not like the feeddogs working with the plastic mesh so had to put fabric with it. Line other feed sacks with fabric so I could have lighter amount of pounds and it reminded me of the flour sacks my granny used to use for stuff when I was a kid! I made a pillow case too.

Have a couple more things to go but will wait a day and try to get them cut out in the a.m. we are supposed to have some rain this week so that will be a great time for it.

I have a shift to cut out for a house dress two of them actually for my next projects. So glad I've been able to try the feed sack tote bags.

Sewing is a nice change from the yarn crafting I've been doing.

I also did a jean backed quilt for the play pen of baby N. that's been coming here.

[Ivy]

I decided to make an afghan, for all 3 of the youngest grands for Christmas, which I've made before, which is 35" x 45". It's from a pattern leaflet, takes 9 oz. for the MC, 2 oz. for three CC and 1 oz. for one CC. I tore through the house like a "tornado" to search through my yarns, and I had enough yarn on hand to crochet all three afghans!

The kids at Christmastime will be 11 months old, 2 1/2, and 4 3/4. They're tiny preemie kids, too, so the size of this particular afghan will be good for them. It'll be a JOY to make them. I'd love to do them early.... if I can and have them all 3 done by Oct. 1. I'll have time from now and over all spring and summer to work on them. It'll be therapeutic.

[BookSaver]

First day of sewing retreat is over.

I didn't get to play with my own fabric as much as I'd hoped, but managed to finish a pretty padded mat to have under the sewing machine. I'm hoping it will cushion some of the noise from sewing on a plastic table at retreat. I also put pockets across the front that hang over the edge of the table as a place to put my seam ripper, small scissors, etc.

I'm not happy with the quality of my sewing on it, but it is finished and functioning. Sometimes that's enough.

Tomorrow I plan to work on a blouse pattern I started at last October's retreat. (Not that it's a difficult pattern. It just wasn't a high priority project.) I'm actually farther ahead on it than I'd remembered, so I'm hoping to finish the first test and see if it fits well enough to do another in prettier fabric.

[BookSaver]

Day 2 of annual spring sewing retreat:
* Pattern analysis and drafting for 3 projects
* Finished test #1 of blouse pattern in ugly fabric, and figured out what I want to change about the way it fits for test #2
* Cut out and started sewing slippers #1

Sewing plans for tomorrow:
1) finish slippers #1
2) cut out and sew slippers #2
3) cut out & start sewing blouse test #2 in nicer fabric
4) cut out purse kit

[BookSaver]

Day 3 of sewing group retreat:
1) finished slippers #1
2) cut out and sewed slippers #2
3) cut out blouse test #2 in nicer fabric but ran out of time for starting to sew it
4) did not even open purse kit

Once again, I did not get to do as much sewing as I'd hoped. Committee members who were supposed to be fixing meals and doing cleanup were somehow MIA when it came time for the work.

Oh well, it was still 3 days surrounded by fabric and friends.