Sweet Garden

Some of these were planted by me, the photos are by the sweetie.

The Lap Quilt

Today I finished something I started a long time ago. I made this lap quilt for a girlfriend.

It was the first quilt I tried making, and I used a kit that had the fabric pre selected from the same series and  bunched together. I stitched it all together dutifully and then did nothing with it, and now I know why. 

I haven't since bought a package. Instead I have found it more satisfying to make my own fabric choices. Since I'm not a sewer, the real creative piece for me lies in cultivating the relationships between the fabrics. Juxtaposing them is the sweetest part and not one I will farm out to someone else. Unless, it's Amy Butler. She's got moves.

 Nonetheless, this quilt has been lurking around my studio for a long time looking for a home. And then, it became clear where it should go. It's amazing how much better I've gotten since I started this sewing thing. Though I am still super slap-dash, I found myself requilting a lot of this and restitching after a wash revealed some holes.

 I find myself reflecting on the beginning and the end of this quilt. And again, I am struck by how quilting, is not unlike journal writing or meditation. The time it takes really creates the pause for reflection and I am reminded of how much happens between the stitches in life.

I'm glad it's found a home.

Toque Obsession

Well, I made another.

This isn't my silk screen. I liberated it from a scarf I bought from a local designer. I think her company is called Alchemy. I just wasn't feeling the scarf, and since I'm toque obsessed. THIS type of toque, I revamped it. It's a much better deeper chocolate brown than the photo would relay. Mostly I needed something to do while I went mental waiting to hear how my friend was doing delivering TWINS. She rocked, maybe I'll have to make wee versions for the new girls in the friend hood.

A Little Embellishment

Just saw the Informant, that was a lot of embellishment

Shower gifts for Sam

I'm getting these down. Super absorbant, great fit, quick and easy attachments.

Chillax

Yipee!! False alarm.

Ever have that thing where your computer crashes and you do all the right things to remedy the situation?

You turn it off, reboot and still all is lost.

Then, in total surrender you walk away defeated and broken, only to find the next morning that everything is working fine?

My sewing machine is half computer and clearly it also demonstrates this bizarre behaviour.

This morning everything was fine. And so...

I made a bean bag cube chair. I've been trying to use up my quilting squares without quilting. This is super cozy and fun to kick around. I'm sure it will explore in a flurry when Pu and Nu are 6 and 8, but for now it's wicked.

Earl likes it.

I guess technically Earl is a rooster, not a hen. He's definately cock of the play room walk.

Organized Disaster

Today my creative act was to continue to organize my studio as it morphs from a painting space into a sewing one.

Who knew that sewing required so much gluttonous finding and hording of fabric? Thank the stars that the mighty Tick watches over my wares and keeps all the thread safe. That's about what he can handle.

Then my fun friend came by and gifted me with two super cute fabrics, that I can't wait to use. Alas...

 

I continued my quest to rehaul our napkin supply in various black and white motifs...

And then true sorrow. I broke my machine. I've never done this before, but it's very angry. The reverse button won't. The thread length won't change and the stiches are drunk. My machine is computerized so I'm worried the repairs will be more than the machine. 

Duh duh duh.

No more sewing for a while I guess. BOO!! I will regale you with tales of go or woe as they develop.

Bagged a zipper

I did it. I installed my first zipper, my first without a teacher holding my hand.

 And, I did a terrible job. I had two, not one, but two sets of instructions to work from. Then I added a third when none of them made sense. Then I threw them in the air and did it intuitively. It's done, but it's not pretty. So, I made a lined bag. A first attempt. Next one will be prettier and hopefully better made. Nonetheless, a first step.

Then I made another marker roll which, I also messed up again. I guess practice...I'm trying to sort out a pattern so it can be a crayon roll, pip-squeak or full-on marker roll and grow with the kid. It still holds paper and stickers, because who grows out of that? On this one I added a custom label.

I like the wonky messy stitching and fraying material, but my guess is a kid won't. Or, maybe they won't care at all.

Burp Cloths

These were made with Prefolds so they are super absorbant. A little bit of decorative stitching on the ends to finish them up.

Chicken Lovah

Here is Earl, in all his henny glory. 

Here is Earl with his lady-friend, the original model

I think he'd like to get busy, but he looks a little stressed. I think he'll chill out over time.

The Progression of Hen

Here comes Hen- who's secret identity may be Earl...uh oh, so much for the secret.

Hen is slowly developing. I think Hen is a he. I'm using Pu's Three Sprouts Chicken as the pattern and working from that. Next is stuffing him and attaching the feet. I've been warned only to open the stuffing in a bathtub and assured that I will have foam chips in my eyebrows when I'm finished. I'm doing weird things these days.

The Apron Upgrade

This was a half apron and what can I say, I'm a dirty girl.

So, I stole some extra corduroy from aforementioned future chicken companion and built a top. Yeah.

Flags & Frankenfeet

Today I made some colouful flags for Pu and Nu's playroom. I made a mini version for the dollhouse too. Fun. Weird. Easy.

However, most of my crafting time today was spent trying to reproduce chicken feet. Umm, yes, chicken feet. My next project is to build a bean bag companion to "Chicken" a kid sized bean bag Hen that Pu has. Nu may need a seat all her own one day, so I figured the bird bags should begin to build their unholy alliance sooner rather than later. The feet were way harder than expected and I finally gave up and decided to create a backstory why this new addition will have such bizarre feet rather than work on them anymore.

Can't say the crystal ball foretold me sweating it out over chicken feet.

You're looking at feet, wings and whatever that thing is called that sits on their head.  

Bowl Head

Ahhaa! Mildly triumphant. Finished my "bowl" which in fact is the perfect fit for a most excellent hat. So the question...to felt it into a bowl or march around with a bowl on my head...only you fair reader would be the wiser.

Also finished another change pad for the Yacker it's reversable but that begs the questions, once there was yack on something, why would you want to reverse it? Also liberated some of my favorite socks and turned them into arm warmers. Then, finished another crayon roll. Prettier, but the design still needs work.

This is really the crowing jewel this week. Spring is here. And, our garden is perking up. I can't claim this snowdrop as my personal act of creativity for today, but I did plant it long ago and it stands as a quiet reminder of past seeds sewn.

Ch-Ch-Changes

I finished the new change pad/ drop cloth/ hazmat protection layer for the Yack-isoba

These are all prewash so the threads will disappear as the material shrinks up a bit.

It's lined with nylon, which I can't sew without slipping. I finished this too late so I  made some tactical errors, but it's to catch from both ends, so how pretty does it need to be? I also finished some name tags that I've hand stamped on twill tape. I'm going to rebrand (ha) my old website which has such an impenetrable address that I can't even remember it. I'm looking at galenmadethis or galenmade or madebygalen any votes recommendations?