4 posts from January 2009

A LONG time ago, I posted pics of the fabric I was going to use to make my crazy nine patch quilt, inspired by the one I loved so much on Allsorts. I even finished the squares, thanks to a tutorial she posted, which you can find here if you're curious.

After I finished the blocks, I put them all away and haven't picked them up since. See, those colors - the pink-yellow-brown combo - were the ones that I had originally picked out to redo our living room, and that quilt was going to sit on the back of the couch near the drafty window. Then after the squares were done, I found some new inspiration and started working toward the red-pink-white-robin's egg blue color scheme instead. Then I had no idea what to do with my squares, so they were abandoned.

BUT! I got my sewing machine serviced, and now I'm all excited about sewing again. Plus, I'm working on cleaning and organizing the craft room, which is kind of forcing me to finish some half-done projects. It's all very exciting!

So I'm back to the crazy 9-patch quilt again. I was thinking that the darker pinks in the squares match my bedroom walls, and that I do have an awful lot of them (and they're pretty large), so maybe I'd make a quilt for my bed. I have clearly lost my mind. I've only ever made 2 simple crib quilts in my entire life, but here I am planning out a queen sized quilt.

I mentioned that I've made some resolutions to get my life back in order a bit this year, but that got me thinking about crafting specifically and what kind of goals I might have.

I think I'm going to try to knit one pair of socks a month all year. I'm not going to make it a huge deadline type thing, because (besides at the holidays) knitting is supposed to be relaxing. But I'm going to have socks on the needles at all times, and try to build up my sock stash. I got a pair of super cute maryjane's for Christmas specifically for showing off the fun socks I've made, but in reality I only have a few pairs and they're all starting to get a bit fuzzy and worn. I need a few more so I can rotate. In fact, I'd love to be able to get rid of all the other socks in my drawer and only ever wear handknit socks...except to the gym, cause who wants to knit amazing socks and then ruin them on the eliptical?

Anyway, I'm working on a pair of Fred & George socks right now, kind of. I'm actually using The Yarn Harlot's generic sock pattern, and doing a top down sock with a heel flap, but I'm doing stripes and the reverse heel/toe/cuff part. I'm abut 75% done with the first sock and so far, so good. :)

Also, if I could make some pie-in-the-sky goals, I'd like to get better about taking (and posting) pictures of the things that I make. And I'd also like to spin enough yarn to knit a sweater. Both of those are unlikely, but a girl can dream.

I finally took my sewing machine in today to have the tension/timing problem taken care of. Sadly, the tune-up costs around $70, and he said it might be more if it needs any replacement parts or anything. That's way more than I was expecting. An oil change on my car only costs $30! Bummer.

I'm excited to finally have it back and working right though. 7-10 days. Which of course makes me want to sew really badly right now. Stupid waiting.

Wow, I just noticed that I haven't made a post here in the ol' craft blog since the end of October. I still read everyone else's posts nearly ever day, but I just haven't had much to talk about. I barely made anything for Christmas. Just a iPod cozy for the Cranky Teenager and some stockings for my sister's kids. I didn't even send out cards this year because I didn't have time to make any.

Anyway, my big resolution for this year is organization. Everywhere. The whole house is tidy, but there are lots of little nooks where things get stashed. Like that Buffy board game that I bought. Funny yes, but we played it once and it was not that great, yet here it is shoved in the coat closet years later. I need to make room for all the goodness and get rid of all the clutter.

This applies to crafting as well, because I've started my cleaning spree in the craft room. My sewing desk was piled so high with knitting projects and pictures to be framed, and spare rolls of ribbon that I didn't have any room to sew. My yarn was all spread out in different spots so I never really knew what I had to work with. SO right now I'm working on getting everything back in order, and then I'll be crafting like a madwoman.

I'm hoping that I can get my sewing machine in for some service soon too. It's got a problem with the tension or timing or something, because no matter what adjustments I make, I can't get correct tension anymore. I got a copy of "Sew What! Skirts" awhile ago and I'm dying to make myself some skirts out of some of this crazy fabric I have stashed (cupcake skirt and ghost skirt are on the top of the list), and I can't do any of it until I get the sewing machine back in top form.

Maybe then I'll have things to post about.