Things to Love

While my favorite person was here I had a chance to shop for her and myself at a Japanese store. This is what I ended up buying for me, which confirms I am totally addicted to cute now.

I am also a sucker for all things Japanese made of paper, but this stationery set was especially adorable.

She got cold one night while we were out (she's been living in the tropics for 18 months) so I bought this Spirited Away inspired sweater jacket for her to wear. Since she doesn't need it in the islands I'll wear it for the rest of winter, and relive some happy memories while I'm at it.

Gardens

Back when she was still living with us my favorite person volunteered at the local zoo, where among other things she helped build some small gardens.

We went back to visit the zoo, and her gardens were still there, so I took some photos of her with them.

Imagine what a world we'd have if all we left behind us were gardens.

Label Project

Last month I decided to try making a pattern I found on the back of a Red Heart Super Saver skein label (say that three times fast.) I've never done that, but I figured I can read patterns well enough to manage. Also, the picture of the project on the front of the label was so tiny I really couldn't make out any details, so I had no idea what it would really look like. That adds an element of fun.

It took me only two nights to make two of the pattern, which are these double-soled slippers. I made a few mistakes, but I'm happy I was able to finish them reasonably well.

I made the medium size of the slippers, but they're a bit tight on my duck feet. I might make a large size pair to see if they fit better.

The Accidentally Thrifted Art Quilt Part Two

When I unpacked the third and final quilt from the $9.99 lot of three I thrifted, I knew immediately that someone had put a lot of love and work into it. I've seen art quilts like this at shows, but never at a thrift store. Talented makers like the one who designed and stitched at this level sell the work for big bucks. Since it didn't have a label, however, the name of the maker will remain a mystery.

There's a theme here, too, although I'm too dense to guess what it is. Maybe something Darwinian. Anyway, each element like big game hunter Sunbonnet Sue here is utterly charming.

The Picasssoesque cow and pig made me laugh out loud.

All the beads attached to the quilt are high quality glass, and the piecing is expert. The hand embroidery, while simple, adds so much to the piece, too.

The applique work is also expert level. I should feel guilty for what I paid for it, and I do (just a little. This quilt is worth twenty times what I paid for the lot) but that is part of the fun of thrifting. You never know what you're going to find.

I hung the quilt in my office where I can see it when I'm working, so it can inspire me. I'll treasure it forever, too.

The Accidentally Thrifted Art Quilt Part One

I needed a couple of small quilts to use in my home office, so I thrifted a lot of three last month from ShopGoodwill.com. No one challenged my bid, so I won the lot for $9.99. From the moment I opened the box I had the sense I'd gotten a lot more than I bargained for.

This geometric quilt is cleverly pieced; no way could I have matched up all those seam lines.

This baby quilt is really bright and charming, too. Then I unfolded the third quilt, and things started to get a little weird.

The last quilt was an art quilt, with hand embroidery, beading, and amazing patchwork, for which I basically paid three bucks and change. Stop in tomorrow to hear more about it in Part Two.

My Vacation

While on vacation I did quite a bit, including walking ten miles in one day while visiting some old friends.

I made some new friends there, too.

I got to see art on canvas, faces and even the sidewalk.

There were moments that I'll never forget, including this one. Mostly I spent my time with the people I love, which is never time wasted. So, as vacations go, mine was lovely. :)

Done & Vacation

This was the last pic I took of our old kitchen before we had the counters replaced and installed new tile for the walls. I've been cooking in this room for 19 years, and I was not sorry to see the shiny white bathroom tile counters and backsplash that we inherited from the previous owners finally go.

Here's the new kitchen. We started the renovation on December 7th and finished it on January 14th. My guy did all the tile work himself. It was really tough to live without my kitchen for five weeks, but definitely worth it.

I chose the quartz for the counters and the natural stone for the tiles because the colors reminded me of the beach sand where I grew up, and showcase our beautiful wood cabinets. My guy and I have waited a long time for this, and we're very happy with the results. I've uploaded a few more photos to an album here if you want to see the process from start to finish.

I'm unplugging for a week to spend time with my favorite molecular biologist, who is visiting this week, so there won't be any new posts until 1/26. See you later.

The Not So Ugly Christmas Sweater

For my Fabscrap Ugly Christmas Sweater Project last month I thrifted this fleecy hoodie so I could save the sample sweater that came with the kit.

The kit also included these scraps, pins and some heat and bond. Since I liked the hoodie almost as much as the sample sweater I decided to do something other than what Fabscrap intended but that still would result in a Christmas-themed sweater.

First I used the heat and bond to make a wreath shape out of the black and gold flashy synthetic and a scrap of black and gray quilting cotton from my stash, and then I got out my 1-1/2" yoyo maker and started making yoyos out of the two green fabrics.

In the center of the yoyos I sewed pearls leftover from my pearl trees project.

I then sewed the yoyos to the wreath shape.

The final touch was adding a bow of pearls I harvested from an old barrette to the wreath.

Here's what the hoodie looked with with the wreath covering the word Maine on the front. I pinned it rather than sewed it to the hoodie so I could remove it and use my not so ugly Christmas sweater after the holidays. The wreath will become a decoration for my sewing room during the holidays. :)

Too Pretty

Last month in my Fabscrap order I receieved this sample knit sweater in their Make Your Own Ugly Christmas Sweater kit. The sweater was my size, only I thought it was too pretty to trash up with a lot of Christmas junk, so I decided to thrift a replacement and instead repair and wear this one.

These are all the tape, tags and safety pins I removed from the sample sweater (one is in Chinese.) They make me think this sweater design was probably changed a lot, so mine is likely one of a kind.

I sewed up a couple of small holes, hemmed the sleeves to fit my arms, and then because it was a bit short for me I decided to add a bit of crochet to the bottom to lengthen it (using thrifted yarn, of course.)

I could have tried to loom knit a piece I could add to the bottom, but honestly I'm still learning how to loom so crocheting it was faster.

The sweater came out nice enough to wear, so I'm happy with it.

UFO

My first quilting project for 2024 is going to be finishing this UFO, a crazy double wedding ring quilt I started but had to set aside when I went through vision problems some years ago. I purchased the vintage quilt top long ago because it is without a doubt the craziest double wedding ring quilt patchwork I've ever seen.

It needs to be repaired in a few spots before I finish the hand quilting I started. Since I won't be able to quilt by hand much longer I thought it was high time I finished it.

Wish me luck. :)

Seeing 2023

At the end of every year I like to look back at what I've accomplished over the last twelve months (I'm running a little late on this, obviously.) Seeing what I've made this past year is fun as usual, but it's also shown me that I've made it a habit now to step outside my comfort zone. The art prompts I did way back in January set that tone for 2023, I think.

Recycling and upcycling was always on my mind, as was my resolution not to buy new if I could instead thrift it. 2023 brought me new resources and taught me that you don't have to spend a lot of money to get nice materials for your projects.

The last twelve months taught me more about my increasing limitations, especially with hand work. Making this kit wasn't easy, but it remains one of my favorite projects of the year.

I maxed out on sample garments to upcycle and repair (I still have a pile to work on) but I had fun finishing this lacy tunic.

Making a little quilt out of some gifted crazy blocks helped me remember Mom in a productive way.

While making these UFO Dresden plate patchwork pieces into pillows for my office sofa I had trigger finger set in on both hands, but eventually I found splints to help with that.

I kept up with my art quilting, and finished some interesting larger projects.

I also stopped trying to control everything. Making this quilt from a pound of thrifted clothing fabric chosen by someone else was definitely a blast.

I didn't make a lot of bags in 2023, but the few I did made me happy.

Working with fabric I'd thrifted to make things like this project bag always gave me a sense of satisfaction, too. One less yard going to the landfill . . . .

Another of my favorite thrifts: this little folding tray, which I use as an editing desk.

I did a lot of lot buying, often via auctions online. One of my favorite thrifted wins from this year was the collection of quilt kits that I've been making into things like this bread cover/table pad.

I even tried diamond painting again, and it didn't kill me.

Neither did cross stitch.

My one major accomplishment for 2023 was finishing the recycled linen quilt I started in 2022. For this one I used only scrap linen for the patchwork, and hand embroidery for the quilting and embellishing. Designing this and making it by hand with slow stitch allowed me to feel a strong connection to the past, and all the makers who came before me and machines.

Toward the end of the year I started crocheting again, and found it was good exercise for my stiff fingers.

I also found a way to knit again using a loom.

I came up with a way to recycle old faux pearl bracelets and necklaces to make pretty Christmas trees.

I also learned how to make amigurumi creatures with crochet.

I'm proud that I thrifted almost everything I needed for my quilting, textile and yarn projects this year, but I also discovered some real gems mixed in with the faux. This gorgeous art quilt, for example, came from a lot of three small quilts I won for a bid of $9.99.

Likewise no one challenged me for this adorable original watercolor that I bid $14.95 on in hopes of winning it as new art for my home office. It was painted by a pro who once worked in the film industry, but it's the quilt show it depicts and the beautiful colors that drew me.

I also learned to check everything I thrifted carefully and do my research. When I thrifted that seven pounds of faux pearls for my Christmas tree project, I found a couple of real, valuable pieces like this cultured pearl necklace with a 10K gold clasp mixed in the lot.

Finishing the calendar scroll project gave me a great deal of satisfaction, too.

What I think changed for me last year was the sense of joy I get from creating. In years past I've always liked what I've made, but the majority of it was made as a gift or with the intention of making someone else happy, so there was also a fair amount of stress involved. In 2023 I did almost none of that, but simply made things for the sake of making and practicing and learning. I was happier last year than I've been in a long time, and I think that's the reason. I just pleased myself for once, and that made all the difference.