Category Archives: crafting

T-shirt Quilt Mistake and Lesson

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I’d like to offer a haiku about my quiltmaking.

T-shirt quilt
How you challenge me
Time lost from mistakes

In reality, I didn’t lose too much time. It’s not like I have a hard deadline to finish this quilt. Though, I would like to move on to some other projects and stop kvetching about this one. Everything seemed to be going along so well…

… I prepared what I was going to sew, checked the machine and bobbin, made sure I had plenty of thread, and started sewing. What I didn’t do, was double check my layout. In other words, did I connect the right columns together?

First two columns - pay no attention to the crooked graphic

My excitement was short-lived as I realized, “Nooooo, I hooked up the wrong columns! ACK!” I definitely didn’t want to take out the seam ripper. The thought of undoing a seam the length of a large bedspread was not my idea of fun especially when I had taken so much care to sew the straightest line I think I’ve ever done. Ugh. I was so irritated with myself. I stormed upstairs, told my husband what happened, and he so nicely listened to my novice-quilter nonsensical ranting. Then I calmed down and thought, I’ll figure it out. I always do.

Lessons Learned (so far)

  • Make plans: Make your gameplan, have something to follow. At least you have a starting point and a goal.
  • Follow plans: I don’t have loads of uninterrupted time, but step-by-step, I was making progress.
  • Be ready to “call an audible” and accept the change: You know, make a last minute change or decision. Okay, so I’ve used a football analogy. (I guess my husband’s football obsession has taught me a few things.) So, if the plans somehow don’t work out, sometimes it’s just better make new plans. In this case, I swapped locations for columns 2 and 3, then 5 and 6. I wanted columns 1 and 7 to stay in the same place due to t-shirt sizes.

I’d like to think I’m a little less wound-up than I used to be, because, if I was doing this maybe 5-10 years ago… I would be taking that seam ripper and starting over. I’d be cursing, and beating myself up for a fairly insignificant mistake. It’s a t-shirt quilt after all. This might be one of the more forgiving projects I’ve undertaken. Tell me there are quilters out there who just make lemonade out of lemons, so to speak.

New t-shirt quilt layout

Why am I sharing this? Because in a way, it’s like everyday life, right? You make plans, you think you know where you’re going, but then boom! You get sidetracked (by something significant or not) and you have to either compromise your plans or improvise new ones.

*sigh* Who knew hobbies could be so deep?

UPDATE ** I forgot to mention that there is a great crafty giveaway at Craft Critique! Open until October 10! **

To Do Around Town this Weekend

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There’s so much I could do IN my house… so much I’d like to do OUT of my house. How do you choose?! Fortunately, some of these “things-to-do” are in town for a while.

Tonight, have fun with make-and-takes at Chicago Craft Social.

I SO want to see Jim Henson’s Fantastic World at the Museum of Science and Industry! I don’t mind admitting I’m a big Muppets fan, and love the Jim Henson empire. I remember when he passed away, and feeling like a part of my childhood went too. The exhibit runs from Sept. 24 (today!) through January 23, 2011.

If you’re around Millenium Park, this gastronomic event might be something to check out. Chicago Gourmet runs Sept. 25-26. Food. Wine. Tastings. Celebrity chef demos. Wheee!!! It would certainly be delicious and fun for me, and what I’d give to meet Rick Bayless. Don’t know what I’d say to him, but I’d love a chance.

There’s a jazz festival in Hyde Park this weekend, too, and closer to home, the Polish Art Festival in Park Ridge.

Acorns and Projects

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We’ve lived in our home for four years this summer and never have we seen or heard so many acorns falling from the red oak that lives just off our patio. I have no idea why it’s happening this summer, maybe because we had it pruned last winter? Maybe it’s the weather? Our daughter’s room is also on that side of the house, and she woke up this morning startled from the knocking sounds. The patio has shards of split acorns, fragments of acorn tops and toppled potted plants from the squirrels. I bet it’s one reason our little woodland friends have left our vegetable garden alone this late in the season, too.

Almost every morning, I’ve gone outside to assess the garden, the lawn and landscaping and after walking around bits of acorn shells get embedded in my flip flops. But, now and again, I find whole acorns and of course, I pocket them. It reminds me of picking and collecting pine cones everywhere I went. (Heck, I do that now with the kids when we’re at the park.) I’m fascinated with the little acorn shapes, and more curious about what I might do with them. Right now, they’re sitting on our dining room buffet. But maybe…

…maybe I’ll turn them into something later this Fall.

Nature Craft – Acorn Fairies at Blissfully Domestic

Harvest Napkin Ties at Martha Stewart

Something similar to this Acorn Necklace at Heather Donohue Crafts

Checking out Upcoming Craft Shows

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I’m going through some major writer’s cramp lately. Maybe it’s the start of school, maybe it’s me overextending myself, as usual, or maybe it’s Typical-Me expecting to write earth-shattering, life-changing posts all the time. Could be topic overload too. Could be burn-out or fallout from attending the Craft and Hobby Association Trade Show. Everywhere I turned, incredible displays were in my face.

Display for Prima Products

Tell you what, I have a backlog including a couple of craft locations and restaurant visits. I just haven’t felt the initial inspirational spark to start writing. Look at that journal I saw from CHA… I’m pretty sure that was a Donna Downey sample. So beautiful. Talk about inspired writing… sheesh.

Before the school year and activities completely swallow me up, and before I get even further behind, I wanted to share these events to anyone interested out there!

  • Coming to Chicago in September Renegade Craft Fair
  • Also in September, Craft Social. While not a craft show per se, it’s a blast of an evening with make-and-take projects, light eats and lots of friendly faces. Check out the social from last spring.
  • Urban Craft Uprising is out in the Pacific Northwest and is taking applications for their Winter show. I visited the Summer show while I was in Seattle.
  • Keep a lookout for Indie Jubilee next year… I missed their inaugural show this past summer while I was away.

T-Shirt Quilt in Progress

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I’m happy to report, some significant progress has been made on the quilt over the last week. With the quilt taking shape, I was starting to ask myself, why did I start with this project? Couldn’t I have started with a smaller quilt? I suppose my “starter” projects were the craft aprons I made almost two years ago, or the baby blankets I’ve sewn now and again.

Last week, I got over the “still-cutting-fabric” hump, and am piecing the shirts and borders together now. I’ll have to return to the cutting mat later this week (hopefully) for the sashes between the columns. I picked a “coal grey” Kona cotton as the border – good neutral with the rainbow field of colors.

Now I feel like I’m in the “I’m-almost-there” or “Am-I-going-to-get-through-this” stage? (Do a lot of quilters/DIY-ers go through this?) And it’s not like I’m NOT enjoying myself. I actually love the listening to the sewing machine late at night, or when the kids are playing with each other. There’s this peaceful, rhythmic drone, except for when I busted the sewing needle one time because I didn’t take out the pins as I was sewing (which I normally do). It was an awful THUNK sort of sound, but just a small delay changing out the needle and I was up and running again.

It’s just that this project has been in the making for a long time. I’m learning to be patient with myself especially when I have to get friendly with my seam ripper. Thank goodness, it’s only happened three times so far.

Reporting from Craft & Hobby Association Summer Show 2010

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There’s something to be said about freelance writing for Craft Critique. Not only am I able to see what’s up and coming in terms of crafting products, but I’m surrounded by all these creative people and it’s awesome feeding off of each other.

Hanging out with the ladies yesterday was so much fun: met a few fellow Critique-ers in person, laughed a lot, learned a lot. I came home after twelve hours of walking around 260 booths of amazing craft product and inspiration… talking to lots of movers and shakers, taking pictures (150+ pictures!) of incredible projects, booths and watching demonstrations and make-n-take projects.  I also came home with much reading and creating to do, not to mention WRITING. If you wander over to Craft Critique, get ready for some eye candy! I’ll be covering a handful of manufacturers and products. My first CHA Summer Show article on Jillibean Soup is already posted.

I really enjoyed seeing Tim Holtz in person, and meeting Donna Downey! Like the geeky crafter that I am, I brought along my book in hopes I might meet her. She was so nice and approachable, like we’ve met before, and I hope we meet again.

Awesome. “Live a life inspired.”

I have every intention, Donna. Thank you.

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