Tag Archives: Sewing

Saturday Stashbusting

Knoontime Knitting

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It’s 2016.  A new year, right?  I saw something on Facebook the other day that made me laugh.  It was a meme about new years, where we focus on what we didn’t accomplish in 2015, and wanted to do in 2014, etc.  I do want to work on my stash busting, but I know better than to say “I will bust all my stash this year.”  I did that once.

Once.

So this year, I’ll focus on playing.  The shot, above, is of my jewel scarf that I’m making for Rachel.  I’d say it’s about 60% done.  Boria is sound asleep next to my spot on the couch, with the Ohio State afghan my mother crocheted.

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My craft shelves.  I installed them this year and like them a lot better than what I was using.  This has a whole bunch of projects to play with.  My biggest challenge is to work on making sweaters.

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This holds a number of overflow supplies, including my ivory yarn that I want to use as my first top-down sweater practice yarn.  I tried one with some colored yarn, (purple heather and pale pink), but it was too challenging to work with the color design and the new technique at the same time.

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This is my list of stash containers that live under my bed.  I had an idea, at one point, to go through the list and make stuff one by one.  That’s where things imploded, because I got too overwhelmed by the project.  Instead, this year, I’m just going to focus on one thing at a time.

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This is my mess.  I’m working on reorganizing my filing system.  This is actually more organized than it looks, because the piles are specific things, but they still don’t belong on the table.  I need to get them into the filing cabinets.

How come I can’t use a magic wand like Hermione?

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A little more close-up of the scarf, where you can see the pattern of the yarn as it interacts with the lace stitches.  I can’t wait to finish it and see how it blocks out.

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This is my latch hook rug frame, with the start of the peacock/firebird rug on it.  This is what I got away from this year, because I kept getting intimidated by how much I had left.  This year, I want to try applying what I learned in NaNoWriMo – meaning, do thirty minutes at a shot, make small daily goals rather than big giant ones.

We’ll see.

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And this is the cabinet I bought to organize our sewing supplies.  Obviously, I haven’t PUT the stuff in the cabinet yet, but hey.  Once step at a time.

That’s my motto for this year:  one step at a time.

What about you, Dear Reader?  What projects are on your list?

 

 

Saturday Showcase – MJ Fredrick Talks About Her Passion – The Other One!

Knoontime Knitting

KK: Tell me a little more about what crafts you do. What do you like to make?

MJF: I love to do all kinds of things, but am probably best at sewing. I love love love matching fabric and patterns, and compared to writing, sewing is instant gratification!

KK: When did you learn to do crafts?

MJF: When I was 14, my mom told me she didn’t have time to sew for both of us, so she started me out making simple drawstring shorts and halter tops. When I was in high school, I worked in the fabric department at the local five and dime. All my money went back to them for fabric! Some nights I’d go home from work and make an outfit to wear the next day!

KK: Have you ever given a craft to a character? How did you go about it? What research did it require?

MJF: Not that I can recall. I do have a heroine in a future novel who’s a gardener and will be opening a nursery. I’ve been pinning ideas for her nursery on Pinterest, lol.

KK: What effect does your writing have on your crafting and vice-versa? Does one fall off when the other is stronger, or do they synergize?

MJF: Oh, the writing definitely falls off when I craft. Last summer I managed to balance it pretty well–I’d write in the morning and sew for an hour when All My Children was on 😉 Then at the end of summer I got a new machine and started making things like purses, e-book reader covers and laptop bags, you know, when you see some cool fabric but you’re not sure what to do with it? So I barely wrote in the fall. So far this summer, I’ve spent more time on crafts than writing, mainly because I have a lot of nervous energy and can’t sit still!

Look at the interesting fabric effects in the center of this design!  Wow! -KK

KK: What do you dream of making when you have the time or skills?

MJF: Something retro, like from the 40s or 50s. There was a time, before I got serious about writing, that I could make anything if I just sat down to it. These days I just don’t trust myself to try. Also, I avoid labor-intensive crafts, especially when I know I should be writing.

KK: Where do you get ideas for your crafts?

MJF: Pinterest! Evil, evil Pinterest! Although I’ve been inspired by Project Runway, or even just seeing things at the store. Nothing will inspire me to sew like seeing a $400 skirt.

Biography:

MJ Fredrick knows about chasing dreams. Twelve years after she completed her first novel, she signed her first publishing contract. Now she divides her days between teaching fourth grade students how to write, and diving into her own writing—traveling everywhere in her mind, from Belize to Honduras to Africa to the past.

Website | Blog | Facebook | @MJFredrick | PINTEREST

Addendum

MJ went shopping today and found a ninety-nine cent sale at JoAnn Fabrics.  Here’s what she bought:
MJ says, “Here are two I’ll probably never make.”
MJ says, “Going to make this fabric in this pattern.” 
MJ says, “Going to make this fabric in one of these patterns.”

MJ says, “I think I may already have this pattern but I bought it anyway!”
She also plans to make a flip flop wreathe, and here’s a link.
And also, this.
Sounds like a productive shopping trip, MJ!

…

LOL.  I just got another email from MJ, and she wants to make this skirt on Pinterest.

I think we’re going to have to bring MJ back in a month or two and see what she’s made, yes?  Yes!  MJ, come baaaack!

~happy sewing~

Fabric As Inspiration

Knoontime Knitting

In working with the Artist’s Way, one of the things we focus on is baby steps.  I am finding that my baby steps are much smaller than I assume they “should” be.  As a friend reminds me, “shoulds” are poison.

It’s frustrating, though, that there are so many relative to sewing.  Putting that aside is difficult.  I went to an amazing fabric store with a friend, the Textile Discount Outlet.  It’s overwhelming and fun at the same time.  They have a whole wall of fabric that’s under $4 a yard, where I found a lovely, satiny black fabric with blue detailing that looks Asian.

The left side of the picture above is the “right” side of the fabric, with the black detailing.  On the right, it’s the dark part with blue detailing.

I love the way the light falls with the fabric drape.  It had different colors depending on where the light hits it.

Here’s a detail of the images on the fabric.  Trees and structures are all over it.  I’d like to make a long vest or jacket with it, so that it can take advantage of the flow of the fabric.

Here’s the reverse; I like it just as much as the other side.

I find it interesting how my inner Critic wants to fight with my decision, though.  I look at the fabric and doubts surface.  I can see that it’s my Critic and not something realistic, but it’s painful regardless.

What do you do to conquer your own Critic?

Fabricloff!

Knoontime Knitting

So, I took an artist date yesterday. I decided to check out a new fabric store in Bucktown. Back in the day, Bucktown was NOT a neighborhood you wanted to be caught dead in.

Well, I guess if you wanted to be caught dead, you would want to go there…
Anyway, you get the point. So I decide to check out this new place, and it’s pretty darned cool! They don’t even bill themselves as a store first; it’s a DIY Sewing School and Fabric Store. My kinda place! It’s called the Needle Shop, http://www.theneedleshop.net/ , and it’s in a little storefront in amongst brownstones and houses and puppies and yuppies.

I wandered through the front room, which is filled with bolts of pretty designer fabrics, and then to the back room which has their books and patterns. The clearance rack caught my eye and I found some pretty Aboriginal print fabric. And I did something I don’t usually do – I passed up on a book, which I’ve realized I have a LOT of, and bought the fabric! It was on sale for $7 a yard, and is a lovely Kaffe Fassett print that I found, after looking it up, came all the way from Westminster Fabrics in London!

Wowsers.

Here’s a pic of it, not yet prewashed. I have about 3 yards and 4 inches, so I think I’ll at least make a pair of pants and either a top or a jacket, depending on how much I can squeeze out of it. I’m also going to take it to the knitting shop and see if I can find some yarn to match, and make a sweater with a square neck and short sleeves.

Stay tuned!

Sewing Lessons, Here I Come!

Knoontime Knitting
I have decided that one of my holiday gifts to myself will be sewing lessons! Those of you who know me, know that this is a little silly, since it will be the third, yes THIRD, time I have taken it. Well, third time’s the charm!

I will be studying with Veronica Brackett, one of the best teachers ever! (And I mean that!) She is awesome. An incredible seamstress, she is patient and kind and an excellent instructor. I hope to actually finish class this time, and emerge successfully with a skirt out the other end!

I will be making a Vogue Pattern, and am very excited.