Wednesday, September 14, 2011

crafting one day at a time


peach zinnias


Lots of little projects to pick up on a bit here, a bit there. I began putting a few more rows on my knitted blanket begun way back last Spring. I had put it up away when it began to get 'hot'.. and recently it is time to take it up again. Inspired by my browsing yesterday, I found my bag of old patchwork, once meant for a quilt backing for Esme. I cheated back then, and used a big piece of striped flannel instead. That worked, and she still has that quilt on her bed often. Esme saw the quilt pieces and remembered it was for her. She was so excited Mama was working on her quilt again. She even told Daddy she couldn't go to bed yet, because Mama wasn't done with her blanket. She doesn't know it would take months, even if I did work on it whenever I could.



the blanket in March
it is much bigger now


Sometimes I feel like I've lost my spark with crafting. Other days I know I'll get back to it when really important and/or seasonally important things have finished. With also working full time (which we are blessed with, I must remind myself) it is a wonder sometimes I do much else at all. Winter is approaching (after fall, Mark says.. remember we have FOUR seasons here...) There is always cleaning to do in the house, and I often do not do as much as would be good, but enough to be practical. Esme's wardrobe has mostly 'rode' during the late summer here - she has not been outgrowing things at the pace she was this Spring. Some things are getting in a worse condition and needing to be replaced. It is nice to wait until the end of a 'season' if possible, and that is what I have been doing. This fall or winter type dress caught my eye as inspiration to cash in on soon. I could see myself making two or three of those to replace several summer sundresses that are now too small to be saved and well.. not very fall/winter at all. The worn out clothes will likely become quilt piece fodder.


2 by 2 inch scrap squares... slowly growing patchwork
one of the reasons I do not let little fabric bits go to waste


I am slightly inspired to do more in patchwork. Cold mornings turn my thoughts to warm blankets and 'comfort' things in the house. I stare at full bed quilts and wonder 'why can't I get mine done?' Then I remember: I fear the big 'sheet o'fabric' needing to be bound to another big 'sheet o'fabric' laid out on a floor somewhere and mercy to the creatures of the household running around while I try to get something done with pins. It feels like something I should borrow the office for... someday when I have enough time to transfer such a project up there and get it done. And then it would have to be sewn - and I would have to keep my sewing machine there until it was done or transfer the whole pinned mess back down here and worry about losing pins onto the floor. I fear that will not be anytime soon, so I keep putting off the projects and never actually getting them to that stage. Awful.

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