I am thrilled to be able to say that the Hopscotch quilt is off the table and the binding is almost done! I am excited about sending it to my aunt, so I will be putting more time into finishing it. I hope I will still be excited when it’s washed and I get to see it in all it’s crinkly goodness. That will be a first, a true start to finish quilt, from cutting and piecing, to binding, to crinkles. I’ve done several projects, but not with all the steps. Then, even though I had a project plan, I started on something new for for the kid. One of those, “why don’t I….?” things I try on a whim.
This one may work out. She loves to go to the little fairs and festivals around here. Sometimes we go on nature walks or take the dogs out. I’d like her to carry her water and whatever she may need, like a snack, rain poncho, etc. Thinking about that, SewCanShe.com has an “easy peasy drawstring backpack” pattern and tutorial I kept being drawn to. I partly like the idea because the kid has a drawstring bag now and is used to the idea, but it isn’t sized to her.And, it’s not something she can grab and go because it currently has the job of keeping her swim gear together, ready to go, making it a good and handy storage place, too.
The thought process continued with how to make it appealing to her and encourage her to carry it. That is almost a no-brainer, put a dinosaur on it. The add-on bonus here is the timing for Easter. I’ve collected a few things for her basket (no dinosaurs!) So, this is going to be her basket! I think I’m even going to have a little plant sitting in it, she’s been wanting one, and it will further the illusion and represent “Life”at Easter. Pictures to come, I hope. Some plans do not look as good in life as they do in my head.
I took some scrap material, of course, and cut the pieces for the bag. Then, I looked through one of her dinosaur books for ideas and adapted one for the project, keeping in mind I did not want to deal with tiny claws or teeth. I covered a small cookie sheet with plastic, and taped that down along with a white fabric scrap. I outlined the dinosaur in pencil and used Derwent Inktense Blocks to color it in (shown in the picture above). If you use water on the color, it will bleed into surrounding areas. That may have been okay here, but I wanted to control the blend, so I used aloe vera gel to wet it. I cut it out with needle-turned-applique in mind. Yes, this may work!
On the quilt side of things, the lesson of the week is to not buy a cheap quilt kit for practice. I know my intention was good. It was cute enough, I wanted to do some smaller pieces that would be easier to manipulate in the machine, like baby quilt size, and it was on sale. It’s triangles, mostly, so that was something new and appealing for practice. A bit bigger than baby size, but okay. So, the thing is, I like the colors (which are much brighter than pictured), but, I am not thrilled with the fabric patterns.
I had pieced all the triangles and had only three pairs left that were to be pieced as four patches when I found one piece a half an inch short. It was late. I knew some of the earlier pieces were off and kept thinking, “just trim to the smallest one”. But, when it happened so clearly on the last set, I was flummoxed. I wrote the company and told them about what I’ve told you here. As I said, it was late and I apparently wasn’t thinking well, or I would have simply realized I could trim it to the size and match the others, IF it could match. Anyway, I asked them what I could do and they sent me a new layer cake to replace the one piece! I just wanted guidance. Maybe because I told them I knew others were off? I was impressed. So, that project had been on the shelf til the new pieces came, and longer, as I got involved elsewhere.
You know me, I always have other stuff going so waiting on the replacement was good. I worked on the quilting of Hopscotch. When it came off the table, the triangle stuff was back. Part of my frustration is deciding what to do! I don’t want a bigger quilt of this, I wanted smaller to practice with. I don’t want to put my craft budget into buying more backing and binding. At the same time, I don’t want these spare pieces hanging out in my scraps space – they don’t “spark joy” to reference the de-cluttering guru’s guiding phrase. (Marie Kondo).
So, I am putting them all together anyway, as three smaller quilts. I had already laid out and arranged the first group when I decided to use the rest up. We’ll see. As a new quilter, the decision process and figuring out the math is difficult and frustrating for me, hence my penchant for kits. One of the great things, well, two, that I have realized with this… one, I am getting faster at getting it together and, two, I am willing and able to finish what I started – something that in the past I may not have done.
I think I’ll be pleased in the long run. I’ll have at least a couple of extra quilts for kids, picnics, dog pads… I’ll let you know as it proceeds. Praise to Bluprint for simply sending a replacement pack when it was obvious this quilt was not going to meet the specifications due to poor cutting on the company’s part. I deserve praise, too, for using what I’ve got come to think of it! I’m pushing now because I want to get the quilt for my daughter-in-law on the table! After, I finish the Dino backpack. Oh, and all those trimmings from squaring up the bright pieces I’ve been working on? Those are going to be the “grass” in the basket.
I haven’t mentioned another huge project I’m working on. It’s a book/planner based on the “The Twelve Powers of Man” by Charles Fillmore. So many people I know choose a work they want to keep in front of them for the year, a practice I also embrace, and often let slide through the year. I love exploring this information and find it warms my heart to be putting it in practical practice format of words to lean into and grow spiritually with. That work will stay behind the scenes for now, and I may find it is one of those things that ends up being for my own learning, not sharing. That happens with Spiritual teachings sometimes. You find you are very excited about a piece you suddenly “get” and are confused that others don’t share your excitement. Well, friend, that piece was meant for you, for now. It happens, I accept it. That’s Life.
In my for now, it seems I need to get back to work! There was a time so many projects, along with regular life stuff like dishes, laundry, sweeping…. would have been overwhelming. I am grateful I can get excited and pick the next direction. While that may not be holding true as I take in ALL I want to accomplish in the next couple of months, it is as I look at what’s before me now.
Back to work. Love you! Take care of yourself!
Cathy
Busy Cat Studio 