Unanticipated Motivation and Inspiration

A few weeks ago, I ordered a new chair and ottoman for the craft room. It was a beautiful oversized chair in a warm neutral color with a big squishy ottoman that had a storage compartment. When it arrived, the color looked great in the room but it was waaaay too big. We moved the cabinets to different locations to try and make the chair fit, we tried different angles, but it was just no use. So a call was made and back to the store went the chair and ottoman.

The craft room looked much better without the giant chair taking up so much room, but the craft room was also a mild disaster since the large cabinet had to be emptied in order to move it. It had contained a significant mess behind those closed doors - books and patterns and yarn, plus some other crafty items, in unorganized stacks and piles. That mess was strewn about the room for over a week as I tried to find the motivation to tackle it. That motivation kicked in on Sunday.

I went through everything, putting like items together, like all the sock yarns in one place. It was great to go through everything, reminding myself of the beautiful yarns I've purchased these past few years and that I still have not done a darn thing with them. Then I got to the many remnants of yarn I had. Mainly acrylics from baby blankets made years ago as well as a substantial amount of Homespun for which the labels were gone and I couldn't even begin to guess at the color's name. There was also some really cheap yarn I had bought for a dollar, hoping to make a blanket for charity.

Looking at all this yarn, I said to myself - even if you made more baby blankets with this same kind and color of yarn, it's so old, would the dye lot even be the same when you bought more? And when are you going to make all this charity stuff? You've got a project list long enough for the next few years with some fantastic yarns already in your stash.

Well, when I'm right, I'm right.

I filled up a sizeable bag of yarn for donation. There is no sense keeping good, quality yarn in my stash for some future charity work when I'm sure there is some group locally or nationally that would love to get this yarn for their projects. So once I find a group that will take this bag of yarn, it will be sent on its way.

The craft room clean up is not completely done - the 3 ring binders of patterns and magazines as well as all my pattern books need to be organized and put back inside. That was the part I least wanted to do - so when I came upon some extra curtain material and the wonderful Mr. Burns, I immediately pulled out the sewing machine and got to work.



No pattern, no pinning, no ironing. I just folded the fabric, took out the scissors, then sewed it up where it needed sewing. It's not pretty close up - the sleeves are really wonky and the seams are sloppy - but it's supposed to be a hospital gown, which I think it resembles. This also counts toward my Year of Lovely Things as my small sewing project.

What inspired you this weekend?

Completed Project: Garter for The Mistress

One of my dearest friends - a sister by choice - got hitched on Labor Day weekend. Since I could not be there in person, I made her a garter to wear.



Yes, that is a skull button on the garter. Nothing less for Mistress Dark Forces. I also made a matching tie clip for the groom.



You'll also notice the calla lilies on the garter, one of the Mistress' favorite flowers. The grey matched the sash of her beautiful wedding dress. I did a pretty good job considering this was the first garter I ever made and I had no idea what I was doing except for directions from the internet and a lot of hope.

I also personalized some beer cozies for the bride and groom. They told me they used them all weekend. It made me smile. :)



While today I celebrate my third anniversary to the most wonderful man in the world, this weekend I get to celebrate with Mistress Dark Forces and her man as they host what surely will be one hell of a Halloween reception in San Diego! The Queen will also be there and Perches will be there in spirit. Fingers crossed I can get the second garter finished before I leave so she has something to throw.

Happy New Year!

Goodbye 2007....Hello 2008!

Greetings and salutations! It is with great pleasure I make time enough this evening to finally get a post on the blog. Though I love the holidays, they do take up so much of my time. I hope all had a good holiday (whichever one(s) you chose to celebrate).

But first - an update! for it has been so long since last I posted here.

First off - I did do a bit of spending with the Joann's gift card I received when I left my last job.



I needed new paints and new brushes as well as a decent pair of scissors. I spent too much on the pins and pin cushion but they were just too cute and fun not to get them. Not pictured are the supplies I used to make reindeer candy canes (bells, googly eyes, red pom-pom noses, brown pipe cleaners and candy canes) for my and Sean's offices. The bead supplies were for wine charms I made for Sean's aunt. They turned out okay given I've never worked with beads and wire before. I used earring hoops for the rings as they were a much more affordable option ($3) compared to buying memory wire and a memory wire cutter ($10+). I added the snowflakes for a seasonal touch. His aunt seemed to like them.





And I must say that Santa was just too good to me this year! As noted before, I got ye olde sewing machine for Christmas from my wonderful husband.





I haven't had a chance to use it yet or even to look over the instructions booklet, but I will - and hopefully this month - for I need to finish the tote bag. It has been hibernating since September and I do so want to complete it.

I also received some wonderful gifts from my mother-in-law and brother-in-law and his girlfriend.



Some crochet hooks, novelty yarn, Maran Illustrated Knitting and Crocheting, I Can't Believe I'm Knitting Socks, the fall issue of Interweave Crochet, and a gift card for Joann's.

And as it was the season for giving, I gave some more to myself. :)

Since I so loved the issue of Interweave Crochet, I sent away for a subscription. I also ordered from Amazon.com Amazing Lace Crochet as there is a shawl I'm dying to make with the yarn I bought at Stitches East. I also bought this knitting day calendar at 50% off:



The purple dream blanket is still under construction. I now have until MLK weekend to get it done, for that is the weekend the recipient is coming for a visit.

The coasters for the girls are done! Huzzah! And look - I even blocked them!



They also got a bit of ironing and some starch, as well as some time drying in the sun.



I started on the coffee cup cozies and I should have them done this week. Hopefully there will be a package in the mail for the Queen and the Mistress soon.

Another fun development to share - it seems that a random suggestion to turn the sunroom/dining room into a craft room has come to pass. HUZZAH!!!



You see - we got new bedroom furniture and the cabinet you see in the photo didn't fit in the walk-in closet. It's a good piece of furniture and we didn't want to throw it out so it made its way into the sunroom. And while the office needed to be rearranged to accommodate the treadmill, my yarn somehow found its way into the sunroom, too. That, and my eyelash-batting request to Sean, was the tipping point for making it the craft room. It's still a work in progress as you can see the unpacked boxes on the right. There are plans to get a rug for the floor and perhaps a papazan chair from Pier 1 for the corner. Big, comfy chairs are mandatory for a craft room (in my humble opinion).

And with all the projects I have planned for 2008, I'll need a comfy chair in which to complete them. Another friend is prego so another baby blanket will be made. In addition to the tote bag, I have a number of UFOs to complete. I've got an entire list of crafty resolutions - which I shall track in a separate post. :)

Wishing you all a wonderful, fruitful, magical and crafty 2008!

I Made The List!

The "Nice" list - as opposed to the "Naughty" list. And yes, I'm as surprised as you are! ;)

A little elf told me that there is a sewing machine on its way to Casa de Crocheting Commuter. Looks like the eight pocket two-tone carryall tote will be finished this month.

YAY! YAY! YAY! YAY! YAY! YAY!

Progress Report: Eight Pocket Two-Tone Carryall Tote

All the pieces are done! And yes, even the ends are woven in.



It's been a quick project creating the pieces from start to finish. But now, it will stay in hibernation until at least December if not January. Because, if I'm lucky, Santa will bring me a sewing machine so I can properly sew the lining. No sense ruining such a beautiful bag with my sad attempt at hand sewing the lining.

Until we meet again...

Dear Santa

The tote bag is coming along nicely. I've got the front and back and two large pockets done. I'm working on the gusset and will probably have it and the two small pockets done by tomorrow. And while I'll then be able to start the red handles, I can't start to assemble it until I buy and some fabric for the lining.

And lining means sewing.

And I don't have a sewing machine...

YET.

That's the request for Christmas - a cheap (but not too cheap) sewing machine so I can make linings and other sewing projects. One of the projects I'd like to start is the Fat Bottom Bag. I've got extra yarn to start making it and with sites like Tiff Crochets and With a Hook showcasing such beautiful bags, how can I not start one? Or three?