Category: Sewing

Sewing

Temperature Quilt: 2020 Complete with Border

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I feel like it’s been so long since we’ve chatted about the Temperature Quilt from that yester-year 2020. Then I realized…..it has only been a month since I blogged about it, and that’s what I had been doing all along the way. I guess what I have really been missing is the tracking of temps. Doing something everyday for a year really changes a person, ya know?!?!?

Well, this week of 2021….in the middle of a polar vortex…..while I daydreamed of the dark blues that would have compromised a temperature quilt had I continued this project into the new year……I finished the white hexie border around the ‘ol 2020 girl.

So, Here she is….in all her Glory……

My 2020 Hexie Temperature Quilt representing Oshkosh, Wisconsin with the added White Hexie Border.

A Quick Reminder of the Temperature Legend for all you guys and gals that might be curious:

Just looking at it completed is so surreal to me.

I remember the end of every month catching up on missed days….being so nervous this would be the month I quit….

and then…..super excited to dive into the next month to see how much the color patterns would change through the month and from one to the next……

I have to be honest.

I’m pretty proud.

And…..because I wouldn’t be me without giving you a little glimpse into my crazy world, I give you this real-life anecdote:

I hang this quilt up on the wall in our living room in order to get these pictures. So, as we were sitting down to dinner last night, and all 4 children are talking around/over/on top of each other and us adult people…….

  • Me: I finished the white border around my quilt today.
  • Hubby: Yeah I see that! Looks really cool.
  • Child #1: The flower needs watering that’s why it’s dying.
  • Child #4: no, it needs more sun.
  • Hubby: it’s fine, we will just cut it off and throw it out so it will have more energy to bloom again…
  • Child #2: YOU’RE GOING TO THROW OUT MOM’S QUILT?!?!?!
  • Child #3: What?!?! Why Would you do that?????
  • Me: [explaining to #1-#4 the perils of carrying on 2 conversations at one time]
  • Hubby: Are you Kidding?!?!? Mom sewed that beautiful quilt every single day for a whole year. We wouldn’t just throw it out.
  • Me: **shrugs** seems kind of legit though.

And, that my friends, is how they keep me humble…..because after all that work, all that time, and all that beauty…..

Imagining one of them spilling something, ripping something, or tossing this aside as garbage wouldn’t surprise me at the end of the day.

And I guess that’s motherhood in a nutshell, no?

I do have more work to do on it:

The back of the quilt is what I will tackle next, but until then, I am going to sit back and enjoy it for a bit…..

And pray it doesn’t get thrown out 😉

Sewing

Week 5 Sewing Challenge: Sew Something for Storage

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When this week began, I had big plans for sewing some fabric boxes or containers for my sewing studio….organization still on the mind…..and I gotta harness that while the mood strikes, ya know?

But, as I was sitting at my machines sewing garments….this Big Jar ‘O Zippers was staring me right in the face. I realized that I purchased these zippers months ago with plans to make more Stuffed Animal Storage Bean Bags…..but I never did. What made me wait so long? Not sure. I made this one for the girls’ room last spring.

And this guy for the boys’ room:

Then made this one for auction shortly after…

I even had a friend order one for her daughter’s birthday:

They seemed popular enough, so perhaps it was just the colors of zippers I had left that was holding me back.

That’s when I find it’s nice to come at it from a different perspective. I went Zipper to Fabric….instead of Fabric to Zipper. Meaning, I used the color of the zippers I had to inspire the fabric choices in these…… and that, my friends, is your weekly glimpse into the crazy train in my brain that led me to the decision to make these this week:

If you’re interested to have one to be your very own, you can bid on them this weekend in the Red Rose Auction House. (Hint: click on those blue words to find the Auction items up for bids)

Our littlest guy loves his so much he fills it half full and sleeps on it like a pillow 🙂

Week 5 of 52 in the books!

Sewing

Week 4 Sewing Challenge: Sew Something for your Feet or Head….also B is for Bobby

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I decided to satisfy two challenges in one this week with: SOCKS! SOCKS! SOCKS! SOCKS-SOCKS-SOCKS! (if you didn’t yell that out to the tune of “SHOTS! SHOTS! SHOT!”, please try again. 😉

I had made Georgia some matching socks with an outfit last year…

but had yet to sew some for myself….so had to purchase the Bobby Sock’s Pattern by CKC in adults.

Here’s the thing. I’m not sure I’ll be making a lot of these. Sure it’s a good scrap buster (you know how I love those), but I wouldn’t consider socks with seams in them 100% comfortable. I’d definitely keep it in my arsenal for costume/theme/special occasions, but I’m not going to go hog wild on sewing them like I did with the FUN-derwear of last week.

Adding to the challenge…..I whipped up another one of these slouchie headwraps from Patterns for Pirates.

Man, I LOVE these things! I’m not a huge “hat girl” and I love a good messy bun, so this style is perfect for keeping me warm AND leaving my hair where it likes to live: High up on top of my head and free from the winter head gear Wisconsin weather demands.

WOW!

4 weeks of challenges accomplished! I already beat my 2020 record of 3! YEA ME!

Sewing

Week 3 Sewing Challenge: Sew a Pattern you Own, but Haven’t Sewn

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The biggest challenge this week was choosing one of the many MANY patterns I have purchased that I haven’t made yet.

What helped narrow down the large list?

Necessity. LOL!

We are currently remodeling our laundry/mud room and for most of the week our washer and dryer were disconnected.

Guess what I ran out of…..

So, thankfully, I had this underwear pattern in my arsenal. Chastity’s from CKC to the rescue this week!

And…..since I have plenty of MILLION BABY CHICKS fabric (double brushed poly) scraps….I used those to make myself a few more!

I wasn’t expecting all the excitement I received when I posted about these….but since many of you asked, I did make a listing for you to purchase a 5 pack of your very own. (or you can just click on the SHOP button up top)

Comfy bums for all!

Sewing

Week 2 Sewing Challenge: WIP/UFO

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When I saw this prompt on the list for challenges… I had no idea what they were talking about.

So, to save you a Google search… WIP stands for “work in progress”, and UFO stands for “unfinished object”.

After cleaning and organizing my sewing studio last week, I came across this whole bin of unfinished objects. What was crazy about it: a lot of them I remembered but there were a few in there that I had no idea were started and not finished.

Soooo this week I took a day to finish some of these items… It was an interesting journey, to say the least.

You see, two of these items were not started by me. Two of these skirts were started by my mother. I don’t know how long ago that would’ve been… Since she passed away in October 2017… It was before then. But I would have to say some of these were started in 2012 or before.

I can’t even describe how this feels. My mom and I both worked on these pieces….

I guess it’s just bittersweet.

………………………

These other three pieces I remember starting myself….but some might be as old as 2010…..

It’s so weird that I took so long to finish them. If you want to know why…..well, your guess is as good as mine…

Nostalgia.

Relief.

A little sadness.

Accomplishment.

Week 2 Sewing Challenge complete.

Also a WIP…..if you click on that Shop button, it no longer drives you to My Etsy Shop but to the shop on This Website! Hoping to add more to that soon!