I have launched a new blog named Postmodern Craft (http://postmoderncraft.wordpress.com) and will be posting there from now on. I never really liked the Lulu/Janeylulu moniker and wasn’t motivated to make that my personal “brand”, so to speak. I am really excited for my new blog and I hope that you’ll update your bookmarks and follow along with me there! I will still post a lot of sewing and quilting projects, but I am also planning to expand into more crafty/DIY goodness as well as some cooking and gardening, and tell a bit more of a personal story as I’m in a transitional phase of my life. I’m also starting to be a more active Twitter user, so feel free to connect with me there!
This year is just flying by – I can’t believe it’s almost March already! I have been on a big cleaning and organizing kick, which involves a major overhaul of my entire craft storage “system” (if you can call it that). One of the benefits of reorganizing all of my craft supplies is that I’ve remembered about a lot of things that I had forgotten that I have – and I’m using everything a lot more! I made my boyfriend a handcrafted, stamped Valentine, which was so much fun. I’ve also remembered that I really, really need to slow down on fabric purchasing and focus on finishing up a lot of unfinished projects!
In the midst of all this organizing madness, I haven’t touched a single quilt project, but I did get started on my first real garment sewing adventure – a Washi dress! I’m using this fabric from Bari J’s Splendor 1920 collection. I love the fabric, but I’m not sure how much I’m going to love it for clothing – I am very picky about wearing patterns and I think this one is kind of “out there” for me. I love the Washi dress pattern so much that I’ve already ordered several other big cuts of fabric to make more dresses! I normally only ever buy fat quarters or half yards, so now that I’m getting interested in sewing garments, I might need to start buying bigger cuts of my favorite fabrics! (Yes, I realize this is in direct conflict with needing to slow down the fabric purchasing.)
So, the Washi dress. I love it. It’s challenging for me. I hate cutting curves and I have never sewn anything three-dimensional before (except maybe pockets in a purse). But it’s also much easier than the purses that I’ve made, with fewer layers to cut and bigger curves.
Next up is the shirring in the back bodice, which I’m a little nervous about. My sewing machine is pretty cheap-o and I don’t know how it will handle the elastic thread. Should be interesting.
I also need to get back to some of my quilting projects!
Here’s the in-progress inventory (I’m only counting quilts, not small projects):
Quilt tops in progress:
Blitzen Christmas quilt
Christmas Century of Progress quilt
Livy’s wonky stars quilt
Hope Valley drunkard’s path quilt
Secret solids quilt
Kieran’s robot quilt
Colorful log cabin quilt
Wonky nine-patch quilt (I am re-excited about this one!)
Completed quilt tops, waiting for quilting:
Delia’s Central Park log cabin quilt
Tattooed Ladies mini quilt
Completed quilt tops, waiting for binding:
none
This week’s stats:
Last week’s count: 10
Started this week: 0
Completed this week: 0
Current works in progress: 10
Check out everyone else’s links by clicking the button below.
The only sewing project I’ve touched in the last few weeks has been (finally!) revisiting my wonky stars quilt for my niece! I’ve made 4 new stars in the last few days, so I’m up to a total of 19 stars now, and I decided that I’m going to make 25 total. These four stars are among my favorites I’ve ever made – especially the blue and purple one! I am excited to be near to completion on these stars and I can’t wait to put them all together and finally get this quilt delivered to my niece.
Here’s the in-progress inventory (I’m only counting quilts, not small projects):
Quilt tops in progress:
Blitzen Christmas quilt
Christmas Century of Progress quilt
Livy’s wonky stars quilt
Hope Valley drunkard’s path quilt
Secret solids quilt
Kieran’s robot quilt
Colorful log cabin quilt
Wonky nine-patch quilt
Completed quilt tops, waiting for quilting:
Delia’s Central Park log cabin quilt
Tattooed Ladies mini quilt
Completed quilt tops, waiting for binding:
none
This week’s stats:
Last week’s count: 10
Started this week: 0
Completed this week: 0
Current works in progress: 10
Check out everyone else’s links by clicking the button below.
All of my determination to have a low-stress, fully present holiday season have gone right out the window, it seems. I am leaving for Maine in less than 72 hours and still have many presents to purchase, wrap, and deliver (not to mention work projects to finish and other errands to run!).
I did have some nice sewing time on Sunday morning, though. I made two camera straps – the first one was meant for a gift, but I wasn’t happy with how it came out, so I’m keeping if for me and I made a second one. Then I made a coordinating zipper pouch, and then another happy little zippie! (Using my favorite Noodlehead open wide zipper pouch tutorial.) I am still not crazy about the camera straps (I’d like them to be narrower, but then the lens cap won’t fit in the little pocket!) but I love, love, love these zippies. I love the happy colors!
Here’s the in-progress inventory (I’m only counting quilts, not small projects):
Quilt tops in progress:
Blitzen Christmas quilt
Christmas Century of Progress quilt
Livy’s wonky stars quilt
Hope Valley drunkard’s path quilt
Secret solids quilt
Kieran’s robot quilt
Colorful log cabin quilt
Wonky nine-patch quilt
Completed quilt tops, waiting for quilting:
Delia’s Central Park log cabin quilt
Tattooed Ladies mini quilt
Completed quilt tops, waiting for binding:
none
This week’s stats:
Last week’s count: 9
Started this week: 1
Completed this week: 0
Current works in progress: 10
Check out everyone else’s links by clicking the button below.
I have been on a bunting kick! I made one funky pink/lime green one for myself, and it’s awesome. I don’t have a very good picture of it, but it’s almost 11 feet long and currently adoring the half-wall that separates the kitchen from the living room in my house.
After I realized how quick and easy it is to make these buntings, I decided to start making some for Christmas gifts. I made a reversible Christmas/4th of July bunting for my aunt, who loves to decorate for the holidays (and the 4th of July is the biggest holiday in our family!). Fenway did an excellent job modeling for these pictures:
I started a super-simple Christmas quilt a few weeks ago and forgot to mention it here. It’s very simple – I used a Blitzen charm pack and a bunch of Kona solids (peridot, avocado, tarragon, candy green, ruby, and stone). I have never made this type of simple charm quilt before, and I’m excited at how quickly it’s coming together. I want to practice some free motion quilting on this one!
I have LOTS of Christmas projects to get done soon!
Here’s the in-progress inventory (I’m only counting quilts, not small projects):
Quilt tops in progress:
Blitzen Christmas quilt
Christmas Century of Progress quilt
Livy’s wonky stars quilt
Hope Valley drunkard’s path quilt
Secret solids quilt
Kieran’s robot quilt
Colorful log cabin quilt
Wonky nine-patch quilt
Completed quilt tops, waiting for quilting:
Delia’s Central Park log cabin quilt
Tattooed Ladies mini quilt
Completed quilt tops, waiting for binding:
none
This week’s stats:
Last week’s count: 9
Started this week: 1
Completed this week: 0
Current works in progress: 10
Check out everyone else’s links by clicking the button below.
Lulu 