Pause the WIPs

Calm down, calm down! I am not postponing my endless WIPs!

I just wanted to share a tour I took recently: I've visited the Patchwork Fair! I went on the end of the last day, and I must say it was a great idea. Some boothes had sales for the end of the event, it was not crowded, and I could see everything in peace.


What I like most in these fairs, I admit, is to be able to shop for fabric kits, which makes things easier for me. I keep looking at the kits and thinking that "this one would make a great bag", "this would look good in a foundation", "this would be a nice crazy". But it is also really cool to see what the professionals come up with, there are always new ideas to inspire.


That said, I give you my new acquisition:

Isn't it cute? I've seen this little sheep at the Semeart store booth and imediately fell in love with it. Unfortunately the store didn't have the project to sell - for what I've heard from the shop owner, it's hard trying to keep up with the orders! I think I wasn't the only one who asked about the sheep, because of the sellers reaction, but I couldn't let the opportunity pass. So, after visiting the rest of the fair, I went back there and bought the last little sheep. Twenty minutes before there were at least half a dozen, so I guess it may be considered a success.


I hope the shop doesn't mind, but I also ended up buying fabric to reproduce the little sheep - who wouldn't like to get one for a gift? I simply have to make sheep like that!

I'll be able to make a whole flock with that!


The rest of my shopping is here:

A Clover flower yo-yo maker, a project by Amy Butler for the Sophia bag (which I've been looking for for over a year!), three kits from Lee Albrecht School of Embroidery (a cross stitch, an hardanger and a blackwork), a fabric with christmas-y bears to use for Christmas, a fabric with birds pictures (beautiful!), a fabric with big flowers and a fabric kit in earthy tones (anyone see the bag they're going to turn into?).

Phew.


Yes, that will soon take part in the WIPs list. But I can't miss opportunities like that, imagine how much I saved in delivering fees buying all that at the fair? And the best part: next month there's another one! :-)

Until then, keep on with the WIPs and more images of my new mascot:

 

Slow and constant movement

This week was another one with strong external elements negatively influencing my craft activities. Translating: working too much for others, and almost no fun. The first part I unfortunately can only comment in the presence of my lawyer, but the second one I can talk about at will.

Please note, it wouldn't be possible for me to be here writing this post if I haven't done absolutely no craft this week. Simply because I would be so weak that I wouldn't be able to use the computer! (believe me, that already happened!) Lack of craft is my kryptonite.

Which means that - oh joy! - we have pretty things to show! BUT... sorry about that, I won't. Simply because I've been working every night in the sewing circle project and I'll only show it when it's done!! Please, don't panic. I can only say two things:

1. I have the bad habit of picking things far beyond my current skills;
2. despite the (many) difficulties, it's turning out beautiful! (putting modesty aside)

(I'm using a lot of exclamation marks today!!!)

To compensate the mystery, I'll show other things - hold on to your chair! (another exclamation mark?? what's happening??)

Thanks to Crafty Frugals, I remembered that cooking is a craft that I try very little - much less that I'd like to. My mom is wonderful in the kitchen (and, thinking about it, in crafts in general - think about unattainable goals). I, on the other hand, don't have much talent - maybe if some day I have time to invest in this art I end up awakening some chef gene and turn myself into the next Jamie Oliver (I would never be like Nigella, licking my fingers and putting them back into the pan. Imagine that.). This picture was taken out of pure pride: I've cooked tomatoes stuffed with ricotta, corn and some other little things. I thought it was great. Being the only one to taste it doesn't influence the results.

The picture didn't turn out good, but look at my little one! It took me a long time to pick my first sewing machine, months of research and budget adjustments - and then a long season of husband persuasion (you don't want to know what he said about my machine). This story's worth another post, but it's been such a long time since I got to play with it that I thought she deserved to show up in the Garden.

Yes, the secret-project is being sewn by hand. Stop asking, I'm not telling what it is.

Do you know what they are? No, no potholder. I'll decorate the kitchen with them - actually, one at a time. The tulip was my first work in Foundation (or Paper piecing). It's a patchwork technique, but it uses a base - the pattern - where you sew tiny scraps following a pre-determined sequence. Following the sequence warrants a virtually perfect finishing - not following is just chaos. Impossible. Disregard the possibility. You'll never see the end of it.

It seems odd, but despite the need of a good dose of concentration, Foundation is delightful to make. My dear teacher says the tulip defines right away if the person is of the Foundation kind or not - can I say there are Foundation and non-Foundation people? Hmm. Already said it. Anyway, apparently lots of people give up right in the beginning. I LOVED it. So much that I've made the little house right after that - which I said it's a bird house (because the pattern says so), and my father insists it couldn't be more wrong. Bird houses have the entrance (the red part) ON THE BOTTOM. And that from someone who couldn't see what the cross stich designs I make are (the nativity scene was the first one he could actually understand!). Go figure.

These two "screens" still need a place to be hung on. My mom gave me something that might work - but it needs a little finishing before being put to use. I.e., put it on the list: they're WIPs.

Mini-purses

Another tip I got by e-mail from Craftzine.com: mini-purses!

Get the tutorial here. They teach how to do the simple version, flat, and the one in the picture, fluffy. I'll start following this site, it's really well-done!

I hope to post the tutorial for my passport wallet today, so... stay tuned!