Finding Balance

It's summer alright, I can tell because I can't remember the date or day of the week at least a few times every week now. Just yesterday I thought it was Wednesday. Ha!
When you have no particular place to be at any given time or day and you spend hours (OK, more like days) on end in your studio working and watching Netflix, I suppose it's understandable. Right? (I have two calendars next to the very entrance!)
Well, I must confess that this summer schedule of no-schedule is difficult for me.
I need a schedule in a way. Not like be somewhere at 8 am schedule, more like I must do A, B, and C today. If I don't give myself specific tasks, I wander. I fiddle. I loose myself in completely unnecessary or random tasks.
So in the spirit of trying to stay true to my #1 goal of more frequent blogging, I'm going to share some snapshots of my campsite, I mean work space from this past week.

Moon Rise

the work table

Late night paper CSI marathon

Random junk accumulating at the end of the table

Small doll progress

Forever shredding newspapers

The work table

I have since cleared the work table, done a bit a sweeping and am preparing to delve into some fabric projects again. I have been paper mache-ing for 5 days straight now. Time for a break!

I hope you're having a productive weekend!

-M.

Fabric Marking Made Fearlessly

I though I'd share some of the tools I use on a regular basis, to mark fabric.

There are a couple of categories, depending upon what I'm doing.

If I'm tracing templates, I'll usually be marking on the back of the fabric so it won't be seen, I use the following:

(1) #2 pencil - general usage, their everywhere and inexpensive. If you don't press too hard, it usually can't be seen through fabrics.

(2) Mechanical Pencil - this comes in handy for making fine lines, or marking tiny pieces accurately. I also draft quilt patterns with these.

(3) Ball point pen - occasionally used for tracing templates, smoother on fabric surface = quicker tracing. Be careful not to press too firmly, can show through fabrics.

(4) Blue cloth pencil - this I use almost exclusively for marking doll patterns on muslin. It was a quilting tool of my grandmothers. It's actually not a pencil at all, but almost like a waxy colored pencil. Doesn't wash out. But I like the smoothness across muslin and for it's color contrast.

These next few I use primarily for markings cuts when making patchwork and clothing. I like chalk because it's easily erasable with a wet fingertip, handy when drawing!

(5) White Chalk Pencil - this is my general use chalk pencil. it happens to be softer than most, but if your chalk pencil seems to be too hard to leave a line, wet it with the tip of your tongue!

(6) White Chalk Square - I use this one primarily for tracing clothing patterns. The sharp smooth edge runs along the pattern edges.

(7) Multi-Color Chalk Pencil - Here's the special chalk pencil a reader spotted on my table. It's a little over done for my taste, but I enjoy the variety of chalk color refills it comes with. I believe I purchased it at Joann's. I don't use it too often but it's helpful with I need a sharp edge of chalk, which happens with that handy little sharpener!

(8) & (9) Tee Juice Fabric Pens -  These beauties I also picked up at a Joann's, but not near the fabric department, more like in the kids t-shirt craft section. They write on fabric beautifully (I have both thin and medium points) and are permanent with heat setting. So I use these for making labels mostly, or drawing permanent doll faces on fabric.

(10) Hera Marker - This is probably the least used tool in my studio. I kinda just keep it around because it looks cool! But some people use it all the time. I've found it's useful for making small marks on fabric, especially special fabrics like velvet's and satin's. I'ts all good for opening seams and acting like a stronger finger presser if that makes sense.

All in all, I'm not too concerned about marks on fabrics. I try to keep all marks to the back side, and definitely use the lightest things I can (#'s 1,2,5) if it must go on the right side of the fabric. I did find that I don't like the yellow chalk in my Multi-Color Chalk Pencil, for some reason it's real hard to get off with just water.
*These are just my thoughts, I'm not being paid for these reviews.

So, have you any thoughts on these tools? Do you use any of them regularly? What's your favorite way to mark fabric?

Happy Saturday!
-M

Tidy (Tote?), Goal Lists, and Pattern Drool

Twelve years ago, my grandmothers quilt guild got together to make Tidy Tote's (seen here). Unfortunately for whatever reason, my grandma never made her's. The project got tucked into a zip lock and forever shuffled among her sewing things until I happened to unpack it the other day.

I was excited to make one, ready through the instructions, they seemed clear. Except there was one important component missing, pictures and diagrams of any kind. No image of what it was supposed to look like. I searched for some Google images and found very little(see above link), just the image from the pattern front. But I decided to go for it, with the rough idea in mind and my grandma's handy cutting list (without which, this may not have been possible).

The kit had the base, batting, pin cushion, magnet strip and tubing included. All I needed to add were two fabrics, some hot glue, and my stitching, both machine and by hand to finish it up.
Here's the result! I'm so in love with it. I finally used a half yard cut of "Lucky Girl" by Robert Kaufman that my grandmother purchased for me probably around the same time (12 years??!?!) the Tidy Tote project came into light.

Anyhow, it's always been one of those favorite fabrics that I've saved, knowing that the right use would come along some day. Well I'm so glad it has! And in the midst of making Christmas presents, it felt so relaxing to make something special for myself finally.

It's almost time for winter vacation and the end of the year is near. Goal list making is in full swing here and I have to say that I have never felt so confident before. This up coming year feels filled with promise that my dreams of quilting recognition and acknowledgement are fast approaching. I'm not going to bog down this post with my current lists, that'll be a whole post by itself. 

But I do want to share one major goal, and that's this darn blog. I love it, but it definitely doesn't show. I have been so neglectful of this vessel of global exposure. So, first goal for this blog, to finish the year with at least 12 posts, that's one for every month! (How sad :-/ )

I can do this! I fully intend on sharing the brilliant inspirations and ideas I've come up with, but for now, I'll leave you with a sneak peak. The other day, my eyes widened over this awesome quilt that can be seen on my screen below (found here), made by a talented Australian woman named Adelaide. I spent an hour redrawing and coloring the design. All half square triangles mind you. (Obviously the HST bug has not left my system).

And it led to some serious inspiration for my own HST pattern, of which I'm going to attempt to make into my very first quilt along to be host on this blog. Fingers crossed that I can pull it together by the new year! So here's a peek.

Cheers to progress!!

Dreaming of Autumn

This is where I sew. Looking out onto the balcony. The sunsets. I miss cool weather. It hasn't been too bad this summer, but hot enough not to be able to work in the studio once the sun crosses to my side of the building. It gets muggy. Sticky. Thick hot air and no air conditioner. But I've been trying to put some time in after the sun sets.

On my table above, low-volume blocks being assembled from a never ending bag of strips I cut last summer. Yes, last summer. I will have that quilt done before Christmas though!

Before we moved out of our temporary apartment, I made this quilt top.

I added a new pieces to the eyebrows and the eyes to make it pop (see below). Now I think this beauty needs to be quilted up. I do have a show with Collaboration X coming. I'm going to try really hard to finish it in the next week.

Time to jump back into the purging of years of hoarded art supplies and random crap. So I leave you with a lovely photo of my main "Stash" recently relocated to it's appropriate spot in the 'Haus of Stitch' studio.

Happy Friday!

Summer Again

I'm here. Hiding. Fighting with procrastination and dramatic change. Thinking. Creating. Trying my hardest to go forward.

To January, Love Me

My absence again has been haunting me. I had a long hard road to travel at the end of October and it continued through December, but I am happy to be past all that now. December brought about an insane opportunity as if to repay me in some respects for my battles won in the previous months.
I was offered the studio space I'd been coveting since March....and I did it! I got the space mid-December and celebrated a soft grand opening during Art Walk this past Thursday.
(Caution: Horribly dark and grainy pictures follow....think mysterious a.k.a. i have no camera again..)
 

I set up a "Design" wall and had visitors "Help me make a quilt" This was by far a great experience, though in after thought, it would have helped me a lot if I'd given them a bit more structure...See messy wall above. I must now turn that into a quilt. But first I have to get it off the design wall in one piece. Lordy.

Pheww. It's really been an intense couple of months.
And now with the new year beginning, I feel another wave of overwhelming options as to where to take life next. Some days I feel as if I have it all figured out. Some days I have no idea what I'm doing. I'm practicing the art of non-control and just rolling with it.
Last year was so intense, I actually don't even feel like going over it. I know I finished a lot of quilts, almost one a month. That I'm happy about.
I'm happy in general, don't get me wrong. I'm just still a bit exhausted.

My goals upcoming are to get the studio/classroom space up to par so that I can begin to offer classes. Which needs to happen faster than I'm thinking so that I can live comfortably and afford to purchase huge things that I am in need of....like a new camera and computer. Ugggg. And I also need to go back to clocking my personal work time. I feel so much better when I can look back over the week and see that I worked for myself at least double the time I do for others.

Winter vacation is over. I head back to work today. I have missed those little boogers. Oh stupid internal clock, stop pestering me. Like I have time for that. 'That' is on the 'Someday' shelf. I need to rock and roll this year. Great things to come. Awesomeness abound. I am truly grateful for my health and the health of my loved ones, grateful for all the opportunities I have been given. Grateful for my skills. And my brain, even though I feel like it's got ADHD sometimes, I love it dearly. Thank you brain. Thanks for teaching my heart to grow up.
It's good to say thank you, often.

Peaceful Weekend

I'm really happy I was able to relax and get to work on some things this weekend. I set up a little sewing corner in a friends downtown studio. I was quite enthralled in cutting up fabric and working on doll pattern tests.

I tried my hand at adding gussets to the doll pattern I had drafted years ago. It was tiny tiny work. And as much as I dislike using pins ( i stab myself too much!), this was the only way to do it. Slowest sewing I've done on the machine in such a long time.

I realized after an hour of tiny piecing that I probably should enlarge the pattern a bit and give myself a break. Duh! What's with me and teeny tiny project attempts. Especially later in the evening. Am I trying to drive myself batty or what? Needless to say, I did take a break from the doll project after successfully putting in a head gusset. And I jumped right into cutting more 5in squares because apparently I have half-square triangle patterns on the brain. 

I am really into rearranging them on my design wall. I like the fact that when I throw a bunch up there, I can move them around and around and have a different look each time I step back. Which is not helping me make any decisions mind you. But it's fun and quick! I admit, I do have some friends and relatives having babies in the near future, so technically I am doing something productive. I've been toying with the idea of making a Beginners Quilt Class as well, and these HST quilts are simple enough that I might make this the class project. Here's the latest one that I still have on the design wall.

Though I've already rearranged it twice, I'm still liking this first take. I think it may end up looking like this. A viewer says it looked "too sophisticated" to be a baby blanket and that it reminded him of old man socks. I agreed with the sock reference, but perhaps someone out there has a "sophisticated baby". Hahaha. It made me laugh. I love getting input. I've got green and orange squares cut up now for today's HST quilt project! I'm on a roll!

Also! I'm very excited to have come across another quilt-a-long with an AMAZING project! The Perv-Along, (love the name) hosted by Charlotte at Displacement Activity.

The quilt is going to be amazing!!! It reminds me of a cosmic burst. And of course, I'm kinda hooked on the solid fabric quilts. So here's what I pulled for this perv-a-long.

I feel a bit odd not having "brand name" fabrics with cool color names like "papaya" or "moss". I generally find most my fabrics at swap meets, thrift stores and yard sales. Very rarely do I buy new fabrics. I love all the new prints and collections and I'm sure I have a nice smattering of them in my stash. But I've a complete novice at being able to name the designers and such. When I do buy solids, they are just a store brand name and nothing that exciting. Oh well. I'll get there someday. Kona's solids look delicious!

 How was your weekend? Hope you make something awesome!

Works In Progress Wednesday

I have so many many many things I'm doing at once, I feel like a machine. I am a machine. I like being a machine.
After work yesterday, I spent a few hours at the downtown studio again and finished up another quilt top and basted it. (Insert amazement here.)
That's two quilts ready for stitchery. Makes me squeal with delight.

Yes. The Summer Sampler Series I started last summer will be finished before this summer! I like this photo, the angle lets you ignore the not perfect alignment of the blocks. I didn't do that bad of a job, but you know, if it's the tiniest mistake, I see it.

Anyway, I look forward to doing a bit of stitching on both tops this weekend.

I also am working on a super special custom doll for the daughter of a very good friend. I've redesigned my patterns again, attempting a more child-play friendly design. And new eyes, no more buttons. PLUS this darling child has a passion for dressing, so I'm making this doll some nifty outfits! I'm so thrilled for the challenge.

I've got some great doll inspiration these days. I pulled some fabrics for the doll itself and below is the beautiful fabrics she gave me to incorporate as I wish, though I already know I'm going to make some fabulous little dresses to start!

Doll body fabrics

Dearest Friends contribution.....simply cheery

I leave you now with a view of my table this morning. Happy Creating!

Link up!

Clearings

I've been spending my time trying to tackle all the half finished projects i have piled around the studio. It's a lofty attempt, but I've been making good headway. And the rewarding feeling of finishing something is excellent fuel to the creative fire. So this weekend, I finished the last four blocks of the Summer Sampler QAL i started in...duh, summer, and with such good intentions.
But with a huge sigh of relief and a beer of course, i am celebrating finishing all twelve blocks! Whoo hoo! This quilt i started with the idea of making something for myself finally, and i still love it. This is the first all solid quilt and how addicting! I have since added to my solid stash heavily i tell you.
I still have to edge most of the blocks in black to square them off at  12 1/2 in., then i think i will still add more black in boarders around each block.....
I haven't even begun to think about the back or the quilting details.

The best part about this quilt.....all the paper piecing. I'd never tried that before, and the results were amazing. I'm kinda obsessed with the option of precision and paper piecing can fill that craving.
Though many of my blocks are not perfect, they're so close it hurts! And especially on my first go of it. Sooooo in love with paper piecing!

Very easy and with amazing results!

Happy Sunday and Cheers!

xOxx Mammalia

Business of Business

I've been swept up in a lofty idea coming to fruition. It involved a pre-interview and then almost 8 hours of technical research, personal essay writing and resume building. Pheww. I thought i was going to loose it. Now i get to just wait for it. I'm not sure which level of anticipation is worse.
At least i have plenty of other activities to keep me busy.
I've lost total track of this week. But here's my nice 2nd block from the Summer Sampler Series quilt along. I'd better get jump started on the third!

On Flickr

And among all my sewing projects, i've completed two tailoring jobs this week, And....started an enormous curtain project that will be officially the largest patchwork i've created to date. I can't wait to make something even bigger. That gallery space is awesome.

on flickr

Oh! And since this is a running list of where i've been and what i've been doing, I wrote another little Zine  called 'Changing Energy - Plenty of Action But no Control' yesterday at the Blood Orange Info Shop, which is another amazingly awesome space. Like a tard, i spent three hours making the zine and playing with a baby instead of taking any sort of photos. But i'll put the zine up soon.

Alight. Back to work.