I made a Sheffield Tote for Gerre as a gift in 2020. I make gifts because I want people to know I am thinking about them. I do know that what I think is great may not be great for someone else, but I don’t have hard feelings when someone doesn’t use a gift I made for them.
Alternatively, I am super thrilled when I see a gift being used. This ‘t the first time I have seen Gerre bring it. She says she uses it all the time. Whenever we sit near each other I see it packed with supplies. It makes me so happy that it is a useful tote.
I was ironing fabric the other day and looked up to see my journal covers staring back at me. I had been thinking about making a journal cover from some leftover fabric from the Frolic! back and the journals on the shelf caught my eye. They sit on a shelf at about eye level. Since I have cleared off some of the books on my shelves, I can see things I didn’t see before.
Looking at these journal covers has made me think about beauty and fabric. I am much more careful now about choosing fabrics to purchase. Some of the fabrics above reflect some, if not poor, ill advised combinations of poor fabric choices. Something appealed to me about the fabrics, but the combinations and how they appear on the shelf do not all appeal.
I don’t plan to remake the journal covers, but I do plan on paying more attention to how the new ones come out. I have several that need covers and journal covers are a good use of scraps.
This is part of the process. I probably made the covers I no longer like a long time ago. I have evolved in my color choices and the way I put colors together since then. I also realized that I can see these journal cover, so I need them to be pretty. I need to take more care in choosing fabrics.
I use a medium gridded Leuchtturm journal now, so I don’t need journal covers. I still like the Miquelrius journals. I plan to use up the blank journals I have and to make journal covers for them. I find that the Leuchtturms fit in my purse and seem more compact. I can also put a spine sticker on them saying which month is contained within.
Last weekend one of our members commandeered her clubhouse and we had a mini-retreat. A ‘mini-retreat’ for our guild is where we don’t stay over, e.g. no hotel or travel. As far as I know everyone, except the hostess, drove back and forth to the location.
I didn’t take a lot of photos, even though I thought about it. I worked on a new Running with Scissors case and did a little with Frolic! as well. We didn’t have a ton of time to sew – 10-5 every day. The bonus was being together and seeing what other people did.
People were also able to come and go. A few people stayed for a couple of hours and others attended both days all day.
Julie’s Gifts in use
Julie and I sat across from each other, as per usual. I got to see all the things I have made for her in action. Check out the Mega Pinnie with mini-Pinnie in the wild!
I had a great time. I would prefer to go out of town, but sleeping in my own bed is good, too.
As you from my post the other day, I was in Portland. While there I saw a quilt and a pillowcase in use at my YM’s house. A friend was in town for graduation and she stayed on the couch at his house. Yay! I was thrilled to see him using a pillowcase and a quilt.
This is one reason I make quilts and give them as gifts. To see them in use is a joy.
I received some photos from people who received gifts from me. I am always pleased when the recipients can, at least, be bothered to look happy when they open a gift I have made.
Murdock and Remi
Remi and Murdock got the Nighthawk and Cosmic Wonder Dust, respectively. I sent them, along with the others, up to Portland and the YM distributed them. I didn’t get photos of the other recipients, but will perhaps soon.
Bamboo Scarf Snowgirl
My sister also got a scarf as well. I sent her Christmas gifts in a box wrapped up with a note that hell would freeze over and she would be sucked into a pit of lava if she opened her Christmas gifts before Christmas. She used to have such a hard time waiting and, of course, I have no way to monitor her actions. To mollify dear Sis, I sent along the bamboo scarf that started me off on this crazy 2017 knitting journey. She has been freezing this winter and it looks like it is long enough. I am not sure it goes with the jersey, but to each his own fashion choices.
Finished: Sparkle Pink
I also sent off the Sparkle Pink quilt. A friend’s son died and I decided to send Sparkle Pink to her daughter. I had it available and thought it would be a comfort.
I love this quilt. I really love the fabrics, but it was made from a pattern (not my own design) and doesn’t really go with my decor. The recipient loves it and that makes me happy. This is a quilt that needed to go off into the world and bring happiness. The room in which it now lives will be redecorated to match.
I was sort of in the mood to make something small and wanted to give a small gift to the Retreat Committee, because I had a great time at the Retreat. And because making stuff is fun. Pincushions are fun and I enjoy making them.
I was completely thrilled, because I made these in between work and life. I got them finished after working on them a little bit in the evenings. I was also thrilled, because each entire piece is made from scraps. I did not dig into any yardage.
2 of 4 pincushions – back
They are from Love Patchwork and Quilting, issue 39. It is available digitally in the Apple and Google Play stores.
I told myself I wasn’t going to use selvedges again, but I did anyway. I had some sewing failures and had to remake two of the pincushions, because it was too much of a hassle under the deadline to rip them out. My attempt to repair with ShapeFlex didn’t work. Still, the selvedges are very popular, though I don’t think they work very well with pincushions. Whatever. Looks are everything, right? 😉 I’ll get to the repair later and have some pincushions available for gifts.
Two more pincushions
The pattern says to center the flaps for the Wonderclips and I haven’t done that thinking it would be too hard to sew. I tried it on one of the pincushions and I think it worked pretty well. I eyeballed the placement and might actually measure next time, but I think it came out well and it looks good.
Tim’s pincushion in the wild
I sent the finished and fabulous pincushions to Gerre, so she could put them with her gift. She reminded me that I had missed one. It is a good thing they are easy to make and I have lot of scraps, because I made up two more quickly. One I gave as a gift – just because and it is already in use.
I enjoy making these I need to buy more wool roving so I can make more – and find some friends who need pincushions.
