Work in Progress - and it is still December!

Erin has pointed out that I have been absent from the blog all year. It is true, I have no excuse, other than the fact that I haven't actually finished any crafts this year. Well, other than a scarf, but it didn't seem to fit the theme at the time. Which means that this month's theme is perfect for me! The only problem I had was narrowing it down to just one work in progress. I have some that are several years old. My hope is that in reading my saga, those of you who have organized crafty lives and prolific craft inspiration can understand why embarking upon new projects is a very large undertaking for me.

First, though, I had to clear out the sewing room. It is also the ironing room, and it is also the room where I throw clutter when there's company. Since I travel about once a month, it is also the room that is in a constant state of suitcase packing and unpacking. The floor, ironing board, and sewing table were cleared out for walking and using. Some items that I thought were lost were recovered. It was kind of exciting.

In any case, today I finally started on pillow covers for the family room. One side of the pillow cover was purchased last January. At least, I think it was January 2011. It might have been 2010. It is a light gray corduroy, as the pillows need to be fairly neutral. The sofa in question is a cream, maybe gray, sage, pink, maybe a little blue, floral. The carpet is cream. The curtains are sage and beige print, and the shades are cream and gold stripes.

Here's a picture of the state of affairs, and the sad little pillows which need to be thrown out. (I left the bigger pillows out of the picture).

So I decided to pair the corduroy with a gold and beige pattern, sort of a chenille/upholstery weave. I thought to add cording also of the corduroy, but earlier today when I tore apart my sewing room closet in an annual fit of what passes for reorganization, I found some gold metallic print leftover from my Christmas tree skirt a few years ago. That seemed a better way to go for the cording.

So, armed with a sheet of web instructions on how to cover cording, a sort of clean sewing room, and an uninterrupted block of time, I started pondering how to cut bias strips. First, I had to look up bias. Luckily, the how to cover cording web page (http://sewing.about.com/od/techniques/ss/cordingpiping.htm) pointed to a handy reference link. So bias is a fancy word for cutting fabric at 45 degrees. Who knew?

Now, how to find exactly 45 degrees? According to the directions, if I don't do it right, my cording cover will be woefully weak and structurally unsound. In scouring the basement for a really cool steel square we used to have, I found a rusty steel ruler with a 45 degree angle marking. It must have been my husband's grandfather's. I don't know what you are supposed to use this for, but it is perfect for me. After I started measuring, I realized that the pattern on my fabric is at 45 degrees! Clearly, this tool was made for this job.

Here are the pieces being cut. The sewing room was too crowded, so I had to move down to the kitchen table for cutting. At two pillows with 14" a side, I need something like 120" of bias strips. It appears that I have enough fabric.

After the cutting, I am delighted that I have not cut the cute Christmas tablecloth, and it is back to the sewing machine upstairs I go. The machine has been sitting idle for at least 3 years, due to the fact that I have not had any new sewing inspiration in that long. I should have put the machine in the closet, or at least covered it. A sewing machine cover is a project that I have wanted for some time, I probably have a pattern for one, but today's closet organization did not include pattern reorg. So now I have to start by dusting the machine. I probably should oil it, too, but I decide to skip that step, I figure the bias strips won't be that critical.

Here is my Kenmore 6 stitch. I bought it I think in 1979 for $200 because I wanted to make my own cute clothes like Debbie Ehrlich in the 7th grade. It was a lot of money. It was all my own money, as my mother said it was a waste and I would never use it. Well, I never did make my own clothes, as Debbie Ehrlich was incredibly talented as well as a cute little tiny skinny girl who could wear a tablecloth and it would look good. I, on the other hand, have always had the fashion sense and unusually short figure I have today. In any case, I *have* made many curtains and Halloween costumes, and my $200 investment is still working for me about 33 years later, so there is still hope that it may yet pay for itself. If you look closely, you can see the shot glass that holds the sewing platform up. My family lost the little leg when I went away to college and they packed all my stuff up so that my younger sister could move into my bedroom. Sears doesn't sell the leg separately from the platform, and I didn't feel like buying the whole platform.

So, I got the bobbin wound (had to open the instruction book, I always fear putting the bobbin in backwards), and the machine threaded. I found the zipper foot, too, right where I left it in the labelled box in my sewing box! This is only the second time I've ever used that, and I did have to play with it for awhile to figure out what to do with it.

Here are the bias strips all together, being sewn around the cording. Sewing around the cording is more troublesome than it sounds.

So, now it should be time to cut the covers and sew them together! But I find my attention to this activity is wavering for the night, and I will have to continue this project another day.

This means it is truly a Work In Progress.

And now you can see why I can't possibly keep up with, nor document, a craft per month. But I do thank you all for the continuing inspiration, and I do love seeing all of your talent!

Stinky Feet

Okay, so these technically aren't a work in progress anymore since I just finished them. Other than my two year old (who likes to pick them up, smell them, and say "pee-wee stinky feet") you are the first to see them. Don't you feel special? You can consider it my Christmas gift to you.

About 6 years ago I decided to make stockings for my then-boyfriend/now-husband's Grandmother. I used thin sheets of plastic to create a pattern based on the shape of a store bought stocking. Since then I've made probably 40 of these stockings.

Here you can see my very sophisticated pattern in action. I have pieces for the outside of the stocking, lining, cuff, heel, and toe.

After cutting out the fabric I cross-stitch the name on the front using waste canvas.

And then sew!

These stockings are for my parents. My mom started dropping "subtle" hints about how nice it would be if all her grandchildren, children, and their spouses had matching stockings earlier this month.

That one is my mom's - her favorite color is plaid.

Penguins for my baby.

The whole crew

And it would appear the old proverb of the cobbler's children going barefoot proves true at our house, since every single one of these stockings I've made has been a gift for someone else and my kids don't have their own.

Maybe next year.

Housewarming Party Invitations

Even though this month's challenge is all about works in progress, I'm declining to post most of what I'm currently working on. The internet, though it is a vast wasteland and most of the recipients are not likely to be visiting craft sites, may run across their holiday gifts. I want them to be surprises, like Sue would enjoy.


If they're not at least this excited, I'll feel like Debbie Downer.

So instead, I'll post invitations I made for my friend's housewarming party last year.
Ken & Linda are the ultimate tropical beach party people. Every year they host a Jamaican Reggae night at their beach house. So, when Linda "retired" from her travel agency (she now runs it from a home office, rather than its downtown location) they no longer needed to live in the city. They built a house in Eden, NY, a town better known for its annual Corn Festival and high school tractor parades than nightlife and urban vibes.

They were throwing an "Open House" party to show off their gorgeous new digs that backed up to a vineyard and assure their friends and family that they were not in an episode of "Green Acres." I was asked to design the invitations, which had to include a picture of a dilapidated barn somewhere. This is what I came up with.

I found the barn image online and printed it on vellum. Using red and brown colored pencils, I highlighted some areas and blended them using a blending stump and mineral spirits. I inked the edges of the card using Tim Holtz's Walnut Stain and Staz-on in Jet Black. They were attached with photo corners. I stamped the "Our Country Home" in black using an alphabet set I found on sale at Joann's. Inside, I stamped their address and the party information, and added a scalloped border (not going to post that because, well, you know, weirdos and all.) I added a tab that I attached with a brad that had their names and phone number so that, even if the invitee threw away the card afterward, they could save this little bit of information.

I also inked the edges of the envelopes to match the invitations. They were a hit, with the only caveat being the extra postage required because of the brad. They didn't lay perfectly flat, even though they were well within the weight limit for the post office and certainly not obtrusive. Eh, that's a small town post office for you. I'm sure the extra 20 cents on each one will help pull the Postal Service out of bankruptcy.

December: Works in Progress

It is the executive decision of myself (6 weeks out from baby #3 and decidedly not crafting) and Laura, whose month it was, to "scrap" a theme for December. The rotation has been shifted down a month, and for December, please show us your current Works in Progress (I know I have a few!). We'll start fresh with a fun new theme after the holidays.