Christmas/Sewing update

It's been a while since I blogged, but not a lot of crafting has been going on.  I've been working on the house some, and just generally trying to survive the holidays.   And to be honest, seasonal-affective is a bear, y'all.

Back in early November, I went to the Houston International Quilt show and bought some Christmassy fabrics to make into table runners for the inlaws, and lo', they were done on time!

They are similar (inlaws being exes, I had to make two), but they're different.   My only rules when I was pulling the fabrics were that I couldn't do two gold/white or red strips in a row, but I just pulled randomly.   These were way wider, so I trimmed the strips off and I'll be making a table runner for myself from the left overs.  I'm binding it now, and I'll share later (too late for Christmas decorating, but that's OK, I wasn't in the "Christmas spirit" this year anyway).

And here are some close ups, I just quilted it in the ditches:

The other thing I made for Christmas were these microwave bowl holder things that seemed to be everywhere at the quilt show.  They're super easy to make and useful for using up a bunch of material that's been hanging around for whatever purpose I originally bought them for.   The kicker was to make them using cotton only.  I wanted to make Christmas themed ones, but all of my holiday fabric has metal in them (oh, and don't forget to skip the polyester thread if you're lazy AF like me and tend to not change out the threads on the machine after doing garment sewing - hah).  I used the tutorial from happyhourstitches.

That last one is using my CalamityWare bowls for measure.  These bowls are a bit smaller than I'm used to, but pretty deep, so I was very happy with the scale.

That's about the sum total of my fun-time.  I'm planning on staying in this cold, cold weekend and just reading through the Taltos Series by Steven Brust (I have not read them in a long time!) to take it easy (with some homemade eggnog liberally spiked with bourbon or rum).

I think my next sewing project is going to be the Tiles High Society quilt from craftsy.  It's a really easy block pattern using layer cakes that I'm looking forward to. I saw the fabric and knew it would be perfect for my living room.   I'll have to think about whether I want to get it finished before the really nasty cold sets into the area next week.  There nothing like relaxing on a couch with a warm blanket, fire in the fireplace, and books on the ready.

The other big project was widening the tv-niche above the fireplace so that my 55gal would fit in it.   I got a new Eheim canister filter so I could do a bit less filter maintenance on it, and I also did a fair bit of re-scaping, and I spent some time changing up the driftwood to make a statement piece.   I'll get some fissidens in the future for that,  mostly, I'm looking forward to my amazon swords growing back out (the move and subsequent 6months in a bucket was pretty rough on them - they're in the corners and behind the driftwood).

No fish, yet, as I'm letting it cycle (why it's still a little cloudy there - that was a couple of weeks ago).  It has a fluorite base capped with pool sand, and of course the plants and driftwood.   The two bags of "stuff" are my biological media from the old filters, so that the tank can cycle and settle quickly.  I'm thinking about adding in the fish (tomorrow?  next week?) to see how it's settling.  The ammonia/nitrate/nitrite levels are where they are supposed to be, so I thin it's safe, but I have a feeling my 20gal (where the fish are living now) is suffering from Old Tank Syndrome, and I'd like to get that healthy before I transplant my gouramis back to the 55gal.

So much for those stitching plans (I'll be back for the WIPocalypse round up).

Oh, and here's my Longhorn Santa on the porch after just a wee bit of snow a few weeks ago.

Framing is coming! Framing is coming!

In the past, I've gotten a few things framed at Nick's in Mesa (? I think it's Mesa, I visited my friends in Phoenix and they took me there).  Well!  One of my friends was in town (sorta) for work, and we met and had dinner.   She offered to take some of my stitching to Nick's since we're going to see each other again in a couple of months and I can fly home with my pieces (vs having them shipped like last time).  We didn't go to Nick's the last time a bunch of us were in Phoenix because he was ending his business, but for reasons he hasn't actually closed up yet.  Yay for us!

So we did some framing-by-text, but luckily Nick is pretty damn awesome and the options I got were pretty awesome from the beginning and I was happy.

First up is the Dracula book cover, which I finished earlier this year (and hey, this picture is really a color accurate photo of that Aries by Sparklies that I adore).   He is actually using two frames to make this, one frame acting like a kind of mat, which is WAY awesome.   This was so good that it was an immediate yes.   And to be honest, it's my favorite framing thing from everything that's getting done.

Next up is Ferret Knot by White Willow Stitching.   The other option had a frame that didn't have that gold edge, and I like the way it breaks things up.  I also love that suede mat, which I think should work super well with the overdye chocolate that I used in the design.   Much love for this (man these are going to be heavy ;) )

Next is Tapestry by Ink Circles.
And again, it's the double-frame thing.   Annette (link to her flosstube) showed me her Tapestry (or, rather, a photo of it) while we were hanging out a few weeks ago, and I really did like it.  This is the same thing she had done (and I think we've even stitched on the same fabric?  hah!).  We, and some other friends, all stitched on this together at the same time; starting at approx the same time.   It was kind of fun to be bouncing off of each other's progress pictures, and not only is it a gorgeous design, but I will always think of my wonderful friends when I look at it.   I can't imagine a frame I'd like better, honestly. 

Next up is Immaculate Heart (again, by Ink Circles).
It's a pretty small design, and I love the old world/medieval feel of it and wanted a heavy, thick frame to go around it.  And lo'!  This is the option Nick pulled.  So, yes?   Seriously, this guy is a genius.  And luckily this is fairly small so at least one of these will be easy to transport ;)

And finally, I bring you Celtic Christmas by Lavender and Lace/Told in a Garden
I stitched this back in 1998.  At one time, I "finished" it into a cheap Michaels frame using stitch witchery to hold it to the backing board, so there's still residue of that stuff around the edges.   Way back when I "didn't know any better" and what not.  Luckily the sticky stuff isn't anywhere near the stitching, but around the very edges;  it's not like that stuff comes off easily, either.

I don't have a blog post with her in it, but otherwise I stitched it as directed, same fabric, same materials, even that god awful DMC 284Z (I didn't even have to look it up, I remember that stuff!).  I recently hit this piece with a lint roller to try to get any extra dog hair off of it, and that gold started flaking!  So I thought I should get it framed tout-de-suite.

I didn't want it too look too Christmassy (hence the removal of the "NOEL" from above her head), but I stitched her because I love her red dress, so I knew I wanted red in the framing somewhere, but when it was the top mat, it just overwhelmed the framing.   This is eventually what we settled on - this was definitely the piece that took us the longest to pick a frame option for.  It's the costliest one we framed (I think the red is suede, and the tan is a really pretty silk mat, actually), but 1.  she's worth it and 2. it was still a helluva lot cheaper than if I'd framed her at a regular place here. 

I'm quite happy with this choice and now I have to decide if I want to hang her in a public area of my house or just put her above my dresser so I can look at her every day.

So that's the framing that's coming my way.  I should get everything by January at the latest, and I couldn't be more excited/pleased.   I hate to wish ill on Nick, but I hope the issues regarding his shop continue for just a few more months so I have one more crack at framing with him.   Mostly for those desert pieces.

Happy Friday! Dracula Book Cover Happy Dance!

I got so wrapped up in everything going on (job move, etc.) that I totally forgot to post something I finished!   This is a freebie from Life's Trivial Pursuits.  I learned about it from Jo at Serendipitous stitching.   I stitched it on Aries from Sparklies.

I started it on December 21, 2016 and I finished it on February 14th, 2017  (which is just about the time I accepted the new position and went into OMG, we have to pack and move and get a new place, not necessarily in that order! overdrive ;)

I cannot, for the life of me, get my camera to take a color accurate picture, so you'll have to forgive and trust me on it.   I've doctored them as best I can, but Aries is a cool toned, gorgeous rich red that was just perfect for this piece.  I look forward to framing it.

I used petite treasure braid in gold (PB02) for the lit window (because Dracula would never use fluorescent lighting!!!) and the actual "Dracula" lettering, and I used the B5200 instead of regular white for the moon.  The rest is black.   I love the way it came out.

Thankfully, I keep a spreadsheet of the stuff I've stitched, so when my blogging fails, I can update myself :)

January WIPocalypse (a bit late)

I am getting to this a bit late for reasons.
I'm also backdating it (I'm actually writing it on Feb 14th), because I can (muaahaha).

January was an incredibly busy month.  Not to get overly political, but the US political game became an utter (bigger?) shit show and I've gotten far more involved than I have been in the past (apparently this is how the GOP is going to go about making radicals - good on you, GOP!).   

I live in NC, which is one of those states where things are at an interesting (if that's even a good word for it) tipping point, and I feel it is my duty as a citizen to do what I can.   

That said, there's been a lot of activism and a lot of craftivism that's cut into my stitching time.

ALSO, I swear to the sweet baby octopus that I took pictures of my WIPocalypse progress, but guess what!  I can't find them anywhere on my device.  I'm simultaneously bent out of shape about it and too lazy to actually do anything about it, so I'll just have to use my words!

Let's roll:

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I went on a trip to Vegas over MLK weekend to visit and stitch with friends.  What's really cool is that I stitched on three other people's pieces!<3 div="">

I worked a little on Dracula, and I swear the fabric is more blue, less tomato

I worked on Deco Spirits for a bit - I started the water block, but I can't find a picture :(

And I started on a Glendon Place Dessert - Fruit Cocktail, that I purchased at Stitcher's Paradise.  My first 2017 start!

At Stitcher's Paradise, I also purchased a Victoria's Sampler State kit - California and a couple of other things I cannot remember off of the top of my head (dangit).   I also got the threads and beads for Letters for Nora - A (plans!).  I didn't really purchase much.

At the quilt store we visit every year (Quiltique), I got a pattern for a friend (she had posted it on FB and others had also posted it on her wall - haha), and I got a few fat quarters.  I got three to make another needleminder book (with Tula Pink fabric), and I purchased three fat quarters that I will use to make the wall hanging with the VS states that I want to get finished.

And after that there was the Women's March in Washington (yes, I went, it was awesome).   I got in on the PussyHat making and made around 30 hats (so many hats!).   Between the long flight to and from Vegas and a huge delay that had me at the airport for nearly 8 hours, I knocked tons out!

Seriously, here's my "Carry-on":

This was one of the boxes I mailed off to the PussyHatProject (I also gave out hats locally and I think we must have given away another 20 hats at the march itself, because I kept finding them everywhere, like I couldn't even keep track of what I had made, and my friend Michelle also made a stack of polar fleece kitty hats):

My one march shot I want to share, because it was so awesome!   A quilted! sign:

I didn't get much other stitching done, now I'm working on rainbow and brain hats (wheeeeeee).  I have slacked off a bit, but I should pick them back up.  I think my first WIPocalypse finish will be Dracula (I forgot to list it on my WIPocalypse, but it definitely qualified).

And in the middle of all of that I've been job hunting, so I've been out with that quite a bit.  Yay me.

Question of the Month – What Stitch-a-Longs (SALs) are you participating in this year?

I have been horribly remiss about reading my stitching blogs, so I'm not sure what I'm missing out on, to be honest.   I know I'll be taking part in WIPocalypse, TUSAL, and TW October for sure.   When i get back to reading regularly, if I see any that look good, I'll join in (I'm also hoping for another SoloSeptember).

I haven't made my new ort jar for this year, but I am keeping them in a glass separate from my 2016 orts.  I need to make a 3D thing for my 2016 orts and I'm thinking of the Hands On Design Block Party Vino (I hope I got that right).

WIPWednesday

So I spent the snowy (Carolina SnowPocalypse 2017, y'all!) weekend stitching on Dracula and watching Westworld.

Shoulda been cleaning, I suppose, but I didn't.  Hah

Stitched on Sparklies's Aries

It's darker in real life, I just didn't feel like futzing with the camera/picture/settings :)

And just for fun, I was trying to make a collage of last year's works, but I was never happy with it.  I spent enough time on it that I felt like I should post it anyway!

The cleaning & stuffing of the Orts!

And the first official finish of 2016!

Sometime last year, someone in bloglandia (you know who you are, I just can't remember, because I'm awful like that), mentioned that they used their previous years' orts to stuff a project.

This is brilliant.

So I decided to make a biscornu and stuff it with my orts.

Behold! The Orts of 2015!

In which I learn that maybe my laptop is not the best place for pics... hah

And behold!   The Biscornu of the Orts of 2015!

It's evenly stuffed,, this angle just made it look weird.

I had problems with one corner, oops...  It's a freebie from Imaginesque and stitched with my beloved Bethlehem from Weeks Dye Works

I added the year (obviously), and I learned that next year's biscornu will need to be much bigger, because I barely made the orts fit (and I didn't stitch much last year).

Fantasy Exchange

So some time ago I posted what I received in the Fantasy Exchange. I've been waiting to hear from the person I sent to, to make sure that they've gotten the package, but I haven't seen a posting on the board where we post those kinds of things.

I'm going to assume she got it (I don't think she reads my blog, either) and go ahead and post what I sent...

 I followed Dani's instructions and made my first ever lined bag!


My only real regret is that I live at the end of the universe and didn't have any place good to get better matching ribbon. In retrospect, maybe I should have used red. I lined the bag in green and didn't want it to look all Christmas-y when I initially thought about going with red. This is a FantaCats Freebie that I thought would make a good bag. Kinda like the bag is holding/keeping something away like the dragon is. Maybe. Sorta. I thought it was a good idea anyway. Don't look at me like that!

My partner also mentioned that she liked the blues and greens of the ocean (as well as red), so I made a fob for her. That's a shell from the beach here, and I used a couple of blue glass beads I really like as well as some semi-precious green and blue beads.

And just for fun, here's the entire package. I put a couple of goodies from Mexico in there (like the awesome habanero sauce) and a skein of that new Cardinal color from Waterlilies (since she mentioned she likes red) as well as a Brownsville pin I got from the city. It's identical to the pin I wear when I go places so I can easily point out where Brownsville is.

So there ya go. I thought it was a fun little package. I'm always a little nervous in exchanges because there are people who send out some serious stash with their exchanges and I'm always nervous that I'm skimpy or something. I try real hard to be thoughtful, though.

Bat, Bats, everywhere!

I finished! It took almost an entire two skeins of Crescent Colours, but I got it done! And yes, I took the picture on the diagonal. Actually I took two pictures, but the color shows up better in this one. It's some sort of melony/orangy material, and I'm very very happy with it.

I was thinking that I'd like to get this one with a specialty matte cut. Something that goes around the bats that's neither square nor diagonal, nor circle. I'm not sure what yet. I also realized that I have Bavarian Christmas wreath that need to framed. If I get enough seasonal stuff that is the same approximate size, I think I'll just use a rotating spot on the wall and hang up a seasonal something.

Or I might finish it into a flat-fold... I can't decide what I want to do, but I want to display this sucker!!!