One Of These Things Is Not Like The Others...

One of these things just doesn't belong...

Hints:

I WANT to do two of these things.

Two of these things are FUN.

Two of these things are PRETTY.

I won't be working on two of these things tonight.

One of these things is NOT pretty... or fun... and I don't WANT to do it.

I HAVE to do one of these things...tonight...I guess...

Tat's a Bag!

Mom made this bag for me a few years ago.  It is very neat but I had a hard time finding a good use for it until recently... 

Then I realized it would make a great bag for my tatting stuff.  I can keep patterns. hooks and a big ball of thread in the middle and keep several shuttles and a pair of fold-up scissors in pockets around the edge.  Keeping the shuttles separated helps me carry around a couple projects ('cause I like variety) at the same time without getting all that thread wadded up in a big knot.  It is easy to just pull the bag open and start tatting anywhere - I tat a lot in the car waiting... the funny thing is that now that I WANT to wait - NOBODY KEEPS ME WAITING!

It would be great if it was a little bit bigger.  So, when this one is getting worn out (or before if I know me) I am going to use it to make a pattern and just make the bottom a little larger and the sides a little taller - so I guess simply put - I'll cut out a bigger circle.  I keep thinking about it because I saw such fun fabrics on a website called Sew Mama Sew and I want to give it a try.

Well, It's About Time...

SOMEBODY finished a QUILT around here!

Groovy Girl is very happy (she is smiling back there).  And I have learned something about binding on this little quilt:

1. Make your own - it's softer and  easier to get a needle through - I know this because the package of pretty pink double folded bias tape I bought was too stiff for Groovy Girl to whip stitch through, so I had the pleasure.  (PLUS you can use that handy tool for making binding that you HAD to have)

2. If you want to do mitered corners but don't remember the trick, LOOK IT UP! - It is so much easier than winging it, messing it up, and ripping it out...but better yet...

3. FORGET the mitered corners, bind two sides, whip stitch them, then add binding to the other sides tucking in the ends.  Looks PLENTY nice!  AND it gets done without the cussing!!!

Taco Bell Tatters

Today I tatted...at Taco Bell...in the parking lot.

The cupboards were bare around here so Groovy Girl, Baby Doll, Boy and I headed to the grocery store, but somewhere between here and there I got HUNGRY and so did they so we went through the Taco Bell drive thru (Baby Doll had fallen asleep).  We parked in the lot to eat.  Apparently I was the hungriest because I finished first (yeah me!).  So I wiped off my cheesy fingers and got out my tatting and while having a visit with the kids about ants and swimming pools I finished three rings and a chain!  I take my tatting with me EVERYWHERE just in case I finish first (yeah me!).

I marked my tatting shuttles in 1/8" increments so my picots would be more uniform.  It is so handy and it has really helped me speed up a bit.  I don't understand why they don't come that way.  I found ultra fine sharpies that click open and shut like a pen.  I haven't had any problem with the ink coming off on my thread yet.  Perhaps I could sell my own line of marked shuttles!  It's less extreme than tattooing dots on your finger (true story). 

Groovy Girl didn't get to finish her quilt today because her mama boofed the binding.  I told her I would have it ready and waiting after school tomorrow.  I'm wondering if she is going to want to make something else after this.  I guess I will know soon 'cause Groovy Girl ain't shy!

Groovy Girl's WIP is WOW!

Groovy Girl was quilting up a storm today. I am her official knotter - she kept me so busy I couldn't get anything done in between knots! She enjoyed quilting except for one huffy outburst which caused the needle to go AWOL briefly (my toes are curling thinking about it). Turned out she was having a hard time working the needle through the bulky seams, so I marked the thick spots on the tape she uses for a stitching guide. Apparently forewarned is forearmed because she didn't have any more problems.

Tomorrow we will put the binding on - yes, WE will. She was disappointed that I would have to sew one edge on for her with the machine - she said she wished she was 20 so SHE could do it. I didn't tell her that she only needs to wish herself maybe 10 or so...I don't want to be locked in to anything.

Here is a close-up of her fine work...

A New Project

Five years ago after second grade, Lit Girl took a hand quilting class. She made this block for her doll, Kit. She worked very hard on it and it turned out so well!

Well, Groovy Girl has wanted to learn to sew for a long time. She really wants to make clothes for Baby Doll. I was finally able to convince her that there was more to it than she thought (I can't have Baby Doll running around in clothes that are stapled together!) and encouraged her to make a quilt block like Lit Girl. So yesterday she began her project.

She picked up hand stitching easily and worked on her block for over an hour! She is very proud of her quilt which she says is for Baby Doll. She should be - it is very pretty.

Tomorrow she will try her hand at quilting her block!

What a W.I.P.!!!

I have many works in progress laying around the house. There are a couple tatting projects - but that's just thread - is that really a PROJECT? I've got three quilts going, piecing one and quilting the other two. A fourth quilt is planned, but since nothing is cut on it, I still count it as part of my stash :)

I was so excited last night when I figured out how to tat with two shuttles! I have made the same bookmark over and over - now I can try some new things! Unfortunately, I got so excited that I forgot a join and have to start over. But it is a pretty little flub up anyway!

Here's where it gets messy...I have quite a back log of sewing projects building up. Here is an illustrated list:

Drapes for bedroom - love fabric - nervous there isn't enough!

Swing top for my swinging Groovy Girl

Dress for Baby Doll (better hurry - she's growin')

Another dress for Baby Doll (might be too big!)

Dress for Groovy Girl (but not for Easter, apparently)

Speaking of Easter, I really would like making dresses, but who am I kidding. I have my hands full and my tubs overflowing. It will be a miracle if I get all of these clothes made before the girls have a growth spurt. Then again, it just takes getting back in the groove. I made Baby Doll a little dress WITH A ZIPPER in 1.5 hours on halloween!

My Creative Notebook

I would love to take credit for all the pretty things in my header, but I can't, even if I'm just talking to myself and maybe one anonymous follower (Hi!).

All of the tatting except the rectangular bookmarks were made by my mom's mom. She is the reason I wanted to learn to tat. The pillow case was also embroidered by Grandma, and the round doilies were crocheted either by mom's sister or Grandma. The yellow tatting shuttle in the middle is Grandma's. It has pink thread on it. I like that she wound that thread on it.

The pieced blocks and the quilt are stuff I am working on. I have a LONG way to go with both, but that doesn't matter. It doesn't even REALLY matter if I EVER finish them. I just like working on them when I feel like it. Sure, it would be nice to see the finished quilt on the bed with some embroidered pillowcases (crocheted on the edge of course), but I get a lot of enjoyment from working on them so finishing fast and furious isn't a big priority. I always get distracted by other new and old loves. I enjoy sewing, tatting, quilting, photography and I would love to crochet, knit and maybe blog - although writing isn't my forte, I do like trying to make it a pretty blog (although I'm getting poor reviews so far, ahem).

My plan is just to use this blog as a sort of notebook to keep track of all my ideas. I have a lot of them and I forget a lot of them. So maybe I'll be able to inspire myself to try more of them, keep on working to finish the ones I have started... oh, and possibly learn from past mistakes.