Crazy Quilt - 01

So I've been working on this placemat sized crazy quilt. I did it all wrong, because I started without looking at any books (my usual style). So it's rather rough, and if/when I do another one I'll make it using the antique method.

There are plenty of regrets in this, starting with not using dark reds and purples for all the seam stitching. C'est la vie. I'll do a bit more embroidery on the patches when I pick it back up again, but I needed a break from that type of embroidery.


Next I'll be starting what my very well be my GREATEST PATTERN EVER. I won't give too much away yet, but it involves Star Wars.

Parenting Decisions

I'm sure every parent feels like this utterly unimpressed owl when people negatively (or maybe even positively) comment on their parenting decisions. I could make millions selling these, right?

Not being a parent myself, I'm spared this. Though I do feel a twinge of it when people comment on my cat's behavior or appearance. In reality, she's the den mother in our situation.

Anyway. That's done. I decided what would be super fun is to start a (very small) crazy quilt without knowing anything about making one. That's fun right? I mean, I know how to sew fabric together and how to do the embroidery stitches, but I've never done any sort of quilting before (granted, I know crazy quilts are often not technically quilted).

The precision of quilting has always put me off. I am not a precise person in any respect (okay, other than arranging my teacups and books). I am certainly not a precision crafter or someone who bothers to look up the correct way to do any craft.

Sooo... we'll see how it goes and whether or not I can convince my mom to do the binding where maybe using a machine is more helpful. My sewing machine isn't working and I can't sit at it for more than a few minutes anyway, so I'm piecing this thing by hand.

speedy stitching

We are in trouble as a species if people will refuse to believe
in things they couldn't actually do themselves.
--David Mitchell (not the author)

My parenting owl stitched up SO quickly. I have to wash him and then stitch a few more details, but that should be very quick.

In the meantime I decided to be totally crazy and just stitch up a beloved quote from comedian David Mitchell. I sort of feel bad, because I think maybe it's the kind of thing he would disapprove of/be uncomfortable about, but oh well. I can't go around worrying about what celebrities think.

Of course this is the time when my washable marker would completely disappear, so I stitched it without any guide whatsoever. It's messy (impossible not to be on that fabric and at that size, honestly), but not nearly as messy as I feared it would be.

The quote is from an episode of QI. They were talking about people who don't believe the moon landing happened. It's part of this clip.

Parenting

This is my next embroidery project, all laid out! Anyone is welcome to use the pattern. The owl is a medieval motif (that's pretty damn public domain!), the handwriting is my dad's.

I've got the pattern printed on my solvy and stuck on to my fabric, so I should be starting on him today. I've never done non-counted embroidery on evenweave before, so that's a new thing which is slightly freaking me out. The linen is higher than 28ct, but I haven't actually counted. I found it as a huge piece of fabric in a thrift store for $4, which was really awesome.


My cat is mad at me for letting my niece in the house. Sigh. My niece was adorable, though also full of herself. I said her drawing was nice and she replied "I know." Takes after me, I guess...

St. Trinian's

Well, here she is, in all her finished glory. Actually this piece needs to be watched in an actual washing machine (in a mesh bag and on delicate, of course) to get all of the printable solvy off so the thread isn't stiff, but it will be a while before I get that done (do not trust my building's washers).

I am having a rough time of it lately, in terms of depression. I think it's probably an every summer thing, since I can get out of the house even less now. The next project I want to do, with the owl, can't be made until I have the right handwriting for it. I've thus far been after at asking my sister to do some samplers for me. 

There's a cross-stitch pattern idea I have too, so maybe I'll work on that a bit. Right now all I want to do is eat constantly, maintain a slight alcohol buzz all the time (impossible for monetary reasons), and watch humorous shows I've seen 5 times already.