I have so many ideas zooming around in my head that I can't possibly get to all of them. In fact, I forget half of them before I find paper and pencil to write them down. One of the ideas that did make it to paper is for a quilt I want to design and make. It's a little hush hush right now, but I've got the initial design set up and I'm working on figuring out how much fabric I need (something that is much easier to do with the free Robert Kaufman Quilt Calculator app), how many colors/shades to use, and the easiest way to cut and assemble the squares. Since I've never designed a quilt before, this being my first attempt, I'm making use of the library for some research. As luck would have it, the sale cart at the library just happened to have a stack of quilting books that I brought home with me last week. Lazy and Lovin' It by Joan Hawley and Travels with Peaky and Spike by Doreen Speckmann will both be extremely useful. My ideal fabrics for this quilt are some from the First Light collection designed by Eloise Renouf for Cloud 9. Alas, the collection will not be released until June. So, I put together a few others that I think will look great for the test quilt. I'm thinking of including one more print and another solid to get a really nice gradient from dark to light. As soon as I find it, I will start cutting away at this beautiful yardage. And when that happens, I'll be sure to let you know.
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After looking at dozens of different sewing machines and the different stitch options available, I decided that I can't afford the sewing machine I want. Permit me a sigh will you? So, I thought to myself that I should try getting my broken machine fixed while I save up money to get the one I want. I took it in on Friday and the guy took one look at it and told me that, it may have the Kenmore logo on it, but it was definitely made by Janome. He also said it is a pretty good, solid machine. Maybe he says something like that to everybody, but it did make me feel a little better about spending money to fix it. He said that it was likely just in need of a tuneup, which, I'm ashamed to say, has not been done while I've owned it. I should get it back later this week, hopefully in perfect working order. Until then, I'll be staring at the empty space on my sewing table and dreaming of a new fancy machine in that space in the not-to-distant future. And I'll be prepping other projects, including putting together a tutorial on a felt needle book that I'm making.
Making a mockup book is, for me, an essential part of the process of making a book. I made one for my first fabric memory book and for my board book. It helps me organize my thoughts, sketch out ideas, and make notes about what will be on each page. Today I'm making one for my second fabric memory book. To make a mockup book of your own, start by finding several sheets of blank paper. It helps if the pages are cut to the same size you want the final book to be, but it's not essential. Stack the pages and use two or three binder clips along the spine side to keep them together. This allows you to add or remove pages or take the clips off and lay the pages out. Here are a few ideas on what to include in a mockup book: - Margin dimensions - Sketches or printed images - Typed or written text at the size you want it to appear - Page colors - Image dimensions - Embellishment ideas My new mockup book is still completely blank. I'm in the process of writing the story, which is proving more difficult the second time around. I have to decide whether to use an order-of-events approach like with the first fabric book or organize it so that each page represents a word my little one learned during his second year. Once I figure this out it will probably come together really fast. While my brain mulls over this decision, I'll keep typing away. Here are a few pictures from the first year mockup book I made to give you more ideas. “The present moment is filled with joy and happiness. If you are attentive, you will see it.”
― Thích Nhất Hạnh, Peace Is Every Step: The Path of Mindfulness in Everyday Life A Friday ritual adopted from SouleMama. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. If you’re inspired to do the same, leave a link to your ‘moment’ in the comments for all to find and see. Oh, I am in a terrible spot. My sewing machine is not working. It decided to move incredibly slowly, even when I push all the way down on the presser foot. It has a hesitant motion to it as well, like a child dragging his feet to avoid doing a task. I oiled it and ran it for a while, but still it moves slowly. It happened in the middle of sewing a line of stitching, so I think a part just gave out. None of the sewing machine stores around me service Kenmores, worst luck. Kenmore offers a 25-year warranty on the machine head, but I have to send it to Tennessee for a diagnostic. I am hesitant to do this because I will be on the hook for the $50 diagnostic fee if the problem is not covered by the warranty. And that's before any fixing happens. While I figure out what to do about my broken machine, I have started the search for a new one, should it come to that. The world of sewing machines is overwhelming, though, and I am having the hardest time making a choice. How many different button-hole styles do I truly need? I know I want a walking foot and some fancier stitches than my current machine has, but, other than that, I'm at a loss. You see, I've never actually purchased a sewing machine. The one I have now was a gift from my husband that he bought used from a housemate before we were married. And I am the type that must find the perfect thing before I go through with a big purchase. I hope to get this figured out soon. In the meantime, most of my posts and tutorials will likely be on hand sewing.
If you have any advice to offer on sewing machine brands or models, I would really appreciate it. |
Carley Biblin
Hi. My name is Carley. I love to sew, craft, and create. As a Jane-of all-crafts so to speak, I enjoy sewing, writing, cooking, drawing, photographing. But the constant thread (if you'll excuse the pun) throughout my weeks is needle arts. Archives
January 2017
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