Slow Sunday

Today feels like fall, which makes me happy. It's rainy outside, and we get to stay inside where it's nice and cozy. We had pumpkin pancakes for breakfast - they were really good (I used this recipe, from Martha Stewart Living through Urban Comfort). I'm in the midst of washing fabrics, sewing, some crocheting... and I think there will be some Grey's Anatomy in a bit. With hot apple cider.

I'm also working on getting an Etsy shop up and running. Right now, I'm stuck on figuring out a name! I know it's not the most vital thing ever, but I can't really change it once it's done and all the names I've liked are already taken!

My clutch for the Bag Swap is done and mailed as of yesterday. I'll give it a couple of days and then post pics.

**I went to go find my camera and got totally distracted. Pictures tomorrow! Much crafty/sewing goodness going on today, including new flannel pillowcases. Yay. :) Now it's time for Grey's & apple cider.

Cashews

Crazy. I had no idea.

from TrekNature

Bag Swap! Part 2

The bag is finished! I need to take some pictures, wrap it up, and ship it out. And then make myself one, because I really like it. :)

That means there's 1 less item on the WIP list, too!

I also did a little thrifting over the weekend. Pics to come. (I always think of these things at night).

*Finished: here*

Birthday Pt. 2

Today is my husband's birthday, and we celebrated our birthdays together with my family last night and with his family tonight. I now have money for sewing classes, fabric, new clothes, and coffee - these people know me well!

Colors & Value

Last month, I went to the library and ended up checking out First-Time Quiltmaking: Learning to Quilt in Six Easy Lessons by Becky Johnston. I wanted something to flip through in case I got stuck somewhere on the baby quilt. At the back of the book, it shows quilts made by beginning quilters (the book is basically the lessons she teaches to new quilters in classes). These caught my eye, because they're all the same design but it comes across so differently in each one. I think it's just the values of the fabrics they each chose, so I popped them into black & white to make the value more obvious. Here they are:

In this one, the center (plain) squares are the lightest value,
stripes are mid-tone on edges with darkest in the middle-
to me, the centers look like a background and stripes pop off
(forgive the weird cropping, they overlapped in the book)

center squares are darkest
stripes have mid-tone (one a little darker) on edges with lightest in the middle-
the centers float over the background of layered squares

centers are very light,
stripes have very dark on one edge, light in middle, midtone on other edge-
ends up looking like squares with edges chopped off; also pattern looks more like the first one

this has a midtone in centers,
stripes have dark tone on one edge, mid-tone on other, and lightest in middle-
the center squares at the "intersections" float above the background squares

I'm not into analyzing what values do to each other at the moment, but I think this is an interesting reference in case I ever make a quilt and happen to actually consider the values before I pick out fabrics (not likely - I'll probably see/buy fabric and decide to make a quilt, not the other way around).

Autumn Potholders

Aren't these cute? I plan to make myself a version of this. I say "version" because I'm not going to go buy wool felt for it, but I have an old sweater that's a pretty rusty red that - I just checked - is 100% wool! It doesn't fit, and at one point was in a Goodwill bag. Luckily I saved it. And kept it with no specific plans. But voila! Instant made plans. Maybe I can rescue some other fall colored sweaters at Goodwill itself, because I'd really rather have a multicolor potholder.

I also love that blue Le Creuset in the background. And I want to make a pretty little tablecloth. And eat soup. And have fall weather (it's been in the 90's!!!)

Instructions at Design*Sponge.

October 13

Today is my birthday! It's been pretty low-key, I went to work for about 1/2 a day, my mom took me to lunch with my aunt & grandma, and then I went shopping! :) I didn't buy much, but I got some fabric, an Anna Maria Horner pattern, and some yarn. The WIP list will be growing.

I found a cute (little) fabric store today! It's called StitchCraft, and it's in downtown Petaluma. There's also an Etsy store! If you're in the area and you want a helpful, local place to shop, I highly recommend it.

Off to go hang out with my man.