Red Cedar
More apocalypse, less angst
The Niece Quilt
I wasn’t planning on making a quilt for my 10-month-old niece this holiday, but I had quite a lot of scrappy bits, plus an extra panel left over from the nephew quilt (note: the Grinch 2 fat quarter bundle contains a lot of fabric). Plus, my niece loves soft blankets – so I threw a small top together and backed it in stupidly plush fabric – for a colourful and very soft Christmas cuddle:
The Nephew Quilt
I have to admit that the childrens’ quilts I made this year lack something in finishing quality. However, I finished two quilts in less than a week and I happen to know that children aren’t over-inspectors on workmanship, so I’m cutting myself some slack. Here is the quilt for my nephew Nicolas – 3 years old and a pretty funny little kid. This is pretty lightly quilted, and large enough for a toddler bed:
A weekend of finishing!
Of five projects slated for Christmas presents, I completed four of them on the weekend – so this will officially be the week of finished objects! Starting with the Holiday Stars made from scrap yarn. I completed the stars while riding public transit and the ferry to and from Victoria for the memorial of my Great-Uncle in November and chained them together last weekend for household decorating:
Thirteen for 2013.
Three yards of this voile pattern (Anna Maria Horner, Loulouthi, Coreposis) arrived at my door on Saturday. It’s screaming dress to me, underlined with something light, fancy buttons up the back – to be worn in spring and fall. I’m in love.
But it’s going to be awhile before I get there, what with Christmas presents to finish and a pile of UFOs to be gone through before I start anything from scratch. Plus, fabric! I’ve got to start sewing clothes again just to make a dent in the fabric pile. Making two simple skirts in November was a great reminder that I really love having new things to wear, especially made from materials on hand.
Because I turn forty in early 2013, I’ve been thinking about milestones and accomplishments, and what I would like to achieve in my fortieth year. This includes things I would like to make, learn, finish, and acquire – and so I’ve compiled here a list of thirteen life things I would like in 2013. I will eventually get to some kind of wrap-up for 2012, but at the moment I’m way more interested in looking forward than looking back.
In no particular order, I would like 2013 to include:
- Two more courses finished towards my graduate degree.
- Four more courses finished towards my mediation certificate.
- A down payment on an affordable piece of recreation property within five hours of Vancouver.
- Learning Tunisian crochet and/or rudimentary knitting.
- At least one personal retreat where I go away by myself for a few days of reflection, hand work (sewing/crochet), writing and reading. Rivendell most likely.
- One dress made from The Party Dress Book: How to Sew the Best Dress in the Room
, and one good outing to wear it to (at least!)
- Finishing the unfinished objects in the sewing basket. Or pitching them out.
- More sweater-making! This has been one of my greatest 2012 accomplishments – making my first sweater. I would like to turn out more for myself and another for Brian in 2013.
- More salons and other social engagements – I’d like to be a better friend in 2013.
- A wedding quilt for two dear people getting married. A baby quilt and pillow for my little neice Grace (who will be one in January). A full-sized quilt for the bedroom.
- Front yard finishing – mulching, planting, hardscaping.
- Lemons from the lemon tree (fingers crossed people!)
- More special weekends away with my awesome guy. More bed-all-day. More baths and massages and walks and cuddles. More love.
I feel so damned selfish writing it all out like that. All the things I want my fortieth year to be – full of love, friends, making, and little adventures. But the heart wants what it wants, and my heart wants to keep beating with all of what makes life good for myself and my circle.
In progress towards the end of 2012.
I feel like it’s been ages since posting something even marginally inspiring on the finished project front – but that’s because I’ve got four decent sized-projects on the go right now: a lap-sized quilt (60 x 60) for my step-daughter for Christmas, a “Grinch Who Stole Christmas” themed quilt for my nephew, a Juliana Wrap for my mother (first major segment pictured above), and the husband sweater (pictured below).
This weekend I got M’s quilt half-quilted, I pieced six of nine squares for my nephew’s quilt, I got the center-segment of my mother’s wrap done, and I pieced together the husband sweater so I can start work on the collar, cuffs and bottom band later this week. I also chained together some crochet stars for house decorating (pictures tomorrow), cleaned my sewing room out for a visiting friend to sleep in, and decorated the house with the family last night.
So despite the lack of “finished” objects at the moment, within 15 days I will have four more items for the annual photo-roundup of things I have made in the year. While I do not have as many things in this year’s inventory, I notice there are more large and complex projects (like handmade sweaters!) which are filling out my accomplishments. All in, it’s been a pretty good year for making, and these last few items will add nicely to what’s been put out in the world by me in 2012.
Also worth mentioning – I’ve got clothing labels on their way in the post right now! (30 labels = $16) Going forward, I plan to afix labels to all my handmade items so as to identify 1) where they came from and 2) the correct direction/side to wear them. Since making my own clothing, I’ve discovered that *not* having labels means that I’m forever having to use other clothing cues to wear them the right way around. Labels should solve that problem for me (and for others who receive items as gifts).
Red Cedar 