Motivated by deadlines!

My sister graduates on Saturday. She finished her courses and will be walking and getting her MA in Library Science. I am oh so proud of her!!!! To have accomplished her degree while being an amazing wife and mother of three - so inspiring. Also - my smarty pants sister is graduating with a 4.0! Wow!

Listening to her getting excited and planning her trip up with the family to the University so she can walk - I was really motivated to get the appliqué done on my sister's quilt. I'm hoping to finish it so I can give it to her as a graduation present. I have about six more hexagons to go before I finish the appliqué.

I have to admit that half way through this quilt I wanted to stop and do an easier pattern just so I can gift a quilt to my sister. I confess that today I actually went through my stash and did an interview of fabrics to see if I could swing a quilt top for her... but I forced myself to get over the slump I found myself in and before I knew it - an end to the hand appliqué was in sight!

It's coming along - just a few more to go... stitch by stitch... you can do it. =)

My goal is to have this quilt finished when Ross and I head to the mainland - I dream of gifting it to her during a small family party I'm planning for her. In my head I can see her happily sitting at the table after a delicious meal of Italian family style dishes - and then seeing her eyes light up when we bring out a red velvet cake from her favorite bakery - and then finally her eyes tearing up when I present her her long awaited quilt. ::crossing fingers:: I just hope I can pull it all off! In my head it's amazing. In reality - the quilt is still sitting in my sewing basket... Ahhhhh.... where are the quilting fairies when you need them!

Baby's first blanket finished!

I started working on this baby blanket a few weeks back. The weather has been so cool and rainy - the perfect weather to play with yarn. The blanket is made with 100% cotton, and it is very soft and drapes so nicely. It has been nice to be able to crochet. Crochet was the first craft I ever picked up so it was nice to work with something so familiar. I can't believe that the first baby project is finished! It makes me excited to work on something else. I've been writing to do lists of everything I want to make to get ready for the baby, the list keeps getting longer too so I better get on it.

Did you have a good mother's day? My first one was so very memorable. Ross made fried rice to take to our church brunch potluck. What a wonder not having to cook on a potluck day! I ended up spending the free hour catching up on reading some of my favorite blogs and it inspired me to start making and crafting for the baby.

I also got these precious cards and warm wishes. Do you remember your first mother's day? What a wonder!!! I know that the baby isn't here, but Ross reminds me that I am a mother because I am working so hard at taking care of baby now. We are in our third trimester and along with that came lower iron levels. I've been doing so much reading up on it and didn't realize that a lot of what I was doing before was wrong! For example, did you know that caffeine blocks iron absorption? I didn't. So when I was taking my prenatal vitamins with breakfast, which included my morning cup of tea, it wasn't helping as far as iron went. So, I've made a few changes, like taking my prenatal vitamin with dinner, eating more iron rich foods, drinking and eating more vitamin C rich foods (which helps with absorption!) and also taking a natural iron supplement. I've actually had more energy so it has been so nice.

This pregnancy has seemed to go by so fast. I can't believe we are in our last trimester. The baby has been getting more active in its kicking and I have enjoyed taking to it... telling baby how excited I am to meet him/her, what I want for baby, what I hope for baby... singing songs that my parents sang to me... precious.

I'm so grateful for the chance to become a mother.

Giving Homemade Presents

For those of you who give away homemade presents, do you ever wonder if your beloved projects are being loved by their owners? I do at times. The more handmade presents I made, the more I realize that when I see the present recipients, I look to see if my present is being used. Nothing thrills my heart more to see a zip pouch in my friend's bag, or a baby quilt lying in a bundle in a child's play area. Those glimpses... those make it all the worth while.

Why am I writing this you might ask?

Yesterday my sister received my package of her very belated birthday present in the mail.

In the package was this project that I finished a while back but never got around to sending it until recently. I made it by using this tutorial and I have to admit that I wasn't thrilled with my fabric selection for the top flap. I am so embarrassed by it that I couldn't even force myself to take a picture of it. 

Anyways... back to the topic at hand. Do you ever doubt your final projects? Perhaps doubt the fabric selection. Perhaps all the seams don't add up. When you're finished do you reflect on all the flaws that your sharp eye can catch? Or am I the only one?  I remember making this and I totally did not love it by the end of it. I think that's what made me two months late in actually sending it. 

 But I got a call from my sister as soon as she got her package and she was so excited. I could hear the happiness in her voice. She told me that it was something that she would buy if she saw it in a store, and the fabric selections were wonderful and cheerful. I can't describe in words how happy that made me. I was sure she wouldn't like it, because I wasn't thrilled with it. 

I've been a bit unmotivated to finish projects for people because I wasn't sure if all my effort was worth it. If they would love and use my items. But now - after my sister's call... I am so excited to begin her quilt top again. 

Because I know she'll love it and appreciate all the work and the long hours it took to get there. Even though my seams might not all match up and it looks a bit easter egg in my fabric choices. I'm so grateful for her phone call yesterday... sometimes the smallest enthusiastic comment can make all the difference. Do you agree? 

What motivates you to complete and give away homemade presents? 

New Coasters

Remember when I started the baby blanket and told you about how crochet was my first crafting experience here? Well, the baby blanket wasn't turning out as I had planned. 

I grew up crocheting with acrylic yarn - I think that's why I didn't like crochet for the longest time. I always thought it was an itchy craft. It wasn't until I started reading about others who crochet with different materials (like alpaca and wool) that I started to see that the craft could be modern and beautiful. 

Well, getting back to the baby blanket that was - I went to our local craft store and I was determined to take advantage of this snuggly raining weather we've been having and start a crochet blanket. Well, at our craft store all they had was acrylic yarn and 100% worsted cotton yarn. So I figured lets go with the cotton because cotton is suppose to be soft right? Well, I started crocheting the blanket with my yarn and I got serval rows in before I realized that there was little to no drape and it felt very very stiff. Like bathmat stiff. I must admit it was a bit disheartening since it was baby's first project and it ended before it really got off the ground. But I got over that as I started using it for smaller projects like these coasters. There is something so thrilling about a finished project that is put into use! And here is a finish! A set of beautiful new coasters for the house.  Next will probably be pot holders and then I'll probably make my sister and mom and set for mothers day. 

Happy crafting everyone! 

K. 

First baby project

It has been rainy and cold here. A strange thing for Hawaii. But this invigorating cold and gloomy damp has my fingers aching to play with yarn. Crochet was the first craft that I ever learned as I stated here. I didn't learn it correctly (by reading patterns) and I mostly did afghan projects that were very repetitious (thus not needing to count very much but just do it by route memory).

Since I learned how to crochet, I have made a crochet blanket for each of the babies in church. I remember when I bought yarn for the first time here when Ross and I were dating to make a baby blanket for one of the soon to be mothers in our assembly. I don't know why, but I was slightly embarrassed for Ross to see me. He is a pretty cool guy - jock type, surfer, fisherman. I was a bit embarrassed for him to see me doing (what I had deemed in my head to be a 'grandma' craft) crochet. The first time I sat next to him when he was playing video games on a friday night with my yarn and my crochet hook, he kept glancing at me while playing. With heated cheeks I asked him, "do you think I'm a grandma?" He shook his head, "no, just wondering what you were doing." When I told him he said it was "cool." Wow - never thought he'd use that adjective! Now I get excited to show him what I'm working on. His praise keeps me steadily stitching - even more so now that I am working on a baby project for our baby.

Every baby blanket I've ever worked on has been a blessing. While stitching I have been able to sit and reflect on my relationship with the parents-to-be and to think of this blanket being used during nap times and play times other adventure times. Now, while I sit and stitch I think about what this child might be like. What the baby will like to do, the books that I want to read to baby, the dreams and hopes I have for baby, and the love I can't wait to share. During these quiet times I also wonder what type of father Ross will be like. With how caring he is I can't imagine a sweeter one.

It's nice isn't it - the ability to craft and create and pour our hearts into a tangible item. What a blessing!

finished project - the walker wall hanging

Ahhh... finally, the wall hanging that was started in the summer of 2013 is finished. A church friend from San Diego who had recently redone her living room asked me if I could make a wall hanging for her from fabrics she bought from Joanns and sent to me. She also asked if I could make it using patterns from the beach.

I have to admit that I did minimal quilting on this - I didn't do in much echo stitching. I was afraid if I did too much quilting on it, she would never get it seeing as how we are entering our third trimester next month.

But I'm happy with it, and I hope she is too. This counts as a real finish because I actually sent it out in the mail yesterday instead of holding onto it for months like I usually do with projects.

 I actually did my first wall hanging sleeve using this tutorial.   (Please don't mind the camera cord!) It was a really easy tutorial to follow. I did have to rip out several stitches at times when I first hand sewed the sleeve down because I was scrunching up the fabric too much and it was scrunching the front. I've learned that when hand sewing the sleeve down it's best to lay it on a flat surface and sew.

Below are a few reminiscent pictures of the process. Choosing from the bundle she sent me, matching threads for hand appliqué, prepping the squares for hand work, and finally, getting the top done. It was a fun journey, but I'm glad to be done. =)

Now a cup of tea.... mmmm creamy goodness. 

One from the stack of 2013 projects that followed me finished... ahhhh.... it's so motivating when a project gets finished! Ready to tackle the rest... which will be a while till the next finish considering I move at glacial speed... :sigh:

Happy sewing everyone! =)
K.

The weekend in pictures

I'm going to try and start something new.  A lot of the blogs that I follow do a post about what they do over the weekend, and I find myself drawn to stories of their life as well as pictures of what they are working on. A goal of mine is to start blogging more freely about my thoughts and share more about who I am and the life that Ross and I live here. =) So here it goes: my first weekend post. 

We went to our friend's birthday party for their son's first birthday. Man the decorations were cute! =) Our other friend had spent the entire month making handmade touches for the event. I trip out at her creative hand. The piñata in the top right corner was all made by hand... when I asked her if she hand cut all of the materials by hand she gave me a sheepish smile and admitted that she did. My jaw literally dropped open. That girl has crazy skills!

Originally my friend who was throwing the party wanted to rope me into helping make the whale cookies but I had to veto that idea right away and redirect her to our other friend who is so amazing at making decorative baked goods... (my baking style is more like homey and yummy bake sale and not something you walk into a gourmet bakery and buy)

Clockwise: Bacon okonomiyaki, strawberry and blackberry mix, pizza from a local pizza place, and a chai latte from starbucks. 

Yes - this weekend was also spent eating and drinking lots of yummies! Here is a collage of all the foods that baby responded to with extra happy kicks... the baby especially liked the pizza. I think baby was doing a bit of a happy dance inside my belly! 

And guess what? 

Yup that's what you think it is! A binding shot! Something was finished this weekend! The post will have to wait till tomorrow though cause the hubby was using the clothes line to dry his Jujitsu gi and I wasn't able to get pictures of the entire finish! Oh my goodness! I have a finish! 

Will hopefully post tomorrow! Hope your weekend was full of laughter, amazing food, and restful times! 

K.