Secret Work

There is heaps of crafting going on around here lately; I just can't show it to you because it's all to do with my work. My real work. That I'm paranoid will intrude into my little blog and make me worry the people I work with will find it.

So, no pictures, but lots of crafting. I've run the gamut from spray painting, sewing, diorama making to photography and projects involving saws and pipes. It'll all be over in about two weeks, and then we can resume our normal sporadic programming.

Personally, I've got plans to make lots of clothes for my adorable niece. I tried making her some pants without a pattern, and, following the recent trend, it did not go well. Too big in places, too small in others. However, I bought some lovely patterns that have many sizes, so as she grows I can make bigger ones. She's an odd size - for a nine month old, she's the size of a 6 month old on the patterns, and in some places as small as a one month old! She's very healthy and happy, no worries.

Soon I'll hopefully have some successful craft adventures to show. I'm planning on making some radish earrings as heard on the CraftBorg podcast for a dear friend of mine. I'm also in the process of finishing knitting a bag for my husband's mother's partner (say that a couple of times quickly) so I can felt it. Until then, I'm working all the time and loving this part of my job!

When I finally got to my new thrift store a few weeks ago, I found some material. I've finally taken photos of the evidence. The chick and bunny material is a thickish flannel, which would be perfect for pyjamas either for me or for Jacinta. The train one is exciting because my husband is a train buff, so I'll have to think of something fun to do with this cot sheet.

I've also been slowly progressing with xmas plans. My cousin wants me to make her a bag out of this gorgeous patterned satin, and as I have a hate/hate relationship with sewing things either shiny or stretchy, I've made a test bag. It's not very good. It looks good from a distance, but I would be embarrassed to give her a bag like this. Apparently, as I discovered yesterday from the craft store ladies, the interfacing I used needed to be pre-shrunk. So that's why it's so bunchy!

All is not lost though. I learnt a lot from making the test bag, and I have new, better interfacing for Bec's bag.

Here's what I ended up with (carefully edited so you can't see the gritty reality).

Omiyage

I recently borrowed a book from the library, titled Omiyage by Kumiko Sudo. In an effort to being a better borrower, I went through my stack of library crafting books marking pages to photocopy so I could return them promptly. Currently, Omiyage has 29 pages marked! Due to copyright laws, I am definately putting this book on my 'wishlist', and just photocopying the plans to my favourites.

The projects are so delicate and colourful! It would require a lot of handsewing which I am getting gradually used to. (Though when a pattern says 'baste' and I'm at my machine, I just machine sew it on the biggest setting!) The small projects are specially designed for the beautiful fabric that we can't bear to part with. However, a little material goes a long way! Perhaps I should look into it once the holiday crafting is done.

Quilting Journeys

It's the last day of my holidays, and I am intending to spend it any which way I like, which includes visiting the many craft blogs I have bookmarked. Today I seem to be enamoured with quilts, and there are so many sites out there that are inspiring.

First, I visited Be*Mused and she led me to a wonderful site full of quilting tutorials here. It is a conglomeration of links to tutorials from other quilters, and it looks great! I'm definately going to bookmark it as I journey along my own quilting adventure.

The Purl Bee also had a fantastic link to a historical quilt, called Dear Jane. This quilt was made in 1863! The patterns are available now online. It's amazing how quilts can last so long if cared for properly, and how they give us a link into the lives of people in the past. I'm not experienced or confident enough to try out the pattern, but here is a link to someone who is! They are taking pictures of Emily's efforts on each block.

Other quilting inspiration:
- A bright and happy quilt here.
- Some amazing Crazy Quilting from an Australian quilter.
- A very cool tutorial for Log Cabin Quilts from Dacia Ray

I'm off to enjoy the last day of my holidays!

Crafty Podcasts

Recently I've been getting into Craft Podcasts. So much so, that my husband bought me some kickarse headphones so I could listen to it at my laptop or the sewing machine. Plus, it meant he didn't have to listen to long discourses over knitting socks.

My favourites are CraftSanity, Craft Borg and CraftyPod. I'm also having a good time listening to Pointy Sticks. CRAFT Magazine also has podcasts that are pdf files for projects, which is great.

These podcasts make me want to make crafts with others...like a SnB group. However, living in a rural town makes it a little harder, and the 'young and hip' people I work with look down their noses at such "domestic" hobbies. And of course, I lack the confidence to create my own group. Oh well, the podcasts let me think I have crafty friends!