Just in time for Easter

It's the last day of March, and it seems to be leaving as it came--mild and sunny. It's also the last day of my "nearly completed" projects challenge and I'm happy to say I succeeded with flying colors. Not only did I complete four unfinished projects, I also completed two scarves (one counts as my "scarf of the month" challenge for March) and am just about finished with a felt Valentine centerpiece I started around Valentine's Day.

The final completed project has taken me almost the entire month to complete. Two years ago I purchased this prequilted green Easter egg fabric so I could make a special purse for Easter. From the moment I saw this fabric I fell in love with it because instead of the typical diagonal lines quilting there were little bunnies quilted into the fabric. Last year I dug out the pattern and cut out all the required pieces, where it proceeded to sit until this month.

Unlike my other projects, I'm not sure if I'm happy with the results. Nearly every section of the purse had some sort of mistake that had to be ripped out or stitched over at least twice. In fact, I'm fairly certain I won't make this particular purse again, and I can honestly say I won't be making a prequilted purse anytime soon...although I do have some really cute fabric and some smaller patterns...

There's so much I learned on this project I'm not really sure where to begin.

1. When working with prequilted fabric that has an obvious top and bottom, make sure you cut the pattern pieces so the quilting is right side up. Unfortunately, my bunnies are upside down on most of the purse.


2. Always read through all the instructions before beginning. This one is so obvious it's almost a cliche, but historically not one I follow. I like to read a step, complete a step, read the next. It didn't serve me well for this project. I had to make several trips to the craft store to find materials I didn't know I needed. Plus, I didn't realize until the purse was partially put together that it called for a zipper that went from the bottom corner of the purse up the sides and around the top to the other bottom corner of the purse. It took me a couple days to get up the nerve to stitch the purse with a 22" zipper across the top and the sides sewn together.


3. Don't add binding to the inside until you have stitched the pieces together. I had to sew the sides about five times before I could keep the binding from showing on the outside.

Come Easter Sunday you may see me with my newly crafted purse, or you might not. The massive accessory with many mistakes may be shoved into my closet never to be heard from again. On the other hand, anything handmade is bound to have a flaw or two, and it's true that we often learn from our mistakes better than we do with our successes. Only time will tell what my final decision will be.

Until then, happy crafting!

Three Down, One to Go

Well, it's the last full week of the month, and I've finally completed the third project in my "nearly completed" challenge.

I must admit, much of this past week has been spent working on another project and, at times, nothing at all.

My vigor has started to subside a bit. It's been a long time since I've wanted to start a new project so badly. In fact, there were a few times I thought about starting something new and giving up this venture for a little while. I probably would have too, if I had figured out what to start.

But then I saw this rug. It's been moving around my living room for months, getting in the way. Plus the pattern is worked with three balls of each color, so there was a lot of yarn taking up space. I only had to repeat the pattern one more time, so I tracked down my pattern book and set to work.

The first row I did looked wrong, but I kept doing it and even finished it off. Then I consulted my pattern and realized what I was doing wrong, so I had to rip out that whole row and start over. There's something to be said for completing a project without taking a break...less ripping out.

My final "nearly done" project, a purse I started for Easter two years ago, is nearly complete, but has had a few snags along the way. Perhaps it too will be completed before the month is over. Until then I'll enjoy the items I've already finished.

Happy crafting!

Completed Project #2

It's amazing how one little project can teach you so much about yourself.

The cross stitched center panel has been finished for I'm not sure how long (I made it for my younger brother's girlfriend their freshman year of college and they've since graduated if that's any indication). I'd always wanted to make it into a pillow, but the girl it was intended for became no longer a part of my brother's life so it sat.

Two days ago I thought it was a good time to finish it. I'd already bought the fat quarters for the sides and back, and even pre-trimmed the center panel. All I had to do was cut the calico and sew. Which brings me to the lessons I learned:

1. Math and I aren't friends. I thought I'd left plenty of room for seam allowances and overlap for the back (I used a technique from Sewing with Nancy where you have two pieces of fabric for the back so you can remove the cover without ripping out your stitching). However, the pillow bulges through that opening at the moment. I only hope that the fiberfill in the pillow will get squished eventually and the cover will fit better.

2. Old sewing machines can be tempermental, especially when you want to finish a project. I have my great-grandmother's sewing machine, and for the most part it works when I need it to, but it likes to screw up the tension from time to time. When I made the Rudolph book last week, everything was fine. This week I couldn't get the tension corrected.

3. Thank goodness I live close to my parents. Luckily I had access to my mother's sewing machine, so I was able to complete the project without much trouble.

Like most of my projects, this one has flaws, but all in all successful. I no longer have the center panel rolled up in a plastic tub or a 12" x 16" pillow floating around without a cover. Looks like this project completion challenge is paying off.

Happy crafting!

Completed Project #1

Here, as promised, is the first installment of my completed unfinished projects. I bought this yarn when I started working at a craft store two and a half years ago. It's really soft and was fairly easy to work with, which is good considering I still have four balls of it.

I started the scarf last month as part of another goal of mine. In order to lessen the amount of yarn I have, I started a sort of scarf-of-the-month club. January's scarf was a shiny, red pineapple pattern, which I was able to finish on time. Since February's scarf was knitted, I needed a little more time to complete it. Still, the extra time was worth it. The scarf is beautiful, soft, and ready for next winter.

I also made the Rudolph fabric book that has been sitting in my fabric stash for over a year. All in all the first week of my challenge has been a successful one.

Happy crafting!

Queen of Unfinished Projects

It has come to my attention, as I work on straightening up my apartment, that I have a lot of unfinished projects. That realization in itself isn't much--I wouldn't be a crafter if I didn't have a few nearly finished items. What is surprising to me is that I have so many that only need a little bit to call them "done."

There is a woman who owns a cross-stitch shop that I visit that once said she takes one month out of the year to complete that which is not. She said she picked February because it is the shortest month of the year. Now we all know that February is over (and judging from the amount of snow we've gotten we're all probably glad to see it go) but nonetheless I feel like I should give this challenge a try.

The truth is, I have so many projects at various stages of completion strewn throughout my apartment in places so I'll see them "just in case" that I'm overwhelmed. Where do I start? And then I talk myself out of it because there's a clean, new project that would be more satisfying to see to completion.

Looking at my calendar, I see there are four and a half weeks in March. My goal will be to complete four projects at that time. That's less than a project a week, so I won't feel too pressured. I have a few projects in mind, like the purse I was going to make for Easter two years ago and the pillow I cross-stitched for my brother's girlfriend so long ago that they aren't together anymore, but I'm not going to stress myself about which project to do.

My plan is to take pictures with my new digital camera and post each time I complete a project, along with what I've learned from the experience. In the meantime, I hope to not start any new projects until I've gotten well on my way with this challenge. My fellow crafters will understand that this is probably the hardest part of them all. My stash is constantly calling my name for some attention and if I don't see much progress I get discouraged and move on to another project. We'll see how long I can hold out.

However, there is one project I will start--and finish--this month. I found a Rudolph fabric book panel stashed in my stash and it shouldn't take more than an hour to complete. After all, my overarching goal is to lessen my stash to something more manageable.

Wish me luck, and happy crafting!

Katie: 18, To-do list: 14

It's been a week since I decided to clean my apartment and start the year off with a clean slate. I conquered about half my notorious to-do list, most of those on the first day, and since then haven't really accomplished much. Unfortunately I caught my third cold of the season and have been down for the count much of last week.

Still, being sick does help with crafting time. Since all I feel up to doing is watch TV I don't feel guilty sitting around crocheting or scrapbooking while my apartment is a wreck. In fact, I've just about finished my mom's Christmas gift, so the week can't be chalked up as a total loss.

More later. I'm hoping if I take it easy one more day I'll be back to my usual self.

A little spring cleaning

What? Did the calendar just jump ahead three months, or has this blogger just lost her mind?

It's true it is still winter here in the Midwest, but I have decided to offset my dreary surroundings by making my home just a little bit more livable. I'm not really sure what brought this on--perhaps it's because my parents are planning an estate sale of sorts for my grandparents' things before putting their house on the market, or maybe it's just because I'm starting to feel overwhelmed by the clutter and have had enough.

Whatever the cause, I'm armed with a bottle of Lysol, a can of Pledge, my iPod, and a 32 item to-do list (which seems to be getting longer by the minute). Wish me luck!