Stained Glass Quilt

I did it. The afghan is done. That took much longer than I had hoped, but I am super-excited that it has happened.

 I may eventually add more border stitches and a flannel backing.

Putting It Together

So...have you ever bared your soul to the unseeing public and then felt like an idiot? 
After throwing my loving boyfriend under the bus this week, I felt a bit like a heel. He was okay with it, thankfully. I used that energy to work on the afghan. Yep, I am still talking about that stupid afghan. Good news though: PROGRESS!

WIP Wednesday: The Never-ending Afghan

A very wise person once said, "I may not be there yet, but I'm closer than I was yesterday." He or she was obviously talking about making an afghan. Obviously.

Good News: all the squares are complete.

Brushing Off The Cobwebs

You hear the same thing every year, right? This year will be different. This year, I will change. I am going to be more (fit, frugal, relaxed, your preferred adjective here) this year. 

I have said the same things myself. I said it right here on this very blog last year...and promptly stopped blogging at the end of March. It was easy to write off: I was busy, I had other priorities, who really reads it anyway? It's not like I am Julie Powell over here. I highly doubt there will ever be a movie based on me because of this blog. I mean, I can hope, but I doubt it.

Why did I really stop blogging? Was it just because I figured that I was only talking to myself? I think that may have been it on the surface, but truly, I think it was because I didn't want to admit some things to myself.

My much-delayed and sporadic afghan is the physical manifestation of those things. 

Let me explain: when I came up with the wild idea to make a granny square afghan, I was enthusiastic...even gung ho. I made Pinterest boards, I started a Facebook group, I dashed to JoAnn's to purchase scads of skeins. I rushed into making squares based on a vintage pattern from my boyfriend's mom. See this optimistic post about it all!

Phoenix rising

To say  that the past year has been a roller coaster in an understatement.
I lost my job and it took me a long-time to find another long-term one. I am thankful for my time as a substitute teacher, but it was definitely a draining experience. Not only that, but it was also a humbling, embarrassing, and humiliating experience. Over-qualified is a hurtful word and every rejection feels like a smack in the face.

My entire life suffered...my self-worth, my fitness, even my creativity. The blog went by the wayside as did so much else. Even six months into my new job, I am still struggling back to the surface. 

Not that I have been idle. Far from it. 

I did run the half-marathon that

 I thought that I couldn't. Huh.

Breaking New Ground

I know that it may seem cliche and a little overplayed to be focused on new things at the start of the year. So be it. I have decided that even though I may not be able t actually open my own embroidery shop/tea bar this year, there is no harm in going through some of the processes and perhaps even start an online store by the end of the year.

Besides taking some business planning and financial courses, I definitely need to brush up on my drawing skills in order to design patterns. A great friend who has an illustration background will be giving me lessons and this summer, I plan on taking a class. 

In  the meantime, the internet and various wikis are my friend.

This is first completed sketch that could be converted to a pattern. 

A little rough, but ya have to start somewhere.

Simple yet identifiable.

Also, still plugging way on my blue squares. I am looking forward to having this lovely piece on our bed but also can't wait to start making multi-colored fun squares.

Side note: a great brunch of focaccia, goat cheese, and grape chutney =awesome. Add a mystery novel, and you have bliss.

Lastly, but most importantly, I would not be able to do any of this today without my new glasses. I waited for the optician to call like most girls wait for their crush. Some adjusting will be necessary, but I am back in the making game!

Slowly But Very Surely

Being crafty is kind of a birthright in my family. My mother has been painting ceramics and sewing my entire life. My maternal grandmother crocheted and quilted, among other things. My dad also paints and is incredibly handy...even scarily so. I have cousins who work with yarn and make clothes. We are a crafty bunch. It occurred to me that even at my busiest times, I am truly the most happy when I am creating. Making time to make has become a huge priority for me. Some days, knowing that I get to spend a few minutes creating something are what keeps me plugging away.

This afghan is the cornerstone of my crafting at the moment. I have 3 colors of squares left to make, about 77 squares total. My sweetie and I have been doing some work on creating a new bedroom space and this afghan will be a big feature there.

When I get discouraged about my progress though, I just have to look at the end of my bed. I have had this chevron afghan as long as I can remember. I am not even sure who made it for me.

 It is a crib size, but it is 40 years old and still going strong. 

All work is worth it to create something that will be here long after I am gone.

While try to stay positive and focused, I am attempting to be more mindful as I work, love, create, and make choices. How is that working out for you this year?

Starting to make teeny progress on other projects. Yay for moving forward!

Works in Progress...sort of.

Maybe this post should actually called Works in Planning. This holiday season, I happily made all but to of my gifts. My house was a sea of thread ends and yarn bits. And I loved every minute of it. 

I have decided, however, that in addition to my afghan I will be making 4 other projects for just me. Selfish? Maybe. But I happen to think that it will energize and excite me to create for others!

Here's what I have up my sleeve:

I made two of my friends yarn/project bags for Christmas. Meanwhile, I am lugging around my stuff in a plain tote. I will be embroidering the great pattern from Sublime Stitching onto a plain canvas bag. I adore it.

Since, I do work on so many kinds of crafts, I typically carry a lot of tools. I decided that the project bag needs  a notions pouch. I am using this pattern. I will be embroidering different compartments with this awesome pattern from Wild Olive. I love Mollie's pattern and have stitched a ton of them.

To match my re-covered thread cabinet, I am going to attempt this sewing machine cover by Shiny Happy World. Wendi actually taught me to embroider via her You Tube series. Her patterns are super cute and well-explained. I love the fabric that I am using too :)

For my first ever clothing project, I am going to make this cozy looking hooded nightgown. I will be using the fun flannel pictured behind the pattern. I'll keep you posted...

Finally, a big thank you for all of you read, comment, and support me as I create. 

You all mean so much to me.

2013: The Year of the Blanket

When I conceived of this Granny 365 project, I oddly didn't have a plan in mind for what I would do with all those squares. I realized, of course, that it would be enough to do at least a couple afghans but didn't have a color plan or even a recipient in mind.

Luckily, at Christmas, I was hanging with my sweetie's mom, who is a very avid crocheter. She drug out pattern magazine from the 70s. There it was...my inspiration!

Only 80 to go!

I will be making an afghan for our bed of classic solid color squares. Once that is done, I will make a bunch of multi-colored and multi-patterned squared for a crazy quilt-type afghan!

I also received a great 40th birthday gift, a US map quilt template from Haptic Lab. I will be embridering the entire US on the quilt face. I may even do some piecing on the states. Eeek! I need a very large quilt frame, stat!