What I did...

I cut out some felt,


and shaded it with marker.


And turned it into these!


Aren't they cute?


I'm in the process of refining the patterns and thinking about making lots of them. Who doesn't need an extra pair of ears?

Seuss!

Hi, Everybody! I'm making time to blog today. Don't you feel blessed? I'm just happy you're taking a moment to see what I've been up to.

So, about 4 years ago, I decided it was time for the kids to embrace community theater.  I missed it and they needed the creative and social outlet.  Every play we've done, I've gotten in too deep and committed to crazy sewing plus a part plus an arm plus a leg, making for a very unFunky C.

This fall, a production of Seussical the Musical (junior version) was being produced and not only did I manage not to audition, I managed to only volunteer for ONE job.  I've never done this before in my life.  It didn't stop me from procrastinating, but there is hope!

So, my one job?  Seuss hats.  In lots of colors.  And sizes.  That stand on their own and can be used as dance partners.

Here we go!

Brims:

It's like a pile of gigantic Cheerios!

Bodies:

All stripedy and ready for action.

Test Hat, complete with wire coil insert.

This is the largest size I made.

With siblings:


And a few minis:


On stage, with a good friend(left) and an offspring(right):

The stage images are Photo Shopped to the hilt.
Stage photography + pocket camera = image nightmare.

Opening scene with The Cat in the Hat and Jojo:


Opening Dance number with hats in action:


My two favorite Whos (I made the circle skirt on the left, too):


The show was in mid-November and my kids had a blast! It was refreshing to be involved, but not too involved.  Changing how I involve myself is a major adjustment for me and I'm hoping it will give me the freedom to do more of what I love.  Bye for now!

Getting it Together

Hi. It's taken some time to figure this blog thing....where to store photos, time of day when noone's screaming, "MOOoooooooom"....you know the drill.

But! I've been taking pictures like a mad fool and have a great deal to talk about.

Want to see a recent piece?


and a close up....


Yikes! That's a lot of stitching! Sure was fun, though. Even the Evil Metallic Thread played nice. The background is velveteen and the heart is stitched on a piece of cotton/Lycra that was -The- right shade of pink. I culled those fabrics from a box being tossed by a friend. The flower behind the heart is from a piece of polyester tricot, vintage Salvation Army.

More and more of my fabric is coming from 'alternative' sources. My husband and I were checking out a newly found thrift store the other day and when he saw the screaming turquois tie in our pile, he began gesticulating vocally until I explained that I didn't expect him to -Wear- it....it was for my stash. There's freedom in letting him think I'm crazy, anyway.

So, what is this? The piece is titled 'Bloom' and is 11" x 14". I made it for an exhibit called
Keiko and Friends ,organized by Laura Wasilowski, creative genius behind Artfabrik. If you're going to Chicago, stop by the Fine Line Creative Arts Center and take a look.

She Conquers All!

Well, maybe not *aaalll*....

But I did conquer the Evil Metallic Thread!


The photo is mediocre, I know. But do you get the idea? I finally got to the point where I could do some smooth quilting before the thread would fray. And then when it frayed--but before it broke completely, I'd pull some fresh thread through the needle. With some threads, one just has to be resolved to some breakage.

So, what did I do to get this thread to work? Well, lemme' tell ya', it wasn't pretty. There was whining and furrowed brows. There were complain-y phonecalls to girlfriends. There was chocolate, lots of chocolate....which means a few extra pounds (that I just lost)....followed by depression, then the fetal position...

OK! Was that more than you wanted to know? See what a truly Evil Thread can do to a girl? Here's a list of items and techniques tried with the E.M.T.

-a variety of machine needles in various sizes---finally settled on a Schmetz size 16 topstitching needle.

-Threads in the bobbin...fat ones, skinny ones, pretty ones, ugly ones. In the end, bobbin thread had nothing to do with it.

-Thread Tension, bobbin and needle. Niet.

-Sewer' Aid....a silicon lubricant that can rescue some threads....like the last Evil Thread I chose---a variegated Sulky cotton. No dice---didn't fix a thing. Some say you can't use this stuff with metallic, but this particular E.M.T. had enough non-metallic content that I thought it worth a shot

-Using a higher chair. It did help my back and wrists, but not the quilting problem.

-Turning the thread cone up side down. Yes, we're getting desperate at this point, but there's something fuzzy in my memory about thread twist....

-Naked Voodoo Dance under a full moon. You never know...

What finally did the trick?


A pair of snug gloves with rubber-impregnated finger tips and a thread net.
Turns out the real problem was too much jumping around. The thread was coming off the spool too loosely and not feeding into the tension disks correctly. And the quilt really needed to be hooped. Even with a darning foot the quilt was jumping around too much, not allowing the tension controls to do their job. The gloves helped turn my hands into a human hoop, giving the stability needed. I was able to rip through the quilting at a good clip without fraying.

The thread net was an inspiration---I saw it in my toolbox and said, "Oh yeah!" The gloves were a matter of finally caving in. They were at the table watching me the whole time, probably thinking, "You idiot." It took a week of horsing around before the solution came into my head.

The real lesson here is to be determined to use what you want to use and to keep a variety of supplies on hand. Yes, it was a frustrating process. Sometimes one has to live in that place for a time. But once the solution came, I was freeee! And the joy of free motion quilting was mine to savor again.

Who's In Charge Here?

Today, I wake up to discover that I am not in charge. The universe is in charge and I am a spec.

There are children everywhere, calling my name. There is laundry rising to incredible heights. Cowpaths guide me through the house. There are no clean spoons. Where is my husband, my helpmeet? He has gone to work, like the good boy that he is. (sigh)

So! What can a spec control in her corner of the universe? She can control this:



and change it into this:

Hooraaay for Super Spec!

She can not, however, control this:


....all thanks to this:


Boooo! Down with Evil metallic thread, even if it is too beautiful to ignore.

Tune in tomorrow when Super Spec uses her amazing (though microscopic) control powers to stamp out a New Evil.....


The Thread Basket of Dooooom!