My Crazy Life: Block 1 Before Pictures

 In an effort to be handwork accountable, I'm going to post pictures along the way of My Crazy Life.  All the blocks are pieced but I can now see some areas that will need revision.  That's OK.  It happens.

I started the embroidery on the 1st block a few years ago.  My initial idea was to have bold thread and trim colors against the predominantly pale blue background.  I now think I should also introduce more black.

The whole block - measures 23" square.  There are 9 blocks total.  

Four sections.  You can see some of the hand embroidery.  It seems a little weak to me now.  I'll have to pump it up a bit! 

 

I'm unsure what to do about the printed floral pieces; maybe some embroidery embellishment-not my strong point but I can try.  I could also cover them with some plain fabric.  I don't know but I'll think of something.  Clearly this quilt has a lot going on so it will be a challenge to pull it together in a cohesive way.

That's supposed to be the fun of crazy quilting.  It can also be the headache.  Just sayin'  

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My Needlework Room

I successfully sorted my cross stitch patterns.  The defining question was:  Am I really going to stitch this (before I die)?  

I've never really collected "cute" designs because even cute designs have a lot of work in them.  My tendency has been towards samplers and florals.  It was really hard to decide on some of them.  I went through a period of Welcome Samplers, a few Love/Anniversary Samplers, a stack of Tropical Patterns that encompassed birds, foliage and shells & some Baby designs.  

I have a nice Welcome cross stitch my mom stitched so I don't need a collection of those patterns.

Ain't much Love/Anniversary going on now so those patterns hit the floor.

All the Tropical patterns just draw me back to the Bentwater days & I don't ever want to go there again. 

No grandbabies in my future.  I don't see any reason to keep those patterns. 

I have a pretty big collection of Fonts and Borders patterns because at one time I entertained the idea of designing some Samplers.  A quick look around the internet informed me enough that I'll leave the designing to others.  There are plenty of great looking charts from which to choose; besides, I still have a large supply of charts that suit my tastes well.  It could take years to stitch all of them.

These 2 charts have been favorites since well, 1989.  I could see stitching them now. 

I also uncovered a few small unfinished projects.  I'll finish these up soon.  They'll get me back in the cross stitch mood.

I started this one when I was in Indonesia in 1999.  I guess it has waited long enough. 

This is one of the very 1st patterns I bought when I started to cross stitch.  I never stitched any of the designs.  Last year I found a cross stitch at the thrift and I knew it looked familiar.  Now I remember why! 

Sometime around 2010 I decided to try some needlepoint.  Needlepoint is confusing to me because it is not always definitive where the stitch goes in relation to the printing.  I abandoned this pillow.  I now have a needlepoint friend who has promised to get me back on track.  

I was going to unpin these 3 cute dress patterns until I realized they would fit if I sewed them.  They are ready to do.  Might happen soon.

 

Yesterday I pulled out this crazy quilt: My Crazy Life.  It's a big project.  For various reasons it's been shelved for about 7 years.  I'm emotionally ready to stitch on it again.  

After more hours on the floor than my body could tolerate, I decided to set up one of my folding tables.  I had hoped for a nice little wooden table for my needlework room but I already own this table.  A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.  For now I think it's going to be a great stitching space.

I propped up the drape to get a feeling whether I wanted to cover the shelves or not.  I'm a little afraid of the "out of sight, out of mind" syndrome if I can't look over at my supplies.  On the other hand, supplies aren't inspiring eye candy.  

I have a nice place behind my table for a changing quilt display. 

One of the biggest walls has a crazy quilt I stitched in 2009.  It was featured in Allie Aller's book: Allie Aller's Crazy Quilting

Once this "new" crazy quilt is finished, I can swap the quilts out on this wall too.  

I'm making such great progress!  I hope I have the motivation to jump in on some of these unfinished projects I still like.  As my son continually reminds me,  "You have plenty of time.  What else are you doing?" 

It's such a delight to walk to the end of the hallway and see my rooms look so inviting.  It's been a long time coming.  A long time.  This has been a very good summer of personal introspection.  Sometimes we need that. 

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Houston Furniture Bank

 Yesterday with the impending hurricane nagging me I drove over and filled up my SUV with gas.  I have a bad tendency to let it run low.  Shame on me.  I had planned to go on to the christian thrift store but I still had a few fabric boxes to check for donations.  So I went back home.

When I finally pulled into the thrift store parking lot, I was 5 minutes too late for donations.  Even my pleading didn't persuade the attendant.  He came at me with the lame reasoning:  If I take exception then all the other people watching in the parking lot will want me to take their donations.  So I looked out at the parking lot.  I didn't see any angry people ready to storm the receiving doors.  Irritated, I drove over to Goodwill.  In all fairness, I buy goods at Goodwill and I'm happy to score a deal.  So I hope someone thinks they've hit the Mother lode if they discover all the fabric I've donated.  I'm sure I won't miss it.  Three quarters of it was given to me.  I seriously need to learn to say NO, I can't use that fabric when asked.  I'm just a pushover. 

When I got home Houston Furniture Bank had posted a Facebook picture that validates my work.  One of their clients left with an armful of quilts.  I love seeing these pictures because it gives me an idea of what people like and choose for their homes.

I had collected some manufactured quilts a few years ago and decided to donate them.  Miss Rosa chose that one and then she chose the small girls tshirt quilt and a table runner.  I'm especially excited about the table runner because those are fun and easy to sew with scraps.  The Houston Furniture Bank's motto "Making Houses Homes" strives to give clients basic furniture (donated by citizens).  Besides beds, they really want families to have a kitchen dining set so they can gather over a meal together.  When I took the last donation in, they put the table runners out on the tables in the selection area. 

If you want to send me a stack of table runners, I'll take them to the HFB with my next donation. 

Their other outreach program is Art for All.  They've asked Houston artists to donate original artwork the clients can choose for their homes. Rosa's mother is holding a donated artwork Rosa chose for her home.   I'll be gearing up when the reorganization is over to finish some needlework pieces I can donate.  

One of my other recent ideas has been to collect thrifted canvases so I could use the frames for needlework to sell at the art markets.  Yea, well, I'm not selling at the art markets any longer but I still have the frames.  They are another collection category that "looks so useful.  I should be able to do something with that.  Oh look, it's only 99¢!"  Oy Vey!  

I think the truth is obvious:  I need to stay out of thrift stores.

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Still Slugging it Out with Fabrics

 I am 2 boxes short of having reviewed all my fabric boxes.  Take about a trip through fabric history.  It turns out I had a lot of dusty toned fabrics from the 1990s taking up space.  

I remember a pretty good sized Free Haul I picked up outside an interior design store once.  The other big haul came when I was in design school and vendors dropped off samples to our resource room.  Plenty from both hauls were still waiting for their 15 Minutes of Fame (in 2020).  

I kept a nice sized stack and have decided to make a quilt for myself.  I've never really sewn anything from the fabric all these years.  I still have some fond memories of those dusty colors.  I'm actually a little excited to sew with them!  We'll see how that plays out.  I'm sure you'll recognize the color palette. 

I think one of the reasons they are still a little dear to me is because back in the 1980s when I had "my colors" done, this is the basic palette I am supposed to wear for my complexion.  I've built a wardrobe many times over based on this palette.  It always feels right to me.

My SUV is already full but I'm going to squeeze these bags in.  Drop off is slated for tomorrow! 

Empty boxes!  Yea! 

One advantage of the reorganization -- I now have all the large blankets for batting and miscellaneous pillow forms corralled in one place.   

A shelf with fabrics designated for Community Quilts.  This shelf itself could take 3-5 years to sew into quilts.  Oy vey! 

Looking from the bathroom door into the master bedroom (now the fabric storage room).   It's a Huge Improvement!  Huge.   That chair and ottoman still need to be recovered or redonated.  It's a pretty decent set.  Maybe I can decide on fabric and knock that off the To Do list soon.  Elvis, my pit bull, likes the cool tile floor. 

T-Shirts for T-Shirt quilts.  I'll probably spend a good deal of time sewing these tubs down in 2021.  I can get away with big improv squares and rectangles with the knits.  And, they are fun! 

I washed a stack of pretty white linens.  I might as well use them as store them.  They'll get a hot iron & some starch one evening when I am too tired to do anything else.

The 2nd shelf in my sewing studio alcove paired with finished quilt tops & backings.  They will be front & center on the longarm this fall & winter - headed to the Houston Furniture Bank. 

My friend Barbara and I have been quilting together for about 15 years.  Sometime along the way I bought this fabric on some super sale.  I've lost count of how many quilts we've made with it.  I still see a bit here and there in some of her quilts she sends me for the community.  I was pretty pleased to say recently I thought we had used the last of it.  Guess I was wrong!  

I could probably sew non-stop with blue fabric in 2021 & not use all the blue cotton I own.  Now there's a challenge!  😎😎

It feels so good to have some organization!  WOW!  What a treat!  

Pray the expected Hurricanes bypass Houston.  I'm in the northwestern corner of Houston.  Very hopeful the hurricanes just dump a little rain and nothing else.

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Destashing the Studio Tubs

During my destash in the fabric storage room I was able to unload a few laundry baskets.  Yesterday I moved one of the shelves to an alcove in my sewing studio & put them to good use.  

I am a piler.  Always have been.  Part of my frustration with my sewing studio are the project piles. When I put piles in my big cupboard, I forget about them.  I have been known to spend hours searching for a project only to have it stashed in some basket somewhere in plain sight.  

I'm working toward better organization but it's hard!  All of this was piled on the floor or falling over from a tub.  Probably enough fabric here for quilts the rest of the year.  

I remember the days when this was the extent of my fabric stash.  Sometimes I wish that were today. 

One thing I have noticed while "reviewing" my fabrics:  I don't use enough solids in my quilts.  I have boxes of solid cottons languishing & fading along the folds.  It's time to use them! 

I ruthlessly purged the miscellaneous sewing fabrics I've saved for years.  I collected a load of garments I could cut up for crazy quilting.  Turns out I don't need a 3X gold lame blouse for my crazy quilting.  It just isn't my style of handwork.  So a lot of those fabrics went in the donation bags.  I also was very selective of some recent fabrics given to me for quilting.  They really just miss the mark on being useful.  I'll pass them along too. 

The extra sewing machines are being donated.  I have my favorite sewing machines & even though I think I would like to run 2 or more at a time, I haven't been able to make that happen! 

OH, look -- an empty tub!  Hallelujah! 

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Curtain Time

 

 

I originally planned blue drapes but when sorting through my fabric storage shelves, I unearthed these lined drapes I sewed prior to 2014.  They just needed shortening.  They really anchor the room well and I think they will be fine.  

With all the proposed projects, it's nice to be on the last lap with the sitting room.  Still on the To Do list:  recover the new to me stool, hang the artwork over the love seat and paint the table legs.   Sounds like a weekend job.

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Pay It Forward Encounters!

What an interesting couple of days! 

In an effort to pay my fabric forward I've been meeting various people.

The 1st person I met was a belly dancer who also has a booth at the Renaissance Festival when the festival is happening.  With the current quarantine in place events like festivals are not happening.  But, that doesn't keep her from collecting fabric!  After a long drive (1½ hours) we met and exchanged goodies.  I traded boxes and bags of fabric for a hand crocheted shawl.

It's a beautiful soft abstract style that can be worn on the hips or the shoulder.  My kind of colors!  So Pleased! 

I've been searching Facebook Marketplace for some furniture I might be able to use in my bedroom sitting room area.  There really are some fabulous pieces on there.  I think it helps I live in a large metropolitan area with lots of variety.  I've been sorting through the vintage furniture hoping to find something with a smaller scale that would fit the size of my rooms.

I found a lovely stool from a man who lives close to my neighborhood.  With Houston being the size it is, proximity is a definite plus.

This morning we agreed to meet at a nearby Walgreens.  I had a few errands to run one that included dropping off a box and bag of (you guessed it) more fabric at Goodwill.  I had originally intended to take it to the christian thrift store but it's on the other side of me and well, I was going by Goodwill so it became the thrift of choice.  

As I'm driving along, I see a police SUV come screaming down the street and then pull off.  The policeman jumps out of the SUV and opens the back hatch, pulls out a long barrier strip.  About the same time I see 4 or 5 police SUVs hauling it down the other side of the street.  I'm pulled over in a turn lane cowering in the corner of my SUV.  Out in front is a fast moving truck with the driver's arm extended pointing toward the sky.  My thought is the officers are in hot pursuit of him.  

The police SUVs go by and I move into the lane to drive forward.  My thought is:  get out of here soon!  I drive a few more blocks and there in front of Goodwill at the intersection is a 4 or 5 car pileup.  Gracious!  That's where the police SUVs were headed.  The truck driver had nothing to do with them!  Now I see the EMS coming from the opposite direction.  I inch by and realize I won't be dropping off my fabric donation after all.

I'm a few blocks from the intended meeting location.  The man arrived with the lovely stool.  He tells me his wife has intended to recover it but she has so many projects now, she won't get to it. Ha! ha!  Do we all know that story or what?  Then he tells me she has a few industrial sewing machines and an embroidery machine.  So I say, do you think she might like this fabric?  And, by golly, he took the fabric in exchange for the stool.  Later he texted me how pleased she was with the fabrics and will be sure to Like my Facebook page.  I am more happy to pay the fabric forward to a sewer than the thrift store; so, that worked out well.

I still had a box of miscellaneous to donate so on the way home I left them at my regular thrift store.  In chatting up the young intake girl she told me they have gotten many donations from people cleaning out their houses during the quarantine.  AND, you should come see all the decorator items!   And, guess what?  I got in my SUV and drove home.  I really think I deserve a medal or at least a Gold Star. 

My neighbor had an AC repairman at his house when I got home.  He called telling me I should have the guy look at my unit.  So we cooperate & the repairman tells me it's an easy fix: needs a capacitor.  He installs it and I'm ready to count my chickens.  Well, no, the unit won't hold any freon and the compressor is toast.  Those chickens aren't going to hatch.  He'll be installing a new AC unit on Friday; just in time for the incoming hurricane season.  

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Great Results!

 I accomplished a surprisingly large amount of work yesterday!  As I go I see something that brings a new or refined idea to mind.  It's helpful to let the ideas roll around a little.  I can stop for awhile and explore them before going forward.

My friend sold me his chalk painted table & delivered it yesterday.  It's lovely.  I immediately liked it when he brought it to one of the 1st art markets.  I'm so happy to have it for my kitchen.  I also have a small chair my neighbor traded me for some aprons at Christmas time a few years ago.  It's been hiding in the fabric storage room.  Together they finish out this area.

I still have the woodwork to paint in this area but I want to get the rearranging & decluttering finished before I start on the painting again.  

Huge progress in the office-needlework room!  I didn't have a concrete plan for the room other than I wanted a place where I could stitch handwork and maybe have my computer.   I think in the back of my mind I knew I wanted it to have a nostalgic feel and a connection to my past.  

As I've been working I've been sifting through artwork, curtains, pictures and accessories trying to pull together themes.  It's been a fun way to assess what I have and what I feel like I can donate.  Some things are really precious to me.  It's good to find that out and acknowledge it. 

This was the room when I went to bed last night.  I was determined to hang the sets of pictures!  This gallery wall idea is working out very well for me!  

I still intend to make covers for the shelves but I wanted to get them in place first.

The yellow framed printed cross stitch is a thrifted find, one of my recent abstract pieces and then the fish cross stitch I stitched in 1994.  At the time I was in my "fish period".  Don't ask me why! 

I now have these 2 IKEA bookcases on either side of the large window.  They frame the space nicely and I can have pictures of my sons on them.  

I stitched the Hurter House cross stitch in 1988.  I remember it as a lot of work. I was heavily into my cross stitch period then; along with some quilting.   Even though I am no longer married to Brent's dad, I still love the piece and it's very important to me.  Steve gave me the handmade pottery piece in front of it.  

He knew I liked it.  I was an art gallery docent at the time and he made sure my mother who was visiting bought it for me from him on Valentine's Day.  He worked downtown Chicago & couldn't get to the gallery during daytime hours.  He was always a very thoughtful gift giver.

My mother stitched the quilt crewel sometime in the 1970s when she was heavily into her crewel stage.  Remember crewel embroidery?  I wonder why it doesn't make a resurgence now?

The other side of the supply shelves offered another good space for some favorite needlework. 

I picked up this custom  framed lace piece along with 2 complementary pieces a few years ago at Goodwill.  I was blown away the 3 of them together cost me $15.  hello!  of course I wanted them!

Two of my recent abstract fiber pieces.  These are so much fun!

Another typical period printed cross stitch piece; probably 1970s.  How could I resist at $1.99? 

Another vintage cross stitch from the Goodwill.  It's expertly stitched with triple mats and non-glare glass.  I couldn't let it die in the picture bins. 

My long-time friend Toni stitched this cross stitch to commemorate my marriage to my last husband.  Because I love her and I know she spent many hours stitching it, I continue to hang it.  I love samplers.  Now that I am setting up this needlework room I could foresee getting back into sampler stitching myself.   

This is just a pretty oil painting I picked up because it is pretty.  Some days I give into pretty! 

I keep massaging my bedroom.  While sorting thrifted sheets and duvet covers I pulled this twin sized one aside.  I've been thinking something is a little too sweet about this room.  Adding the duvet as a topper and changing the bedskirt to red has given the room some oomph.  If I decide to keep the duvet cover, I can open it up and it will fit the bed better.  

Last night as I was drifting off to sleep I thought about this large knit yardage I stitched earlier this year.  It's wide enough for a queen sized quilt and with an additional length added, it could be long enough.  I also have a cache of patchwork pillows and a few gorgeous wall hangings.  

I'm beginning to think this is the direction I want to go in my new bedroom.  It's a very large room so it could accommodate the bold colors.  

I'll let this idea bounce around in my head awhile.  It would certainly be nice to have most of the "sewing work" finished already.  And, really, why not have some of my best pieces for myself?   Wouldn't that be a nice affirmation of self-love?

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