Achievement Unlocked: Quilting - Kitchen Rug!

Happy New Year! I've started the New Year off right: by finishing a craft project that was on the table for TOO LONG.

First, the inspiration from Pinterest: 

Source: sewwequilt.com via LibraryElfDesigns on Pinterest

A lovely quilted kitchen floor mat from SewWeQuilt (links above). Now, the issue at hand was what fabric would I use? How big would mine be? We definitely needed a floor mat by the sink.

I had also gained a bag of upholstery fabric scraps that someone else had in mind for a quilt of some sort ages ago (I think last January). So, I started poking through the pieces and found quite a few that would work wonderfully for my general kitchen theme. I cut them into 5 inch or so squares (might be 5.25 inches) and spent a lot of time trying to decide just how I'd lay them out. After that, I used The Workhorse (my 1950s Singer machine) and put the blocks together, put on a backing (light blue terry cloth fabric I had) and quilted it. Here's before the binding:

Look at how nice that all works, although, I think it is technically upside down in this pic. Notice the egg!
Copyright LibraryElfDesigns

Full disclosure: I have NEVER put a quilt together from start to finish. You may remember the Patriotic Quilt I am/was working on. That's a quilt top so far. Tops I have made...mostly. Not sure I've done any blocking/borders/what-have-you yet. I find the idea of hand quilting not something I want to do. Machine quilting, yes. Hand quilting, not so much. I know the Patriotic Quilt could use something (I'm waiting on something from my stash that'll work).

Anyway, since this was my first time quilting from start to finish, I needed help. This Pinterest Pin, titled "Beginning Quilting Series" in my Pin, proved very, very helpful:

Source: diaryofaquilter.com via LibraryElfDesigns on Pinterest

With the help of the "Binding 101" section, I put the binding onto the rug and ta-da! Finished rug! I only needed a little bit of hand sewing because the one corner was too much for the machine.

TA DA! It is frugal and pretty!
Copyright LibraryElfDesigns

There are a few things I learned from this that I need to make note of for next time. So here are...

Lessons I Learned

• The upholstery fabric was great, but the seams are a bit bumpy so standing on it isn't comfortable (ok. I've only done this for about 5 whole minutes so I could be wrong). Next time, I really should do more than the two layers I chose to do out of laziness.
• Next time, don't start the binding in the corner...
• ...but the binding method from the above pin was the EASIEST binding ever. I thought it would be a very difficult task, but not with that machine binding technique.  
• It needs something on the back to stop it from sliding. I have some ideas, just wanted to get that project off my table to free up room for the craft table.
• I can now say I've done a quilt! Even if it is slightly a cheater quilt. I love feeling frugal and thrifty and having something that looks great.
• I would definitely make another rug like this.

Reconstructing Clothes for Dummies - LibraryElfReads

Title: Reconstructing Clothes for Dummies
By: Miranda Caroligne Burnes
Publisher: Wiley Publishing, Inc.
Date: 2007
ISBN: 978-0-470-12767-4
Source: Library


Reconstructing Clothing For Dummies is one of those books you can pick it up, read part of it, and get the gist. It is set up in parts and, honestly, I only read the first part, and the last part, skipping the projects. I needed the confidence to start looking at cutting up my clothing and turning it into something else. This book gives you that confidence. In simple terms, the author breaks down the different stitches, why you should cut up your clothing, and how to go about doing so. There's also some basic clothing care in this book, what fabrics you should work with, and how to set up your sewing space. A combination beginners sewing book (only slightly) mixed in with how to really change clothing. It is a winning combination.

The projects in this book look pretty. I haven't actually tried any out at this point and am doubtful I will. The outfits are really, really arty and I'm not a real arty person. There are some basics: denim skirt, cropped shirt, and such, but they also have an "arty" stamp to them.

Basically, in terms of resources and places to get started, Reconstructing Clothes for Dummies will do that. It is also, surprisingly, an inspiration to getting your own reconstructing ideas.

New Items in the Shop (Dec. 1)!

The last few days I've added a bunch of new stuff to the shop. Check it out! New items include:

• Book Page Gift Bags (photos will take you to the listing)

  

• Gift hang Tags

     

   

•  Denim Bags

     

If I'm lucky and this weekend proves productive, there will be new stuff added to the shop next week! I'm a bit busy with work things, health things (yeah, that again), and trying to keep the home clean. Not to mention a wedding present, our XBox 360 Star Wars Limited Edition came in last weekend. I've been a bit distracted at beating Portal 2. Overall, I love Portal 2. It will probably be one of the five or so games I actually finish. Not to mention, I want to get some baking out of the way! It is the Holiday season after all! I should be keeping home warm with lots and lots of cookies being baked. This weekend, I'm aiming to try out a sugar cookie recipe so I can test out some cookie cutters we got as wedding presents.

Did I mention I got married about a month ago? Details on what was made for our wedding will be coming up...eventually. Look for those posts.

Edit: All pictures are copyright LibraryElfDesigns and the owner. These pictures may not be edited, but may be Pinned as long as the link reverts back to this blog post.

Shop Update - New Stuff (Oct. 7)

Shop update!

For those of you who don't know, I have a little Etsy Shop called LibraryElfDesigns. It has been kind of quiet as I reevaluated my life and found some answers (and guidance and clearance and was getting over being sick), but I'm slowly adding stuff to the shop right now. I have some new ideas, but right now it's mostly destash stuff like fabric. Take a peak and make sure to check back as new stuff will be added over the coming weeks. Tell your friends too!

My primary focus will be grocery bags (and there will be more than just the ones made from an old pair of jeans hopefully soon), but other little things might appear like fabric (I really have to destash). If you need a gift idea, the denim bags are perfect for gents. My own gladly uses his bags when he goes grocery shopping and loves that they hold so much! Heck, one we had even held a 30 lb bag of cat litter! That's an impressive bag.

Help a librarian out. Check out the shop and tell your friends.

Dreaming of Plastic Free. Wait....that's plastic?

Note: Apparently CTRL + P automatically posts your entry without you clicking "post." This made for this hilarious post:

I'm reading
--------------------

First, an update on stress. I know what it feels to be stress free. Sadly, I've lost that feeling within 2 days before my vacation ended. I've had "moments" in the last few days, but I'm suddenly fried on a bunch of stuff going on.

Apparently, I know a limit, but I don't completely. I'll get there I think. I know what relieves stress at this point and I'm trying to find ways to sneak it into my life. I'm more hopeful about this than I have been in AGES.

What I'm reading now though. I'm reading [CTRL+U, that's what I meant] Plastic Free - How I Kicked the Plastic Habit and How You Can Too by Beth Terry. I've been following her blog since it was "Fake Plastic Fish." I'm not sure how I wound up on it, but I've been following her for a while now. For the last few months, I've been interested in the "Show Your Plastic Challenge." I've been trying to see how My Guy feels about it. He's convinced it'd be hard/impossible/basically hasn't been very supportive of it as a couple thing. So I've been trying to read the book this week and decided, heck, starting yesterday, I'm going to do it! (Gotta register in a big).

I've had an epiphany.

Back story: I decided I deserved chocolate today. I stood in the grocery store with him on the way to work and was trying to decide between Hershey Kisses or 3 Musketeers Brand. I wanted 3 Musketeers so, after discussion of price, I picked it. I think it was more expensive but less dangerous in terms of consuming 1 lb of chocolate in 2-5 days versus 11 oz in that time.

I'm in my office, breaking into the chocolate in the first 20 minutes I'm there and I realized something as I ripped the first one open. Crap. There are a bunch of these minis, wrapped in plastic that came in a plastic bag (that part I knew) and I am going to have to actually save each and every one.

I have been in denial that I have a chocolate problem, but now, I will have to save each of those wrappers and look at the damage when I tally.

I don't know what I thought, but I never thought those candy wrappers were plastic. I thought they were foil like or some other compound. I don't know, but plastic? Oh. Man.

Now that I'm looking for it, I have a feeling I'm going to find it in various places I didn't expect. This should be an interesting journey.

Lesson Learned:

• CRTL+P is a nifty shortcut to posting entries.
• Most candy is wrapped in plastic. My mind is blown.

A Pinterest Pledge - Intriguing

I haven't spent any time looking at the issue of Pinterest and copyright. It both annoys me and makes me think about copyright so I just kind of go about my business, making sure that what I pin is properly credited and such. I don't pin a lot unless it is done by me.

At least, mostly. I get into the app sometimes and just go "OH! LIKE! PIN!" a few times and that's that.

As I was browsing my blogs though, I saw this Pinterest Pledge from Sew, Mama, Sew. I "pinned" it and have promptly spent an hour cleaning up some of my sewing pins. It is a bit much to go through all my pins. Some did disappear due to lack of proper credit. Most I saved by spending time finding the right place to credit and changing the Pinned Link to reflect that. I'm hoping that I can poke at this and fulfill this pledge.

It is an interesting thing though. I also found another craft blog had a similar mention about Pinterest in that she cleaned hers up and made it easier to search (I wish I could remember which blog it was). In terms of the discussion surrounding Pinterest, I find it interesting how libraries are jumping on the bandwagon, but not seeming to discuss the copyright issues. But again, I've been ignoring the Library Pinterest discussion in favor of what things I can actually pin. It will be the crafting community, I think, that will change the direction of things so to say.

So in the meantime, I'll pin what I pin, but make sure I cite it and either have it close to the source, or from a secondary, trusted source (i.e. through Craftzine.com). I'm also trying to make sure that the site either has the pin button or is just properly credited. Sew, Mama, Sew has the best pins. You pin it and ta-da! Title, blog post, blog series, blog name are all there. It is really handy!

Feel free to enlighten me. I just wanted to share the pledge as I think it applies somehow....I think...but then my head is still clogged...

Things Have to Change

I got sick again. I've been keeping track this year about how sick I've been and honestly, I've been sick almost every month this calendar year. To recap:

• January: Strep Throat
• February: tiny sinus infection
• March: The Mystery (if you know me, you know what this is about)
• April: General health issues came to a head
• May: A minor case of impetigo
• June and July: I focused on Summer Reading, but migraines appeared at every blasted heatwave. I didn't even have to check if there was a heatwave. If I had a migraine, I knew it was coming. 
• August: Summer Reading wrapped up and literally, by Friday afternoon (this past Friday) I was tired. I thought it was strep again. Nope. A sinus infection that only finally got properly treated today (5 days of blowing my nose, tiredness, and more was enough).

Now, I had antibiotics, of various kinds given to me 5 of those times. Actually, August counts as 2 as I started on one and they changed it to another. Either way, if you get this sinus infection going around, be prepared for a wild ride. It's been years since I've had a fever that high (that I know of anyway).

This past year I've started to try to care for myself when getting sick instead of trying to work through it. Well, actually, after the strep throat in January, that's what I decided to do because I had just previously tried to push through. It isn't actually a mystery as to why I keep getting sick. No. It is abundantly clear as to why I keep getting sick.

Stress. I've been reading on stress for a while now. I called this "sick." I allowed it. I announced it. The nurse that saw me recently was like "Don't curse yourself like that!" Well, what am I supposed to do? I knew this was going to happen. I have been in high gear for a multitude of reasons besides summer reading. The end of it was just a goal and a chance for me to breathe. I knew I needed a minor break about three weeks ago. I'm at the moment kind of thankful that my body waited until now to get sick.

This latest sick gave me an opportunity to think. I'm always thinking, but for two days, I had no idea what day or time it was. At one point, I knew an hour at a time had passed because My Guy kept checking my temperature. As I started coming out of the haze (and when I wasn't watching shows), I started to think about why I was sick again and how tired I am of getting sick. When I started getting even better (but not enough), I started to worry about all of the stuff that had been worrying me before I got sick.

What a vicious cycle.

While I was sick, I read the book Radical Simplicity. A few months ago I had watched the film and was intrigued. I have been interested in striving toward this simplicity. I'm tired of wanting things I can never have. I want to be more environmentally friendly, ecologically minded, eco-aware, what-have-you. I want to be part of the solution. Radical Simplicity showed why I want to be part of the solution, but on the other hand, in an apartment, with limited funds, it is a little hard to do this.

I've spent today reading environmental and craft blogs, being reminded about why I care and how I should care about myself. The craft blogs continue to inspire with mending and altering. Last night, before we went to sleep, we looked for better alternatives to bad habits we have. I finally asked for the apartment repairs that were needed. I requested more books that were featured in Radical Simplicity, one about education, another about food (I'm so aware of the problems with food). I'm also resolving to find ways to lower my stress and keep it lower. I have to. If not, I'm going to continue this cycle of being sick and I can't afford, in multiple ways, to do this any more.
Lessons Learned

• I intend, have to, and must better control my stress. I'm hoping to do this with exercising, meditating, and better food (more veggies).
• It's time to re-locate the values I had. I'm not sure where I put them.
• I'm learning to tentatively trust again in what is around me.