Kitchen curtains, too!

My son painted my kitchen "Chopped Chive" by Valspar and although it is a lot brighter than I expected, I love it! Trying to match fabric was another story. I finally picked this fabulous pattern and sewed up two sets of tiebacks and a valance for my little side window.

I absolutely love them! They match so well and are so bright and cheery!

Living Room Curtains - Finally!

Here they are! A picture of the top because the lighting is hard to catch and the tiebacks.

Redecorating

I finally finished the curtains but as it typically goes when you redecorate, now the shades don't match so I bought some pretty green with a subtle fern pattern tablecloth fabric for them and will post when they are done.

I love changing something so simple as it makes such a big difference. Even rearranging things is cheery.

I also just this morning realized how much I love - need - to sew. A few years ago I put everything aside to write the next Peyton-Place-Meets-Jacqueline-Suzann novel but discovered that there is usually so much going on inside my head it was impossible to keep a whole new cast of characters in there as well. The novelty (haha) dwindled off and about a year ago I started sewing again. Relief! Then a few weeks ago this novel thing attacked me and tried again but you know...it just isn't happening. I love to sew and cross stitch and pick up needles and pins and fabric and make stuff. The stuff I make now has changed, from clothes for myself and then kids to quilts to now cloth dolls and their clothes and accessories. I guess I'm rebelling against aging! If only it were that easy!

Sewing is magical -- it takes me away! I hope it does you, too!

About that stash...

First, I don't have that much - 3 large clear plastic bins - 1 stores kids themes in cotton and flannel and the other two store prints, solids, and flowers in mostly bright and happy colors. Luckily I make mostly small things which is why I don't have mega yardage. I have been collecting fabric for over 20 years and have decided I'm not sure it's a good idea.

At first I reasoned that if I don't buy this right now it won't be here next time. Usually true and also applies to books, patterns, and notions. (Ask my town library. This summer I donated 3 boxes of books.) But, as time rolls by, I look at some of those fabrics and wonder who I was to have actually selected, stood in line, and paid for what I simply had to have, as now it doesn't appeal to me. At all. My taste has changed, my print size has changed, my theme has changed, what I sew has changed. I have changed.

I don't know what to do with this fabric I don't like.

Some I have put in the goodwill box, some I donated to the nursing home, some I simply threw out. I posted on a board I visit and they said make vintage stuff. Well, I don't like vintage stuff. I like certain time periods like the Renaissance and the 1950's and 1960's, but none of this fabric fits those eras.

So I recommend unless you absolutely have to have something and are sure you will use it up within a year or two, only buy what you need for a project. You won't spend more $$$ than you should, take up more storage space than you need, or wonder what the heck you were thinking.

Having said all that, my local fabric store is having a truckload fabric sale. Sometimes it's not great fab but sometimes it really is. I know I need to stay away but my bureau drawer screws decided they had had enough and came unhinged just this morning and I have to go to that store, because it's a hardware store too, and buy some goopy stuff to put in the screw holes. When I walk in the door if I take a left and head toward the goopy stuff aisle I'll be all set. But they have it set up so you can't help but see the fabric when you walk in.

I wonder what I'll do.

Update: Walked in and went to the left. Spent 39 cents. Haven't done that since I bought penny candy as a kid. haha

What's New and, What's New?

Hi Everyone!

I finally finished that changing pad for my adorable grandson after changing the pinwheel border colors three times, and after changing his diaper this morning I was going to take a picture of it but during that changing session he pooped on it so it is now in the laundry. lol

I bet if someone had asked me to use the word "changing" four times in a sentence I couldn't do it!

I'm now working on window curtains for my living room. Bought new furniture a few months ago and of course, the old curtains don't quite match. I found some great fab on sale for 60% off so for a little under $100 I got enough material for 3 30"x60" windows and tiebacks, assuming I cut correctly the first time. I'll post when I get one set done, which only need the top and bottom hems and tiebacks, but that will probably be about 2 weeks with everything else there is to do. For tiebacks I'm thinking of braiding three tubes of the same fabric, instead of just a sash. Looks great in my mind so we'll find out.

I hope you are all able to sew today. Irene has been messing with us but now she has stopped crying and started bellowing so I'll plug in my Janome and hope she doesn't get too scared to sew.

Hey, what have you all been working on?

I have been sewing for 40 years!

OMG! It occurred to me last night as I was sewing half-square triangles and thinking of my sewing history - things I used to sew and what I sew now - that I have been sewing for 40 years! I learned in eighth grade and have been sewing ever since. I remember the first dress I sewed was a scoop neck with wide puffy sleeves that gathered at the wrist. The fabric was brightly colored flowers on a bright orange background. Hey, it was the '70's, and I loved that dress! I also remember making a red polyester pants suit for a New Year's Eve date that stood me up. He may have lost out but the pants suit was a winner!

I started with garments for myself and basically sewed much of my wardrobe during high school, until senior year, when my social life interrupted and my mission was boys. Fast forward to when my daughter was born and I sewed for her, and in between sewed small home dec - curtains, pillows, placemats. When son was born I sewed for him, but the selection for boys isn't as grand as girls. For some reason when they got older and I had grown tired of garment sewing, I picked up dollmaking. Oh, I love to sew cloth dolls! Then came quilting, probably for a spot for my lovelies to rest upon. Now I have a delightful grandson and as I type this am working on a second changing mat for him then a really cute quilt with owl fabrics. I'm finding that I love owls!

I wish I could remember what enchanted me about sewing, but I must love it to be doing it this long!

What about you - do you remember what it was about sewing that grabbed you at the beginning? Or what keeps you going now?

Day Two of Blogging...

...and had a hard time posting to comments! I think it was a browser issue.

Anyway, many of you commented on the forums I unabashedly solicited critiques from, and just so you know, yes, this will include pictures of what I sew, cross stitch, and photograph. I have been cross stitching for about 25 years and sewing off and on for about 40. Quilting and cloth dollmaking have been in my life for about 8 years now. I also started writing fiction about 5 years ago and some day may send my rhyming children's book to a publisher, just for giggles. I took up photography last year hoping to meet some people (ok, men) but discovered it is a solitary habit - I have enough of those - so I decided to try my hand at blogging.

Enough about me, already! How about you? What are your hobbies? What do you like to do?