Mustache

I have Tamiko as a partner in two bees and she asked for Magnum P.I. or Hawaii-themed blocks for both bees.  I've already sent her the aviator sunglasses block.  I also signed up for a mustache block.  I've wanted to make this block since June.  I really have been pondering this one for that long.  

My dad is a tall guy with naturally wavy red hair that has only gotten darker with age and he's had a mustache for nearly all of my life (for a short time he had a short beard, but then he went back to the 'stache).  I had this specific picture in my head of a big, textured mustache that I had the hardest time translating into a block.  I’ll tell you, Tom Selleck’s mustache is a tough one to depict by itself without it looking like a turd.  I knew I could never depict a face in fabric and starting with flesh-colored fabric gave me the willies.  So, I thought of my dad's super short jeans shorts from this era and chose a similar fabric as a background.  Then I used some thread to show where the nose and lower lip might be to ground the rest of the block.  I hope it looks right.  I asked my husband what he thought and he said, "It looks very Selleck-y."  Good man.  

I encourage you to check out the other blocks made for Tamiko in the Ringo Pie Bee by Kerry, Leila, Charise, and Amber.  And here is a selection from the Cocorico Bee by Leila, Kylie, Muriël, and Amy.  It is a very creative theme, even if I couldn't tolerate watching the show for very long.

Do you have a favorite show or movie that you'd like to see translated into quilt blocks?

2012...

...was a challenging year for me.  Henry's autism diagnosis, starting early childhood school, therapies, fixing up our house, moving to Maryland and then selling our house--whew!  It was a year of personal life growth for sure.

But, it was also the year of creative growth, too.  I feel lucky to be among such talented company in the Cocorico, Pastiche, and Ringo Pie Bees.  The monthly themes challenged me to my limits, but my sewing skills kept growing to match what I imagined for my design. 

You'll notice that these mosaics are a little thin for bees that I've been in all year.  I still owe 4 bee blocks for 2012.  Luckily my bee-mates are patient with me. 

This was also the year of the Farmer's Wife quilt. I wish I could say that I've finished it, but that is not the case. Maybe I can finish it by spring?

 I did a little knitting this year. Most of it was very tiny, but I do have the one big shawl to warm me up.

I finished a couple of quilts to cuddle up in, but I did gave them all away except for one (my AMH voile quilt is covering my lap as I type this (bottom right).

And, lastly, there are some other sewn items that I'm proud of from the year.




2012 was supposed to be the year of the finish.  I had nine items from 2011 that I wanted to complete.  Unfortunately I only finished of those nine!  So, I officially declare that 2013 will be the year of completion.  All projects from 2011 will be done this year as well as some from 2012.
Really.
I mean it this time. 

I'm grateful for this space to share my adventures in sewing.  Occasionally I need a space where I am a mom but I'm a person, a designer and a sewist first.  Thank you all for joining me over the last year.

Please, take a minute to tell me what you made this year that you are most proud of.  Do you have any specific plans for 2013?

Pottery

Amy in the Cocorico Bee asked for blocks with an art studio theme for June.  

Back before I quilted and before I knit, I was a potter.  In fact, I spent a good 16 years making pots.  I worked in a photo/wood/ceramics craft studio and I'd use the space after hours to throw to my heart's content.  I sold pottery at a few craft fairs and I taught some wheel throwing classes.  When I didn't teach or work in a studio, I took classes just to have access to a wheel and to glean any bits of knowledge that I could from the teacher.  I can't say that my skills grew very much that way.  But, it didn't matter to me.  I didn't need to make the biggest piece or fancy vase.  All I ever wanted to make was the perfect shaped bowl.  The amount of bowls I've thrown over the years is astronomical.  I was always searching for the perfect curve, just the right thickness, a good feel in two hands, and a strong earthiness while still being lifted and light.  I've gotten really close a few times, but I would still like to sit at a wheel to have a crack at it.  I still have a few pieces left.  Ones that weren't given away and didn't get broken.  But I miss throwing.  And as dusty and muddy and dirty pottery studios are, I miss the smell of it.  There is something very calming about physically centering a piece of clay that somehow centers the soul, too.  There is also something to making a big mess with a chunk of mud from the earth and then firing it until it glistens. 

Anyway, this block here is a representation of the pottery studio I used in my first year of college.  It was a long, narrow room with all of the wheels lined up along the wall and facing out over a big bank of windows.  I would stare at the beautiful trees on campus and the lake and the arboretum beyond.  I would be in there at all sorts of odd hours because I prefer to throw when no one else is around.  At the time I was super shy about showing any of the things I made  (that probably sounds hard to believe now).  Anyway, it is still my favorite studio I've ever worked in.  I hope you like the block, Amy.

Pippi and a Bike

My poor friend, Muriël, has been waiting and waiting for her Pippi Longstocking themed block since February.  It is sometimes hard to be in such a group of talented ladies when they keep on churning out one gorgeous idea and design after another and my brain can't always keep up.  My idea finally came at the beginning of May (then I stalled for another 3 weeks on finishing the hand embroidery).



But now Pippi's shoe and stocking are done.  The washi tape fabric seemed like the perfect mix of stripes and patches and hodgepodge colors for Pippi.  Her shoes may have been black in the books, but I'm certain that she wouldn't pass up on navy plaid shoes with purple soles.  Unfortunately this shoe is falling apart.  Maybe she'll add some duct tape next week? 
 


The shoe was paper pieced, the calf was curve pieced, the shoe stitching is embroidery floss and the shoelaces are ribbon embroidery with some thread tacking.


In another tiny bit of news, I was in a key fob swap in May.  This is what I sent out in the mail yesterday (yes, the absolute last day to ship--at least it wasn't 4 months late).  I used the Heather Ross bike fabric and added some machine thread sketching on the bike frame and some hand embroidery on the bike seat.  I hope my partner likes it!



I still have a ton of Farmer's Wife blocks to post but they'll have to wait for another day. Today was my husband's birthday (babysitter + sushi date + mini golf + arcade games) and then we meet up with my brother and niece tomorrow for a visit for Henry's birthday (Monday).  You've gotta love a fun and busy summer.