Small projects are wonderful.  I completed a document holder (yah, its a pretty manila envelope..what?) from scrap fabric that Kirsten might recognize. It only took about an hour and a half total including 15 minutes of master grommet-er Mark’s time.  How great is that?  Instant feeling of productivity!  It is a great feeling to accomplish something, especially in such a short period of time.

Next up is a little photo holder from some different scrap fabric. I don’t think I’ll keep this one, because I carry my photos on a couple of iDevices and have no need for a pretty case that holds real photos. When I get done I might change my mind though and keep it or give it as a gift to a friend or family member. Either way, it is likely to be just as short as the first project and just as tempting to Augie and Purrball as well.

After finishing off my 4th project of the year, my 3rd and final baby blanket, I realized I had a ton of scrap fabric.  I didn’t really feel like doing a completely new project including picking out fabric at the moment (apparently that is too much cognitive load at this point in time), but I could piece meal something together.

A side ‘project’ was to make a little ‘bumper’ for the rails on Will’s new toddler bed.  His crib was recalled and we didn’t feel like using it with the brackets that they give you that ‘fix’ it.  The toddler bed is working great, but the his pacifier would go flying out the small slats in the head board.  So, I used some left over fleece and just tied it onto the headboard.  Nothing extravagant, but it solved a problem and didn’t cost me a penny.

It felt great to use some scraps, so I flipped through some different ideas to see if I had enough fabric of the right kind to do another project.  Mark also got me a new sewing book for Mother’s Day too.  So I’m making a couple small things from Amy Butler’s In Stitches.  I’m not sure how much I’ll really use them, but I only need some ribbon and grommets.  I got everything cut out and felt like I had hardly used any of my scraps!

My mom thought this was great use of the scraps (and wanted to give me a bunch of her scraps that I unfortunately don’t have space to keep).  She mentioned that I could find ways to use some of my scraps as coordinating pieces in some crafty projects, like pockets on a bedside organizer.  I hope to make some good use of this idea.

Note to self: time to lay off the Amy Butler patterns and find some diversity.

I finished my 3rd sewing project of the year on Friday.  I actually have made 2 of these so far, with one more to go.  Its a nice wrap blanket for a little baby.  I don’t have anything profound to say about the pattern.  It is nicely done.  I was surprised by how big it was, but perhaps I have forgotten how big tiny babies are.  Who knows.  I also managed to make a gift tag (even though I had a card..meh) that matched by sewing fabric onto a small piece of cardstock.  I may have been a bit overly excited about that part.  Oh well.

I gave this blanket to The Arnold’s, as they venture into a new and magical part of their life soon.  Today was also a nice reminder that it is uniquely wonderful to give something to someone that you created yourself.  Even if it doesn’t get used or not quite in the way intended, you are giving not only a gift, but also a piece of yourself.  I love it!  Someone else I know is fond of reminding us of this.  She must be pretty smart.

A week ago today, a dear family friend of ours passed away.  Her funeral was today and I wasn’t able to attend, but nevertheless I do not want her to go unnoticed.  While my dad assures me that she didn’t, it is often nice to be able to write something (privately or publicly) just to say, I noticed you.  And so I share with you all tonight.

I didn’t know Edith on a personal level, especially not like my dad did, but I did know enough about her to believe she was a woman with great strength.  I’m pretty sure that great strength came with a strong dose of stubbornness, but I’m willing to accept her that way.  I know a limited number of years of Edith’s life (basically my years).  She would have turned 96 this April, so there are a fair number of years I’m leaving out.  I don’t know when she started raising sheep, but its all I ever knew of her doing.  Her husband died in 1976 and she continued to raise her sheep alone for nearly 30 more years.  She finally let someone help with the farm when she turned 90, but she still lived alone on the farm with her sheep and dog until she was 95.

A year and a half ago, Mark and I came home to a sheep on our stairs (a separate story).  It wasn’t just any sheep though.  Edith gave the sheep to me (or maybe Matt – I can never be 100% certain until a parent confirms) when I was very young and I have treasured it all along.  It served as the donkey one year as Matt & I presented a Christmas pageant at home (our handmade cabbage patch dolls were Mary & Joseph).  And now the sheep lives in Will’s room waiting for him to get old enough to play with it lovingly.

One last story of Edith.  Edith will be known for many years and to many people as a woman of great strength.  One evening, Edith was out in the barn feeding and tending to the sheep for the evening and got knocked down breaking a leg (Dad correct me if I get any details wrong here).  It was a beautiful 60F day that day and she likely didn’t need a coat even, but it wouldn’t stay that way long.  Edith had no way of calling for help, no one was coming out to check on her soon.  Edith drug herself to the dog house and stayed there, waiting.  The next morning it was just 40F.   3 days later someone finally found her and got her the help she needed.  One can only imagine that she drank water sparingly from the dog bowl and ate what she could find.  Did I mention this was when she lived alone – when she was in her 70s (at least)?  I’m glad someone noticed her then.  Edith didn’t go unnoticed.

I will still notice her missing for many years to come.  I have posted frequently about our family tradition of Christmas caroling in the Quad Cities.  The tradition included visiting Edith’s house last before heading back to Grandma’s.  We had to visit Edith at a different location this last year, but we still made it (and she met little William).  We touched the lives of so many that night as we sang for Edith.  Will sat on his Grandpa’s shoulders, thumping his foot along to the music.  I will miss singing for Edith each year and I’ll remember her strength and courage each time I think of her.  I noticed Edith and I will for many years to come.

You can read her full obit at the Quad City Times.

Thanks to Twitter and some great friends, I’ve been getting back into sewing lately and loving every minute of it!  My first project for the year comes from a free pattern from Amy Butler that includes a small portfolio.  I initially thought it would be great to go with my new messenger bag patter, but its also a great pattern to get started back in sewing after a bit of a hiatus.

My other idea is that I can use this to carry an iPad (which will now be referred to as Susie – marketing morons).  Since Mark seems obsessed with Susie, I could easily make one for him as well by using some more masculine fabric.  A few adjustments to the measurements of the pattern and violà – a Susie carrying case!

Not use to modifying your patterns?  Its pretty simple.  First off, the pattern has the normal finished size pretty wrong.  If you start with a fabric height of 7″ and then sew 1/2 inch on each end…you end up with 6″.  So, lesson learned – account for your seam allowance!

So if you want a finished height of 10″, start with fabric height of 11″ (this pattern uses 1/2″ seam allowances around).  Then you get to choose your total width and the distance you want in the middle between the pockets.  If you want to carry thin items, you don’t need a large distance.  Thicker items (such as Susie) may require a larger distance though.  So an example would be 7″ total width with 5 1/2″ pockets.  So your larger fabric piece will be 7″ x 2 plus 1″ for seam allowances making 15″.  At this point we know we have a finished product that is 10″ x 7″.  Our large fabric is 11″ x 15″.  How about that pocket fabric?  We know it has to be 11″ tall.  Then our finished pocket width is 5 1/2″.  Add our seam allowances on and we get 6 1/2″.  We end up with a pocket fabric size of 11″ x 6 1/2″.  I didn’t change the length of the ribbon, but that is always an option.  You could also try using two sets of ribbon.

Note: these numbers were made up as I wrote this.  These are not the numbers I used to make it the size to carry Susie.  I’ll also post pictures as soon as the computer is done processing a year’s worth of video.

Its great to be back sewing and I hope to share more projects on here throughout the year.  My next project(s) are top secret for now!