Necklace

My sister found a gorgeous bead...created from a natural shell.  She adored it but had no idea what she would want. Knowing her well I knew she would want something fairly simple in design. She also prefers "natural" materials...hence the shell.

With this knowledge I searched my stash for items that would be simple enough to appeal to her sense of style but would still be lovely to my own, flashier, tastes. And i came up with a fine hemp in a pale grey color, macramé spiral stitch to subtly echo the spiral of the shell centerpiece, her shell...which was a flat round disk which highlighted a spiral and was smooth and highly polished on one side and slightly rougher on the opposite side, and six swarovski rondelle beads in a peridot color, and it would be strung with the shell taking center and flanked by the crystal beads. I would of course put a magnetic clasp on as I had one and they are so easy to wear.

Took the better part of two hours...because when you use hemp that fine you have to use a TON of stitches to get a necklace length...however,  it was worth it!

Below are pictures of the stages and the completed necklace.

Helpful cats

There are many who would look at the pictures below and think that cats are useless slips who just get hair all over the fabric and slow the wheels of artistic progress. 

And it might be true for some that cats lounging amongst their projects does create a hindrance. However, for me they are valued assistants. Their snuggling into fabrics forces me to stay organized and only bring out a logical amount of work at one time. Their refusal to budge reminds me to take breaks. And when a quilt is becoming overwhelming their cuteness and utter desire to be about during the process is proof that the quilt will be loved as the useful and beautiful item it was intended to be. After all, cats have excellent taste and they wouldn't hang around items that weren't as gorgeous as themselves. 

So, the next time you are doing something artistic and your cat would like to join you...remember, they are artists assistants extraordinaire. 

Happy crafting!

Seckmea

Revamping: a design update

When I was a little girl I was a girl scout. It seemed a magical thing when I was 5 and first learned of it. I had to wait until I was seven to join. At the time it seemed the longest 2 years of my life. I actually wondered I'd I would live long enough to be one. (I was a very melodramatic child)

And then, I was old enough. Success! Our first project was a "potato stamp" the less said about that project the better. Our second project was much more to my liking however. 

The troop leader took us girls to the ocean (to be honest I don't know if it was a bay, an inlet, or an ocean. ..it was salt water...but beyond that I have no clue.) There were tons of shells. Sand dollars, swirly shells, flat shells, calm shells, oyster shells, muscles shells, razor clam shells, pieces of crabs, and barnacles. Varied sizes, colors, level of completeness, and cleanliness. I felt like a pirate who had crash landed on shores covered in gems...everywhere I looked there was a unique treasure to see!

And then the troop leader passed out bags and said we could take as many items as we could fit in our paper sacks! We could even take rocks!! (This was a huge deal to me as my parents had strict rules about taking rocks from other places and bringing them home) I was suddenly a pirate who had successfully brought my ship, intact, to shores covered in treasure that was now mine for the taking! I will admit I stood staring around at the bounty of shells in sheer frozen delight for at least 10 minutes...unable to decide what to choose.

Of course there was not an unlimited amount of time so eventually I had to get moving. I tried to choose interesting shells. Shells that stood out even amongst the mass of other similar shells. I wanted ones with personality. 

Once the time was up our troop leader rounded us up and took us back to our normal meeting place where we cleaned our shells and were told our project. We would be making wind chimes with our shells and other items the troop leader had brought to use. But first we could decorate the shells. Some of my friends chose to  glue cotton to their shells. I chose to paint part of my shells with different fingernail polish colors. Mainly gold and red.

I chose several shiny silver fish, some brass bells, a silver fish skeleton to hang stuff off of, and dark purple string. The troop leader showed me how to tie the shells into the string so that they would not fall out and helped me put a string across the top from which to hang it. And once that was finished we got.to wrap them in tissue paper to give to someone. I gave mine to my dad. Who hung it on the porch where everyone who visited could see it.

After over twenty years this is what my wind chime had become: the string had faded to a dirty grayish shade and the whole thing looked bedraggled and disorganized. But my dad still loved it...and then the string it was hung from broke....and my dad asked me if I could fix it. And I took the opportunity to restring the entire chime...slightly restructuring it and breathing new life into the wind chime. 

This time I took the opportunity to put bees wax on the string first so that it had a bit of protection from the rain we have so frequently in the Pacific Northwest. It turned out lovely and i fully expect it to be adding lovely sounds to my life every time the wind is up. 

Now, as an adult I realize that in my state it is illegal to remove oyster shells from nature. And I am pretty sure that I brought home a few live barnacles. So...this isn't a project I would suggest that anyone goes out and does--at least not before checking local laws. 

Happy crafting, sincerely, seckmea.

Secret Santa

Secret Santa gifts are supposed to be quick and inexpensive. .. but they don't have to be lame or cheap. 

I made made this for a coworker. I found the idea on pinterest and it didn't take hardly any time. She liked it!  

A Sudden Scarf

Yesterday when my niece came to visit she asked me if we could sew something together. We often create small projects together. I asked her what she wanted to make and she said she would like to sew a scarf for her teacher as a Christmas gift gift. I considered different ways to do so, calculating the short time frame and her current skill levels, and decided it was doable. A quick search for fabric led to enough leftover snowflake patterned flannel fabric to make a nicely fuzzy and soft scarf. We discussed the options and it was decided that it would be perfect so we cut the fabric, sewed the pieces together, and then we finished the scarf.

Below you will see her proudly modeling the finished product. Even if her teacher doesn't love it... I love the fact that my niece is so thoughtful that she would make a handmade scarf for a teacher.

Not to be outdone my nephew also asked to create a scarf for his teacher. He models it below as well.

Quilting: my not "sew" new obsession

It's hard to imagine what I used to do with my time in the past because it seems that all I do with my time now is: work, cook, sleep, and quilt. I know I used to do other crafts. I have evidence of this. In fact, I still have most of the supplies and tools.

Sometimes I even have the urge to do these crafts of my past. For instance last Saturday I wanted to make a new scarf out of fine alpaca wool in a blue color... I was thinking of a moss stitch or seed stitch because I really love those stitches. They are fun and easy to stitch and they end up full of texture and dimension without being uncomfortably bumpy.

I even started to search out this beautiful wool I wanted to use. But, as it seems always to be the case nowadays, I got distracted and ended up at the fabric store instead-- buying more fabric. 

In my defense I thought that I needed more fabric for the quilt that I was working on. Of course now that I have finished the quilt top in question and realize it's practically a queen sized blanket---I will admit that I didn't need any extra fabric. ..but I don't regret my purchases or the size of the quilt. I think it looks beautiful and my niece will able to grow into it.

However, the fact that I am nearly done with this quilt and my next thought is "who am I going to make one for next?" Despite the fact that I am currently working on four quilts (once i finish this one it will only be three quilts) is a sign that I might be slightly obsessed. Possibly even addicted. And the fact that I told myself I'm not a quilting addict and then told myself that I could quit at anytime is less than reassuring because as we all know... That is exactly what addicts tell themselves.

However, I am not willing to stop quilting. I have decided that I shall quilt a small quilt for the cat bed as Simon is always trying to get onto the quilts I am  making.

Here are some pictures of the quilt top that I just finished. I am going to do some quilting on the back as well so it will be a little bit before the whole quilt is completed. There is also some pictures of Simon sitting on various stages of quilts in process.

Customization

I believe in owning the best. Doesn't matter if I have to save up for it longer. If it is a more durable product, or a prettier product, or just fits my needs better then I will save up for it.

Typically, I choose function first...is it a tool I need? Does it meet all the needs I will demand of it? Does it do more than what I currently need it to? Do I have space to store it? How often do I think I will be using said object?

When it comes to clothing, jewelry, or shoes I am even more picky. What is the projected lifespan of the object when one considers how rough I am on said objects? Is repair possible/affordable? What type of up keep is required?  Is it my style?

The style question is pretty important. As a child I had my mom's style (she chose my outfits and I wore them even when I thought they were ugly). As I got older I was allowed more say in what I wore...but not full control. The fact that I have never seen the issue with wearing stripes, flowers, and paisley in the same outfit probably contributed to this.

In addition, style is individual but clothing is generally mass production. So, since I don't sew my own clothes I have to find items that I like that are my style from what is produced to meet the desires of the most people. This can be tricky. Especially if you are a person who would wear stripes and flowers together.

So, sometimes this means that one just cannot find what you want. It doesn't exist. However, that is okay!  Because, if you can find something close to what you want you can customize it a bit and Bam! You then have a perfect item that is unique to you and fits your personality and needs.

A perfect example of this is my brother's boots. He received them in the mail yesterday. I thought that they were perfectly lovely. ..but he didn't like the Blue-Grey color that they came in (he wanted them quickly and the only one in his size they had in stock was the blue). So, he decided to customize them by dying the leather black...The result is now a hybrid of the black boot he originally wanted and the blue boot he got....and he likes it even better than the straight black version. This is really what customization is all about. ..taking something you LIKE and tweaking it to create something that you LOVE.

Below you will find a picture of a typical clothing combination for me...and before and after shots of my brother's boots.

Halloween: costume fun

I've always loved Halloween. The smell of leaves turning, the adventure of going out with friends to beg for candy as night overtakes the world, the joy and creativity involved in creating/choosing a costume. It has always seemed like a huge community party where we give gifts of candy in celebration of creativity to those who show up at our door armed with bags to carry away their loot.

Of course it always seems like that night is colder and darker than any other one of the year. The moon is bigger, the stars brighter, the space between an endless black that defies the light it holds. The air is full of dampness and chill . ..leaving breath hanging in the air and giving life to eerie fantasies that lie dormant the rest of the year. I can completely understand why so many cultures celebrate the day as magical.

Now, for me Halloween has always been about the costume. Candy was just a fantastic bonus. .. it was like I was being rewarded for dressing up.

I lucked out with my parents. My dad was endlessly patient and would stay out with us as long as we could stand to be out. As an eagle scout he was also prepared for things like rain (umbrellas and rain ponchos), tired child legs (strollers or the car depending on the chill rate of the weather), bad lighting (individual flashlights and/or headlamps and emergency glow sticks/bracelets for all of us), extra bags, drinks (thermos full of hot cider! Yum), and many other surprises. 

And my mom! Creative, artistic, and skilled with a sewing machine.  She was brilliant. She made us costumes from scratch, modified store bought costumes, and created amazing props and accessories!  She also had major chops in the makeup department. I could be anything i could imagine. She helped me become the famous opera gypsy Carmen, a coal minor, a cheerleader, a clown, a vampire, a horse trainer, and my favorite childhood costume...a cat. I was a black cat in a black body suit, black tights, black boots, a modified headband, black gloves and a red collar. She drew whiskers on my face and gave me red lips and a pink nose...and then dusted me head to toe in glitter. I was the cutest 7 year old you ever saw!

Over the years I have learned some important lessons however. One: I am severely allergic to makeup...expecially grease paint. Two: I am preternaturally clumsy. ..so any costume item that impedes movement is not safe. Three: while my eye sight during the day is dismal...I am practically night blind so anything that requires the removal of my glasses is also out of the question. Four: If inside my costume must me light. ..otherwise I will overheat and find myself trying to strip my costume off...but if I am going to be outside then I need layers...or my costume must be large enough to go over my coat so that I don't freeze to death in the damp northwest night. Six: it cannot be something that is high maintenance. Anything that has to be constantly fixed, reattached, straightened, etc. will find its way to the trash and I won't even feel bad. Seven: I like noise and action in my costumes.  (One year I went as Blitzen. ..I had a headnand with horns, wore brown clothes, black boots, black gloves, and a harness I created of light-up Christmas light necklaces and bells...lots of very loud bells...I not only jingled,  I glowed! !) 

All of this knowledge has led to some interesting costumes. One of my favorites was the time I went as a Japanese ghost (in a yukata my friend, Alicia,  custom made for me). But this year I have been invited to a Halloween bowling party. I have decided that I don't want a bulky costume and I want to also have complete freedom of movement as my clumsiness makes bowling dangerous at the best of times. My plan: cat ears...possibly a collar and tail as well. I saw a headband with cat ears...and I loved it...but, I really don't like headbands. ..they drive me crazy--and they give me a headache.  So, I decided to modify some hair barrettes. I think they have turned out very well...and they are extremely comfortable! Here are the results (I made two pair):

Asymmetry

When I was young i strove to make things that were symmetrical. I found balance soothing. Balance was beautiful to me. And who doesn't like balance? But as I grew older I was exposed to new ideas.

One such idea was brought to my attention by my "artsy" and delightful friend Pinnotheres. ..who asked me why I always worked so hard to make everything symmetrical. My response was a snarky "Because I can" (for someone who was uncomfortable admitting they were an artist I had a strong loyalty to my own sense of style as a teenager. ) Being a true friend Pinnotheres took my snark in stride and responded with "Well, yeah, but anyone can do symmetry. It's all over the natural world for instance...even leaves are symmetrical...don't you want to be unique? "

She was wise beyond our years. It wasn't long before her question began to rattle in my head. Of course I wanted to be unique. I was after all "highly original" as far as I was concerned. And I wanted what I created (even if I was still unwilling to admit I was an artist) to be as unique--and beautiful-- as myself.  I decided to try this "asymmetry" idea, but quietly by myself so no one could make fun of me.

Maybe it was the lure of the new...the excitement of living outside the rules...but without the social consequences of breaking actual societal norms.  Or maybe the asymmetry spoke to my soul in honeyed words. Or, perhaps it is just that asymmetry led to more complex symmetry and that in turn led to less boredom. Whatever the reason, the style soon became part of my artistic expression. I don't use it in everything that I do, but it can be found in many things that I have created.

So, in short--give asymmetry a chance; it can be beautiful, sexy, and interesting.

Happy Crafting,
Seckmea

Internet: quilting pattern maker

Ah, my quilting obsession...never far away...it lurks waiting to pounce when one least expects it!

In this case I was ambushed by the desire to quilt upon meeting my brand new niece! She is so beautiful! And she doesn't have a quilt yet! The fact that I am still deep into the fiddly bits of quilting my other nieces quilt is of no consequence and quite besides the point to my obsession and it sprung itself forcefully into my creative mind....thereby stalling all progress and previously mentioned quilt. (This is, no doubt, why I can never finish things in a timely manner!)

I suddenly had the need to choose the colors I would use. This decision was easily made when my brother said he would like something with purple and blues...Ha! The Fool! Those are two of my most favorite colors...he played right into my creative wheelhouse...all without the slightest urging on my part! Mwahahahaha! Not that I would admit this to him but I was obviously very pleased with this. I had to do more than two colors though. So, I added indigo/teal/green/black to the mix....and other colors as accents depending on the patterns that I chose.

Of course, since the colors were decided I needed to go and buy some fabric (despite having many fabrics of those colors in my stash they were not enough...they never are). The fabric stores, brilliantly, were actually having a Labor Day Sale...so, I got more bang for my buck! This rarely happens to me (inevitably I want to quilt when the fabrics are all full price!) It was glorious. My sister in law was bemused I think about how ravenously I went through the bolts.  I think she was also rather shocked at how quickly this process took me. 30 minutes per store...most of that waiting in line to pay. I can be decisive when I have a vision. 

Now I have all of these lovely fabrics...and I am torn between the design to use! I could of course simply go with the design that I used for her brothers (randomly putting the fabric together willy-nilly until I was pleased with the final outcome) but, I rather wanted to do something new.

In the new pattern category there are three strong contenders. Design Contender One: a quilt composed of patches that are long thin strips (this would be quick and easy and I think it would look rather lovely). Design Contender Two: a quilt that is chevron striped (this is rather promising since her mom has several baby things with this pattern already so it would fit in with the sense of style that appeals to my sister in law...always a plus). And Design Contender Three: a quilt composed of several huge star blocks...one that is ten times the normal star block size (at that size the quilt would practically fly together, which would be refreshing since it usually takes me an age to finish a quilt...as we know).

Not that it matters too much because I am not cutting fabric or anything until I am at the point of starting her quilt. However, while trying to decide which I wanted to do...I came across a website that will allow you to upload a photo...and then it will create for you a quilt pattern (or knitting or cross stitch, what have you) along with a color breakdown etc.! Here is its link...

http://www.vam.ac.uk/microsites/quilts/patchwork/34646/Mario_side

I have yet to check how easy it is to use...I worry if I put a picture in it that I will abandon my purpose and fail to finish the quilts I have in progress already and crush my niece and nephews spirits.  So...now I have more to decide! Do I stick with a pattern similar to what I have done before, do I go with one of the three new patterns, or do I decide to recreate a picture?! I can't decide. So, I suppose that it is a good thing that I do not have to make this decision at this time...sometimes having too many choices feels restrictive. It isn't restrictive, but my mind can't focus, and thus I am unable to make a choice. However, with as much time as I have until I am ready to start her quilt I am confident I will have made up my mind. And if not, there is always the "draw a choice from a hat" method.

The Art of the Unexpected

For a long time I have had a habit of leaving notes, cards, letters, and small surprises for friends and family.  I love to do this. 

I feel an unexpected gift is a glorious thing...And I don't want the other person to feel pressured to respond in any particular way...so, I leave them where they will be noticed but not necessarily right away. 

What is even better, is if the item isn't spied immediately. ..But is instead discovered a bit later--perhaps when the recipient is not having the best of days. Because by letting nature take its course said gift was there for my friend or family at just the right moment. 

I had thought that the perfectly executed surprise gift, found at such a moment as described above, was the peak of this forum of art. But I was mistaken.  How? You ask. ..It sounds like the height of perfection. .. But, my niece has shown me the error of this assumption.

The peak of perfection in this art form,  as I have just discovered,  is when another person figures out what you have been doing and copies you by leaving someone an unexpected gift/note. This is of course what has happened to me. My dearest niece has ambushed me with an unexpected card/note!

Of course,  being the recipient of the Unexpected Gift would be my preferred method of discovering that someone I knew was also giving unexpected gifts.

I'm so proud of her!  And pleased she chose to give me said unexpected treat. And to think, she is only 9 years old!! The fact that it was a thank you card for celebrating her birthday with her makes it even more sweet.

The Power of Repairs

There are two big joys for me when I have mastered a skill.  One is that I can now use said skill to explore my creativity.  The second, is actually that I can now repair things. 

For example,  by knowing how to hand-sew I can replace buttons,  hem jeans,  and fix small rips.

Making these small repairs makes me feel useful. As if I am not just learning to do all of these things so that I can spend all of my time selfishly creating things and ignoring those around me. I can use my skills to improve their lives as well as mine. (Of course I also give gifts that I create just for them...so, even if I didn't repair things I couldn't consider myself or my artistic forays as selfish)

Of course,  some repairs are more fun than others. And sadly,  some items are not able to be saved.  My all-time-favorite repairs occur when I save something that the other person was sure had to be thrown away...And they are devastated by the thought of its loss. Showing then that it isn't hopeless,  that repair is possible,  and basically giving them more time with their beloved object makes me feel as if I am a super hero.

Recently,  I made a repair such as this.  It was for my youngest nephew Zeed. He has a hat he wears daily.  He thinks the hat makes him look handsome like Indiana Jones (whom he adores). And the other day it got ripped. There are conflicting stories as to how this happened (since he is 3 and he was hysterically screaming that his hat was "dead" I didn't really investigate I simply took the hat from him and fixed it).

He was so surprised that I could fix it. (Since he had been crying in the other room while I did so and didn't see it happen he really was shocked.) You can barely tell it was repaired :) and I foresee many more months of wearing time. 

Canvas purse

Canvas Purse: The Quest for the Perfect Purse

 

For years I've been buying purses and then destroying them through use and buying a new purse to start the cycle over again. Over the years I've gone through countless purses. .. And lately it seems that I am going through more purses than ever before! Maybe it's that they are made cheaper these days, or perhaps I've just become rougher, or perhaps both? Whatever the case, I am done with buying purses. I know what type of purse works best for me...and I have a sewing machine so that I can create a customized purse just for me.

 

So, I went and bought some nice canvas I liked the color of and got to work.

 

 

 

I decided to make it big...go big or go home as the saying goes...and this was the result:

 

Purse Open

Purse Closed

After finishing the base I realized that I didn't have pockets or a strap...and I wanted those. so, I designed some pockets to fit what I wanted the pockets for and went to add them to the purse. (It would have been so much easier had I added them BEFORE I put the whole thing together but, that is what happens when you don't have a full plan to begin with!



Simon decided he wanted to snuggle with my pocket pieces

The three pockets before I sewed them into my purse

Finished Purse (straps and pockets added)

Now that the purse is finished and I have been using it I have discovered that it is probably far too big for my actual needs (but I don't mind that) and that the shade of blue I chose is VERY BLUE! I still love the color...but it is more vibrant and imposing of a color than I had assumed it would be. The plus side is that I will be easy to spot from a distance...but that is also a downside! Oh, well. I love it and I will probably make another, slightly smaller in a plain black...Or perhaps I will try my hand at making a similar type purse but out of leather? The best part is that I used my creativity to make something that is also highly useful for myself. I now have a unique purse that is also a highly functional purse...and only cost me about $12 to make!

Happy Crafting! Seckmea