WIP: Scrappy geese (and then some)

So, it's been awhile since I have shared anything here.

I'm back with a doozy, though!

About seven weeks ago, I posted this pile of fabric on instagram:

The stack happened by accident. I was rearranging my yellow fabrics, and then, well... If you have a fabric stash (or any other medium), you know what I mean.

I started by pairing fabrics and making flying geese in a variety of sizes, and then just started piecing things together. I'm using the HSTs made off the geese corners, as well as strips and scraps.

And of course, I had to add a few bear paws.

Olias and Fiztgerald (and Bella, too, although no photo here) helped, as cats do.

This project is really coming together now, although I didn't have a specific size planned when I started.

It won't be long now!

FO: Endpaper Mitts

I queued the Endpaper Mitts pattern back in my first year of ravelry (2007). I started them once, in a color combination that was lacking oomph. So, I let the pattern languish, and then tried a second time, in a much more vibrant and happy color combination. I was enamored with this project, and chose similar colors in a different yarn for my pair.

They took me over a year to finish (really, I finished one and didn't cast on the second for months), but now I love them so hard.

Colorwork is so fun to knit.

Colorful bits

(My kitty mini quilt, which went to Felice!)

Color makes me happy.

(My second, and only successful attempt at crochet, encouraged by Sara!)

Really. It's that simple.

(my now finished do.Good Stitches string quilt and Bella!)

Whether we're talking fabric scraps, yarny things, nature, food, whatever.

(Amsterdam blocks, from Holly's pattern, made for Maureen!)

Color is everything.

Around the World

You might have already seen Around the World posts in the blogosphere. I was invited by both Jessica and Elizabeth to join in (I'm a few days early for Elizabeth's tag, but I'm just going to post once!). Thanks for inviting me, friends! So, I'll jump right in with a few thoughts on sewing, and some photos that make me happy.

1. What quilting/sewing thing am I working on?

So, you may already know that I have many projects going on at the same time. I've tried to be monogamous, or monogamish, as C would say. I do tend to focus on a project with my whole head and heart, once I hit a certain point. Currently, the sewing project that has (most of) my attention is this curvy number.

2. How does my work differ from others of its genre?

If I had to choose one word to describe my style, it would be scrappy. If I could pick a second word, I'd pick vibrant. I've been told that my pairing of colors or prints is unexpected, which I take as a compliment.

I think some people are afraid of making a daring choice, whether it be a print or color.

But quilting, as with any craft, should be about fun and expression. I like trying new blocks, new techniques, and new patterns. I like using every last bit of a fabric. Sorting scraps or pulling fabrics is lots of fun. Of course, having a well-rounded stash is part of that last bit.

3. Why do I write/create what I do?

Creating gives me such a sense of confidence.

No matter how crappy a day is, if I can get a little sewing or knitting in, it's not so bad. I never imagined crafting would provide me with so much calm.

And I love giving handmade gifts. making something special for a friend or family member warms my heart.

I tag: Claudia, Amanda-My Sewcial Hour and Amanda-The Craft Junky. I met all three of these wonderful ladies at sewing summit. Claudia lives in Germany, and I'm dying to make her star plus quilt, which she's about to release as a pattern.
Amanda-My Sewcial Hour lives just a few hours from me, and I've had the pleasure of spending long hours with her at retreats, soaking up her amazingness. And Amanda-The Craft Junky, well, I'm amazed by her drive. She recently sold her screenprinted wares at two conventions. I don't know how she pulled that off, but she is awesome. I love talking to her about current and future projects.

So, that's it! Claudia and the two Amandas will post next week!

FO: Sara's Scrappy Stars

Monday already? How did that happen?
I hope you had a great weekend! I'll be sharing pictures from my weekend soon, but I wanted to start the week off with an FO. Sara has received her mini, I can share it with you. It's difficult to say how long I've know Sara, but I know her blog was one of my first to follow. She knits, spins, sews, quilts, embroiders and has cats! She's awesome. She runs the Wonky Bee, and it's given me a chance to get to know her better. She's also a talented knit designer, with several published patterns. Here's a few of my favorites.

I didn't have a specific vision when I started working on Sara's mini quilt. I sorted through my scraps, and when I found all of pieces left over from my Swoon blocks, and the Post-Sewing Summit mini I made, I instantly knew I wanted to use them in this project.

I started with the four tiny stars, and just kept building from there. I used lots of fun scraps from the stash. I still have some scraps from Swoon, but this made a big dent in them.

After finishing the top, I knew I didn't want to back it with a single piece of fabric. Instead, the scrappiness continued.

I enjoyed the process of the back even more than the front, I think. Using up little bits of beloved prints, measuring here and there, and before I knew it, I had enough. I really didn't want to stop, and it's got me thinking about a future project. I would be an idiot to start another big project right now, but I'm definitely going to revisit this patchwork soon.

As for the binding, I knew I wanted some sort of pop. After auditioning several prints/colors, I landed on a favorite Anna Maria Horner Innocent Crush print. This Woodcut in Red just works.

I love the contrast it provides; the warmth it gives the other prints.

I experimented with quilting on this one. Again, I started with the small stars, fully tracing the one with the dotty background. I tried to use different stitching on different areas, and I like how it turned out.

I've said this a lot lately, but I really had trouble giving this away. Sara seemed to love it, though. So, it's worth it! Honestly, do you know what my favorite part is?

It's the crinkle.

On a roll, I'm linking up with Megan today!

Blue and yellow on the brain

I'm not sure what started this fixation, but in the past few weeks, I've been drawn to shades of dark/navy blue and yellow.

I recently worked on sorting my scraps (they are so out.of.control), and pulled together this stack. Perhaps, for Rachel's Scrap Attack?

I also grabbed these fabrics from the stash last week, and worked on a new project this weekend. Here, we have some Dear Stella (I love those stars!), Joel Dewberry Woodgrain from Aviary 2, and Sundae Stripe in gray (or grey) from Moda Ruby.

After pulling that stack, I started cutting pieces for the AMH Student Tote. I've had this pattern for months, and decided to start a just-for-fun project.

I'm making the smaller size tote, and almost finished the exterior. In addition to the fabrics in my original stack, I added the Cosmo Cricket crosshatch and a Sandi Henderson Secret Garden print. I had those zippers in the stash (I love the copper red one, especially!). Hopefully, this will get finished quickly, as I have a little out-of-town trip coming up!