Monday, July 24, 2006

I've Gone Done 'N Done It!

While The Sheep is firmly convinced that it is a healthy thing to challenge oneself every so often, she also believes that one must keep ones natural skills and abilities in mind when considering new projects. For example, if the sight of blood makes you pass out for an hour or so then brain surgery is probably never going to be your shot at the Nobel Prize. Not a criticism or anything...I'm just saying.

Like anyone else, I have certain areas where I excel and others where I, shall we say, "lack natural gifts." With the aid of a rotary cutter, Plexiglas straight-edge and lined mat I am unable to cut a straight line. I have some definite issues with color matching. I have only recently figured out that my sewing machine can be adjusted to accommodate different stitch lengths and that this is sometimes a pretty good idea. I have great difficulty thinking "part" to "whole."

So I was as surprised as anyone when I ended up with this on Saturday afternoon:





By Sunday afternoon this had materialized:


And today? Let's just take a look here:


Back view of a quilted tote


Front view of a tote complete with quilted pocket.

God help me. I've quilted. This is looking like yet another slippery slope craft-wise. I've always been sort of fascinated by quilting, but knew that it wasn't anything that I was going to attempt. It always seemed like sort of "fussy" work and I'm not one who enjoys taking note of those little details...like the pervading smell of smoke or sirens, stuff like that. But every once in the proverbial blue moon I start to see the process in a way that makes sense. I had the same experience with algebra and broccoli and no good ever came from that. But that's another story for another time. In the here and now I suddenly have an overwhelming urge to quilt until my fingers bleed. This is going to get ugly, I just know it.

I have to keep reminding myself, "I am a knitter, I am a knitter, I am a knitter!" See? Look!! I knit something:


Thank you dear skein winder for being such a patient model.

Knitting will continue, I'm sure of it. I have a vest pattern on the radar right now as well as a couple of other things I'd like to finish before the summer vacation comes to it's inevitable end.

The only question remaining: How the heck do I find a mantra to remind myself that I am also a spinner before the fiber stash overtakes the house?

SA

6 comments:

sheep#100 said...

To everything
Spin, spin, spin...
There is a season,
Spin, spin, spin...
And a time for every craft, now,
Under heaven.

Teri S. said...

Well, hmmm...that's a problem. You will probably want to practice your quilting. I would recommend making a lap quilt, hand-pieced and hand-quilted. It's easier to sew a straight line if you aren't using a machine. It's also much more portable, like knitting (at least the piecing is). Oh, wait! I'm supposed to dissuade from quilting, not enable you!

Regardless, the bag looks great! Good luck with resolving your crafty identities!

Anonymous said...

Your tote looks really nice! I haven't tried spinning yet, but I'd like to. That could be dangerous, though... I think Trek is on the right track!

Annie said...

For someone who doesn't fully understand her sewing machine, you've done a pretty good job on that bag.
I tried quilting once (by hand) - it's not for me

Anonymous said...

Well done Sheep!!! You need to give yourself more credit, sounds like you have a LOT of talents.

Spinning, hope I get to it before I leave this earth....the gotta do before I die list, just keeps on growing. LOL

Im dancing as fast as I can!!! G

Tania A said...

That's impressive! I never had the patience to quilt anything .. not even a crazy quilt.