Confuzzled

Where on earth do people learn how to do all those cool things on their blogs?  Like add buttons, or link to pictures from their lists and all that stuff?  It's like wading through a swamp full of weeds.  Any suggestions where I start?

Ironing and home-made spray starch

Following up my post about my home-made ironing board, I found this today from Nan of Pots and Pins - how to make your own low-cost spray starch! 

I just bought my first bottle of Mary-Ellen's Best Spray Starch and liked the results, so I was really excited to find out how to make it myself and make it in my favourite scents (I like Tea Tree Oil or Orange, not roses and lavendar).

Evolution of a crafty room - Part One

It all started with a dream of my very own space to create and an idea from the internet: 

http://www.ikeahackers.net/2009/05/anyone-who-sews-will-love-this-ironing.html

After almost 10 years of kids moving in and out, there was light at the end of the tunnel.  My daughter, her husband and baby had been living with me for close to 2 years as he went through the immigration process (he is from New Zealand) and saved to purchase a home. With townhouse prices hovering near the quarter-million dollar mark, it was the only way for them to get into a home of their own and we were getting along great!  Finally, they were able to purchase right around the corner from me, almost next door to my other daughter - lucky me, both my girls live within a 2-minute walk.  They moved out on February 4, 2010 and I made a run to IKEA the following weekend!

My little man helped me build it (he is 17-months in this picture and loves tools!):

Please ignore the '90s - style sponge painting - that's why this is titled an evolution!

I bought Insul-brite batting and a pink-striped pillow ticking to make the cover.  I stapled the batting to the underside of the top (2 layers thick) and then realized the drawers wouldn't open and close properly - I couldn't face pulling all those staples so I haven't redone it as of yet.  I made the cover with a casing and just like my grandma's ironing board, I threaded it with kitchen string and pulled it tight.  I find it gives me a much better fit than elastic; call me funny that way!

So now I have a 17" x 6-ft long ironing table, complete with drawers and shelves.  This is how it looks today.  Cutting mat on one end, 3 projects piled on the other and a great ironing surface!

That is all I got done the first month.  I just had to go take this in, since it was taking place in my backyard:

This is as close as we could get to the 2010 Olympic cauldron without a 3-hour wait.

View of Robson St. looking towards the dome of BC Place Stadium. I've never seen so many people in one place.

The Vancouver Library - I proud to say my daughter designed the layout of the fifth floor!

Thousands of Inuksuks were built impromptly by visitors on the rock-lined shore of False Creek.  It was an amazing sight!





Laid low...:o(

My little sweetie left me a little present after his visit Friday night - his stomach bug.  I haven't been that sick in a while and I'm still feeling punky.  The only thing I've done is work on a few hexies for a future project I'm calling Hexie Madness. 

I started this project on December 22nd, with the goal of completing one flower a day.  So far I have kept up and I'm even a few ahead.  They are 3/4" hexagons made from 30s reproduction prints from different lines like Washtub Club, Storybook collection and the like.

I learned how to make the hexagons from Bonnie Hunter's Quiltville blog (link to her tutorial here) and since I already had the hexagon punch and the prints, I decided to start yet another project!  I love her technique because you don't just end up with a pile of hexagons, you actually start sewing them together right away as part of your sewing. 

I don't have any idea what it will be in the end, but I'm leaning towards a summer coverlet. I've started grouping the flowers together in groups of nine, each flower represents each colour group that I have.  So far, no 2 flowers are exactly the same (out of 40) and I'm going to try to keep that up!  To make a twin-size coverlet, I need approximately 30 groups of 9 flowers or 270 flowers so it should take me about 9 months to make them at a flower a day.  It sounds way better counting that way than saying I need to sew 1890 hexies. 

So much for that

Well, another Friday night sew-in got kiboshed again.  My sweet little fellow came for a sleepover in "his" new big bed and he wasn't here an hour before he got violently ill.  I let his parents enjoy their dinner, then called them to come pick him up.  I am so blessed that he takes comfort in just having me with him, and not crying for mommy and daddy, but Momma doesn't do sick overnight anymore (unless of course it's necessary).  So today is a sew day and I don't even plan on getting dressed until I make a trip to my LQS, where I will drop in on a Judy Niemeyer class and show off my Dragon Star flimsy and my tree skirt!

Friday Night Sew-In

Heidi over at Handmade by Heidi is hosting another sew-in - what a great incentive to sit at my sewing machine!  She usually has good prizes to offer, but this time it's 10% of your purchase at Canton Village Quilt Works through til Jan 28 (use the coupon code FNSI10).  There might still be surprises, so if you plan on sewing tonight (hint: Kim), join up on her website.  Since I'm supposed to be on a fabric diet, I better not go to Canton Village!

The rest of 2010 finishes

Finally I have all my pictures downloaded, but I missed a couple of things - oh, well!

My final 2010 finish (literally, at 9:30pm on New Years eve) was Alex's cuddle quilt:

This was a simple quilt that I should have finished long ago.  The section of squares was purchased as a single unit in 2008, and I intended to do it as soon as I found out my daughter was having a boy -never happened as I wasn't feeling the sewing mojo then.  Move ahead a year and half, and I decided to make it large enough to cover a twin bed, bought some flannel for the top and bottom which didn't quite match, started tie-quilting it - still not feeling it, put it aside for another year.  Flash forward to Spring 2010 - I have a spare room for the first time in years, I painted it, bought some new tables, etc. and I now have a craft room.  When I was pulling out boxes and bins, I came across this and made up my mind I was going to finish it in 2010 come hell or high water and I did!  Done is better than perfect!

I decided to make pyjamas for Alex; I used an old pattern that my mom used for my brother.  Alex modeled the pants for me (somewhat relucantly):

They must have made kids differently back then - the pants would have fit a 4-year-old, but the tops barely fit a 1-year-old.  Alex used them to dress a teddy bear.

Shoulda caught that when I was cutting them out ;o)  So I went back for more fabric.  Of course I couldn't find it so settled on some solids and made bottoms to match the tops for gifts for my new grand-nephews!

I also made 2 Lazy Girl Wallets, 2 Long John money holders and a knitted eyelash yarn scarf since I started sewing again.  I am thanking the Craft Gods for giving my interest back!