T Shirt Memory Quilt Blanket

Every time I complete a T Shirt Memory Quilt I feel like I have given birth.  I am the proud mother of this beautiful, new "baby". 

This quilt is for a customer who lost her dad rather suddenly.  She is going to give it to her mom for a Christmas present.  It is rather poignant to work on a project that is like a memorial to someone.  And to know that her mom will be wrapped in her husband's memories is comforting.

It can be a challenge to find a fabric that pulls a quilt together.  We went back and forth with photos and links and we were having a hard time honing in on one.  The shirts presented a challenge because the T shirts had some vivid colors in them and the button-down shirts had a more muted tone.

Sometimes it's just easier to spread the T shirts out at the store and bring lots of samples to lay next to them.  It also helps to get a little advice, so I headed to an area quilt shop and used their "color eye" to help me find a fabric. 

The one we settled on has some interesting color splashes in it and the gold has a bit of sheen.  I backed the blanket with a denim blue polar fleece. 

My customer sent along some extra shirts.  I was inspired by a Martha Stewart craft I had seen.  I made pillow covers for her.  I thought it was a perfect addition to the T Shirt Blanket.  She simply has to add a pillow form and button up the shirt!  It's practical because it's easy to remove and wash, but also an additional memory.

I've added the custom pillow covers to my shop here.

Thoughts on Life - Homecoming

Annie had homecoming a few weeks ago.  Even though she is a budding seamstress, and even though I made most of her sister's dresses, she "bought" a dress!  She made the pearl necklace, earrings and bracelet.  The dress was cream with a pink sash.  The pink was an off shade, so it was hard to find the right color.  She scored a pair of shoes at Payless for $2 - we accepted that it was just a tad "off."!

Prior to the dance Annie was confident the strapless dress would not present a problem.  (I've had my share of problems in the past.) But as the dance approached she realized it was not as snug as she would like. It fit well in the waist, so I sewed a  simple pair of darts in the back.  I also offered to stitch in a couple loops so that she could add some clear straps.  I thought the straps would be wise once she started dancing, but she refused, insisting that it would look "bad."  We also added the special bra tape, but it still ended up being uncomfortable and Annie learned that she will never wear a strapless dress again.  (See my past challenges here and here.)

The evening was a success.  We hosted 12 teens for dinner.  We had a gaggle of parents and kids taking photos in the yard, then headed in for a lively dinner.  The kids were very well-behaved and nice.  You see them toasting sparkling juice!

Are You Sewing What I'm Sewing?

Sigh....I hate mending and repair.  It does not full under the realm of what I call "fun sewing" - which is sewing anything new.  My inbox is always filled with buttons to sew on, rips in lining, hems that need repair.  As I was preparing this post, the inside button of my pants fell off!  (I still have the slider hooks, so I'm not going to bother sewing it back on....)

But even more than the drudgery of mending and alterations is my anger that the junk we buy so often is in need of immediate repair.  How frequently have you had a button fall off before you wore an article of clothing the first time?  How often have you seen a buttonhole whose stitching is coming undone?  I had to fix my daughter's purse that she paid $25 for within two weeks of purchase.

These chairs were a gift.  I can't recall how old they are - perhaps 2 years?  We use them for my son's baseball and football games and a few trips to the beach.  But I wouldn't expect the canvas to be worn thin so quickly.  To make matters worse, I had to repair it while still connected to the metal parts.  I won't bother to show you my repair.  I took pieces of polyester webbing (I burned the edges to seal it) and top-stitched it over and along the ripped seams.  It's not pretty, but should add strength to the area.

I know nothing lasts forever, but doesn't it seem the things we buy should last longer than a season or a year? What do you do with things that need repair? Do you like mending?

This is one of the reasons I derive great satisfaction from creating with my own hands.  I can see the end result.  It doesn't guarantee perfection or that it will last forever, but I can control what I am producing.

Tuesday Inspiration

A few favorites this week:

Pressing Matters - Design Function

Review of this cord minder

Review of this cord minder

As someone who sews, pressing is very important to me.  I press throughout the construction process to set my stitches and have a nice, crisp seam.  It is especially important to me when constructing my T Shirt memory quilts.  There are many criss-crossing seams and there is a lot of material on my ironing board.

Due to the size of my studio and the location of my plug, I feel like I am always fighting the cord on my iron.  It gets in the way, gets stuck on the end of the board or falls on the fabric.  A cord minder seemed like the perfect solution.

I tested three different cord minders, two of which are shown (and reviewed) above.  They all failed to meet my needs.  My husband, an excellent mechanical engineer, salvaged the parts and has promised to design one for me.  We've discussed several possibilities - a retractable cord might work well - or perhaps a coiled cord suspended from a point above me.

But life gets in the way and the cord minder is forgotten at the bottom of the "to do" list.

Here's a peek at the memory blanket I'm finishing up for a customer.  The cord was driving me batty, so I decided to take design matters into my own hands.

A simple design - a loop of webbing holding the cord and duct tape holding it onto my cabinet.  Now we enjoy all the duct tape geekery in our house.  (Did you ever see the Myth Busters episode exploring its strengths?)  We have all kinds of fabulous colors.  I know we have black tape somewhere, but I was too lazy to search the house and car for it.  (I think the last time it was used was to tape up my son's football cleats because they had separated at the toe.)

Yes, sometimes practical function has to trump all aesthetic aspects of design.  Besides, I know that green piece of tape will drive my husband crazy.  Stay tuned for a much nicer cord minder to come.....but in the mean time, simplicity has its place and I can get back to pressing matters.

New Items In the Shop

We've had two college kids home on break this week and I've had very little sleep.  But I do  have a few new items to share. 

Wine tote in a fabulous Ty Pennington fabric

Vintage-style apron in pink and brown

 

 

Vimtage-style apron in green and brown

Thoughts on Life - The Family Dinner

I think I may have done two things right as a parent:  read to my kids and made the family meal a priority.  Now, the table is not always loving set like it is above (for Annie's homecoming dinner).  But the world just feels "right" when we are eating together.

I had heard about a study that said the only major factor that Rhodes Scholars had in common was their participation in a family dinner.  A recent study showed that kids who ate with their family were more likely to consume fewer calories.

I can't tell you if this is occurring at our table or if a future Rhodes Scholar sits among us, but I can tell you that the dinner table is full of lively conversation and debate on topics of the day, what people are saying on Twitter and Facebook, drama (where there are girls there is drama...), the news, happenings at school and in the world.  We will challenge each other to defend opinions, support each other when in doubt, and poke fun when we can.

The table is often extended to include friends and family members.  Countless memories have been created around that table.  It brings me back to my own family dinners.  Eight of us sitting around a large table in a small kitchen.  My mom had no counter space so the table acted as the counter until dinner was ready.  I spilled my milk every day.  I now defend my clumsiness as the result of sitting in the middle, as the youngest, and having to pass food back and forth the entire time.

Life was simpler.  You played outside until you were called in for dinner. Today we are helping with homework, running kids to appointments, sports, music lessons.  But I tell you, I hate doing those things late in the day.  Yes, even doctor appointments.  It messes with my meal plans!

Do we eat together every day as a family? No. But being with my family around the dinner table is one of my greatest pleasures.  With two college kids passing by each other on breaks, I have a narrow window tonight where we can sit down, all of us, to dinner.  Even my twelve-year old has chosen not to attend football practice so he can be home with his brother.

I think I have done something right.

Sewing Tidbits This Week

There's a great little free Ebook on Sew Daily - it's a Free Guide to Sewing Silk Fabric and Knit Fabric which are often tricky to sew.

I sent off this custom bag.  It's made from a Ty Pennington fabric from Contemporary Cloth.

Some other sewing I've done in the past few weeks:  wine totes for my friend and neighbor.  She organizes the very lovely Cleveland Wine Opener, one of the wine events for Cystic Fibrosis.  We have enjoyed the event for the last few years.  We get to taste some amazing wines in the VIP reception, as well as wines and foods galore. There is a live auction, silent auction and a market.  The market is fun because you can take away a nice item and know your money is going to a good cause.

I was playing around with my coffee sacks again.  This photo isn't the best, but I whipped up a little market bag.  It's a simple, unlined bag.  I'm trying to decide if I like it.  It's a little rumply and I'm not sure the type-A in me likes it.

What are you sewing this week?

Inspiration - Solitude

Today's inspiration comes from a treasury I created.

Solitude

Sometimes I crave it

Sometimes I can't stand it

See the entire collection here

Design Ideas - the Rustic Shawl

I finally saw the movie Jane Eyre.  I am planning to watch it again with my daughter who is home on break. I don't know why, but I am enamored by the simple, rustic shawl she wears.

It reminds me of the shawl worn by Matty in Cranford.  (I love Cranford and also watched Return to Cranford recently.) 

There are discussion groups for Jane Eyre and Gaskell on Ravelry and much discussion has evolved around these shawls.  (There are also discussions about Kate Middleton's shawl, which I think is cute, but comes down quite long in the front.)

There are many great shawl patterns to peruse, but I really like the Eyre of Romance pattern by Kay Meadors.  I was particularly enamored with Patrice's version of this pattern.

I love the gentle ruffles and Patrice says that it sits really well on the shoulders.  I am itching to get started.  I'd like to check out the Cascade Ecological Wool that Patrice used.  It has such an earthy, rustic feel.