There’s a new website called Spoonflower where you can upload your own designs to print custom fabric. Eventually you’ll be able to sell your designs and buy other people’s as well on the site. I haven’t played with Illustrator in a while but I’ll have to start doing that again. It’s a little steep at $18/yard but I think it’d be worth it for special projects. I found out about it from a new sewing magazine called Stitch, which also looks very cool.

I was at the greatest craft store last weekend – Corning Stitch Works. My grandmother had meant to take us to the Crafting Cottage, which is apparently also a really great store, but we ended up finding the Stitch Works first. They mostly had yarn and fabric, although they also had some great vintage stuff (fabric and buttons, but a few odds and ends as well). I had gone there meaning to get some sock yarn for Clessidra, but as soon as I got a look at the fabrics, I didn’t even go over to the yarn side. I wanted a cut of every bolt in the store. Down here I really only go to JoAnn’s, although I know Fabric Row is right there too. Apparently there’s also a great shop in Haddonfield called The Little Shop that was recognized in the latest issue of Better Homes & Gardens Quilt Sampler Magazine. I’ll be checking that out soon. To get to the point though, JoAnn’s rarely has a ton of fabric I’m in love with. This store did.

I had such a hard time deciding what to finally get. My mom, sisters, and grandmother left me to go to another store I was taking so long. It came down to getting flapper, cowboy, and a random floral fabric. The flapper fabric, I don’t know what I’m doing with yet. I got two other fabrics to go with it in a quilt top, but I’m going to need some more. I got enough cowboy fabric for an entire quilt, along with the Tin Star Cowboy pattern by Hollyhock Quilts. And I got one cute little floral fabric for a little girl’s dress. I don’t know just who will get this stuff, it all depends on when I finish them (which I admit will not be any time soon). My friends keep having babies though so it’s not like I’m running out of gifts to need.

Click on the first two pictures to see them in better detail:

I’ve always loved quilting but I’m especially into it right now because I just read an article about how to do pretty advanced stuff on a regular sewing machine.

This past week I’ve been catching up on some knitting and sewing I’ve been meaning to do for a while. I really haven’t done much of anything in the way of crafting in several months. I travel so much for work that I’m rarely home and then have so much other stuff to get done when I am. I had some baby gifts to finish up though, and I decided to make some things for Christmas as well. There are a few unfinished things I want for me too, and soon since they’re winter items. I also taught another friend to knit and had planned to help her with sewing, so I’ve been to JoAnn’s a few times this week. I should not go there. I already have probably 25 projects with materials already waiting for me at home, but I always get more. I’m delusional when it comes to predicting the free time that I’ll have to work on all of this.

I’m in the Christmas mood already. I bought a couple of new Christmas CDs so I’ve been listening to the music already for the past week (alright, the past 2-3 weeks). It’s not the stuff they play over and over on the radio though – I tend to have different genres of music that just happen to be Christmas songs, so I need more than the 3 week window where it’s acceptable to play holiday music. I’m also planning on getting a tree for my apartment this year. I already have tons of ornaments that have been gifts through the years, and some other random decorations. I’ll wait to do all that until after Thanksgiving though. I do have some restraint.

Some less common holiday album recommendations:
The Gypsy Hombres – Django Bells
The Chieftains – The Bells of Dublin
Randy Travis – An Old Time Christmas
Just Can’t Get Enough: New Wave Christmas
Genuine Houserocking Christmas

I also love standards like The Nutcracker and A Charlie Brown Christmas.

I just got Fitted Knits by Stefanie Japel. I want to make pretty much every sweater in the book. You can preview a bunch of the patterns over at KnitPicks.

I have too many unfinished projects. I don’t have time to do much with school, but I don’t let that stop me from getting materials for and starting new things. I’m going to make myself a goal of finishing everything I’ve started within a year of graduating. That may or may not be possible. I do like to pretend I’ll have more time than I probably will actually have.

For the 3rd year in a row, I will be finishing my costume the day I wear it to a party. But that’s because I didn’t start until last night. Oops. I’m almost done, maybe 2 hours left, but I needed a break. I got up early to do my hair in pin curls since that takes all day to dry. As soon as I’m done, I have to clean my apartment, and I still have to go get food and drinks for tonight’s party, which won’t be until later, after I can take my hair down. Hopefully I can wave it and get it to look like Gene Tierney / Ingrid Bergman.

I’ve been really busy the past couple of weeks and so my apartment is a wreck. I need to get started on my costume tonight but I can’t get up the motivation to pick up first so I have room to work in. I went down to Fabric Row this morning and got the last of what I needed, so I do have all my materials and notions ready. I hate cutting out pieces though. Sewing is fun, cutting is not.

I’ve had two interviews so far. I have a second interview for one of them next week. I’m supposed to be getting a job for after graduation now, but that’s not until June. What if I accept something and something better comes along? Or what if I don’t accept and nothing comes along? I also still need to let my old boss know I’m looking now but I wouldn’t think they’d offer me anything (if they did) until spring, because why would anyone do it this early? Drexel is so annoying.

Also, the job I have a second interview for wants to know my SAT scores, including individual math and verbal scores. I honestly have no idea. I mean I took them like 6 years ago. I went to the SAT website and created an account to be able to see my scores, and they said they had a match for my social security number, but there are no scores listed. How am I supposed to find this out?

Halloween is in 2 weeks and I have not made my costume. I have the fabric and most of the notions. I have the shoes and stockings. I just ordered black satin opera gloves, and I just found a 1940s purse I can make. It’s in the bottom left corner of the picture below. I won’t need to buy the pattern, it looks easy enough to make. And I have everything I need to make that too, except for snaps or some magnetic closure. I’ll have to do a run to JoAnn’s sometime in the next week for that, and some trim I need for the dress as well. I haven’t figured out how to do my hair yet but I’ve found plenty of instructions for that, and makeup, online. I just need to figure out which hairstyle will work the best for my short hair. Also need setting lotion for that since it will be some kind of curls. I don’t know why I haven’t started yet and this week I’m really busy, and next weekend I’m camping. Last minute sewing again.

Simplicity #1151, published 1944

Lisa had her baby early Saturday morning. She is so pretty. :)

I was able to finish her baby blanket in time to go visit the hospital. I did not finish my present for the shower on Sunday though. It should only take another day or two if nothing else interferes. Julia didn’t finish hers either though so I’m safe.

I’ve been knitting and crocheting like crazy trying to get baby stuff done. Lisa could go into labor any day now and I have another shower on Sunday. So to do this I’ve been watching a lot of movies. I measure how much time it takes to finish something by how many movies I watch during it.

I have so much yarn lined up already for projects to do. Class starts next week and I’ll probably have 2 jobs starting a week or two after that. I’ve tried to figure out a schedule to finish some stuff. I need to finish 2 baby things this week, next month I need to sew my costume, in November I want to finish the shawl for my grandma to give to her at Thanksgiving, and in December I want to make a hat and fingerless gloves for me, although I’m sure it’ll be cold enough for them before then, I just won’t have time. Then I’ll only have yarn for about 10 projects after all those are done. I can’t wait until I’m done with school and part time jobs, and just have one full time job and more free time. That will be so fabulous.