do. Good Stitches Wonky Star Blocks

Louise at I'm Feelin' Crafty is the quilt designer/quilter for the Nurture Circle of do. Good Stitches for our February quilt. 

She came up with a great quilt idea...wonky stars!

(Louise has a thing for stars.)

 

I had so much fun making these blocks and I can't wait to see the finished quilt!

If you want to make a wonky star block, check out Louise's tutorial here!

Before making this block, I'd never made a star.

Do you have a favorite star quilt block?

Happy block making!

Inspiration!

I have so many doll ideas.  There is a list on the wall of my studio (yeah, dining room) with lots and lots of ideas.  Between filling doll orders,  wanting to work on things other than dolls, and life, it's not often I get around to making something new for My Gigi Dolls.

So, these days, inspiration to make something new for the dolls comes from my customers!  This dress turned out so cute!  A woman ordered a doll and asked if I could make a dress for the doll based on a dress her niece wore.  

I really hope she likes it.  I LOVE it! 

And, now it's in the My Gigi Doll Etsy shop!

In your creative endeavors, what inspires you to actually create something new?

Why I Give...

I give because it brings me joy and freedom.

As an adult, I started out giving in a consistent way because that is what was modeled for me and  I felt like it was the right thing to do.  

The irony is that the more I give the richer I feel.

When I began making My Gigi Dolls, I was at first surprised that I loved making them.  I never would have expected that.  Truly. 

But, the real beauty came when I began giving them away...to a little girl with Down's Syndrome...to military kids....to hospitalized children.  

When I give a doll away, I am sending out a little bit of myself - my creativity, my time and my passion - with each doll with no strings attached.  

I love the feeling of sending a doll that has been purchased, too, but there is something a little magical in sending something out there to someone you've never met, in hopes that it will bring them a bit of joy.

In all honestly, I'm not an especially selfless person.  Remember I said giving brings me joy and freedom?  Yep.  I get something out of it.  

I explained the joy I feel in giving, but what about freedom?

Well, the more I let go of things - not because I should, but because I want to - the freer and more satisfied I am with my life.  The times I give when it is difficult for me are the times I am the most blessed.

What prompted this post is that my family and I are in the process of downsizing from an 1800 sq ft, 4 bedroom, 2 car garage home to a 1472 sq ft, 3 bedroom, carport home.  

And, I couldn't be happier.  

But, I have a LOT to get rid of!  At least a 2 car garage and full bedroom worth.  

I started out selling things.  But, yesterday, I was given an unexpected gift of $110.  I gave each of my kids $10 and when they asked me why, I told them that I wanted to bless them because I had been blessed.  It was easy for me to part with $30 I hadn't been expecting.  

This morning, I thought:  I'm going to give away all of the things I've been planning to sell.  Because I've been blessed; because giving brings me joy and freedom; because I have what I need today; I will give with no strings attached.  

And, I promise you, after I've given away what I no longer have room for, I will feel richer.

This is a more serious (and far less PRETTY) post than usual.  And, harder to write, ya know?  But, I felt like I needed to put it out there, whether anyone reads it or not.

Since you are reading it, I'd love to know:  How has being generous impacted you?

do. Good Stitches Charity Quilt

I've been excited to share about something new! 

Last year I stumbled upon a great blog:  Stitched In Color.  Rachel's blog is great.  She has awesome tutorials and she is just fun to "listen" to.  I noticed right away that she likes to give back - so much so that she created an online quilting bee called "do. Good Stitches".  

do. Good Stitches is a charity quilting bee that makes quilts for all kinds of people in need:  foster kids, battered women, kids in need, sick people, and more.  It is a beautiful thing to make something for someone in need.   

In December, I signed up to host a do. Good Stitches circle.  Each circle has 10 members from all over the country.  We are the Nurture Circle of do. Good Stitches.  Our quilts go to  My Very Own Blanket, a charity that gives blankets to children in foster care.  

We started in January with a herringbone quilt!  We followed Rachel's Herringbone Block Tutorial using cool colors.  The Nurture Circle members mailed me their blocks and I got to piece and quilt it.  It was so fun to see all of the blocks as they came in!  

I backed the quilt with Amy Butler Love Water Bouquet in Midnight.  

One of the things that makes me the most happy is making things for other people.   

Being a part of do. Good Stitches makes me happy.

We're Becoming Minimalists!

The past few weeks have been a whirlwind!  We decided to move closer to Doug's work (Doug is my neat-o husband).  We found a house and are moving...like soon!

I've been in de-cultter-get-loan-docs-together-de-clutter-get-tax-paperwork-together-de-clutter mode.  

Did you see de-clutter in there? 

Yes.  It's true.  We are becoming minimalists.  Ok, that may be a stretch.  But, we are definitely SIMPLIFYING! 

When we moved into our current home over 5 years ago, I was so happy to be in an 1800 sq ft, 4 bedroom with a pool, single story home!  I vowed never to have more than 2 toilets or stairs to clean EVER AGAIN.  

So, when we found our new home, it was a bit tough to wrap my mind around 3 bedrooms in 1472 sq ft.  With....get this...a carport.  Yes, you read that right.  A carport.  A carport and a garage?  Nope.  Just a carport.  

OK!  I can do this.  We are no longer going to be keep-the-box people.  No sir.  Those boxes are all going into the recycle bin.  

3 bedrooms?  Yep.  The teenagers will be sharing a bedroom:  something they haven't done since they were youngsters.  One of them is less than thrilled with the upcoming arrangement (hint:  the clean one), but is staying positive.

I've been de-cluttering like a madwoman.  I am only keeping what I love or what I really need.  

As a sewist, getting rid of fabric and WIP (Works In Progress) can be tough.  But, I'm doing it.  

Here is the first sewing project to go.  

It is a chevron quilt top that I made and then didn't love.  But, luckily, I found someone who does love it! 

YAY!  I can't wait to see the finished product.

We are embarking on a new and simpler adventure.  I'll blog about it as I can.  I'm interested in how this will all turn out.  Hopefully you are, too.

Wish me luck!

xo,
Melissa

Back to the Drawing Board and a New Tutorial!

You know how I wish things worked?  

I come up with a great idea.  

I try it out.  

It turns out just right.  

I take pictures and blog about it and everyone loves it.

(CHEER!)

You know how things usually actually work? 

I get an idea.  

I try it out.  

Something needs to be fixed.  

I fix it.  

It still stinks.

  I fix more.  

Eventually (hopefully) it is exactly how I like it.  

Or, I forget about the whole idea.

I have a bin full of dolls that I would ONLY show my closest friends.  Seriously, they are that bad.

I also have a quilt top that I may never actually make into a quilt because I hate it.

When things don't work out how I imagine they will, it makes me feel so uninspired.  Like looking out on the morning rain, ya know?

And when I knew I had to face another project

Lord, it made me feel so tired

(are you singing it?)

So, my GREAT idea last week was to make a pea pod baby doll.  I actually think it might still be a great idea, it just needs some work.  

The reason I am posting about this today is because when things turn out really well, it is SO much fun to come blog about it.  But, when they don't turn out well, they get ignored.  I mean, who wants to take photos of a sucky project?

Ready to see the pea pod doll, take one?

 

 Stuffing her just was NOT working...grr...

I think she needs an outer pod, not just the round peas on her belly, don't you?

I'd love to hear your suggestions!

One good thing about having a project flop is that it forces me find a way to get inspired.  

And, you know what inspires me?  

An organized sewing area!  

Before:

After:

(CHEER!)

OH!  I almost forgot!  I wrote a new tutorial.   

Check it out here:

Easy Seed Stitch Dishcloth {Tutorial}

 

I'd love to hear about a project that just isn't (wasn't) working for you? 

xo,

Melissa

Easy Seed Stich Dishcloth {Tutorial}

This will likely be the easiest tutorial I ever write.  

Most knitters could very easily figure this one out, but I kept forgetting how to make it and couldn't find a pattern, so I'm making one!  Probably as much for me as for you.  

Ready?

Supplies:

- cotton yarn

- knitting needles in the size recommended on the yarn label

- tapestry needle for weaving in ends

A note about cotton yarn:  I usually use sugar 'n cream or peaches 'n cream...the stuff you find at Michael's (and, of course, I always want to call it, "cookies 'n cream").  But, even more lovely to  work with is Pima cotton.  I found a nice one that comes in great colors at my LYS (local yarn shop).  I also heard from a very reliable source (an online friend!), that Hempathy is wonderful for dishcloths!

Got your supplies?  

Instructions:

Cast on 39 stitches (or any odd number)

All rows:  k1, p1

Cast off when dishcloth is the size you want it to be and weave in ends

See?  Wasn't that easy? 

Let me know if you make any!  

xo,

Melissa