Kellie Thacker's Blog - Posts Tagged "crafting"
Stitch by Stitch
In case you didn't already know, I love creativity. Not only do I LOVE to write, but I also love to get crafty. May favorite thing to do is wreaths. I grapevine wreaths are my favorite but I also like mesh. My most recent was a carrot mesh wreath for a friend. I'd never made one before and needless to say that wire and I fought most of the evening, however, in the end it turned out quite nice.
I've also turned my hand at wedding bouquets and decorating. This is something I really love to do. If I could, I'd love to be a wedding coordinator.
Recently, I began something very new. Something I've never done or even attempted to do. The complexity and patience actually had me nervous. Patience is a virtue I have only recently been blessed with. But anything that allows me to be in control and make my own decisions is right up my alley. I love a task that makes me think and concentrate on achieving as close to perfection as possible. What is this massive undertaking I put upon myself to endure? ....... Quilting.
How women back in the day made quilts by hand, making them so intricate and beautiful, is beyond me. Because I do not own a sewing machine, or a table big enough to sit one on for that matter, I decided to hand-stitch my first ever quilt. I chose a baby blanket first as the size would be easier and a good starting point for a beginner like me.
At first it was fun. I enjoyed picking out cute material of many different patterns in pinks and yellows. Measuring and cutting the fabric was a hassle but once I began sewing the cute little blocks together, the task of creating a quilt got easier. Even pinning and sewing the backing on was a pleasant experience after mastering the art of keeping the fabric straight.
However, soon after I made a decision that has 'cause me to rethink the quilting phase of my life. A friend and family member asked me to make her a full size quilt. I was nervous of course to take on this challenging task but because it was challenging (and the fact that I wanted to prove to myself I could do it) I agreed.
Currently, I don't even have one row of blocks finished. Not because I'm lazy or I don't know what I'm doing, but because I have had to measure and remeasure and cut and recut a gazillion times. Buy more and more fabric because I miscalculated 25 times. Made the mistake of ordering fabric that never showed up, putting me behind my own set schedule. Sew pieces together only to realize they were sewn backwards and had to tear them apart to start over, then realizing there still may not be enough fabric and lines may end up crooked.
I thought having a hundred different tools to make one blanket was crazy considering women made these things all the time before all the fancy equipment was invented. But now I completely understand. If it makes the task easier, take advantage of it. We live in a modern world full of ever-changing technology that makes our lives easier so why not use it?
No wonder women used to join quilting circles. Making a quilt is a difficult task alone, especially when you start out with absolutely no experience whatsoever. Needless to say, I will be buying a sewing machine in the future, not to mention all the gadgets used by the professionals.
That is, if I decide to continue down this insane road of fabric madness.
I've also turned my hand at wedding bouquets and decorating. This is something I really love to do. If I could, I'd love to be a wedding coordinator.
Recently, I began something very new. Something I've never done or even attempted to do. The complexity and patience actually had me nervous. Patience is a virtue I have only recently been blessed with. But anything that allows me to be in control and make my own decisions is right up my alley. I love a task that makes me think and concentrate on achieving as close to perfection as possible. What is this massive undertaking I put upon myself to endure? ....... Quilting.
How women back in the day made quilts by hand, making them so intricate and beautiful, is beyond me. Because I do not own a sewing machine, or a table big enough to sit one on for that matter, I decided to hand-stitch my first ever quilt. I chose a baby blanket first as the size would be easier and a good starting point for a beginner like me.
At first it was fun. I enjoyed picking out cute material of many different patterns in pinks and yellows. Measuring and cutting the fabric was a hassle but once I began sewing the cute little blocks together, the task of creating a quilt got easier. Even pinning and sewing the backing on was a pleasant experience after mastering the art of keeping the fabric straight.
However, soon after I made a decision that has 'cause me to rethink the quilting phase of my life. A friend and family member asked me to make her a full size quilt. I was nervous of course to take on this challenging task but because it was challenging (and the fact that I wanted to prove to myself I could do it) I agreed.
Currently, I don't even have one row of blocks finished. Not because I'm lazy or I don't know what I'm doing, but because I have had to measure and remeasure and cut and recut a gazillion times. Buy more and more fabric because I miscalculated 25 times. Made the mistake of ordering fabric that never showed up, putting me behind my own set schedule. Sew pieces together only to realize they were sewn backwards and had to tear them apart to start over, then realizing there still may not be enough fabric and lines may end up crooked.
I thought having a hundred different tools to make one blanket was crazy considering women made these things all the time before all the fancy equipment was invented. But now I completely understand. If it makes the task easier, take advantage of it. We live in a modern world full of ever-changing technology that makes our lives easier so why not use it?
No wonder women used to join quilting circles. Making a quilt is a difficult task alone, especially when you start out with absolutely no experience whatsoever. Needless to say, I will be buying a sewing machine in the future, not to mention all the gadgets used by the professionals.
That is, if I decide to continue down this insane road of fabric madness.
