Where Do Project Ideas Come From?

   Whenever I finish a project, especially a big project, I often find myself facing the 5 Steps of Loss and Grief.

   The first step is denial- I often find myself waking up in the morning thinking about those last few stitches I need to do. I walk over to my project box and then kindly remind myself that the job has been finished. Project over. Next there is a brief flash of anger, "what do you mean it's done, now what am I going to do today?" Followed by bargaining, "Well, maybe I could add an applique or embroidery, I mean it can't actually be time to prep a new project!" Then a mild depression, "You mean I have to figure out something new to do..." This depressive step is very short because it quickly turns into I have to figure out something new to do!, the acceptance step.

  Of course, once I have accepted that it is time to start a new project I am always faced with the same dilema: what to make now? I  think that it doesn't matter how long you have been making and crafting the new project decision is a tough one. Especially now in the heyday of the internet where every craft blog and collective is popping up thousands of amazing and breathtaking patterns and tutorials itching to make it to your machine. Yet, you have to narrow it down to one.

  I am always very interested to hear where people get their ideas for their next projects. In fact, when I am asked that very question a line from Empire Records pops into my head:

  Of course, this isn't always true- just my snarky attempt at humor. Often times brilliant craft ideas do just pop into my head and I quickly struggle to jot them down so I do not forget them. But when I am in a creative slump (which can be often) I look to the internet. I have three go to sites when I am looking to be creative and need a little guidance: 

1. Pinterest (of course)

Does any craft truly remember life before Pinterest? Those were dark and cold times. Very caveman-esque when crafters huddled in dark corners of Micheal's stores passing around their works in progress to friend's like drug dealers. Not anymore! Thanks to Pinterest you can share pretty much anything. It is a one stop shop for all your idea needs and it is brilliant. 

2. CraftGawker

I have found that CraftGawker (a part of the Gawker websites) is relatively unknown. This makes me sad. CraftGawker, in my opinion, is Pinterest with better curating. Where Pinterest is a library of great craft ideas- CraftGawker is a museum. It is full or amazing and creative craft projects and you can lose entire days browsing this site. Plus it's sister FoodGawker is the most glorious foodie site you have ever seen. If you have never Gawked- you need to get over there now!

3. Other Craft Blogs

I have learned so much from my fellow craft bloggers. I never would have even attempted quilting had I not stumbled onto the amazing collective of modern quilters out there. I was shocked to know that quilting could be fresh, vibrant, and young. Not only that these bloggers are the most supportive and helpful human beings on the planet (I of course assume they are human and not quilting robots, as sometimes they seem a little too talented and perfect). Craft blogs are full of people itching to share their talents and their skills and help build better crafters. I heavily rely on their insight, their expertise, and their experience. 

As it is now time again to pick a new "big" project again. I return to my fave three sites. To that rush of joy that comes from planning a new project and the frustration of being spoiled for choice and it is a wonderful thing. 

Have place for ideas I missed or maybe haven't heard of? Leave it in the comments!

Finished: Lemon Squares Quilt

   I have officially finished my first quilt! I join the ranks of the mighty! Of course, this isn't truly my first finished quilt. I did make my nieces each whole cloth quilts last year for Christmas. However, this quilt was the first quilt I ever attempted and pieced. It was my first attempt at quilting in general and boy howdy has it been a learning experience.

   I learned how one can do everything wrong and still be proud of the outcome. Since starting this quilt I have become a lot more comfortable with my machine, its use, and how I approach projects. Still, this quilt is a milestone, the completion of the first quilting project I ever attempted. I am happy to have it finished and out of the Work In Progress pile. I am mostly happy to say I did it! I finished this ambitious project!

   Best yet- this quilt is definitely kitty approved. I cannot get the buggers off it so I can use!
This project is being linked to Fabric Tuesday and Work In Progress Wednesday

.99 Patterns and Nancy Drew to go

For the thrifty crafter there is no word greater than the word, you know, the big word: SALE! Since getting back in to the crafty swing of things I have been scouring all my local craft stores as well as the internet for great discounts for new project supplies as my stash is looking a little skimpy. So, imagine my delight when I learned the local Hobby Lobby had a .99 McCall Pattern sale going on! Woohoo, fist pumps all around. I scoured the drawers on hands and knees looking for my next forays into fashion and came up victorious. I noticed that in my stash I mostly pulled dress patterns as I have been wearing a lot more dresses lately and would love to add a few of my own personal creations to the mix. Beyond that I am looking to add to my comic dress stash, I want to make a couple custom Superhero themed dresses for next years big event and can't wait to get cracking on those. I also pulled a very versatile baby girl pattern set as my older sister is due in about a month and it is never too early to get cracking on Christmas presents. For now the patterns will be snug in my pattern binder. Can you tell that I am having a love affair with my label maker? I have bought a bunch of colorful binders to store a bunch of things like my comic books/ patterns/ and loose papers. I like being able to store everything comfortably on a bookshelf and know exactly where something is when I go to look for it.

But before I can even think about getting cracking on Christmas presents I am trembling in anticipation for the delivery of my latest charm pack purchase. I stumbled onto the Nancy Drew Moda fabric while perusing Southern Fabric's Etsy Shop. I sputtered, sent out a cry which sounded like the cross between a cat being strangled and a moose mating call, and visibly shook with excitement. My love affair with Nancy Drew began long ago, in fact those yellow hardbacks are probably the reason I am such a voracious reader and writer now and have such a passion for mysteries. So, this fabric is like seeing my childhood printed on warm cottony goodness. I am still not sure what I am going to do with the charms yet. So far, I am leaning towards quilted book bag. I think it will be amazing and cannot wait to have the charms in hand!

Today has mostly been devoted to fiddling with the website (I am never satisfied) and I pulled out my Lemon Squares Quilt I have been working on for months on and off to throw it back under the machine to finish quilting it so I can bind this thing and get it out of my work in progress pile. That will definitely be satisfying. 

My First Post and a Machine Cover

    Hello everyone, Danie here- formally of the craft blog Cup of the Sun, now relaunching a new craft blog with the name A Textured Fairytale. As much as I enjoyed building Cup of the Sun I entered a time in my life where I really didn't have much time for anything, especially crafting and blogging. However, life has taken new directions for the better and thus I return to the fold. I recently built myself a swanky little craft room in a spare bedroom of my house. It is still in process. I have only managed to organize my sewing equipment and still have quite the battle ahead of me in organizing my fiber art materials (I am still internally debating the best and most creative way to store my knitting needles. Until then though I am loving having all this space to move around and create. Plus by utilizing Ikea and ingenuity I have managed to keep the remodel very cost effective. The room is also very bright and sunny with a nice little window that catches a lot of sun making this room perfect for taking pictures of my finished crafts. I am planning on building a little photo studio in an open corner however, once I get the rest of the room organized.   

    When it came time to bust out the sewing machine and break this new room in I knew exactly which project would be the first. I have been meaning to sew myself a sewing machine cover ever since I bought it a year ago. I had bookmarked several patterns and tutorials I had seen for sewing machine covers while browsing the web and decided that the Quilted Sewing Machine Cover from SewDelicious was the best fit for what I was looking to do. 

    

   The fabric was a metallic fat pack I fell in love with at Joann's during one of my numerous shopping trips (who can resist cute owls?) and I knew instantly it was perfect for my new sewing machine cover. The tutorial could not have been easier to follow and I am very proud with how it turned out. Even my husband was impressed and commented on how the colors really went well with my sewing room and brought it all together. Which might be the nicest thing a grown man has ever said to me. Even better it took very little time to whip up, less than a day and a half. It would have been shorter me thinks but I kept getting distracted by my episode of Marple.

The thread for the quilting is a silver metallic I was glad to finally use. It was rather difficult keeping straight lines as I had to sew upside down since the batting would snag on the feed dogs (mine don't drop) so I had to do the best I could. 

   

   Since I hand cut the charms and am still pretty rubbish with a rotary cutter (I blame my left handedness) the charms don't match 100% but I feel like that unevenness just gives it a little more charm. 

   I have always said that my first rule of sewing is 'don't try to be perfect, just try to have fun' and this project was very fun!