Life with Piggyletta.

Inspiration

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 14:59:00 +0000

Vintage home and garden fabric from 1979

Inspiration to create something, anything has been coming in spurts. I realize now that you must take it while you can. This is my last weekend of work for a month, as my bosses are taking a vacation, so I've been slowly getting my WIPS organized and hoping that some of that inspiration comes when I have time to actually play.


new sham style covers for the couch.

This couch is almost 8 years old and definitely showing it's age. It has been well worn, loved and jumped on, but I couldn't stand the stains on the cushions anymore. Unfortunately my budget doesn't allow for a new couch, and I can't stand the ready made slipcovers that are guaranteed to fit ( yeah right) I whipped these up out of the fabric I had on hand. The bluebird fabric came from curtains that hung in the window of the house my parents bought. The selvedge said 1979 and they probably hung in the window that long. I do plan on redoing the middle cushion as I'm finding not having all three match distracting.

This rug is my current obsession Using different mediums , fabric and rope and seeing how they blend together. Up until now i have only used the toothbrush technique in making my rugs. I found a video tutorial on how to crochet them in half the time it takes me. I had no idea how to crochet but have wanted to learn for a while now. My sister recommended the book Simple Crochet by Erica Knight and I have been poring trough it practicing my stitches. All the fabric is crocheted, and the roping is crocheted and then weaved in toothbrush style. I'm happy with the results, especially after pulling the rope out and doing it again a few times as the tension was all wrong. This one may be another biggie 5' or 6' feet round. Slow and steady . :)

Take care,
Kendra.

Whew, Still trying to get back.

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 18:18:00 +0000

2 inch rainbow squares Crib quilt machine stiched and quilted with a crosshatch.

Toothbrush (weave) Basket

Whirlygig Doll blanket in Bright pink.
Machine stitched and hand tied.

Whirlygig Doll Quiilt
Machine stiched and hand tied with Chenille backing

Vintage strawberry shortcake custom curtains for the girl's room.

Custom panel shorts made from old jeans and canvas ticking for the boy.

Custom shorts made from twill pants for the boy.

Take care,

Fruity - successful molt.

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 13 Jan 2011 04:32:00 +0000

Good Job Fruity!

Take care,

Here's hoping for snow.

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 11 Jan 2011 16:10:00 +0000

Take care,

The eyes have it.

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 11 Jan 2011 13:44:00 +0000

Take care,

More Lego Love.

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 11 Jan 2011 13:40:00 +0000

Take care,

Things I did today.

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 10 Jan 2011 01:22:00 +0000

Started with this dress.

Removed the top. Added waistband and elastic.

Got this. Very happy girl with spinny tutu skirt.

Then I made this to help with the Kaiya "room gut- redo".

Can you tell what it is?

How about now?

Had Brody buy a Hula hoop on his way home from a job.

Sewed some tubes added some elastic around the top and hung it from a swivel hook in the ceiling. Instant Princess tent.

Take care,

Kaiya.

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 10 Jan 2011 01:03:00 +0000

Take care,

Star Wars lives on.

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 04 Jan 2011 14:27:00 +0000

Take care,
Kendra.

More Martha

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 03 Jan 2011 16:16:00 +0000

Take care,

Thanks Martha.

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 03 Jan 2011 14:08:00 +0000

I used Martha's Girl's Shirt Dress tutorial for this project. As you can see, she loves it. Now to make some for all the girlies in my life.

Take care,
kendra

Hey...

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 01 Jan 2011 13:40:00 +0000

I have no real reason for neglecting my blog lately. I'm not going to make excuses and say I was too busy. I was but could have taken a few minutes to update and show off some pictures. My lists of to dos just kept getting longer and longer and I was overwhelmed. My fight or flight response was flight... oh well, I'm here now and have some finishes.

I was hoping to join in the fun at i'm a ginger monkey in the "scrap vomit" quilt a long, but the perfectionist in me couldn't wrap my brain about using so many different colors of 2.5 inch squares that may or may not look good together. I couldn't take so much time working on a quilt only to hate it in the end. I did still , and still am, using the scraps but in a way that I can deal with the chaos, yet still have some control. both of the above quilts are quilted and tied.

I also utilized my scraps in making quilted journal covers for Christmas gifts this year.

I recently got Martha Stewart's Encyclopedia of Sewing and Fabric Crafts: and have most of the supplies listed in this book for various projects, but I really enjoyed the chapter on patchwork quilts. I especially like the tied quilts as it reminds me of my childhood. Growing up we had many blankets, some quilts, and afghans that were made by my dad's mother. It still amazes me especially now that I'm making them myself, that she did it blind. I can't imagine how she was able to manuever though and complete some of the smallest details, but she did. I never paid attention to those things when I was a kid or when she was still alive, I think I could have learned alot from her had it not been for my snotty disposition and my teenage angst.

We still have few of those blankets, my son has one on his bed and has loved it an and cuddled it and picked at some of the tufts, so I was happy to have a very detailed diagram thanks to Miss Martha, on how to execute the perfect French knot. In doing so I realized how much I too loved those tied blankets and picked at those same tufts as a kid while I read in that big overstuffed chair at the old farm. I decided to follow the pattern for the basic patchwork quilt on page 66, but using all of those 2.5 inch squares I had cut. I first arranged them in a basic nine patch and then sewed them together and just kept going. I have been following my " Use what you got rule" and have come up with some great variations, forcing myself to think outside of the box.

More finishes that were gifted:

Lost & Found.

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 16 Nov 2010 14:37:00 +0000

My pep; it's just not there. I have been working, but not with nearly as much enthusiasm as I had before. Meh.

I finally decided to repair a quilt that was made for me in high school that had some damage. Thanks Luvela. It was very lovingly used and abused, but I have been afraid to hand quilt it because of the nagging perfectionist on my shoulder that rears its ugly head every so often. My original thought was to leave it as is and cover it with a new front and back and tying it for a quick remedy, but as I sat with it thinking on what to do, Kaiya asked if I was going to fix it for her. It's pink after all and everyone in this house knows if it's pink, it's hers. Period.

So after fretting and worrying a few days about how my stitches would look, especially a hundred years from now when the bitty's are counting my stitches; I just took the plunge and said screw it. I'm giving it a second life to be loved and used. Then and there I started my first journey into the land of hand stitching.

I'm hooked. I adore sitting with the kids with hoop and needle in hand, on the couch, at the doctor's office or while they run around on the playground rounding up imaginary criminals. I like the look of my stitches, even though they are far from perfect. I liked it so much that after Kaiya's quilt was restitched and had a new binding on it, I grabbed a quilt sandwich from my closet that has been waiting 6 months + to be quilted and plotted out a quilting stencil, jumping right in my stitches are becoming more uniform and a little bit tighter. I may actually be able to call myself a quilter and get up the nerve to enter something in the quilt show next year. We’ll see.

Take care,

Mask love.

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 25 Oct 2010 14:35:00 +0000

We got Booed.

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 24 Oct 2010 14:54:00 +0000

So Cute. . We found a bag o' treats at our back door yesterday and a paper that read:

We've been coloring and preparing our bags of goodies to drop off at our unsuspecting friends' houses. We taped our ghosts in our windows so the next phantom will skip our house and give it to another. The kids had a lot of fun and they tried to guess who our phantom was.

Brian is very excited to deliver them as he will be able to use his "super spy" techniques he has been practicing such as stealth rolling, diving and invisibility. The last one, you can imagine, has been hysterical to watch. Great way to work as a family. Check it out and get it started in your neighborhood. Thanks phantom for including us in the fun.

Take care,

It's that kind of day

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 19 Oct 2010 13:45:00 +0000

Today we are goofy and tired as we stayed up late watching Percy Jackson & the Lightning Thief and trying to get the house ready for the contractors to come in and fix my closet ceiling which developed a big leak. Today is rainy and cold so we have buckets and towels up there to catch all the water until they fix it. NOT FUN. We are going to do some crafts and then later play puppy and most likely crash out at nap time, both of us. I'm still cutting my 2.5 squares for the quilt along and cleaned out a bunch of things, such as fabric notions and a sewing machine giving them away on freecycle. What are you doing today?

Take care,

Today...

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 13 Oct 2010 14:14:00 +0000

Finally feeling comfortable enough to come out and see us.

Halloween is every day.

Migration time.

2.5 squares for the quilt- a- long on i'm a ginger monkey. So many more to go.

Quilting this Scrap quilt. I'm liking the pieced back far better than the pinwheel front.
It's taking forever.

Our beach find. So far the view on the beach has been these strewn everywhere all different sizes.

Today we are going on another sewing /playdate with our friends...enjoy your day, we sure will.

Take care,

I'm going to join.

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 12 Oct 2010 15:37:00 +0000

How about you?

i'm a ginger monkey: care for some scrap vomit (AKA quilt along?)

Take care,

Paintbox scrappy quilt.

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 10 Oct 2010 12:51:00 +0000

This quilt was started last March and finally finished. It measures 49 x 52 inches. This is a summer weight quilt lined with flannel.

I lined the back with primary colors from my scrap stash and used binding that I had made from the backing.

The quilting was a spiral square within each square.

Fun, Family & Friends at the Faust Farm.

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 10 Oct 2010 12:28:00 +0000

We were invited this past weekend help our friends on their farm. I always enjoy things like this and I want my children to know that there is a different life than they are used to, in fact, it is more like how I grew up as a kid. We went for the annual chicken harvest and helped out.

While the adults were busy with the chickens, the kids went exploring and ran around through the woods and all around the farm. The rule of the house, especially because the weather was gorgeous, was " get your butt outside". Brian brought his DS, but Madison soon had him runnin' after her to play. Kaiya was under the mistaken impression that it was her job to kill the chickens and waited around for a bit for someone to show her how. She too, happily chased after Madison once she accepted thet she indeed did NOT have to kill chickens.

These little pigs were new to the farm, purchased and hauled in the day before so they were still abit skittish and very leary of the kids and there supa' fast movements. It was hysterical to watch them push and shove each other to get to the front to see us and then if someone moved an arm, all hell would break loose and they would run and squeal climbing over and pushing through each other, just to settle down and do it all over again.

It was a long day, the kids left at about 6ish and I was there till around 8: until the last package of chicken had been packed in the freezer. Carol and Bill treated me to " shopping in the freezer" for all my hard work. Farm raised beef, sweet sausage, chip steak, chicken, ground beef, BACON and brown eggs. I went home exhausted and dirty , desperately needing a shower and happy knowing that I'd helped out their family while making new friends and memories with the my kids. It was a very good day.

I'm switching camps.

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 04 Oct 2010 14:56:00 +0000

My good friend's facebook status this morning said "Hi everybody! Do y'all have your slickers and galoshes ready? '"

Ugh... It is rainy and nasty plus I'll need them for the rain and my tears. I finally have finished my Scrappy star quilt I started back in March of this year; one I was hoping to sell. I knew that there was the possibility that the colors may bleed, since it they did on my wedding star pillow for Chanel, and the "Hanna quilt” and researched what to do before washing. I had read that you can add a cup full of vinegar to your cold wash water or there is a product you can buy to set it, but it is extremely messy and time consuming. So I said a prayer and crossed my fingers hoping for the best and added the vinegar. It didn't work. Let's do some math...time on quilt, 120 hours + bleeding dyes in a 12 minute wash cycle = oh f*%k.

The water's gonna be deep today.

I saw some bleeding and instantly felt my heart sink. Brody being the greatest, ran down to the store and got some Oxiclean, thinking I could soak it and get the dye stains out. It soaked for a few hours. All, save one barely noticeable spot, came out. I immediately went and found the culprit in my stash cursing and muttering”I never want to see you again!" as I walked it to the trash. So as the title states, I’m switching camps.

To which camps am I referring? Well the pre-wash fabric vs. no prewashing fabric camps, silly. I had read the opinions of various quilters in blog land and firmly planted myself on the no prewashing fabric side of the fence. I'd spend the time making the quilt, bind it and eagerly wait for it to wash and dry to see the finished product, all the while hoping for the best. After these two rounds of waiting and hoping for the best knowing full well that my soon to be finished "paint box quilt," will likely bleed as well, well...my stomach hurts just thinking about it. I am planting myself firmly on the other side of the fence now and making a declaration today. I will ALWAYS prewash my scraps or fabrics, especially those that are of questionable origin, before going through this again!

Anyway after starting this 8 months ago, it's finished. It measure in at 47 1/2 inches by 32 inches. It was machine pieced, with machine and hand quilting with some decorative double whipped embroidery in the center of each star. I will be listing it on etsy for sale in the next couple days.
Editted to add: This is winter weight, 100% cotton batting.

Take care,

Mirror mirror on the wall....

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 01 Oct 2010 01:41:00 +0000

Speedy

Fruity

Speedy (back), Fruity (middle) and Climber

The guys.

I love these guys crazy as it seems.

Take care,

One down and one to go

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 01 Oct 2010 01:38:00 +0000

This one is finally finished and ready to be washed.

This one is in the final stages of quilting. Binding in the morning.

Take care,

Missing days past.

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 30 Sep 2010 20:34:00 +0000

Original artwork by S.Pfahler.

Take care,

Vampire Knits.

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 28 Sep 2010 13:19:00 +0000

Have you seen this?

Vampire Knits. Projects to keep you knitting from Twilight to Dawn, by Genevieve Miller.

If you haven't, you're missing out. It really is a beautiful book with 28 patterns that were inspired by her "favorite creatures of the night".

From the press release:

“Author Genevieve Miller started out as your average knitter: making hats, blankets, and sweaters, and altering patterns when she couldn’t find exactly what she wanted. But it wasn’t until Miller got swept away by Stephanie Meyer’s Twilight series that she was inspired to design her own patterns. Vampire Knits reflects her desire to step inside the books she loved so much and interact with them in her own hands-on way — knitting. The appealing and easy-to-knit projects found in the book range from cool sweaters to cozy neck protectors, blood-drop socks to a werewolf hat for your favorite shapeshifter. Gloves inspired by Twilight’s Bella Swan, blood-red jewelry, stylish vampire capelets, and a beautiful diary cover are just a few of the timeless items crafty vampire fans have been clamoring for.

Vampire Knits includes 28 projects by vampire and werewolf fans across the country and beyond. Some are knitwear designers, but many are students, professionals, or stay-at-home moms who love to knit and design. their projects in Vampire Knits make it the first collection of knitting projects for dreamy mysterious vampires, and the fans who love them. Whether you’re team Edward, Team Jacob, or simply a member of Team Vampire, you’re destined to find the perfect accessory to evoke the spirit of the most beloved undead characters.”

Publisher: Potter Craft; Original edition

Release Date: September 14, 2010

ISBN-10: 030758660X

ISBN-13: 978-0307586605

You can find her here and here on her blog.

Take care,

*written with permission of the author.