My process: quilting with paper

So, I thought I would talk a little bit about my process today. Specifically, how I select the papers I use in a particular collage. Most of the papers I use come from magazines because they are convenient and are otherwise headed to the recycling bin!

My stash isn't too big, but I do have the goal in the back of my head that I should try to use it all up by the end of the year. This helps me avoid hanging on to "favorite" pieces or treating them as precious. The second I start being concerned with "ruining" a piece by cutting it up, I know I'm going to get stuck!

So, I'm sitting on my couch with these piles of paper before me thinking, "Where should I start?" The easiest place for me to begin is to grab the first piece that really jumps out at me. Then I start flipping through the stacks pulling out other pieces that I think would go well with that first piece. In the picture below, I started with the page that is on top.

If you are a quilter, you will probably think that this sounds quite a lot like the process you use when pulling fabrics at the store because that is really how I view a collage, a quilt out of paper. 

I try to find an interesting balance between warm and cool colors, semi-solids and patterns and so forth. Sometimes I'm really successful at this and sometimes not so much!

Often I go and pick out paper for multiple collages at once with the intention of doing all the cutting and pasting in the very near future. This has lead to multiple "What was I thinking?" moments when I look back at what I've previously assembled. :-)

Anyway, selecting the papers I'm going to use for a piece is one of if not my favorite part of the process. Would love to know if any of you work this way as well!

Happy making!

Off the needles: UILI #2

UILI project #2 is done! I had some Malabrigo sock yarn left over from a shawl I knit for myself and decided to use it to make a mini shawl for my little girl (almost two years old now!). 

I chose the Light and Up by Caroline Wiens for a few reasons. 

(1) The center increases are done with either a M1L or a M1R stitch which means no holes like a YO increase will give you.

  

(2) The YO lace border is pretty but simple enough for a toddler to pull off.

(3) I could easily make a small version of this pattern without having to do lots of calculations.

AJ is pretty pleased with her new "less" (think necklace), and I'm pretty to have my second project done! How are your knitting/ creative resolutions coming along?

Off the needles: UILI #1

Got my first FO in the Use It or Loose It Challenge:

Unfortunately, it doesn't fit me the greatest, but I still have a little prego weight left to loose. One project done, twelve more to go!!

I've got something on the needles!!

It seems like it has been ages since I have had a knitting project. (here is my last project)

The recent project by Purl Soho of the Sweater Shawl (Ravelry link) got me all excited to be knitting again. Unfortunately, I could not get gauge with my Cascade O-Wool. 

Since I really, really want to only knit from stash, I had to find another pattern.

A quick search of my Ravelry fav's brought me to Rosa's Sleeveless Cardi-Jumper pattern.

Super cute, right? It is a simple pattern, can be layered and gives me an excuse to have an Alias marathon on Netflix. What more could a girl ask for!!

I'm not sure if any of you are Stash and Burn fans, but I'm thinking of taking on their Use It or Loose It Challenge (here are the guidlines). I've already starting matching my stash with possible projects on Ravelry and would love to see anyone else's queue as well!!

Update: Finished project here!

In my studio: Serious stash-busting Owls (just in time for Christmas!)

With the holidays quickly approaching, I've been trying to think of ways to use my stash of fabric and fabric scraps to make presents. My daughter just loves to have a doll or stuffed animal to hold and squeeze so I drew up two basic owl shapes to use as a pattern for making toys.

If you would like to make some of your own, here is what you need:

Pattern (owl 1 and owl 2), fabric, poly-fill stuffing and basic sewing supplies

Step 1: Trace pattern on fabric scraps and cut out. (I wanted to make quite of few of these so I made my pattern using manila folders.)

Step 2: Pin facial features to fabric.

Step 3: Set zig-zag length to 3 and stitch length to 1 1/2

Step 4: Sew nose, inside eye shape then outside eye shape. For the outside eye (the whites), I put blue thread in the bobbin so just specks of blue would show through.

Step 5: Place front and back pieces right sides together and sew using a 1/4" seam allowance (leave a wide enough hole to allow for piece to be turned right-side out).

Step 6: Press seams and make little clips around the curved seams.

Step 7: Turn right-side out and use a pointy object to push out the corners. 

Step 8: Press seams again.

 Step 9: Top-stitch around upper portion of owl.

Step 10: Stuff animal with poly-fill making sure to fill corner spots.
Step 11: Stitch opening closed. (here is a great video tutorial)

And you're done!! Since I am making more than I am planning on giving away for Christmas, I am not stuffing the extras to save much needed studio storage space!

I hope this helps all of you get rid of some of your scrap collection and get ready for Christmas!!

In my studio: stash-busting through weaving

It hit me all of a sudden last week that the end of the year is approaching, and I have not de-stashed nearly as much yarn as I would have liked.

Granted, a lot of that is due to the fact that my little guy had MSPI and most of my creative time had to be put on hold for a bit while that all got sorted out. 

The yarn that I always want to get rid of is my Peaches and Cream yarn but, I was having a hard time getting excited about knitting more dishcloths!

Thanks to my in-laws, I received a Hobby Lobby gift card for my birthday and knew just how to use it!

With my handy-dandy weaving loom, I'm able to bust through large amounts of stash without having to knit!! Yay!!