Valerean

After destroying the big canvas tote I'd originally selected for the February installment of my calendar project, I went with a small off white canvas tote, which was actually better since this is a short month. As usual I deconstructed the tote, ironed it and basted some scrap batting to the front of it. I don't know if this will work out like I see it in my head, but I'm stitching layers of vintage reclaimed fabric to the tote. I'm also leaving raw edges because I want a shabby look. Once I have everything stitched down I will embroider on top of the layers, and (if I have time) perhaps bead it a little.

I like to think that I don't fall in love easily, but when it comes to crochet and quilting actually I do. Sometimes despite my best intentions it happens at first sight. That's why I'm careful not to get on Pinterest or Instagram and start envy-scrolling through all the crochet and quilt pics. I do love seeing what others make, but I also can and will fall in love with something and then become obsessed with making my own version. It's the same way I can get distracted by story ideas, and why I have to jot down the bones and file them away. If I didn't I'd never get anything done. For some reason pattern books are safe for me. I can see a gorgeous project like this crochet moorish mosaic throw and love it without having to go and pull yarn and start working on one right away. Maybe it's because I own the pattern and I know I can get to it any time. There are still some quilts I would like to make that I fell in love with at first sight, like ...

Here's something you might not know about my novel series tricks: I get photographs made of body models (people that I think look like my main characters) and keep them in my series notebook to look at while describing them. These are also good memory jogs when I'm writing as to what that particular character looks like. Before my arthritis got severe I used to sketch and paint them. I don't know any other writer who does this. The Iris throw is coming along nicely, but I'm also doing a mini side project. I do not like boucle yarns, as they're fuzzy and crinkly and the stitch definition when I crochet them is absolute crap. So of course as the most contrary person on the face of the planet I'm currently experimenting with three boucle yarns (two in colors I really dislike) to get over myself and see if I can make them into something useful and attractive. Last night I deconstructed an ivory canvas bag for my Feburary tote, and now I'm lining...

To get started on the February tote for my calendar project I pulled the vintage scraps I've been collecting along with a bigger tote bag than I usually use for these type projects to serve as the foundation. I don't recall where I got it (probably in a lot of thrifted fabric), but I'm not going to do a lot of embroidery or any beading on this one, so I figured I'd have time to do a bigger tote. One of the handles was stained, so I decided to wash it first. It's canvas, so no problem, right? Yes, well. The stain unfortunately did not come out in the wash. The tote, however, ripped itself apart. I can salvage some of it to use for scrap, but otherwise it's a total loss. That will teach me to assume canvas doesn't need to be hand washed. I'm starting over with a smaller but clean and hopefully sturdier canvas tote. Wish me luck. :)

The other night I noticed I made a pretty large mistake in the throw I was crocheting. I made it two hours before I noticed it, in fact, which meant if I wanted to correct it I would have to rip out two and a half very long rows. My other choice was to keep going and hope it wouldn't be noticeable. I'm not lazy. I ripped out two hours of work to fix the mistake. I didn't curse myself for making it. Back at the end of November I completely wrecked myself and the holiday projects I'd planned by spraining a finger while taking a shower. At the time I was working on, of all things, a silly little dollar store crochet kit. Honestly, it was a bit of a relief not to have to work on holiday projects so much. I splinted up my finger and did the best I could for the rest of the holidays. I didn't kick myself for the accident. I made this crochet bear from baby blanket yarn, and misread the pattern, so it turned out like I'd given it thalidomide. My fi...

Watching the Chinese racing romantic drama Speed and Love took a while for me, frankly, because aside from the length (29 episodes) the storyline had an abrupt disjointed remaking of itself about two-thirds of the way through which almost ruined it for me. I came away thinking someone majorly messed with the script at that point to make the series something else, and it suffered a lot because of it. The premise is the story of two non-blood-related siblings Jiang Mu (Esther Yu) a pampered little girl, and Jin Zhao (He Yu), an abandoned boy who becomes her older brother. Mu's parents get divorced, and her dad and Jin Zhao move to Thailand. As soon as she grows up, Mu heads to Thailand to find her brother, who is now a really handsome thug who races cars and fights in underground boxing matches. The attraction between them abruptly shifts from siblings to lovers, and then Mu learns that Zhao is risking his life in dangerous races for very noble reasons. Up to the point wh...