Snowcatcher

06 March 2012

I think I must be the queen of unfinished projects. This is my UFO (unfinished objects) stash, photos and stuff with which to make things.

One of my 2012 goals is to finish one WIP (work in progress) a month. More than that if I can.

Most knitted and crocheted projects are easier to finish up in a month. I finished the Noro skirt during last month's drive to Utah; easy as could be, all it needed was a waistband, which I completed in less than two hours. A stash of unfinished snowflakes and finished snowflakes with no written patterns lives atop my computer desk. If I just pick one up before writing in my journal each night, or even just once a week, I could whip them all out quickly and easily. (And that is where a huge chunk of my WIP attention has been diverted since January 1. I'm making great progress!) Snowflakes almost feel like cheating, though, because they are so speedy when compared to other things. Such as quilts...

Quilting projects take a bit more devotion. For years, my excuse was not enough room in my tiny apartment to set up my quilting frame. I basted my lizard quilt on the back of The Lizard's pickup truck in the parking lot because there wasn't enough room anywhere in the apartment for a full-size quilt to be laid out! Oh, how I wish I'd taken photos of that process. Maybe I'll repeat it again one day just to show off what I can do in a bind! Now we have a house, and the "not enough room" excuse doesn't fly anymore.

I love to quilt. I really do. I simply don't seem to make enough time for it, especially since I undertook this self-imposed goal of publishing a new snowflake pattern every Monday. Summertime and good weather are monopolized by the bicycle and the camera, no complaints. Wintertime has been a challenge because I always put blankets up over the window above the sewing machine to seal in the heat. The remaining dim light doesn't do much for my enthusiasm or my creativity.

Recently the concept of "man cave" has become extremely popular. I decided mentally transforming my sewing area into a Woman Cave might be the solution. If I could just tie my body to the quilting chair for a while, I'd rediscover the passion, and I'd no longer be intimidated by my poorly lit quilt station. During a day of our mostly snowed-out Utah vacation in February, I forced myself to do some piecing and appliquéing, and surprisingly, I had a ball! I love my Woman Cave now! Attitude is EVERYTHING.

I wanted to finish the snowflake quilt I began back in about 1995 or 1996 (or perhaps even earlier) for this year's Denver National Quilt Festival when I first rediscovered the project last year. Next thing I knew, it was February, I hadn't worked on the project at all, and only a month remained to get photos of a finished-looking quilt in the mail. I re-evaluated my quilting projects to see if there was anything I could finish faster and not put as much pressure on myself.

This is the handy quilt top rack my father-in-law custom built to house my unfinished treasures. I told him what I needed, I told him what kind of cactus I wanted it to look like, and this is what he made!

First on the rack is the Leaf Quilt, temporarily named the day I whipped this little piece out from leftovers. The leaves are from fabric I used to make a full-length long-sleeved fall/winter/spring dress to wear to work when the weather was too chilly for bared skin but not quite cold enough for a coat. The day I did this, I thought I could make three similar oversized blocks, one each for spring, summer and winter, using the different colored leaves in the fabric to base my border color selections. It was a great idea. I am not sure why it never got any further. This project might be too close to infant stage to try to finish in just one month.

Next comes experiment number five or six with fabric I printed myself. I'd played with a favorite shot of the Maroon Bells in PhotoShop, and the resulting color-shift collage became a poster. The poster was pretty popular with the mountain climbing club I was in at the time, so I thought I should try to duplicate the masterpiece on fabric. Because the idea of Colorful Bells was pretty wild, I thought zebra stripes would make great sashing. Purple zebra stripes really added to the wildness. Then I thought zebra stripes in another bright color would be great for the border, but all I could find was the white and the purple. I attempted dying fabric for the first time ever, and the fabric must have been polyester or acrylic or something else that doesn't hold dye well. It faded after one wash. I gave up. I know more about dying now, but I'd have to buy more zebra stripe. My current goal is to stay away from buying stuff for any project until I finish a few more projects. That is, until a new hand-dyed crochet thread colorway is released...

I have continued printing my own fabric because, well, it's a blast. After our honeymoon year, I did a Livestrong-inspired collage of my favorite cyclist. This piece has one visible mistake in it, so I can never enter it in competition unless I redo one of the panels from start to finish, but that's not what kept this quilt top from hanging on the wall finished. I couldn't find a suitable backing fabric, which actually is a pretty flimsy excuse, being as the back won't be seen!

The black and white Delicate Arch sashing was the first time I tried printing one photo onto several panels. When the black and white quilt top went into the unfinished pile, I had another crazy idea to do it again, this time in living color. Lining up the enlarged photo segments on an old computer, however, was more of a chore than I wanted, and this project died after just one photo. This is a time-consuming process. I can't finish this in just one month.

I annually make a new assortment of bandanas for The Lizard to wear beneath his cycling helmet to prevent his head from being stripe-burned through helmet vents. I've acquired quite the lizard stash over the last seven years. Naturally, I thought the leftovers would be a great quilt for the guest bedroom. This project is completely ready for quilting; it's even sandwiched and pin-basted. I likely could crank this baby out in a weekend or two. But what quilt judge would be impressed by an all-leftovers (even the batting!) plain Jane square quilt with squiggly little thread lizards in the stitching?

Many years ago, I joined an online quilting group so I could participate in a Round Robin quilt top swap. Each member of the swap group would make a starting square or block, then ship it to the next person on the list. Each quilter would add a round to the square, and after about six trips via US mail, each quilt top would be returned to the center block owner, and all six of us would have a completely unique quilt top with six different personalities. I bought a rainbow of hand-dyed fabric, one yard each, and quickly worked up my bright and cheery Rail Fence block before the address list of my group was even assembled. The day the swap groups were posted, my heart dropped like a lead weight. I wasn't on any of the lists. My name had been inadvertently skipped. It would be six months before the next swap began, and that coincided with my next Ride the Rockies. My initial intention was to do my own Round Robin, creating a new round each year as I matured, developed new skills and new tastes and acquired new fabric. Just weeks later, I met and began dating The Lizard, then had emergency back surgery, got married, and, well, here's the status of my very own Round Robin. I don't think I could finish it in a month, and I still like the idea of doing a new round every year. As a result, this project has my official permission to require four to six years until completion. Such four-to-six-years may commence at any point, including WAY down the road.

The Hawaiian quilt squares were a great way to use up some of the fabric I bought for the Round Robin. The Hawaiian project was inspired by a visit to a quilt shop on the Big Island during a trip I won at a singles dance so long ago, it doesn't even seem real now. I was single? I had time to quilt by hand?!? This is one of my favorite quilting projects because it's so dad-blasted blissful and vivid. I love the design as much as I did when I first began it. Taking up this project again causes my knees to quiver because I know I'll be re-addicted in about two stitches, and I'm terrified of the time commitment it would require.

So, it's back to the yet unnamed snowflake quilt for me. I've decided to quilt as I go to speed up the process and make it more portable so I can work on it aboard the commuter train if I need to. I think I've come up with the perfect way to finish all those points perfectly without having to do a million mitered corners. I also gave myself permission to just get it done, and not do it on deadline. If I can finish by March 18, that's awesome. But I won't sacrifice quality, and I won't give up my life to get it done within the time constraints. I want this to be a fun project, and I want the quilt to be something I will be proud of for the rest of my life.

Denver National Quilt Festival, here I come! Whether I have a quilt in tow is still anyone's best guess. Nevertheless, I'm determined to enjoy quilting AND the exhibit, regardless of how long it takes to finish this masterpiece.

05 March 2012

Snowflake Monday

Here is another snowflake inspired by our trip to The Wave and by the colors in my latest batch of (purchased) hand-dyed thread.

I didn't notice until after the first snowflake (the Quartzite one) dried that the eyelets had the potential to look like hearts, so I emphasized the heart shaping on the white snowflake and the striped snowflake. The pinning overkill (more than 160 pins per snowflake) was highly worth the blister that formed on my index finger.

To form wave ridges on the snowflake (as on the white one), work into only back loop of each stitch in solid sections.

If you're not reading this pattern on Snowcatcher, you're not reading the designer's blog. Please go here to see the original.

You may do whatever you'd like with snowflakes you make from this pattern, but you may not sell or republish the pattern. Thanks, and enjoy!

Finished Size: 8.5 inches from point to point
Materials: Size 10 crochet thread, size 8 crochet hook, empty pizza box, wax paper or plastic wrap, cellophane tape, water soluble school glue or desired stiffener, water, glitter, small container for glue/water mixture, paintbrush, stick pins that won't be used later for sewing, clear thread or fishing line

Instructions

Ch 5, sl st into 1st ch OR make magic ring.

Round 1: Ch 2 (counts as 1 dc), 1 dc in ring, *ch 5, 2 dc in ring; repeat from * 4 times for a total of 6 spokes; ch 5, sl st in 2nd ch of starting ch 2. Pull magic circle tight, but leave opening big enough to allow stitches inside it to lay flat.
Round 2: *4 sc in next ch 5 sp, ch 3, sl st in top of last sc just made (picot made), 4 sc in same sp; repeat from * around 5 times; sl st in starting sc.
Round 3: *1 sc in next sc (skipping sc just slip stitched into), ch 8, 4 sc, 1 sc in next sc, sk 2 sc; repeat from * around 5 times; sl st into starting sc.
Round 4: Ch 1, *6 sc in next ch 8 sp, ch 3, sl st in top of sc just made, 6 sc in same sp; repeat from * around 5 times; sl st in starting sc.
Round 5: *1 sc in next sc (skipping sc just slip stitched into), 1 sc in each of next 2 sc, ch 8, sk 4 sc, 1 sc in each of next 3 sc, sk 2 sc; repeat from * around 5 times; sl st in starting sc.
Round 6:Ch 1, *1 sc in each of next 2 sc, 6 sc in next ch 8 sp, ch 3, sl st in top of sc just made, 6 sc in same sp, 1 sc in each of next 2 sc, sk 2 sc; repeat from * around 5 times; sl st in starting sc.
Round 7: Ch 2, 1 hdc in each of next 3 sc, 1 sc in each of next 2 sc, ch 8, sk 4 sc, 1 sc in each of next 2 sc, 1 hdc in each of next 3 sc, sk 2 sc; repeat from * around 5 times; sl st in starting hdc.
Round 8: Ch 2 (counts as 1 hdc), 1 hdc in each of next 4 st, *1 hdc in next ch 8 sp, 5 sc in same sp, ch 3, sl st in top of sc just made, 5 sc in same sp, 1 hdc in same sp, 1 hdc in each of next 10 st; repeat from * around 5 times, omitting last 5 hdc of final repeat; sl st in 2nd ch of starting ch 2.
Round 9: Ch 2 (counts as 1 hdc), 1 hdc in each of next 6 st, *1 sc in each of next 2 st, ch 8, sk 4 sc, 1 sc in each of next 2 st, 1 hdc in each of next 14 st; repeat from * around 5 times, omitting last 7 hdc of final repeat; sl st in 2nd ch of starting ch 2.
Round 10: Ch 2 (counts as 1 dc), 1 dc in each of next 6 st, *1 hdc in each of next 2 st, 1 hdc in next ch 8 sp, 5 sc in same sp, ch 3, st st in top of sc just made, 5 sc in same sp, 1 hdc in same sp, 1 hdc in each of next 2 st, 1 dc in each of next 14 st; repeat from * around 5 times, omitting last 7 dc of final repeat; sl st in 2nd ch of starting ch 2.
Round 11: Ch 2 (counts as 1 dc), 1 dc in each of next 8 st, 1 hdc in each of next 2 st, 1 sc in each of next 2 st, ch 8, sk 4 sc, 1 sc in each of next 2 st, 1 hdc in each of next 2 st, 1 dc in each of next 18 st; repeat from * around 5 times, omitting last 9 dc of final repeat; sl st in 2nd ch of starting ch 2.
Round 12: Ch 2 (counts as 1 dc), 1 dc in each of next 2 st, ch 3, sl st in top of dc just made, [1 dc in each of next 3 st, ch 3, sl st in top of dc just made] 3 times, *1 dc in next st, 2 hdc in next ch 8 sp, 4 sc in same sp, ch 3, sl st in sc just made, 4 sc in same sp, 2 hdc in same sp, 1 dc in next st, ch 3, sl st in top of dc just worked, [1 dc in each of next 3 st, ch 3, sl st in top of dc just made] 8 times; repeat from * around 4 times; 1 dc in next st, 2 hdc in next ch 8 sp, 4 sc in same sp, ch 3, sl st in sc just made, 4 sc in same sp, 2 hdc in same sp, 1 dc in next st, ch 3, sl st in top of dc just worked, [1 dc in each of next 3 st, ch 3, sl st in top of dc just made] 3 times, 1 dc in each of next 2 st, sl st in 2nd ch of starting ch 2, ch 3, sl st in same ch; bind off. Weave in ends.

Finish: Tape wax paper or plastic wrap to top of empty pizza box. Pin snowflake to box on top of wax paper or plastic wrap.

If using glue, mix a few drops of water with a teaspoon of glue in small washable container. Paint snowflake with glue mixture or desired stiffener. Sprinkle lightly with glitter. Wash paintbrush and container thoroughly. Allow snowflake to dry at least 24 hours. Remove pins. Gently peel snowflake from wax paper or plastic wrap. Attach 10-inch clear thread to one spoke, weaving in end. Wrap fishing line around tree branch (or tape to ceiling or any overhead surface) and watch the snowflake twirl freely whenever you walk by! Snowflake also may be taped to window or tied to doorknob or cabinet handle.

02 March 2012

The nerve!

They make us get up at midnight the first Sunday in February to find out what the new route will be; how fitting it would be if they make us wait until midnight the day of the lottery!

To make matters worse, I was so excited about this year's Ride the Rockies route, I accidentally forgot to enter my credit card expiration date for one of our two registrations, but I did get it right the second time. I worried all day and all night we might be booted if we were drawn because I didn't enter proper billing information.

I called Ride the Rockies the next business day to find out how bad the damage would be. After a couple of days of checking into the problem, they told me we wouldn't be booted, and I'd have the opportunity to re-enter the required information if we were drawn.

We waited.

Results didn't slide easily into email boxes across the country first thing this morning, as it had the two years before. We kept waiting. Suddenly The Lizard called and told me I needed to call the bank right away.

Oh, it had to be good news! They had the pending charge and were waiting to process it until we verified the charge was indeed valid! It HAD to be good news!

It wasn't good news at all.

Someone in California had attempted to fraudulently use my credit card number in the middle of the night. The bank put a hold on my card until they could contact me. They did not allow the transaction to go through. They did, however, recommend I allow them to close the account immediately, just in case. The criminal likely knew the number wasn't going to work and wouldn't try to use it again, but just to be safe, the bank wanted me to get a new card.

No problem. Well, itsy bitsy, teeny tiny problem, I explained. I told them about Ride the Rockies, about the lottery this very day, and we were still waiting to hear. And waiting. And waiting. And waiting.

The bank assured me they'd let me know if those charges do indeed come through so I can approve them. I'd have to go a few days without a card, but that's okay. I don't like buying things on credit anyway. Gratitude and relief flooded my body because my bank is so awesome. Not every bank is so cool. But that's a tale for a different day. Even though my money is safe and sound, nerves abounded. Lottery results still had not been announced.

We waited. We waited some more. The Lizard called me at lunchtime to find out if I'd heard anything. He doesn't have access to email during the day. I told him I'd even checked the Facebook fan page to see if anyone else had been notified yet. A lot of cyclists were nervously fidgeting just like us. "When do we find out?" they'd post. "We'll notify all registrants on March 2," the response would follow.

11.5 hours of March 2nd left to go, thank you very much.

Then came the Facebook announcement at 12:50 that all lucky riders had been notified via email. We still had nothing.

We had decided just a few nights earlier NOT to register for a different weeklong ride if we were not drawn. Back in February, we'd found another one that doesn't require a lottery; just sign up, pay and you're in. The route is awesome, our favorite area of the state, but during the monsoon season, when lightning would present a danger to slow riders like me. (The Lizard would have no difficulty whatsoever clearing mountain passes before daily storms move in.) We thought this particular ride would be a great substitute if we were not drawn for Ride the Rockies, except I'd probably have to SAG every mountain pass, even if I left early in the morning before the sun came up, just to be safe. Mountain passes are the best part of any ride, challenging myself to do something difficult and be in a beautiful spot to boot. Keeping my body in shape, keeping diabetes at bay, snapping too many pictures along the way... I want to ride!

Deep snow buried our yard almost all winter long, and we were finally beginning to see tiny tufts of green. We'd been planning for more than a year to redo the entire yard, front and back, but we put so much time into training for rides, we haven't done much. We finally decided last week we could still be happy if we don't get drawn for Ride the Rockies this year if we finish up the yard instead of doing a weeklong tour.

Not being drawn definitely made me want to reconsider. I was so tempted to sign up for the Plan B ride instead.

The husband of a co-worker had signed up for Ride the Rockies, too. He's been drawn for every single one he ever put in for. His wife emailed to find out if we got in. She said she hadn't heard anything either. Nothing. I told her I have a stack of rejection letters from years gone by, all my unsuccessful attempts, but no new one yet. She said I should delete them all, too depressing. I told her they are war wounds, and they prove how hard I've repeatedly tried to get in.

I kept checking email as work allowed, and every once in a while I'd check the Facebook page just to see if anyone else was elated yet. Everyone was still asking when the results would be announced.

Ride the Rockies said the list of riders would be published sometime in the afternoon. So I checked that.

AND THERE WERE OUR NAMES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My co-worker's husband, too!

Still no email. Still no word from my bank. Still nothing about how this is going to be paid for, being as I'm credit cardless for a few days.

BUT WE'RE IN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Maybe the yard will get done next year...

Pins and Needles

Today's the day. Sometime in the next few hours, we'll learn whether this year's Ride the Rockies registration was successful.

01 March 2012

Project Blizzard

What an exciting month February was! I didn't need to search for reasons to smile, but I did, and all 29 days rewarded me. Richly!!!

Our successful hike into The Wave will provide dreamy, romantic, adventurous and creative inspiration for years to come. (Check out the newest free wallpaper on the sidebar, too!)

Larkspur I'd forgotten planting outside last May finally began sprouting - INDOORS - in December and then bloomed vividly during the biggest snowfall of the year (36 inches in 5 days!). Biggest snowstorm this year so far... February and March traditionally provide the most snow of the year along the Front Range of Colorado.

I'd planted rosemary and lavender in the pots when I thought nothing would come of the flowers, and I brought the aromatic spices inside prior to our first frost in August. At first I thought December's new sprouts were cilantro, due to the intricately ornate leaves. But cilantro never blooms like this!

Our biggie snowstorm brought tons of little people smiles in the neighborhood.

In chilly Kanab, Utah, I found what I think are sycamore seeds, still intact. Back in my youth, kids in the neighborhood used to pluck these weapons from the lone tree in our backyard and try to sneak them inside the backs of shirts of unsuspecting playmates and then smash them and rub them in as long as they could get away with it. We'd do what we called "The Itchy Dance" trying to get those itchy bombs away from our skin!

Finishing THE skirt during the drive to Utah.

Finishing 20 snowflakes for this year's Denver National Quilt Festival entry. Let the quilting begin...

My outdoor poppy pot has been buried by at least 12 inches of snow all winter long. With two consecutive days of sunshine for the first time in weeks, most of the snow melted, and look what was hiding below!!!

I bought a bag of tiny potatoes to make homemade potato soup with homegrown rosemary and homegrown chives. One of the potatoes sprouted, so I planted it. And this monster erupted from that tiny potato in just three weeks!