Anything But Paper Swap and New Patterns Now Available

Okay after much debate and a phone call to my mom - of course - I finished my Anything but Paper ATC swap cards this morning. They are not exactly perfect but I did my best and they are made from my favorite Amy Butler fabric (which I used to make a great dress from the Dayshift Dress pattern from Indygo Junction - I'll post some pictures of that later).



They are simple, but I like that about them. I guess I never figured how hard it would be to be creative on a deadline or maybe it's because the "theme" was too broad for me. I think if the theme was more specific and not just a materials limit I would have been more inspired. I don't know but since I have the big International Quilt Market trade show coming up in a week or so I had to get them done like now. I have too much to do at work to get ready for the show - although no sewing has to be done this weekend.

I did buy some fabric - also Amy Butler - on ebay this week which I will be using to make a dress/tunic/top out of this week. It's going to be out of one of my new Indygo Junction patterns - which are now available for viewing at the website just click on New Arrivals from the home page. I just put them up on Friday. They are not available for purchase yet, but you can see them. I'm thinking of making either the Audrey's Afternoon Dress (if I have enough fabric) or the top for the Boudoir Basics (plain sleeve version) making it longer and chinching it with a belt!!

Anyway, Maggie's Blanket update - still working on the lap blanket that is full of my memories. It will be the first donated blanket. I hope to really get this going after the show - so probably early June. Again, please email me at cpinkman3@kc.rr.com if you are interested in donating yarn, yarn scraps or knit/crocheting for the cause.

Thanks,
Cheryl

God Moves in Mysterious Ways

So I've started on my first Maggie's Blanket using the scraps I have. It's funny that my first instinct was to not use some because I remember what I had used them for - the one I used to make a blanket for my boss for Christmas, the scraps from the blanket I made for my sister's baby when he was born, the blanket I made for my friend's wedding...I kept wanting to keep them and not use them - they were too "good". I kept reminding myself that this is for those who have nothing - what am I keeping these pieces for. It was as if God was trying to tell me to let go of the past and more forward - He has a purpose for me and my skills.

I sewed all weekend to work on the new kid's PJs pattern we are coming out with. It's totally different to make something for fun and to make something for money. Didn't like that feeling of sewing because I had to. I also worked on my ATC card swap Anything but Paper. I made the background out of linen fabric scraps with melted crayon bits on them, then I stamped them and used some micro-beads to create an Earth. I'm not totally have happy with them. I'm thinking of trying something a little more fabric scrappy. Not sure. This is turning out to be harder than expected.

Please pass on the word that I'm looking for yarn scrap donations. If anyone is interested in participating or donating (yarn only!!), please email me cpinkman3@kc.rr.com or leave me a comment. The more yarn I can get my hands on the more blankets we can make. I have another person working with me to knit/crochet up scraps to make blankets for the needy. If you would like to make some blankets for donation, that would be great too. I should soon have a group selected and get more information on where the blankets will go.

Thanks so much for all the encouragement. Please also feel free to pray for this mission of Maggie's Blankets and any church participation is appreciated and encouraged. Thanks!!!

Starting a Charity - My Earth Day Work

So I've thought about doing this for years and since it's Earth Day I'm going to put this out there and see where it goes. I've always loved knitting and crocheting ever since my grandmother taught me. When you create something, just like in sewing you always end up with "scraps" of yarn - sometimes a lot and sometime a little - and like the fabric scraps I keep them all. I've always thought I'd figure out what to do with them.

I've finally figured it out - I'm going to knit or crochet them all together - whether they match or not - into blankets to donate to needy people. It's going into Spring and Summer here, but somewhere in the world people are cold and need a blanket. I know there are many people out there that have these scraps of yarn too! I want to put out the call to people to collect those scraps and hang on to them, stockpile them because I'm going to turn them into help for the ones who need it. I have the big trade show in mid May and will be way too busy to organize this until after that, but it's important to me to put these little scraps to good use.

I call this new (hopefully official non-profit group someday) Maggie's Blankets. Maggie was what many people called my grandmother - I never did, but I always loved hearing it - her name was actually Mary Magdalene. I have already collected many balls of yarn from my own projects, but I have also had many full balls of mismatched yarns from co-workers. I'm going to be working on my own blankets, but after the show i would love to coordinate a circle of women (and men!!) to knit or crochet blankets of all sizes, colors, and shapes to send to the needy. I'm going to contact my pastor at church because I know they work with mission groups around the world and might know of a specific need.

Maggie's Blankets are labors of love and it doesn't matter what colors or how many multi-colored and multi-textured yarns go into them. Warm is warm. This is for you Grandma - you taught me to be strong and use what I got - I'm going to do just that and pass it on. I miss her and I hope to keep her memory alive with this project. Won't you help me? Step 1 - collect that yarn and get others to do the same.

More to come. Please email me if you would like to get involved. Thanks!!!

Cute Babies with Cute Blankets

Here are the promised pictures of the blanket's I crocheted - okay mostly it's pictures of my best friend's cute baby girls sitting on them. I love that they have had pictures taken with them - of course, their mom, Rebecca (my best friend since third grade!!!) is a photographer (and a great one btw). She just told me today that their little hats don't fit them anymore. It's okay. She can save them and pass them down through the years - and the best goes on!!!

Here you go - Aren't they adorable?











I've also decided to make my sister an altered art photo album for Easter/Birthday Gift. I hope she loves it. It's turning out great.

Passing on the Tradition

Now I grew up with a mom that was always sewing. As a matter of fact, the story goes - and I can't confirm nor deny the truth of the story - that when my father bought my mother an engagement ring, she took it back got a cheaper one and a new sewing machine. It sounds just like something my mom would do so...

Everytime we would go somewhere, it was always, well I could make that much cheaper, but since she sewed for other people to help make ends meet - I never ended up getting that "new outfit".

My grandmother might have been a sewer, but I never saw that side of her. My grandmother was always crocheting. She made every child and grandchild an aphgan. Each one had a special pattern and color scheme - mine was a block shape in shades of blue - my favorite color. Being the first grandaughter (four boys born before me), I have to admit I was her favorite. I fell in love with the art of yarn. She taught me to crochet and I wish I could remember that day/moment of her teaching, but sadly I don't. My son was the last great-grandchild she made an blanket for before she passed away. It was very sad to know the tradition was over. I refused to let it die and when my sister became pregnant after Grandma died I carried on the tradition and made a beautiful aphgan for little baby Ethan. I even used a pattern I found in my grandma's stash. It makes me sad to remember how much love she put into every stitch and how that hard work is lost of so many of my family members who still snuggle up with their blankets on cold nights. Mine is packaged up because I'm so afraid of something happening to it. I know she would want me to use it, but I just can't.

My mother's oldest sister taught me another yarn art - knitting. No one else in my family knew this skill. She taught me what knitters call the old way of throwing the yarn and casting on. I have to say this is my favorite "old craft". I've started my own tradition of creating a blanket for everyone I know. I almost always create my projects using varigated yarns in whimsical colors. I have made my son many. My best friend Becky had twins a year ago and I made them each a BEAUTIFUL set of blankets and matching hats. I have pics of them in the hats, but will have to dig up the blanket pics. I'll post pictures of them later. I have made one for each of my in-laws, my best friend for Christmas, my other best friend for her wedding, my neice for her wedding, and on and on the list goes. It brings me joy and them too I hope.





Passing on this art from the generations before me will end with me I think. I have one child - a son and he's not too interested yet! He's only six. It's not only an art to behold but these are practical skills. Let me tell you, it can be cheap or expensive to create a blanket - but the time and heart and soul you put in it is worth it and it lasts a lifetime.

I call on everyone to find time to pass on a tradition/skill/art/craft to someone you know and love - or maybe a stranger at church. Let's not let it be lost.