Movin' on

so, I've been eyein' WordPress for some time now, and finally decided to make the move after Bloggerocalypse 2011.  So, if you're wanting to see the new digs and my new projects, just head yourself over to:

http://devillerouge.wordpress.com/

ID tag

So, my little guy, due to his Autism doesn't do so hot with the question "What's your name?"  He gets it occasionally, but speech that is still a little garbled/inarticulate.  So, as a safety measure, we slip a soft ID bracelet/anklet on him daily whenever he leaves the house--just in case.  I have hopes that no one would ever have to use it, but if it should be needed and wasn't there, I know it would eat me up.

The bracelet we had before was part of the "safety kit" from school when they took ID photos and fingerprinted the lot of them like the hardened criminals they are.  And it's served us well for some time.  But like many things toddler related--we sent him out one day with it, and he came back without it, and without the ability to tell us just where it might be.

Tomorrow brings the first field trip he's ever taken, and it's been buggin me for a few days that his new bracelet hasn't arrived.  So off to the studio i went...

Basically, this is just a piece of nylon webbing with velcro--one end of the velcro is open to hold the id tag that i laminated (that pic didn't come out--sorry.  but i think you get the idea--a piece of paper with name & numbers and whatever other tasty info one might find important.)  Since Ben has his sensitivities to all things NOT cotton, Daddy suggested i cover it with some material to make it softer.  SO i made a tube, inserted the webbing and sealed it up.  

Then after some trial and error (velcro in the wrong place, etc) i stitched down the velcro, leaving the wee pocket.  Easy peasy.

Once he got home from school i had our little Zoolander model it.  He didn't even notice it--as usual.  That's a good thing.

I'm toying with the idea of making these for sale--since they were so easy.  So any parents let me know if you'd like to tag your kid like a celebrity on parole...

Celtic BOM for May

For Mother's day, i thought i would post my Celtic BOM pattern for May.  This month's pattern was about the Goddess.  I chose to use a design different than that posted at Simply 2M, but the idea is the same.  It is a celebration of the Mother and motherhood.

I chose a classic symbol that dates back to bronze-age asia and the goddess cultures that flourished there before the invasion of the Khurgan culture from the Russian Steppe and male-dominated religion (Gimbutas, The Pre-history of Eastern Europe).  A rich symbol rejoicing in the bounty of woman, with the addition of  her ties to the phases of the moon.  On one side the moon waxes, on the other it wanes.  It is our monthly cycle, and without clocks, it would be our one way of keeping track of the months.

I chose to place this on a multicolored spiral--a design I do not claim as my own.  I saw it on some site somewhere ages ago and liked it. Many times this particular figure is adorned with a spiral over her womb, signifying the creation of life.  I preferred that spiral to encompass/signify the world entire.  My only regret in this design is that the yellow i chose for the moon was not as opaque as i would like, with the ricrac showing through.

I used the fusible web method for applique, and a blanket stitch with embroidery thread.  I chose to echo the purple fabric of the goddess figure as the outside border, with green to symbolize the lushness of life.  I outline quilted the figures, and echo quilted around the spiral.

Little by little i am gaining some skills with my machine quilting.  I am happy to say this project only took me two days (not entire, but a few hours each day--one to construct and one to quilt).  Practice practice practice.  May the Mother continue to guide my hand...

Next up--Hawaiian Quilting!

Block #4 Betty's Blue Birds

Here is the April Block for Betty's Blue Birds called swallow's crossing.  I'm pretty please with how this one turned out.  The "swallow" block was paper pieced, which is why the edges are so crisp.

The funny thing is, from this one i moved on to another BOM from Quilty Delights, and the January block was this:


This one was NOT paper pieced and one of my corners is a little crooked--but i'm hoping i'll be able to correct that when i construct the quilt.

As you can see, i also plan to make this one with a black background to change things up a bit.  I'll post the other three squares once i take pics.

There has GOT to be an easier way to make quarter triangle squares!  I am such a fan of creating half triangle squares without cutting the square, that now having done this block--and a few others, I want to find that easy  method that won't stretch out my triangles, messing up my block!  *grumble*

And would you believe it--i've actually got ONE MORE BOM that i'm doing?  By the end of the year i should have 3 quilt tops assembled, 9 mini quilts created, and the blocks i created earlier this year.  And i've embarked on another quilting adventure--but this one is all handwork to be done when i'm not in or don't have access to my studio.  I'll post about THAT very soon!