Whimsicals Threads

I just have to share!

I was flipping through the Feb/Mar 2010 issue of Quilters Newsletter last week and spied a plug for Jo Morton's new fabric line, Stafford County, and in it there was a picture of this really cool block.  Can you see the picture of it up there in the corner?  You may need to get out your magnifying glass... 

(Ok, so I should have angled the camera to get less of my block and more of the magazine, but the camera is already put away and I have to work with what I have.....)

I don't know if it is a block from one of Jo's quilts, or if it was "Photoshop'd" together for Quilters Newsletter, but I feel the need to give the credit to someone other than myself.  Anyway, I saw this block and just had to try making one. It was a fun and much needed diversion for a few days.... so much so that I ended up making four of them!

I spent a little time last night going through some books, trying to find the block and what it is called, but * sigh * no luck.  If anyone happens to know, please pass it along to me! 

I'm not sure yet what I'm going to do with the blocks now, though.  It's not like I needed any more stray blocks floating around my sewing room.  (I've got plenty, believe me!)  But I just couldn't help myself.  And being the ever prepared designer that I am, I even wrote instructions and took pictures as I went, because who knows?  Maybe I can work them into a quilt for that book I should be working on.    Hmmm...... I need to think on that one and keep you posted.

Something else I wanted to share......

Yep, it's an apple pie.  Or at least what remains of one.  Actually, it is an Upside Down Apple Pie (and yes, that's what the recipe says it is too!) that I made last night and oh man was it good!  And that means a lot coming from me, because given a choice between cake or pie, cake wins, hands down, every time in my book.  But this recipe may change my mind.  I may even make it again, which is an even bigger feat because I really don't enjoy cooking,  and it took me a while to make, which means time away from "creating".  (You can tell by looking at the picture that I don't put as much effort into creating a work of art out of food, because mine looks nothing like the photo in the magazine.  But it sure tastes good enough!!)

So, on that note, I'm going to go have myself a piece of pie before it's all gone, then sit down and see if I can come up with something to do with my blocks!

The Evolution of a Hat

 
It's been a cold blustery winter in Indiana this year.... hmmmm..... that reminds me of Pooh bear and the Blustery Day.  And can I just say again that I LOVE Pooh bear!? 

(Believe it or not, I scanned this from a book I have had since my childhood!)

But I wasn't going to talk about Pooh bear today.  I brought up the cold blustery winter because it is again, one of those days here.  The wind is blowing the dusting of snow around, whipping down the chimney of the fireplace causing the doors to open and close, and bringing our friend "Wendy the Cow" for a visit. 

Hmm... I think that may need a little explanation, so allow me to go off on a little side road for a minute.

You see, in the 14 years that we've lived in this house, every time the wind really blows, the seal around one of the doors makes this funny noise that almost sounds like a cow mooing.  When it first happened, the kids (who were very young at that time) came running up to me, all scared, because they thought some monster was in the house.  I appeased them by telling them that it was just Wendy the Cow that was coming for a visit. 

And she continues to come every time we have a blustery day.

So, as I sit here, listening for Wendy, with the "chicken dog" curled at my feet (yes, our dog Yukon is afraid of Wendy too), and Otis holding the fireplace doors closed (now there's another story I need to share), I want to tell you about my latest obsession with hats.

I think this started when I was searching for a hat to wear for the drama I was in this December.  Or maybe it really started with the hat I made for the Pumpkins and Spice book.  No matter when it began, I have been trying to find a hat for myself this winter.  One that looks okay on me with my small head and short hair, without making me look like a little boy.

So, I started messing around with some felted wool, using a picture of a hat I found online as a guide.  And what follows is a recounting of my trials (and errors) in finally coming up with a hat (or two) that I like.  I do have to tell you that I had to dig two of these out of the trash to take the pictures..... and understand that I usually don't use my favorite fabrics when trying to design something like this, so they may not be the best looking!

The first thing was trying to get the top shaped right.  My first attempt ended up being wrong and a bit "bulbous".

It didn't look too bad just sitting on the table, but when I put it on my head, the center collapsed down and the sides bulged and poofed out way too much.  So, threw that one in the corner, and moved on to attempt number 2.

This one I actually completed.  And it's okay.  But it is more "manly" than I wanted.  Could be because of the color (what?! I wasn't going to use my hand-dyed wools, so I just used one that I bought off the bolt!), but the more I looked at it, I decided that it needed a band going around it so that it didn't look so much like a baseball cap.  So, on to attempt number 3.

I was back to the mis-shaped top, which was also too short, and the band was too small, making the whole hat look more like a beret before putting it on my head.  AFTER putting it on my head, though, it looked more like a puffy pill-box sort of thing, and quite hilarious!  This one ended up in the trash! 

Hmmm.... maybe this just wasn't meant to be. 

But, I don't give up THAT easily.  So I tried another.

Now, this one I liked!  Kind of fun (see, I even finished it off with a wool flower!?) yet there was still something about it that bothered me.  It fits very close to my head, more like a baseball cap, so I wanted to try making it with a softer, more feminine feel on the top.  This is where I found it simply amazing that just by changing the angle or curve of the top pieces a tiny bit caused such a dramatic difference....

See how it has a different feel to the top portion?  I thought that this one looked better on me, but both my husband and son still liked the gray one better.  So, off I went again, for another try....

I changed the angle a bit more on the top, shortened the brim, and I think I almost got it!  So far, this was my favorite, but of course, I had to try just one more a few days later, because you know I can't just leave things well enough alone.  Didn't you read my last post?! 

There were a few things I still didn't like about this hat, and I'm not telling you what they are in case I decide later that I like it better than this latest one...... 

But, I'd love to hear what you think! 

Which is your favorite?  And why?

You may not ever think about it, there are so many things to consider with hats..... Is it too stiff?  Or should it be soft and floppy?  Does it come down far enough so that my ears don't stick out?  Or do I want it to perch on the top of my head?  And how tight should it be?  Tight enough so that it stays on for a blustery day?! 

And I think the biggest question for me is....

What do I do with all these hats now?!?!