Wednesday, December 30, 2015

Sound Of Silence

After a crazy, jam packed last minute Holiday gift making flurry...I put my sewing machine away. Cleared the table of all sewing paraphernalia, cutting mats tucked under a coffee table, ironing board in it's rightful place in the laundry room and design wall rolled and crammed behind a door.  That was nine days ago.  Nine.  Nine.  Nine.  

I have to say the first couple days were hard.  I wanted to bust it out and sew a song!  As the days went by, it became easier.  The shakes subsided, those awful thoughts of 'just one more gift' were laid to rest.  My house became cleaner than it's been in a long time.  It seemed I had the time, I didn't need to rush to get it finished just to get back to quilting.  

And with a wink of an eye, I felt like I was in a slump!  WTH?!  No, no, no, no and further more NO!  I had to break the ice, clear the damn dam...cut through those bad thoughts!


The Quilter's Planner
My new planner arrived!  I'm excited about this, maybe I will become a better planner and organizer?!  I could happen.  At first I was afraid to write in it, then thought 'for pete sake, girl! What did you get it for if you aren't going to write in it"?!  So I did.

Casual Link Block
My Block
Stephanie Palmer @ Late Night Quilter did a beautiful job on this!  Besides the usual calendar, every week is a new block from the Blogger's Fabri-Quilt Block Hop, graph paper, list's for days, full quilt patterns and quilting references.

Oh and if you order one you also get a PDF for a Zippy Quilter's Planner Cover!!  Amanda @ What The Bobbin has updated the pattern to fit the 2016 planner.   

Wasting Spending quality time on Instagram today, I saw that Silvia @ A Stranger View had actually made a cover!  And it was amazing!  To be honest, I wasn't planning on making one until I saw hers.  I am not that good at this kind of sewing or following instructions.  With a little encouragement, I decided this was going to be my ice breaker!

How hard could it be?

  
The fabric choice was easy.  Use it...use it...Tula Pink it was.  This has been in my secret stash long enough. There should be just enough for this cover.  











The outside was ironed to fusible fleece after being pieced it together and I lightly quilted vertical lines.  



By the time I got to this point I had my iPad open with the PDF, my phone opened to What the Bobbin blog tutorial and Instagram open for finished pictures.  Directions!  Instructions! Phooey!  Read, re-read, rip out, read, sew again.  I just can't seem to follow along sometimes!

The entire time I kept thinking it won't fit anyway!  You're going to screw it up!  You wasted your last prized Tula fabric!  Idiot!

That's what I thought.

 This is the front.  That zipper pouch will be very handy!!  Candy and pencils will fit perfectly!


The Inside.  The sides are pockets.  I could fill those with erasers.  It even has a business card holder, which sadly is too small for a real business card!  I figured that out too late! Gum. Gum will fit.

The true test...will the planner fit?  Holding breath.....a deep, deep breath.....


Like a glove!  


If I can do it guess who else can do it?  You got it...YOU can!  Whew, whew, whew!

I'm not usually a matchy, matchy kind of person, but in this case I thought why not?  Two peas in a pod!  Bionic Gear Bag meet Zippy Quilter's Planner Cover...and they both lived happily ever after! 




THe ENd.

Linking:
Needle & Thread Thursday

33 comments :

  1. Okay stop - you are making my smoothie come out my nose! I know EXACTLY how you feel - I didn't sew for seven days and I felt like I was withering away! (We can officially say we are obsessed, I believe!) And as for the planner cover, DAMMIT Jayne - now I have to make one! Hope you're happy. (and Thanks for the am crack up)

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    1. It was my last hurrah for 2015 (not making a smoothie come out your nose)! The cover wasn't too hard and with every device open to a different tutorial helped! This kind of thing is not in my comfort zone at all!! I'm sure you will make much better sense with the pattern than me! Obsessed…hell yes! I will never deny that! And I'm happy to have given you a morning laugh!

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  2. Pretty cover. Good laugh when you said you were afraid to write in the planner, that would be me!

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    1. It is so crazy to not want to write in it! But it's just so fresh and clean! The cover was my way of breaking back into quilting, it seemed more like 9 weeks instead of 9 days!

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  3. You've made me literally laugh out loud this morning. I'm totally the kind of person that would buy a planner and then not write in it. Good for you that you just went for it! I haven't sewed for two weeks and I'm starting to lose it. My brain is full of way too many ideas that need to be written in a planner that I don't have. Guess I should buy one and make a cute cover like you did! Thanks for a great wake up post. :O)

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    1. While it's always nice to take a break from quilting, anything over a couple days usually makes me self medicate! I hope you get back to it and get those ideas going! I am going to use the planner, I really will!! I'm happy you enjoyed the post! I wanted to make it fun!!

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  4. Thank you Jayne for this fun post! You made gorgeus cover for that special planner! I can't also follow easily patterns. Always start to change something and usually I spend lot of time figuring out on my own how to make something.
    These days has been very strange...even I had thought to sew, I just couldn't start anything. Then finally yesterday I managed to start with some tiny triangles. This project makes me happy. Thank you for inspiring us and Happy New Year! x Teje

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    1. That is so funny and I bet there are many others that can't follow patterns either! I was just so glad that the cover fit the planner…I can overlook any other flaws except that! And it isn't just me or you that are having issues with getting back to quilting! Seems to be a trend!

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  5. I promised myself a break but have been unable to take one. But I have been in a slump. Some time off would probably refresh me. Your planner cover is lovely! Just think of all the pretty things you are going to create!

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    1. I think after all the crazy holiday this, that and the other thing…getting that Mojo back is hard to do! You were suppose to take a break! What the heck happened?! Coming from me ~ Dr. Jayne…it is advisable to take a break! Just not too long or you'll end up like me…silence!

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  6. I think I'm going to bite the bullet and try this weekend. I absolutely love the fabrics you chose for this project. I might cheat and purchase some cheap fat quarters at Walmart this evening before I use my precious stash fabric :)

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    1. I hope you give it a try Tish. If you have any questions feel free to email me! Seriously, I had 3 devises going to figure it out and I know it's just me following directions and all…some find the instructions clear and concise. I always find them confusing and complicated!

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  7. So glad to see you are still using that Tula!! Great cover for your quilters diary. I love new notebooks and diaries, but I also never want to use them, in case I make a mistake, write messily etc. Stupid I now, especially since I am the only one who sees it.
    All the best for a creative 2016, so glad I found your blog this year!

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    1. What a sweet thing to say Julie! I'm always happy to have followers and I appreciate you stopping by…always! I caved and wrote in my planner with pen! EEEEKKK!

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  8. I'm so anxious to make a cover for mine! I HAVE started writing in it - now I just need to remember to look at what I've written! ;-/ Good luck to us both!

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    1. Sounds like me in a nut shell! My planner has been officially soiled…with pen! I may or may not look at it or even keep up with it, but damn it….I'm going to try! Can't wait to see your cover!

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  9. Oh, what a pretty set! Well done!

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    1. It is pretty, isn't it?! Something I am not normally drawn to! Oh well, I'm just happy I finished it and it fits!

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  10. Well dang! I wasn't going to make a cover and then I saw yours. I love your fabric choices and your cover looks fabulous! So, I guess I'll be adding the cover to my January To Do list. I'll go pencil that in my planner now..... :)

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    1. Pencil??? Dear Beth, I have soiled my planner with pen…I cannot believe I did that!! Truth, I like the planner cover. It stretched my capabilities to the limit. It didn't matter what the end result was as long as it fit and thank god it did!! Just remember 1/4" seams!!!

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  11. Very cute cover. I decided I wasn't going to make one either, but now I'm not sure. I guess my big question to you is this -- is the cover too bulky to open the planner and fold it back on itself (hence the reason it has a spiral binding)? That is what is stopping me because I never write in mine on a table where I can lay it out flat. Rather it's in my lap or something where it's easy to handle if I can fold it completely open. Would love your feedback.

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    1. Thanks Diana! What a good question! I ran to my planner and tried it. It will still fold back on itself with the cover and isn't too bulky. The cover does bunch up (fold up) when it is opened that way, but it doesn't seem to interfere with the planner or ability to write in it. I would be happy to snap a picture of it so you can see what I mean. In my opinion it will work!

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  12. Love your cover! Can't wait to make mine. Hoping to get my planner next week. Thanks for the tips.

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  13. The cover looks great! You've inspired me to order the planner, I may have to try my hand at this as well when it arrives.

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    1. Much to my surprise the planner turned out better than I thought it would! I finally did write in the planner…with pen…Now to keep it up throughout the year!

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  14. What a great project to break the ice and get you sewing again. :)

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    1. I needed something to get me going! This seemed like the perfect starting point. Thankfully the cover actually fit the planner, which I didn't think would happen!

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  15. Love your fabric choice for the cover. Expecially the full side fabric back and the small strip (animal) front. Soooo cute! The zipper sounds useful. Might consider that when sewing a new planner cover. I am not using this planner but I can relate soooo much to your "no writing - I could mess it up" attitude :)

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  16. Glad to hear you made it through those tough 9 days. And back again! What better way to wrap up a year of loveliness and get back into sewing than this? And with a planner that will encourage you to make some goals and keep track of all your creativity! Beautiful job and so sweet that it matches the bag. Looking forward to seeing what you will come up with in the coming new year! Happy 2016, my friend!

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  17. When I finished all my "had to sew" projects I couldn't wait to get back to my machine and just see something for me ... but then I was stumped ... what to sew?! Time wasted on IG, Pinterest etc ... then decided to just sew for my family and that took the pressure off - phew! I love your cover and hope that it lives happily ever after with you :) Happy New Year!!

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  18. Maybe I'll sew a cover for that new art journal I'm afraid to write in.

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  19. Yours looks fantastic!!!! (I got nervous a few times too...but our covers came out great!)

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  20. Yours looks fantastic!!!! (I got nervous a few times too...but our covers came out great!)

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