Why, you ask, would I have chosen the cookie monster cables for my very first knitting project when normal people learn to knit scarves, then felt bags, then socks, and THEN attempt a sweater? I'm posting some pics here of my first quilt. Maybe this will explain how insane I am. I don't seem to be able to just get a pattern for anything and follow that. I'm really an outside-the-box kind of gal. Patterns are never what I want. When I use them, it's merely for launching purposes.
The bug quilts came about during my 3rd pregnancy. Knowing that after the baby was born, our girls would be sharing a room and bed, I went looking for something fun to decorate it with. I decided I really liked the loud colors (lemon, rasberry, lime, orange, etc.) and wanted a bug theme. There were several ready-made bug comforters out there, but none quite what I wanted (read in between the lines...none were quite loud enough!) So I thought to myself, "self, you know how to sew, surely you can figure out how to quilt" I got out my sketch pad, colored pencils, and graph paper and set out to make matching quilts for my girls. After I got the tops put together, I realized I didn't really know how to "quilt" all the layers together. I took it into my local quilt shop to see if they could help me out. I distinctly remember their stunned faces:
"THIS is what you did for your FIRST quilt?????!!!!!"
Anyway, after 16 months (give me a break, I had 3 kids under 4 yrs old at the time!) both quilts were done. The only differences are the blocks in the center are personalized to each girl: monkey for Olivia, grumpy bug for Zoe (ohh, you have to know her!) and Zoe's is smaller b/c I didn't realize HOW small it would be. Doing Olivia's second I decided to add a border and make it bigger. I've always meant to go back and add the border to Zoe's...maybe it'll be a nice graduation present or something (she's 5...do you think I have time?)
1 comment:
It's all about what inspires you.
If you really want a pretty cabled top, or a beautiful piece of lace, or an intricate quilt top, you'll figure out whatever you need to in order to have it.
Sadly, I think too many people scare themselves into thinking that they can't do something because it's "hard"... or perhaps "intermediate" or "advanced".
Honestly, though, in knitting... there is very little that is really, truly, difficult... unless you're making it so (usually by working too tightly).
Oh... and for the record, I never finished my first project (A simple scarf out of Berroco Optik). In fact, it's been ripped out completely (it was both too scratchy and too short by far the way I'd been doing it, even though it looked rather nice), and is awaiting some attention. Ssadly... I don't know when I'll ever get to it. There is so much more out there that inspires me more.
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