For Tuesday -- Annabelle

On the Wednesday before Christmas, my mum-in-law bought the three of us sock creatures to make. She picked out a reindeer, Alex an owl, me a cow. I originally wanted an octopus, but they were all out, and a little bit of cow-country was calling deep from my soul. A cow made out of pink and black striped socks.

On Monday night, the three of us sat in the living room, the fire blazing, watching Top Gear and starting our respective sock creatures. It was delightful to have a needle and thread in my hands again. I made the body, with stumpy legs, and stuffed it. Cut, stuffed and attached the short arms. Cut out the black heel of one sock, sewed and stuffed it impeccably as its snout; stiched a wry mouth in lime green thread; and attached two buttons for nostrils. Its tail sported a white felt tip to whack away the imaginary sock flies. Ears and smaller horns were attached to the top of her sock-toe head. All that was left were the eyes and the udders. My cow was a girl.

On Tuesday night, we sat round the fire again, with a movie on the television and only be picking up my sock creature. My cow was taking shape and I felt the udders should come next, before the eyes. Carefully a large circle was cut in white felt, along with four smaller circles, all attached in the same lime green thread. The button that came with my sock cow were four of the same shape, with one slightly more orangey than the other pink ones. I sewed the orangey-pink button as her left eye; the last pink one as her right--and there was Annabelle.

With each sock creature, there comes a birth certificate. Annabelle was born on just after midnight on the 30th of December 2009 to Erica Marie. She likes to curl up at night with her tail stuck under her nose, models her style after The Nightmare Before Christmas, and appreciates snuggles and hugs.

For Christmas -- An Unknown Box

For Christmas this year, Alex and I are with her parents and brother. The day is filled with food, tea and the opening of the presents. Many presents filled in the space below, around, and extending beyond the gorgeously decorated Christmas tree! This year, I didn't ask for much, and what I did was useful or random or just plain fun: new clothes, make-up, books. From my own parents, I wanted them to focus on saving up money to come to our wedding in England in April. From Alex, anything she fancied. From her family, anything that made them think of me really. So, I was expecting eccentric, electic gifts--which is what I got, and then there was an unknown box.

There was a box without a tag. It was large, heavy, very box shaped. When I unwrapped it, I let out a cry of joy and lept up to hug Alex's parents: they had gotten me a sewing machine.

Since I moved to England in January, I have wanted a sewing machine. I probably would have purchased one before I left and brought it with me, but the power conversion is different. I said I would save up my wages from my first bar job here, and there were bills to pay instead. Before I left, I learned to quilt, started to make more things of my own. All year I've been dreaming of things to make, finding the perfect fabrics. And now I can put all the dreams into action.

Designer Prints

Fabric makes me giggle. Have I already told you that? It makes me giggle, and wiggle and want to clap my hands. Over fabric. Just bolts of fabric. Have I already written that?

Not in the children's morning programming kind of way though. Or the Made for TV movie motif. Just really excited.

I spent an hour and a half in a fabric store this afternoon. I'm still giggling.

The L Word

for Lauren, a la Ms. Bette Porter

For the Newlyweds

J & E, Welcome Home.

(Cross stitch by me, pattern from Subversive Cross Stitch.)

Subversive Cross Stitch - My First

For Christy

(Cross stitch and pattern original, alphabet from How-To)

Tulip

A Note on Squirrels

I am making a purple stuffed squirrel and I want to name her 'Tulip.' She is going to be constructed with purple flowery Liberty of London fabrics, stuffed with purple verigated yarn from the charity shop around the corner and deep purple embroidery thread. I think I want to name her Tulip because the skunk in Bambi is called 'Flower' and 'Flower' makes me happy inside. 'Tulip' is going to be a present for someone who is far, far away from they live, and even though I'm not sure squirrels even exist in her home country (they might only be here), I still think 'Tulip' will bring her happiness too.

Red & White

Red & white patterned cotton fabric makes me beyond happy to see, let alone touch. My fingertips want to automatically traces the pattern, as if it were raised or a different texture. Looking at my almost-finished, very first quilt, I could sew with red thread--the red of Valentine bunting--over and over, a pattern, a stitch, the red, white and pink coming together.