A New Year's Resolution...Kind of...

I'm not much for New Year's Resolutions in the traditional sense. It hasn't always been this way. Oh, I've tried to change huge things in my life and usually failed within a month. So, several years ago, I decided that if I make any kind of resolution, it would be to do something fun, and potentially new. One year I went parasailing. Another year I finally took tennis lessons, something which I've wanted to do for a very long time. This year, I wanted to attempt a quilt. For a sewing novice this is a pretty daunting undertaking, so I signed up for a class at a local quilt shop. I had my first class, and it was fun, HARD, and kind of exciting, knowing that at the end of five weeks (in theory!) I will have a quilt.

I picked fabrics, which was difficult. Five fabrics and I was sweating and stressing. I'm not like other people. I have a severe fabric-go-together deficiency. I was not born with this skill, and after agonizing in not one, but TWO fabric stores, I picked these fabrics. All but one are Amy Butler. Our homework is to cut the fabric for two of the blocks and then sew together the first one. So, I am excited, and I'm glad that I picked fabrics that I love, and that will feel wonderful running through my hands as I feed it into the sewing machine. And my husband is in total agreement, since he said that quilts are something that stick around much longer than say...an article of clothing. "This quilt you are making, it might end up in Emi's house one day. So, buy the good stuff." Boy, I love that guy! So wish me luck!!

She has a name, too...

I finally finished this doll using the Wee Wonderfuls Pattern for the Chloe doll. It was long, painful, and riddled with mistakes (the least of which was not over stuffing the doll, or sewing the legs on the wrong way...). But I learned a lot. Like I have a HUGE amount of respect for doll makers. I always have, but I'm sure you've heard the phrase about walking a mile in someone else's shoes. Um yeah, I TRUDGED!

Anyway, I ended up painting the face on the doll, and it turned out really well. I was really dreading cutting up tiny bits of felt, so I thought paint would make a nice alternative, so I used some acrylic craft paint, a teeny little brush. My little girl loves coming to the fabric store with me, and I usually let her pick something out. One time she selected a bunch of fat quarters, and the dress was made from one of those. I was so frustrated by tiny little clothing that I didn't put sleeves on it. Frankly, I ran out of steam. For the whole project, not that it would have taken very long had I kept at it. I fell out of love, but persevered, and voila!! My little girl now has a new doll, and upon seeing her, christened her...April. I don't know where the name came from, but here is April in all of her mistake riddled glory. Emi doesn't seem to mind and April has been a constant presence in her bed since she was finished.

I wish I was as talented as Hilary from Wee Wonderfuls, and I'm sure with more practice, my dolls would improve, but the frustration level while attempting this is still too fresh in my mind. In six months I will have forgotten the sailor-mouthed diatribes and try again.