Now, don’t get me wrong - I Love Swaps - I love pushing myself to try lots of stuff I haven’t done before, to make something for someone I don’t know, but due to my chillingly extensive stalking, probably ‘know’ better than their neighbours, LOL.
Here’s a little reminder of what I have been doing with my time (not so much for you, more like justification for me).
That’s when I realised that I haven’t actually made anything for me in over six months. I started the blocks for my quilt of good intentions on New Year’s Eve, but then the swaps got in the way a bit.
It became my first ever WIP (otherwise known as Work In not-much Progress) - I always used to finish something before I start something else, but alas, no longer!
I have big plans for this … another post …
My Charley Harper embroidery is a slow burn thang, I hope to finish it soon though. It may turn into a cushion, or become part of a bigger project, I’m not sure yet … it probably won’t stay with me though.
Even Lynne’s QAL is going to be a present for my
god-daughter, and that’s not till August, so I’ve mentally back-burner-ed that one too. I haven’t even started all the lovely blocks she’s done too …
My sewing melancholy is, of course, majorly connected to the fact that I returned to work on Monday … start of term is always a bit of a mindf^k.
So, what to do?
I’ll tell you.
Make something for ME. That’s what.
Something I need.
Something I’ll love using every day.
Being a bit of a statonery nut, I have very specific nerdy needs. I need to carry my diary and a notebook of some sort with me both at work and play. However, I also need the notebook to be interchangeable, depending on what I’m doing, where I am, etc.
Over the years I’ve spent countless hours modding notebooks and diaries to fit my purpose … you can see my previous Moleskine modding here or by clicking the pic …
The trouble is that only works for one year and then I have to start all over again.
No more.
Enter the Upside-Downside Journal cover!
One way round it’s a diary, flip it over - it’s a notebook! Genius!
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I spent a ridiculously long time drawing up patterns and working out the logistics of all the pocketed dividers. I was also determined to use something from my little shopping trip at Frau Tulpe, and a bit of my sacred Ruby Star Rising, so I really didn’t want to waste any of these glorious Echino fabrics and I was far too lazy too make a mock-up first.
I used stiff interfacing on the patterned fabric pieces, plain linen for the lining of each pocket and also used that plastic you get in the bottom of supermarket shopping bags to stiffen each pocket further. I would have used card, but I want to be able to wash the blighter.
I didn’t put a button/elastic closure on it as I wanted it to be a bit looser than that … and it probably wouldn’t wear very well, given the amount of use it will get! There’s also no pen holder - I always have a pencil case in my bag and I can easily slip a pen inside should the need arise. I wanted to keep it simple and adaptable.
I also made it larger than A5 (it’s about 9” x 6”) because I have a couple of drawing notebooks that needed to fit. It even houses a paperback book perfectly!
There are still some little revisions I want to make … after a day or two at work, I’ve already added bias binding to the central section … This little lovely is going to get some battering …
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… but I’m more than happy that I managed to start and finish something, quite frankly …
So, now my mojo is waking from its slumber, maybe I can
Just a little work to do for tomorrow first
*sigh
