Sabrina's Quilt

Today I woke up with the inkling to finish Sabrina's quilt, but I hesitated. Quilting shouldn't be like this - hesitation. I hesitated because my brother is expecting HIS quilt. He mentions it. He asks when his is coming. The fact that Sabrina's quilt top has been finished and ready for more than a year doesn't seem to matter. The fact that I don't have the money to buy fabric to make a (big) fantastic quilt for my brother and his new wife doesn't matter. I feel the expectancy of it. I don't like it.

See, I never expected to make Sabrina a quilt. From the very beginning of my cousin Lindsay's pregnancy there was no expectation. I have struggled with infertility for years. Pregnant people piss me off. Lindsay totally understands that (as a young woman, unexpectedly pregnant, she was worried about how I'd be pissed - I admire that sensitivity). I don't make baby quilts. Some people do - you have a baby, you get a quilt. Not from me. But when Sabrina was born I felt a need to process feelings, feelings about how I don't have a newborn. So I quilted. 

Sabrina's quilt top was finished very quickly. I had the desire to use it as a practice for renting out time on a longarm. I have a super intense quilt that I want to longarm myself - but first I'd need practice. So, Sabrina's quilt was set aside for a while while I sorted out how to do all that. At this point I don't think it's entirely necessary to do a whole quilt in practice. I don't need to seek the perfection that I had once intended. I need real and raw. So there is no need for me to wait to finish Sabrina's quilt (and for God's sake, she's two years old already!).

But. If I finish this quilt what will my brother say. His sweet wife won't say anything, but it seems that Dan is expecting this. I don't blame him, I just don't think he gets what making a quilt is all about - he doesn't get the creative process. I don't think he understands the difference between just whipping out a fun / easy quilt (like Sabrina's), and making a work of art - tailored to the recipient (like his will be).

I feel like quilters are always trying to express this. Quilts are a lot of work, fun, exciting, beautiful work. But to put an expectation on finishing a quilt for a specific purpose - to carry the feelings and love that I feel for my little brother - I just can't get there right now.

So do I finish Sabrina's quilt? Time will tell. Maybe I will. 

Sparkle Zip Pouches

Medium pouch holds all necessary hearing aid, cochlear implant supplies shown. Drying beaker, Phonak case, air blower, battery tester, listening tube, and extra batteries.

I'm making pouches to sell -- no Etsy shop just yet, but if any of my blog friends want to order one (or more), drop me a line here or by email.

My standard prices are as follows:
Large: 10" x 4" x 5" - ($17) holds toiletries, shampoo, hair & makeup supplies.
Medium : 7" x 3" x 3" - ($17) holds sewing notions, makeup, meds, hearing aid supplies, etc.
Small: 5" x 2.5" x 2.5" - ($12) holds cell phone accessories, meds, daily hearing aid supplies (case, extra batteries, FM necessities, etc).
Chapstick: 3" x 1" x 1" - ($12) holds chapstick, tampons, or change.

Price includes shipping to USA. International shipping available at cost.

Color availability changes from time to time. Most sizes available in most colors. Purple and white are available in small or chapstick size only.

Custom sizes available.

Small projects -- Yep, I'm still sewing!

Some of my projects for the #HogwartsSwap I love all of these things so much!

I'm not one to mention how absent from my blog I've been -- I have been -- but I try not to spend time whining about it. I blog for myself... and I wish I had more time to devote to it. If you're wondering though, I HAVE been blogging an awful lot recently... over on the Chicago MQG blog. I've been the tech/blog/forum officer for the past two years, and it's been a time hog here recently. I love helping with my guild, but I'm looking forward to next spring when I'll be back to just managing my own blog! 

A little binding action. 

Another factor in my lack of blogging, has been that I have been working on some projects I can't share just yet. These are mostly projects for magazines. It is still pretty unreal to be preparing projects for a publication. I'm really happy about this step in my professional sewing. I really love writing up patterns and I'm hoping to branch into publishing a couple quilt patterns. I'm pressing myself to grow. I don't want to play it safe all the time. It's fun and exhilarating to try something new and challenging! 

Happy Halloween! Simple raw edge applique pillow using Pellon Wonder Under! - This fabric glows in the dark!

So though, many of my recent projects are not ready to be shared just yet, there are some fun sewn items I've been working on here and there. 

A tiny finish. Voile is amazing. Machine binding is my friend.

For the most part these smaller projects are getting posted to Instagram (@mommysnaptime) - but for the less tech savvy I'll share them here too. 

In case you wondered, the best two books I've found about Cochlear Implants (and I've read a ton of them): "The Parents' Guide to Cochlear Implants" by Patricia Chute, and "Let's Hear It For Almigal"by Wendy Kupfer.

Oh yeah. This is happening too -- Allie is getting a Cochlear Implant soon! We're super excited / a little nervous. I think it's going to be a great thing for her. Also, she is EXCITED that her processor will be waterproof. She can't wait to be able to hear while at the pool!!!!!