Monday, April 6, 2020

Soft Landing


I've met many people who start a project and work on it exclusively until it's finished. They build a puzzle, crochet a blanket, make jam, whatever. But they won't start with the next thing until they finished the one before. All I can say is that their homes must stay very tidy during this pandemic and I envy them.
Even at the end of the world as we know it, my habits remain unchanged. I'm sculpting, sewing, painting, writing, casting silicone all at once and all over the place. And when I'm not busy with that, I'm gardening, spring cleaning, working with tarantulas, doing ballet with a kitchen chair for a barre.
The upside of this is that I'm never bored. In fact, I have so many projects on the go that I often find things that I left half-finished and feel excited to rediscover them and carry on.
The downside is that it can sometimes be a long while before I finally see the fruits of my labour and I tend to lose track of time. There are people out there who are writing a lockdown count-down so that they can tell their grandchildren all about what they were doing when the big bad virus threatened the world. Someone reminded me that today is day eleven of the South African stay-at-home order and that we're halfway through it already. My reaction was, 'Whaaaaat, I haven't even started with half the things I had planned'! So, if time is dragging for you, my recommendation is that you take your mind off it by starting a few more projects.


For me, one thing often leads to another. I made a whole lot of cloth face masks (yes, western countries are finally starting to adopt the idea that we will be wearing them in public spaces for the foreseeable future) and I ended up with a pile of postage-stamp-sized fabric offcuts. Many had pretty pictures or interesting patterns on them and I was wondering what I could make with such small pieces? Dollhouse cushions, of course! So, the ironing board and the sewing machine are still standing around and I've made more than 100 cushions so far. It's a bit addictive. Heaven knows what I will do with them all.


If you want to make some dollhouse cushions of your own, I highly recommend the tutorial on Jessica Cloe's blog. Here are pictures of some of my favourites so far. I soldered the wrought-iron day bed a while ago and when I took it out to use as a photo prop, it made me think I should heat up the soldering iron and make a few more...
Wishing you soft landings in the coming week.









 




16 comments:

  1. I know what you mean about doing things in parallel rather in series. Besides, you have to have a backup project while you wait for the glue to dry. I just love your little pillows, all 100 of them!

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  2. Wooo maravillosos todos tus cojines ; las telas son preciosas. Comprendo perfectamente lo de saltar de una cosa a otra y como la mesa se va llenando:-), ami también se me está pasando el tiempo volando.
    Esperemos que esto termine pero nosotras continuaremos haciendo las minis que tanto nos gustan y entretienen. Cuídate,besos:-)

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  3. Como te entiendo Megan! Yo soy una gran defensora de "tener mil proyectos a la vez" por lo que se deduce que mi taller nunca está ordenado,álbumes de scrap,libros miniatura,muñecos de tela,amueblar mi última casa 1/48,ganchillo mini,grande,arreglar el jardín real.....pero efectivamente nunca me aburro!!!!
    Tus cojines lucen maravillosos! y además me has recordado que tengo que hacer alguno para un nuevo proyecto que tengo entre manos jaaaa!!!
    Nosotros entramos en nuestra cuarta semana de confinamiento y nos han alargado otras dos más,por lo que seguro tendré tiempo!
    Sigue cuidándote.
    Besos.

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  4. oh I can relate... piles of bits and bobs everywhere, phds and wips piles high and the feeling that nothing ever gets finished..
    Your mask remnant pillows are all fabulous - what a fabulous pillow fight your mini people can get into with no risk of getting too close to other mini people.
    Stay well,
    Anna x

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  5. Deliciously beautiful. The prettiest of fabrics in perfect scale tuned into perfect pillows. (aka cushions 😊) As for the day bed - just gorgeous. I keep looking and imagining each in my real life - which to choose, which to choose........

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  6. A couple of additional tips .... maybe.... The tutorial link you mentioned took me to a fabulously executed tutorial, clear pictures and instructions both beautifully done. I would just ad a couple of thoughts (not in any way corrections) no sew/no hole beads also known as seed beads (glass) are excellent for filling cushions/pillows they are like the ones she mentioned but they are smaller and weighty so you get a very natural finish and it allows you to pose your cushions beautifully. Also you could snip across the corners diagonally to lessen the bulk inside after turning but do then be a little more careful about not poking your way through the stitching when sharpening the corners on turning. If you are making a lot of sewn minis a mini iron is a great tool for getting into nooks and crannies.

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  7. Your pillows are wonderful. And it's so nice to have several different projects going at once so you can enjoy them 'full-time'.

    The other filler you can use for pillows is silica gel. Little packets of it sometimes come in shoe boxes or with other things that get shipped.

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  8. So many beautiful cushions - what a great way to use fabric leftovers. And I must say the bed is awesome... and with a lot of 100 new cushions you should really think about making some more beds.

    It made me smile to read your reflections about the people doing one thing after the other and about the others... us. Sherrill already said it - we all need occupation while the glue and/or the paint dries. But I must admit in my case this has some bad side effects - I loose so much time with searching for pieces which are supposed to be somewhere... which was a different place before this was done and that was added and this crushing a pile of creativity lying around in pieces on my desk. *LOL*

    Stay safe and keep on crafting... eh... making cushions.
    Hugs
    Birgit

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  9. Cuantos y que bonitos cojines, me encantan !!!
    Yo también tengo siempre la mesa llena de objetos. Soy incapaz de hacer una sola cosa a la vez.

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  10. These beds are truly marvelous and your soldering skills are enviable as are your sewing skills! I am so glad that you have so many interesting projects on the go and that our sequestered time is proving both productive and entertaining for you! Sure beats boredom!!! Stay well and safe!

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  11. The pillows you've made are Beautifully done Megan, and I thank you for the link to the tutorial- a Terrific site previously unknown to me!
    AND I have to agree with Jodi; your little daybeds are SUper Precious and their streamlined simplicity has allowed you to totally change their personalities by the simple switch of a swatch!

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  12. I too have quite a few projects going at the same time, but I like it that way. Keeps me from being bored. Your daybed is darling! I've never tried soldering before.

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  13. Sorry I'm late Megan, but I had to comment that I'm just the same, I have multiple projects on the go all the time, not quite as many as you! mainly quilting, dolls house work, painting and gardening. Your pillows are beautiful. That's a lovely tutorial.

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  14. Your bed is very fine!! Have you made it?
    Pillows are very cozy
    Hugs Britt
    e-mail. britt@fingerborgen.se

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    Replies
    1. Thank you, Britt! Yes, it is self-made with soldering iron and wire.

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