A Balancing Act

Getting Your Life Back In Order 101
Professor: Gege Crochet

Hello Class!  At the end of this class, you will be able to:

* Find peace and balance and an over all Feng Shui for everything you ever dreamed about in your life

To accomplish this totally attainable and realistic goal, you will:

* Work all week at your money making job, taking on extra hours whenever possible to prove you are a dependable and good worker and to make up for hours taken while your family visited in the past couple weeks.

* Be an ever adoring and supportive wife to your husband who worked insanely crazy hours in the past two months and who truly does deserve an awesome home cooked meal most nights of the week, as well as some clean clothes sometime this month.

* Let your creative juices flow and bring to life the many projects that float around in your ADHD brain.

* Find time to exercise and lose those pesky 5 (or so) pounds you gained while not exercising in the last few months and eating desserts you would not normally eat while your in-laws were here to prove to them that you truly are an awesome cook and to make up for the time you smoked up their entire house trying to impress them by making Green Chile Enchiladas and Sopapillas during your first trip to meet them in a scene that would truly rival anything seen in "Meet the Parents."  (True story......*huge inhale*)

* Find time to exercise and lose those pesky 5 (or so) pounds you recently gained before going to the New Hope Film Festival at the end of the month to represent the film you made nearly 2 years ago.

* Find time to pick your jaw off the floor when you find you have been nominated for a Best Actress award for said film in the World Music and Independent Film Festival AND finding that your competition for said award include other "nobodies" like say, oh I don't know.... Dana Delany.  (!!!!)

* Party like it's 1999 when you find out you actually WON an Award of Excellence for Best Actress in a Feature Film at IndieFest. (EEEEP!!)

* Blog regularly like a good blogging blogger

* Sleep a solid 8 hours and always manage to look your best and never have to put your hair in a messy ponytail and do your makeup in the car on your way to work since your life is totally in order and completely full of Feng Shui.

* Understand and define "Feng Shui" and use it whenever possible in every aspect of your life to thoroughly impress blog readers. (I knew you were impressed!)

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I hope you enjoy this class this semester!  When you finally are able to keep your life in balance, and are able to Feng Shui the heck out of everything you ever do, please drop me a line!

No, really. Let me know how you did it.  I'll let you audit the class.  And maybe give you some candy.

Testing....Testing.....Is This Thing On?

Ok, Ok...so I pulled another 2 month disappearing act.  Honestly- I did not intend for this to happen.  I wrote a mock-up blog post 1 week after my last post explaining what happened (I wrote another one about 3 weeks ago as a "short" check-in, as well.....).  However, I wrote it at work (during my lunch break---- for reals) and then just never got to re-typing my extremely long post once I got home.  Then, one week turned into two...turned into 4.......turned into 2 months.  Just like a "short" hiatus from exercising tends to exponentially multiply after the first missed workout, so did my blog life.  And I got the obligatory 5 pounds on my butt, as well.  Perhaps it has something to do with a 2 month hiatus from the rest of my life, as well.

It started out one week after my last post with a surprise visit from my dad, one of his brothers and their friend.  They decided to do a 3 week drive across America to see all the sites (sights??), including DC which meant a 1-week's head's up that they were coming and wanted some homemade Green Chile Enchiladas when they got here.  (If you're from New Mexico, you understand.  If not, then I feel sorry for you.)

Well, as I told you oh.....2 months ago- my in-laws were coming in June and I had a mountain of cleaning up to get through.  Well, their trip has come and- as of this morning- has now gone.  It was a great trip and I'm truly sad to see them go.  We were able to get through *most* of the reorganization needed to get our house in tip-top shape.  Actually, I'm extremely proud of the amount of transformation our house went through.  I did need a blogging break to get through this since, well...blogging takes a heck of a lot of time!  This monumental transformation began over a month ago with my sister moving from our basement into an apartment with 2 of her friends.  Man- that was hard.  We had just celebrated her birthday (no Marilyn surprise from me this time....moving is hard work!) It was difficult leaving my baby sister many moons ago when I got married, but it was even harder to have her now move out into her own place.  I'll always be her older, overprotective sister and I truly do miss her.  She's only 30 minutes away and lives 5 minutes from our church, so I get to see her every week.....however, seeing her only once a week doesn't quite compare to every day of living with my best friend (second only to my Mister). 

In addition to this, one of my dad's brothers passed away and we were *thiiiiiiis* close to also losing his mother (my sole surviving grandparent) at the same time.  It was a tough month in Chez GegeCrochet.  To top all this off, I was dealing with some medical issues and was on a medication that made me a walking zombie.  Seriously- I had no motivation to do anything!  I haven't crocheted in over ONE MONTH!  WHAT??!?!?!  I KNOW!!!!!!  That's insane! That's how much this stupid medication impacted my life.  I was serious when I said I took a hiatus from life.  I'm happy to say that I am no longer on this medication (with physician approval) and am now looking forward to getting my life back into order.  I'm afraid my fingers are going to forget how to hold my beloved crochet hooks when I finally pick them up tomorrow.  (Yes- tomorrow......not tonight.  I'm posting and then am going to watch the new Alice in Wonderland with my Mister.  I saw it in the theater with my sister and absolutely L.O.V.E.D it!)

On the crocheting front, I finished one purse that had been ordered in March.  I started it in March and finished it 2 weeks ago.  I HATE this stupid medication.

Sadly, I have not finished my Cat Booby Bag- I have about 30 minutes of work left to finish it off and have been carrying it around in my purse for 2 months and have not had the motivation to finish it.  I FREAKIN' HATE this mediation.

My Mister and I also celebrated our anniversary in May which can be summed up with 2 days worth of shopping at Ikea.  I live near-ish 2 different Ikeas- one in Woodbridge, VA and one in College Park, MD.  We visited them both.  In 2 different days.  I don't know if I've ever mentioned this but, I do not like to go shopping.  Unless it is a craft/yarn store, a book store, or a grocery store, I really do NOT enjoy shopping.  I was raised doing drywall with my dad during my formative teen years rather than learning the fine art of shopping with my mom and sister.  I do not enjoy it, Sam I Am.....  However, my Mister and I were able to find some great deals on some furniture for our guest room just in time for his parent's visit.  It was also nice to spend time with my Mister who has been working crazy hours during the months of April and May.  I missed him.  Granted, we got to spend some quality time together for our anniversary when we received our copy of Mario Galaxy 2 for the Wii......look up awesome in the dictionary....you will find this game.  AWE-SOME.

Soooo.....to sum it all up.  April and May pretty much sucked.  However, there were a couple of bright spots and things are looking up.  My in-law's visit marked a turning point in this year.  I have a newly cleaned and semi-organized house in which I'll be able to start getting my life back in order.  My Mister is no longer working crazy hours and we now have our house all to our lonesome, which, even though I truly do miss my sister, I must admit is quite.....ummm.....enjoyable.  Teehee!

I am really looking forward to getting my hooks-on.  I have a couple of new projects brewing and can't wait to bring them to life!  That is good news indeed- it means that this STUPID MEDICATION is now out of my system. 

I'm back.  That means more frequent updates- I missed y'all!  Heck, I missed me!  I'm really hoping to actually finish some projects (heck....even starting some projects!!) and I can't wait to share them with you. :)  I hope your spring has gone a heck of a lot better than mine!  Thank the Lord it's summer!! :)

Until next time.....and I promise it won't be in August. ;)

Bag Lining- It's a Good Thing

So, let me start off by saying I FREAKIN' LOVE my new sewing machine.  It's a Brother XR-9000 and it.is.awesome.  It truly has made lining my bags so much faster than that machine-that-shall-not-be-named could ever dream of doing.  Seriously- I love this machine!  

I've been asked about how I line my bags and I even shot a video over a year ago.  It was supposed to be my first Martha Stewart-esque video that would guarantee my own show on DIY channel.  However, it was over 3 hours of raw video and, considering I did a very non-Martha boo boo by burning the skin off my arm while ironing (yes, seriously), I decided that I'd let Martha retain her mogul status.....for now.

I basically figured out how to line my bags by putting together bits and pieces of things I found on the internet as well as being a maverick on my machine and then learning from my numerous mistakes.  However, I've finally got a system that works for me and decided that still photos can work almost as well as a video in a "how-to" tutorial... 

Hello and welcome to Gege Crochet Living!  Today we'll be demonstrating how to line and finish crocheted and felted hand bags.  For our demonstration today, we'll be using this absolutely scrumptious bag that was crocheted from my pattern, soon to be found here at Gege Crochet.  Let's get started, shall we?

First, you'll want to measure your bag's length and width. You may need to jot it down to remember it; however, I need no memory aids and am able to quickly add 1" to each measurement for a 1/2" sewing allowance. I measure with a level since it will make a perfect outcome and I like perfect. Since this bag will have a flat bottom, I also make note of the bottom width (precisely 2.5" for this bag).

Find the midpoint of the flap and insert a magnetic clasp.  

Fold the flap of the bag down and find where to place the second half of the magnet on the bag, being careful to place it precisely in the middle of the bag.  You may need to refresh your memory of your computation by looking at your notebook; however, I wouldn't know this by experience.

To ensure a perfect fit for your lining, utilize a spare piece of newspaper and measure out your dimensions. Using this newspaper as a pattern, pin it to your fabric. Of course, ensure that the fabric is folded in half and that the bottom of the pattern is pinned on the folded edge.

Once you cut your fabric, iron it on the folded edge to make a crisp crease on the mid-line.  Then, measure out 2.5" for the bottom of the bag by ironing and creasing 1 1/4" on each side of the mid-line.

What's that?  Oh, no.  The measuring level is not upside down.  Your eyes are.

Now, fold over the top of the bag 1/2".  Iron and pin into place.  Repeat on the other side, as well.

If you are making a pocket, and let's face it, why wouldn't you? then, now's the time to get it ready.  Figure out the size that you want and add 2" to the width and 1" to the height.  Cut out your paper pattern and pin it to your fabric which is, again, folded in half, wrong sides together.

On the raw edges of the pocket, fold and iron slightly less than 1/2" and then fold over and iron an additional 1/2".  Pin into place. 

This is to ensure that no raw edges are seen, even on the inside of the pocket.  What use is a pretty purse on the outside if the pocket is ugly on the inside?  Could you live with yourself?  I thought not.

To ensure the lining for the handles is the perfect width, measure the handle attachments and multiply by 4.  Mine was 3/4" so I need a 3" width for my fabric.

Once again, use a paper pattern and cut out 4 pieces of fabric (I use a 6" length for a long enough tail to handsew to the bag.) Iron in half, then fold each side to the middle and iron again.

Fold the sides in and then fold in half and pin into place.

Now that all of the pieces are measured and pinned into place, we can begin sewing.

Starting with the handles, sew a straight line close to the raw side of the fabric.  Turn the fabric the other way and make another seam the same distance from the other edge.  If you are not making a decorative edge *snooty giggle* then this is all you need to do.  

If you are going to go the extra mile and make your bag perfect, then utilize one of the many amazingly awesome decorative stitches on your Brother XR-9000 and make a masterpiece.

 Repeat for all four handles. 

Insert the lining into the handles, fold over and sew together.  The handles are now ready to be pinned into the bag.

Now, repeat the decorative stitches along the pinned top edges of the bag lining.  

Next, get the pocket (if you are putting a label in your pocket, now is the time to pin and sew it into place).  Sew along the pinned edges with a matching color (I used an "invisible" thread).

Once the pocket is finished,  pin it to the lining (ensuring it is centered) and then sew with a contrasting color to the lining.

When the pocket is in place, fold the lining right sides together and pin along the sides.  Sew 1/2" along the edge.  You now have a lining for a flat bag.  However, since our bag has a bottom, we are not quite done yet.

Iron the side edges flat, snipping the folded bottom of the edge (where my fingers are in the photo) so that it will be completely flat.

Now, fold the bottom of the bag into a point at the side.  You will see the crisp edges that you ironed for the mid-line and the 2 1/2" bottom.   See how you can draw a straight line from the top of the first ironed edge to the other?

Pin the fabric down and sew a straight line from one top of the crisp bottom edge to the other.

This is what it looks like if you did it correctly.  If not, you fail at life.

Trim off the triangle tip.  You now have a lining for a more boxy shape.  Even though our bag has a more rounded edge, this shape works well for our purposes.

To make the bottom of our bag flat and sturdy, use a piece of plastic canvas and cut to the proper size. 

Place it in the bottom of the bag and pin into place.  Be sure to look at the outside of the bag to make sure it looks even.

Turn the bag inside out and pin the handles into place, as well. Take your time to ensure they are centered around the flap. Crooked handles do not a perfect bag make.

 

Begin hand sewing the bottom and the handles into place. Since felt is so thick and full of little woolly tangles, you merely need to catch some of the felt with your needle rather than go all the way through the bag to the front.  Yes, I am using a thimble.  My heart is made of stone, not my fingers.

Once the handles are sewn in, flip the bag right-side out again and pin the lining into place, ensuring that the pocket is centered with the flap.

Using either a matching thread or the "invisible" one used previously, sew the lining into place with a very basic running stitch.  Again, no need to go all the way through the bag- just be sure to catch some of the felt with your needle. 

I go around a second time to ensure a tight stitch.  Where the needle is up the first time around, it will be below the second time, making a solid stitch line all the way around.

The lining is now sewn into place- all that is left is sewing the decorative accessory to the front of the flap, both for a beautifying effect and to hide the magnetic clasp.

Voila.

I hope you enjoyed today's Gege Crochet Living.  Remember, sewing a lining into your bag is a good thing.

Know what else is a good thing?  My Brother XR-9000.  Did you catch that label?  Yep- totally full of win.  

Do You Smell Smoke?

Thank you all for your kind comments about my winning ways yesterday. :)  (Special thanks to Leitadala for saying it was the best project she's ever seen- as my Mister knows, my head still has room to grow.  He's not at all tired of hearing me say, "I won TWICE!  I totally OWNED those awards!  I RULED!")

As the glow of my win slowly wears off, I'm brought back to reality and am sobered by all the other things I need to accomplish rather than fantasizing about the throngs of fans that will cheer for me as I step into a yarn store.   *Le sigh*

You know those times in life that you just feel like if there is one more item on your to-do list, you might as well just burn it?  The list, I mean- not the individual items on that list because that'd be wrong, right?  I mean, there are laws against burning things just because you are trying to avoid them, right?  I mean, burning a house just so you don't have to clean it would be insane, right?  *Goes to check arson laws*

My in-laws are coming to visit the first week of June.  I love my in-laws- I really did luck out with them.  However, they are so neat, clean, and organized they make Monk look like Pig Pen.  That is awesome for them- they work well together and, truth be told, I do envy their organizing and cleaning abilities.  My Mister has inherited this "clean and organized" gene, though not to the extent his parents have it- thankfully.  It is because of him that our house isn't one huge tangled ball of yarn.  I truly like organization and dream of the day when I'll have my craft room in ONE room with lots of little cubby holes to house my mountainous stash and shelves where my cute baby stash of fabric can be neatly folded and easily found.  

However, I am unfortunately lacking that organizational gene.  It takes me FOR.EVER to get something organized.  Even as a kid, my mom would be astounded that it'd take all day for me to clean my room since I would have to read every single little scrap of paper before deciding whether or not to throw it away.  When I finally get something organized, it is simply breathtaking how quickly I can ruin it again.  I really have no idea how it happens- any scientist out there want to study Entropy?  Come on over to Chez Gege- and yes, you're welcome for your Nobel Prize.  Now, I am able to get things clean- I like my kitchen tidy and can't stand a dirty bathroom- but as far as organizing things.....forget it Charlie.

Herein lies my problem.  I have 2 months to get my office organized (*shudder*), while combining it into my craft room (hopefully) which would free up the guest room where my in-laws will be staying.  Sounds good and manageable, right?  I mean, I have 2 months so, what's the big deal?  The big deal is that I.AM.ME- remember when I said I'm an all or nothing type of gal?  I meant it- I need to have a whole day (or month in this case) devoted to one thing (especially if that thing is so freakin' huge it would scare King Kong) or else my ADD takes over and I work really hard all day long on many different things and yet still don't get anything completed.  I wish that I could devote an hour or two here or there after work or on a weekend and slowly by slowly get things accomplished.  However, I have lived with myself long enough to know that if I start something and not complete it, then I lose my mojo and find something else to occupy my time and then the original project will never get done. (Thus 2 solid months of crochet for this bad boy. Did I mention I won twice?)

Unfortunately, I don't even have a whole day to devote to getting my bags lined (count is up to 8 now- yes, eight) or on starting my garden (which I need to do this weekend- I'm 2 weeks late on starting the peas!) or getting the ironing mountain whittled down to a manageable Mt. Everest size, ditto the laundry planet, or finishing my Tri-Colored and Turtle bag patterns, or consolidating my various yarn piles strewn across the house into one ginormous organized mound so that we can actually have a couch to sit on once again.

So where does that leave me?  Not off to get the matches....no, no....that'd be wrong.....it may stop the twitching that I keep saying is my new, cool way of blinking, but.....no, no.....that'd be wrong.....right?

I Am the Champion, My Friends

GAAAHHH!!!! O.MY.LANTA!!! I’m sooooo excited that the Ravelry Bobby Award winners are finally posted and I’m literally shaking about this- my Super Mario Blanket won BOTH categories it was nominated for!!! (I’ve had to retype that sentence twice- my fingers couldn’t find the right keys- I’m soooo stoked!!!)  I WON!!!  TWICE!!! 

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU to everyone- the folks who nominated my project, the Bobcademy, and those who voted!!!! (I wish I was better prepared and had my speech written out! I was going to end with, “You love me! You really love me!” but figured that'd be too cheesy.)

Without further ado, I give you the winning project for the 2010 Ravelry Bobby Awards for Geekiest Project AND Best Personal Pattern Project. 





 YAYAYAYAYAYAY!!





(My Mister thought I may have lost my cool a little. So, now that I’m recomposed….Meh. That’s cool.)