Kiss and Tell

Driving to work and back home again is good thinking time. I have about 45 minutes in the car -  just me, the radio and my wandering thoughts. This week an idea started to bubble away, fixing itself onto another idea I'd already had. When I got home I quickly scribbled my idea down and then waited for time to start making.

As I made up the designs for crocheted baubles, I started to wonder if I'd had a pretty yucky idea and if it might just not work.

When I started cutting out the blanket squares and choosing fabrics for the letters I was going to stitch on them, I knew I was making something I was going to like. 

In fact this is the first thing in a very very long time that I've actually made just for the joy of making it. I make things to sell, complete custom orders of designs, make things for my lovely girls and gifts for friends and family - but how often do I just go with the simple pleasure of making because I feel like it? Hardly ever.

I enjoyed it so much I must make sure I do it more often. In fact when I finished stitching the last bits of mistletoe on my Pucker Up Garland I found I'd made something that I can't stop looking at. I keep going back in for another look. Little Bun grabbed me when I was in there staring for the 100th time and said come on then. So we kissed under the garland just as we're meant to do. Except she insisted she was the boy and so I had to kneel while my head was grabbed in an eight year old's version of a smooch. Lovely, but a wee bit painful.

The photos I took of my finished garland are a bit hazy as I took them tonight once I'd finished. I couldn't wait until tommorow to show you as I'm so excited about this make. 

It's a random collection of inspirations. From my Mistletoe Kisses brooches and the Pucker Up giveaway I held last week; to Amanda Soule's and Tif's garlands; my desire to make something larger and 3d in crochet and my urge to finally get using some of my lovely fabric stash. All the fabrics I've used are from Donna, Sal and Jane (apart from the car boot blanket) - so I guess I could say blogging has been part of the inspiration behind this make too.

Now I've finally got my sewing head back on I've got quite a few presents I've planned to make. Including some jammie bottoms for Mr Bun in the bottom tartan brushed cotton and then there's the other gorgeous tartan. Now this was a bargain bucket offcut of 3m and I figured making something to wear for me fits within the Extraordinary Challenge. I'm getting pretty bored with my clothes and patching them up. I want to be bad and buy things I really don't need.

So the decision to be made is will this become a skirt or a dress. I have an Amy Butler pattern for an A-line skirt with the apron thingy so that'd be fairly quick. A dress would be great, but more likely to be cocked up, not fit and for me to stuff it in a bag and forget about it. I'll think about it.