2.02.2008

kat for kim

This pattern is from Curl Up Quilts.
Our daughter is spending the weekend with her friend, Kim to celebrate her 15th birthday. Okay, so what do you buy a freshmen girl in high school? And do you make something? (more about this later.....)

Paging through this sooooo cute book, our daughter found this adorable cat pattern and wanted to make it into a pillow.

So we pretty much followed the same color scheme in the book and incorporated this yummy green w/pink flower fabric.

Happy birthday, Kim.

P.S. Regarding the making of a gift for a 15 year old---there was a time, not so long ago that I would have never made a gift to give (or shopped [okay, admitted to shopping at] at a thrift store. ) These simply were T.H.I.N.G.S. N.O.T. T.O. B.E. D.O.N.E. So I shopped at thrift stores in secrecy and wished I could do more hand-made items for gift-giving, but never did.
Unless the gift had a price-tag attached (the higher the better--don't even bother.)
Then I discovered blogs and it was a pivitol moment for me. Very much like Dorothy opening the door to her house after it has just been hit by the tornado and everything that was once black and white is now in vivid color.
I have found beautiful women who share in the same beautiful wants and desires that I do.
I couldn't believe that I actually clicked onto women who, yes:
1) shop at thrift stores and *gasp* admit to it (honestly--when I have told people that "oh, I bought that at the thrift store", they look at me like I am squished bug under their shoe!)
2) love fabric, embroidery, crochet, quilting, etc... and the history behind it
3) actually give as gifts, these precious extensions of themselves
4) these beautiful, beautiful women who I visit daily are similiar to me--
and if that isn't the warmest feeling....well, it just makes me smile.
~You are my daily inspiration~you all make me smile ~and you all
are such a positive, endearing influence for me~





3 comments:

Mary Anne said...

That is the CUTEST pillow !!!!! I LOVE the covered buttons in the center of the yo yo's AND the lazy daisy stitch holding them down !!!! VERY VERY CUTE !!!

.....and, I'm with ya on the coming out of the closet on the "things not to be done" (yikes , that sounds BAD!!) .... but re: enjoying making handmade gifts, & sewing,& quilting,& trying not to mind the "you're kidding" looks you get from some people out in the real world ...... thank goodness for Blogland !!!!

Jenna said...

Your pillow and the paper pieced instrument blocks came out great. I had many of the same feelings as you when I stumbled across craft blogs about a year ago. I had no idea there were so many other people out there making things from used sweaters!

Lisa Boyer said...

Oh, you put it so well. I've been thinking about your post all day long and it actually brought tears to my eyes. You know, I almost gave up quilting because it got too commercial (including me--I had two books to sell--and patterns--and as a quilt teacher, I was pressured to sell new fabric to quilters--otherwise, you're not allowed to teach at a shop! No scrap quilts allowed, no vintage fabric, no old patterns, no cutting up old clothing--you MUST SELL, SELL, SELL! new stuff. I had to make quilts and teach stuff that didn't interest me. I couldn't even WRITE what I wanted to because I needed quilt shops to carry my book. I was so conflicted. My outlet? Blogging. I think it's saving my crafty life. I'm so happy to meet others who feel the same way. Bless you all! Okay...off the soapbox now...