i finished a marathon

Not the 26.2 kind.  I had you going there for a minute, didn't I?  I had a little vacation day today - home alone with the day to do whatever I wanted.  So, what did I do?  I had a Molly Monkey/Lost marathon.  As you may remember, I still had one Molly Monkey to finish in order to complete my eleventh craft till Christmas.  You may also remember that I started watching Lost in an effort to learn some sewing tips.  However, even after I realized that Lost has nothing to do with sewing, I kept watching it.  In fact, I started at the beginning with season 1, and even though I feel just as confused and frustrated watching Lost as I do learning to sew, I'm addicted and can't stop watching it.  So today I logged on to Lost on Hulu and drug out my sewing supplies.  Then I spent the day in the sewing/Lost zone. Now, I've never run an actual marathon, so those of you who have are going to be offended by the next statement . . . I'm sew (pun intended) mentally exhausted after working all day on Molly Monkey and watching the most frustrating show ever made that I feel like I actually ran a marathon - the 26.2 kind.  

BUT . . . I have a lot to show for it . . . two completely finished Molly Monkeys.     

I made some changes to number two - no hat, a bow in the back and no double bias tape on the skirt.  I wanted them to be different - more reflective of the little girls they are going to be given to next Christmas.  If you haven't tried making Molly (click for pattern) yet, I urge you to give it a whirl.  It's a fun and frustrating adventure that is completely worth it in the end . . . probably much like running an actual marathon.

I'm a little sad to be closing this page in my twelve crafts journey, but this wraps up my eleventh craft till Christmas (even though technically it's now March).  Stay tuned for Wednesday's reveal of my tenth craft till Christmas and . . .

craft on! 

clothing the naked

Okay, I'm not clothing the naked in the biblical sense, but I did do something somewhat miraculous for a gal who tried to sew something with a pattern for the VERY FIRST TIME EVER.  What is this miracle?  (This is definitely a drum roll moment . . . tadatadatada - that was supposed to be a drum roll.) 

I finally clothed Molly Monkey.  This means that my eleventh craft till Christmas is officially finished!  Feast your eyes on this beauty!

Now that my one second of celebration is over, I must go back to reality.  Reality reminds me that I have not one but two kids whose ability to share is hit or miss (mostly miss).  And since I'm not willing to give one of them away, I need to make not one but two Molly Monkeys.  I have the pattern pieces cut out for number two.  I may not finish her before the end of the month, but I'll give it my best shot.  You could probably still get one done too if you wanted to . . . it's not too late to join me in the Molly Monkey journey (click for link), but either way-

craft on!     

**I haven't heard from my Molly Monkey partner, Kristin, for a while.  She has been really busy with birthdays, adoption stuff and the endless to-do list of a mom, but I'll let you know when she gets her Molly done as well.

and the gold medal goes to...

Okay, so there are no medals given out for amateur sewing accomplishments but having watched the pairs figuring skating competition last night I'm in the medal mood.   I'm a realist.  If there happened to be a medal competition for amateur sewing, I probably wouldn't win by the judges' standards.  But I am celebrating success tonight after much "failure" with my little Molly Monkey.  She is not completely finished, so I would probably lose marks for that - maybe a few tenths.  (I have no idea what I'm talking about.)  As you can see, she is still naked due to a little double fold bias tape drought in my supply box.  (I don't have any double fold bias tape, and to be honest, I don't even really know what that is.  A quick visit to a craft/hobby store in the near future will take care of that though.)  In spite of Molly's nakedness, I'm still excited that I've come this far!  I'm already starting on her friend as I wait to get the supplies I need to finish the first one.  Two little girls means two little monkeys.

Craft on!   

are you learning to sew? then you will love the tv show "lost" - part 2

Well, I did DVR Lost this past Tuesday night.  (You might want to reread my last post on Lost before you continue reading.)  I had a few insights:

1.)  Lost is not a show that you start watching the second show of the last season.

2.)  It is not a show about people like me who recently started sewing.

3.)  After watching one episode of Lost, sewing directions like, "Bind one edge with coordinating bias tape.  Overlock or use pinking shears on other edge, then turn it down 1/2 inch and press.  Edgestitch to form a tube for elastic, leaving two inch opening," actually seem way more understandable.  I mean understanding directions like these is like child's play compared to understanding that show. 

4.)  Why did that one guy with the ponytail torture that other guy with the curly hair?  And why didn't he pass the test? And why does the gal with the long hair seem to be running from the law in one scene and then walking through a jungle in the next?  And why is the guy from Party of Five there?  (I used to love that show by the way.)  Anyone?

I did discover one thing that the show Lost and sewing have in common - they are both terribly addicting in spite of the fact that they are both terribly confusing and frustrating.

I'm still working on Molly Monkey.  I'm confused.  I'm frustrated.  I'm addicted.  Yep, it's a lot like watching Lost.  I'm not sure if I'll tune in next week, but I'm pretty sure I'll still be working on Molly Monkey next week.  Here's picture of her cute little addicting face. 

Craft on!

**My Molly Monkey partner, Kristin, is having a lot of success on her little monkey.  She hit one rough spot turning those tiny little ears, and she e-mailed the Monkey's maker, Larissa, who gave her a hint (Brilliant idea Kristin!).  I can't wait to see pictures of her Molly Monkey!   

i'm much better at wrong sides together

RST why are you taunting me?  This pretty much sums up my night.  You probably can't see what I'm talking about from this picture, but I ended up sewing the sleeve/arm combo pieces of Molly Monkey WST . . . uhm, that's wrong (very wrong) sides together.  Not only did I sew the sleeve/arm combo pieces WST, but first I sewed the sleeve and arm pieces for each side of the sleeve/arm combo pieces WST as well.  It was a bloomin' mess, and I wasn't the wiser until I started turning the freshly sewn pieces.  So . . . after ripping out every little stitch on both sleeve/arm combo pieces and then the stitches on each individual sleeve and arm piece, I decided to pack it in for the night.  I didn't even begin to sew these pieces back together RST . . . I think I will be banning that three letter combo from my vocabulary after I finish Molly Monkey.  It seemed like I should give up while I was very, very behind.

So I end reluctantly with my usual send off . . . 

Craft on!      

a cut of faith

Well, I did it.  After a week . . . yes, that's right seven full days of reading and rereading the Molly Monkey pattern for my eleventh craft till Christmas, I finally made my first cut into the fabric.  Kristin, my partner in this venture, suggested that I not read ahead.  Oops too late!  She received advice from a more serious sewer that you should only read the step you are working on so that you don't get overwhelmed.  And although I had already kicked that horse, this advice gave me the jumpstart I needed to just start and stop being so cutless . .  . I mean gutless.  So last night I cut out the majority of the pieces - minus the wool felt pieces, and tonight . . . wait for it . . . wait for it . . . I STARTED ACTUALLY SEWING THE PIECES TOGETHER!  (I hope you didn't feel like I was shouting at you, but I had to express my complete amazement somehow.  I was beginning to think I would be reading this pattern seven months from now but not have even started the project.)

Of course, true to form I can't let cutting out a few pieces actually be as easy as it sounds.  You see there are these crazy little abbreviations sewers like to use to drive non-sewers like me slowly insane.  One of those abbreviations is RST.  My oldest daughter has mastered the alphabet and knows just about as much about sewing as me, so I asked her what RST means.  She came up with Rainbows, Snow and Tea Parties.  Hmmm . . . interesting guess, but I thought I would get a second opinion from my youngest daughter who has recently made it about five letters into the Alphabet Song.  She came up with Rinnah Have That.  She actually got two out of the three letters correct, but I think that was just a good guess because I was holding a book that she wanted at the time. 

So . . . it turns out RST means Right Sides Together.  That would have been helpful to keep in mind before I cut the first few pieces out.  Having said that . . . can you guess what is wrong with this picture?   Yes, that's right, I did not cut these out right sides together.  So, one of those Molly Monkey back pieces will find its way into the scrap pile to live another day.  

In spite of this very minor oops, I'm glad to have Molly Monkey underway.  It's not too late you join us.  Kristin and I would love to have another person join the Molly Monkey journey!  

Craft on!  

are you learning to sew? then you will love the tv show "lost".

I hear from my friends who are Lostites (fans of the show Lost) that the final season started last night.  Having never actually seen that show, I can only assume from the title that it's a show about people like me who are learning to sew using patterns like Molly Monkey.  I'll have to tune in for next week's show which I can only hope will be an episode explaining what in the world "whipstitching" is while the characters decipher these directions, "Bind one edge with coordinating bias tape.  Overlock or use pinking shears on the other edge.  Edgestitch to form a tube." 

Holy tamole . . . there are about six words in that sentence I actually understand and unfortunately they are the words:

• with
• or
• on
• the
• to
• a

So, as you can guess I'm struggling a bit with the Molly Monkey pattern.  Truth be told, I haven't even actually done anything yet except read the directions over and over again for two nights in a row.  (I have been working on another project though that I will post about another day.) 

I do have a partner in this endeavor.  Kristin sent me a message saying that she would make a Molly Monkey too.  Yippee!  I'm soooo excited!  Any other takers?  Click here to check it out http://mmmcrafts.blogspot.com/2008/07/drum-roll-pleasemolly-monkey-pattern.html.  (The picture is from mmmcrafts site.)

We would love to have someone else join us.  Kristin is far more knowledgeable in the sewing department.  I'm definitely the weak-link in our long-distance sewing partnership.  In fact, I already had to ask her what wool felt is.  Oh Kristin, you are a saint. 

Craft on!

and i present . . . the eleventh craft till christmas!

I'm slightly nervous but excited to try my hand at this Molly Monkey pattern for February's craft of the month.  As is my custom, I made my decision without actually thinking it through completely or reading the pattern instructions.  Once I printed out the pattern and took a glance at the instructions, I started getting cold feet.  There are lots of abbreviations and a few words I will be looking up.  I know they publish English to Spanish translation books.  Someone should make an English to sewing translation book because sometimes I sense that people who sew aren't talking my language.  I had the opportunity to spend about three months in China some time ago, and I honestly felt like I understood Cantonese better than I understand sewing-speak. 

I would love to have one of you join me in this project.  Please!  I will definitely need a fellow traveler on this bumpy journey into the world of Molly Monkey making.  E-mail me at lizbeth694@aol.com if you are interested.  

Here are the links to Molly Monkey at mmmcrafts and Mikey Monkey.  Another free pattern . . . woo hoo!  Molly is a full pattern, but Mikey is simply Larissa's variation on the Molly pattern to make it more boy-friendly.  Take a look and let me know if you will be sewing up a Molly or Mikey this month.

Craft on!