I'm a bit of a dreamer. Growing up I knew I was a bit of "gumbo" when it came to ethnic background, French, Mexican, Spanish and somewhere there were rumors of a little Hawaiian in the mix, but that could've been a childhood misinterpretation. However, from early on, I romanticized it all. Especially the French part as I grew older ... Paris is link synonymously with romance and French is the language of love.
A few years ago I found this beautiful pink rose fabric with a French theme. It has white watermarked Eiffel Towers and PARIS and other French wording. I held on to it because the pattern was so large with the roses and I was scared that using it for quilting would diminish the effect of the overall pattern.
Recently at the Houston Quilt Market, I met up with Mattie and the gang from Quiltsmart and one of the projects I added to my collection was The Christmas Stockings. When I got this project, I KNEW that this was something that I wanted to used the fabric for, if only a piece of it.
One of the best things about Quiltsmart is the ease and quickness of even some of the most traditionally difficult patterns. One thing I loved about the Christmas stocking was that it was a quick project.
Yesterday, I had a conversation with "Quiltsmart Mandy" who does much of the social media, marketing and stuff for Quiltsmart. Since we are nearly the same age and both mothers of young children many of our conversations are both professional and personal in nature.
Last night, I tried to get my little guy settled with dinner and a new game on his iPad and thought it was a good time to start this project, which traditionally would take about an hour. This is how my conversation with Mandy went ...
Seriously, we have every intention of actually finishing these projects we start. In our own minds we have created this amazing fantasy where we will come home, cook dinner, clean up a little and the kids will settle down with TV or books or toys and we'll be able to sit down and reward ourselves after a long day of working and caring for family, but them that bubble quickly dissipates with resounding **POP** as our husbands or children come to us in rapid succession with what they believe to be world crisis that the UN Summit would be scared to tackle. In reality they've just forgotten how to do the most basic tasks, like in my little one's case, he cannot go to the bathroom by himself.
So we've decided to make it easier for moms of small children, by creating a formula to help determine how much time will really be required ...
Well, I was finally able to finish the first stocking that I started last night. After I put my son to bed, warmed dinner for my husband (who has been studying for law school finals) and he went to wind down with some TV time. I was truly excited that once I was able to focus, it was done so quickly.
This was the first project that the light bulb didn't click when I read the directions through before starting. As I did each step, I was still thinking, "I'm not seeing how this is going to work", but then in one of the final steps it finally clicked and I was like, "That is truly amazing! I never would have thought of that!"
The completed project turned out even better than I imagined and I am already thinking of a million more ways to make stocking with themes and embellishments. The second one (there are two in a pack) I am doing with traditional Christmas fabric, but I may do more later because they were so quick and fun. I might even be willing to make them for Christmas presents next year (if I can let them go once I make them.)
So what do you think about this addition to my Pink Christmas collection?
I'm hoping to finish the second stocking tomorrow and I'll post once its done.
Until our next cup of tea ...
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