Merry Belated Christmas, fellow Crackpots!
I’m sorry to say that it didn’t occur to me until very late in the process (like, the day before we were going to head down for our post-Christmas visit) that all five Crackpots wouldn’t be together in the same place at the same time this year. So the cumulative impact of my Crackpot Christmas Gift/Project was somewhat diluted, I’m afraid. I’m hoping this post will help the situation.
If you’re reading this, you know that I made notebook covers for Mead “composition notebooks” for each of you. This was partly because I thought it was a cool idea, and partly because I was looking for an excuse to play and experiment with some small-scale piecing ideas. Here are the four notebooks:
Rebecca’s notebook should have been titled “It Seemed Like A Good Idea At The Time.” It’s a three-strip Fence Rail block, pieced with some striped fabrics I had that I didn’t know what to do with. The idea is that the stripes would blend into one another, looking like one striped fabric. It kind of worked:
Marty’s notebook is a pretty standard Log Cabin block, which used a set of fat sixteenths (!) I got from somewhere. I think they’re reproduction fabrics, but I had a heck of a time thinking of what I could do with sixteenths. The gradual shading of the fabrics seemed to lend themselves to a Log Cabin:
Ann’s notebook is a crazy quilt, using various bright scraps I had lying around, mostly from various kids’ quilts, but also from a few other projects, including a pillow I made for her, and the famous Top Secret Round Robin Crackpot Project. The center patches are from a Laurel Burch fabric I bought at Field’s a while ago and haven’t figured out what to do with:
And finally, Nancy’s notebook uses string piecing with scraps from the four baby quilts I’ve been involved with. This was the first one I did (after the muslin mock-up to make sure I had the measurements right), and I had to tear out and re-piece the lining and the pocket for the notebook covers three times to get it right. Topology is hard:
I had a great time doing these – I hope you enjoy them!
P.S. once you’ve read this, could you leave a comment? Once I know everyone’s read it, I’ll take the password off the post so that The Whole World can see it.
Here, I am, Cathy, reporting that I have indeed read your post. I think this was a great Christmas project idea. I really like all your variations on the theme. I especially like Marty’s. It’s a great use of the fabrics you had available. My idea for next Christmas isn’t nearly as clever, but it should be easier to achieve – unless I change my mind and decide to make it more creative. Time will tell. (-:
Wow! I love the notebook! Maybe this will be the motivation for me to keep notes on my projects–successes and what could be considered, well, alternative successes.
One of the members of our sewing guild brings the same little notebook to each meeting and takes notes about any ideas that interest her. She told me that otherwise her notes would be on little scraps of paper, the backs of receipts, etc. Hmmm… That’s where all my notes are…
I agree that the fabrics on my log cabin look like reproduction fabrics. I may do a little research to determine the time period.
Thanks, Cathy. What a great project!
Thanks, Cathy! It did take me a bit to realize that the stripes weren’t all one fabric, so I think you succeeded! I keep intending to keep track of my crafty projects, ideas, and so on – and now I’ve got the perfect place to do so!
You’re welcome, Marty and Rebecca! I had a really great time making them. Thanks for leaving your comments – I’ve un-protected the post now, so if anyone other than us is reading this, they can see the post. At least, I think I’ve done so!