I've started this blog as a way to record my progress with various projects - as well as bits 'n bobs about my life and how crafting fits in with it (or doesn't). I realised that aside from being a mum and a wife, I'm an archaeologist and a crafter and those last two really don't have any connection at all to each other. They compete for my time and my attention and it's a real battle to sort out time allocation and mental energy! In terms of an outlet to talk about them, for the archaeology I can publish papers in journals and go to conferences but for crafting? Well I can go to craft shows I guess, although it's not quite the same thing because there's a seller/customer dynamic going on. I can theoretically craft with other people and while I'd love to do this I don't really know many people to do this with. So a craft blog seems like the equivalent thing to a scholarly journal! Hopefully I can manage to write it in the first person instead of reverting to dry scholarly language :P
It seems particularly apt to start this off before Christmas when I've got a long list of things to make for people and therefore many projects and hopefully photos to post! The header picture is from a quilt I'm currently making for my new niece Rebecca (or Rebeccah, embarrassingly we've never seen her name written and Mat and I are arguing about the spelling. I want it with the 'h'.) using Heather Ross' Rabbits and Racecars fabric. I'm using a very simple design from Last Minute Patchwork + Quilted Gifts which is ideal because I've never actually quilted before! I still need to square it up and put the binding on. I hate squaring up - is it just me? I think I've got it and then I realise it's not square on one edge, or by the time I get up to the top it's not square... It stresses me out. I need some sort of giant square about half a metre wide! I know I know, good enough and all that but I'm too anal to let it go. Was it in Amy Karol's Bend The Rules Sewing book that she urges us to enjoy the process and the gifting and not worry about handing over something perfect? I'm trying very hard to become one with this idea, and I think that sometimes I might be getting the hang of it. I'll always be a perfectionist, but I don't freak out now if it's not perfect. I think that's a happy medium.
