Ruminations on the Crafting Life

I was sitting quietly the other day at work on my lunch break. I was eating my sandwich and contemplating my next batch of craft projects. There are several things that I want to try that I've never made the time to try or did any research about...like yo yos or a crochet along on the Lion Brand website. They have a cute little motif afghan that I'd like to work with. http://blog.lionbrand.com/category/crochet-along/

I like motifs because they are portable. And I can eat a sandwich while I'm making one. I can take it to work with me and whip off a couple pieces during lunch or my break times. Motifs are fast and usually pretty simple.

My maternal grandmother was a fan of the motif. She was forever making something with them. Afghans, the occasional quilt...she even made me a crocheted hippy vest when I was a kid and those sorts of things were in fashion.

They're in fashion again and I'm interested again. This time as a maker as well as a wearer.

Last weekend, I was digging through a box of craft stuff and I found a shoebox with the remains of a Cathedral Window quilted pillow and an almost completed pillow cover. It got me thinking about motifs and my Grandma. The quilted pillow bits came from her stash nearly 10 years ago when she moved from her apartment to the nursing home. She couldn't take much stuff with her and her eyes weren't much good for close work anymore.

So I found myself perusing the supply category on etsy this last week looking for quilt bits to finish up her pillow cover and maybe even design a few of my own. I found a plethora of supplies on QuiltSquares' page and these are just about perfect: http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=30269963

I love shopping on etsy almost more than I love selling on etsy. I like finding the things that I need to make my designs become reality there. I like supporting the handmade community. It's another thing I inherited from my Grandma...a sense of community. She was always getting together with her friends and quilting or crocheting and chattering. She made prayer shawls and afghans and quilts and vests and etc. She was prolific and intensely focused.

I really miss her a lot. But I always have a piece of her with me all the time. My love for creating things. Thanks Grandma.