last-minute gifts

A couple weeks ago I had a moment of panic: friends were throwing a dual baby shower for myself and another friend, and I'd completely spaced on getting my friend a shower gift! This shows you just how self-absorbed I've been lately. But yeah, I have two weeks left (more or less) of being pregnant, and I haven't had much room left in my brain for thinking of anything else.
So yeah.
I had this shower coming up, actually I thought it was the very next day, and I hadn't purchased a gift. I drove into Morro Bay thinking that there were a couple baby shops in town, and I could find some special, adorable baby boy outfit. And I did. Only, it was $75, and the idea of spending that much on something that will be worn once (probably) made me ill. But they did have some cute handmade "snuggly" type toys. I guess babies like little pieces of fabric, like blankies only smaller, that they can carry around, and that have lots of textures and colors and shapes to mess with. Personally, I don't really get it, but apparently they're all the rage in the baby world. I mean, I sort of get it... it's something they can grab and wave around and it makes noise and feels interesting and they can suck on it or what not. So I saw these things and thought "I could make that!" So I rushed home and I did.
Here it is, nearly complete.

The back side was the same polkadot fabric, with the colors reversed. So, after pinning everything down, I sewed the right sides together, flipped it right-side out and HOORAY... all the little pieces of ribbon and stuff stuck out the sides like spikes. In addition to the ribbons, the big blue triangle stuck out and it was filled with a piece of plastic bag so it crinkled. And there was a velcro strap too, so you could attach it to things. Or just play with the velcro. Also, the elephant ended up with a flappy ear out of the polkadot fabric.
So anyway, the really funny thing about this was that the shower turned out to be the FOLLOWING week, so I didn't need to rush at all. Sigh. And that's good because the gift was pretty lame on its own and I was happily able to go to San Luis Obispo and purchase some Burt's Bees baby lotions which are the bomb. And made me look like less of a slacker.

Where to start?

I've been feeling like starting something these past few days. It probably has to do with the torrential rain and cold outside. Also probably something to do with the unsatisfactory completion of the last project ... the whirlygig scarf ended up way too short because I ran out of yarn. That was disappointing. But I have vowed to not buy any more anythings ever. No, really!
I have like 3 rubbermaid bins of fabric. And another bin of yarn. All of which was purchased with a project half-in-mind. I can't say it was with a specific project in mind, because there were never any actual plans. I didn't have patterns, or even all the ingredients necessary to make any of the projects. I just got inspired by the textiles and I needed to have them for when I was ready to make something. And then they just sit around. And they tend to loom over me (not only because they're on a shelf above my computer) and make me feel pretty lame.
So I have lame vibes coming at me from all over -- the failed scarf, and also the sundress I made last summer that never really got finished. I didn't hem it, because I don't know how to make it a straight hem if I'm not wearing it and I don't know how to actually do the hemming while it's on me. I'm sure this is one of those things that has an easy solution, but I don't know what it is. But I wore it last summer when it was so hot even I was considering not wearing clothing (and if you knew me this would be shocking) and so I wore it unhemmed and then washed it and some parts of it unraveled and it's just a disaster. I don't know how to fix it. I should definitely fix it. Sigh.
So anyway, there have been projectitis rumblings going on around here. The sewing cabinet is opened. So that's a good sign that some sewing will be getting done soon. I just need to buy thread. Uh, nope! I'm not buying anything ever, I forgot!
The other thing is that darn canvas, the one that used to have the mares painting? I think it is going to be a deep-sea creature now. I'm really excited about that. Only issue? I really ought to buy some new acrylic paint, because I'm limited to like olive green and rusty red (and yellow? I think I have yellow) at this point. And my deep sea creatures are not those colors. I need to buy paints, mix colors. I need to do it right. So that one's on hold too. Though I did pull out all my paints and brushes in anticipation of working on it.

Anyway, I do have a bunch of yarn, but only one skein of each sort, so I have to get a little creative. I really hope I have enough for this one. I think it's going to be beautiful. Maybe. I'm never sure if it's going to work out (what do you do with the hanging out ends? How do you change colors and make it look seamless? I'm afraid this one is going to be another failure, too. But as I made that last ruffled scarf, I kept thinking of things you could do to embellish it, and this was one of my thoughts ... RIBS! It doesn't seem to be ruffling like the last one. Maybe the ribs are hindering it. I don't know. I'm afraid to find out. But aren't the colors just beautiful? I had to had to had to buy that teal yarn because the color was just painfully beautiful. I had planned on making a felted hat out of it. But then I was afraid to try that, because what if the hat doesn't fit? At least a scarf will fit. I hope.