NEW BLOG

Hi everyone! I have started a new blog using the basis of this one. It is still called Alie Makes, but focuses on me creating a healthy life for myself. It showcases things that I've created, journal and planner layouts, food, faith, and home decorating. It's more of a lifestyle blog now instead of just a craft blog. I hope that you all can follow there! Click here to head on over!

Coming Soon!

I have been buying so much stash fabric lately!! I felt uninspired by the fabric I had, so I decided to buy a few new things. So many great collections out now! I'm also working on a quilt for a very good friend of mine :) When I have some more time to edit my stash pictures, I will be adding them on here. To keep you entertained, here are a few sneak peaks:

If you have instagram, please feel free to follow me on there... click here or search for "alierina" on Instagram! You can see more updates on what I'm making (and buying).

Do you have any fabric collections that you bought or are coveting? Let me know!

Crochet: Catherine Wheel

Does anyone else have projects that they think are ugly yet the most beautiful thing they've ever seen? Well this is one of those! I have a few crochet projects going on and this is my "no goal project" that I pick up every now and then. I've found that crocheting really helps me to relax and not worry about work stress. The repetitive movements and patterns clear my head. (However, when it becomes too repetitive I check out and get bored.) This one is perfect! It is called the Catherine Wheel, and I actually have two projects going on with it.

Inspiration: 

I saw this picture on Instagram from karsyndupree and just fell in love! I'd never seen a crochet pattern like this, and I knew I had to try it. I flipped through my Reader's Digest Ultimate Sourcebook of Knitting and Crochet Stitches and low and behold found it! The Catherine Wheel! **I highly recommend this book if you are an avid knitter or crocheter. It is stocked full of stitches and a lifesaver** However, the book only lists stitch instructions, and when it comes to crocheting, I have to have a stitch chart. So off I searched for one!

Stitch Chart:

I found this at ABC Knitting Patterns. I liked this one the most because it colored each row separately. It really keeps things clear when I'm trying to figure out which row to start with after I've put down the project for a bit.

My Project:

I decided to use yarn from my stash and just go for it! I didn't have anything in mind (which is why it is an awkward length) and started working on the stitch. I fell in love! It's quite easy and repetitive just enough to take my mind off my day. I've had the variegated yarn for a few years now. I wish I'd bought more so that I could make a larger project with it, but it is what it is. The project stays interesting to me because I never know what each row will look like thanks to the colorful yarn! I think this is what adds that ugly yet beautiful factor to it.

Stitches:

I can't wait to see what path my project takes me on! I have to say that this is my favorite crochet stitch now! Do you have a favorite? I'd love to try it out!

Modern Medallion WIP: Applique

My first attempts at reverse applique were interesting. I didn't really enjoy the process very much, but I must say, I LOVE the results! And I LOVE doing the blind blanket stitch.... that you can see. Also a little hint: if you are using freezer paper for your appliques, just use butcher paper from your local grocer. It is free and worked great for me. Like freezer paper, it is waxed on only one side.

After I had completed all of my appliqueing and pulled out the paper. I was quite scared to pull it out and worried about ripping out my stitches, but it worked seamlessly. Pun so very intended.

I then played around with which fabric I wanted on my border. Do I go warmer or more neutral?? I decided that I liked the pop of the orange and how well it framed my bloom. This decision also helped me to decide on making the embroidery section cooler in color.

Modern Medallion WIP: Fabric Choice

Hello all! Here is the progress on my Modern Medallion Quilt from the the Handstitched class over at Stitched In Color. So far I am having a lot of fun! This class is getting me sewing again which is a bigger gift than I think Rachel could have ever dreamed up. I have learned two new skills so far: applique and mitered corners... but I'd like to talk a bit about my fabric choices today.

I knew right away that I had to have the Henry Alexander super large rose/peony print as my center focal point, so then I worked at pulling fabrics I already had in my stash. This was the color palette I came up with. It was soooo much harder than I'd like to admit to pull fabrics. I hadn't done it in so long. I ended up buying a few extra 1/2 yards off etsy due to the most of what I had being scraps. 

Most of the fabrics are from Llama Fabrics and the ever wonderful Sew Me A Song. << I can't sing SMAS praises enough! There was a slight mix up with my fabric and Becca was excellent at quickly responding and getting me the correct fabric. She's a fabric life savior. I highly recommend usingboth of the shops!

I knew that I wanted to keep the focus on the brilliant floral of the center fabric, so I chose colors and fabrics that would accent it. I want my quilt to be more on the cool side of the palette, but I also wanted a few pops to keep the quilt interesting which is where the warm pinks and oranges play in. I have to say picking out all the solids for the medallion really got me inspired though! We're about to add in all of these. I'm still working on some embroidery though, but I can sew on that throughout the piecing of the quilt! Next up for the post: my applique skillz and handwork!

CHAOS CONTROL: Not Your Usual Post...

...I hope you don't mind a hording small confession I have. I am extremely messy. I have a ton of clothes. I need to make a change. Why in the world am I posting this on Alie Makes?? Well... I am a creative type. Many of us creative types also end up creating chaos. This chaos begins to keep us from creating. Thus, I am inhibiting myself from creating for Alie Makes due to my created chaos. I also consider decorating a type of creating, so, eventually, these "Chaos Control" posts will become about making and creating for the creative home. Anyone keeping tally of how many times you've read "chaos" and "create/ed/ing" in this post!!? It'll keep coming!

On to the goals:

1) CONFESS
2) PURGE

3) ORGANIZE

4) CLEAN

5) DECORATE

6) CREATE

I will focus on the 'How' of each of these goals as they come. Organize and Clean will most likely work hand in hand. There will probably be many projects going on at the same time actually. Purge will be my first post in my Chaos Control posts after this confessional one.

1) CONFESS Now... the damage... confessional unedited pictures. Brace yourselves for the chaos and the need for control:

I have such high hopes for my bedroom. I've started getting some key furniture pieces together (mainly from IKEA). Some of these pieces have been put together. Others have been taken out of the box... can you spy it? Can you also spy my biggest problem? It's strewn all over my floor and bins. CLOTHES! I will talk all about it in Purge. Why did I willingly put photos of my chaos online for everyone to see and judge? Well, it puts things into perspective for me. I'm viewing my chaos as a viewer and not as a doer. It looks more like reality in pictures and not just as something I've gotten used to walking around and dealing with. I recommend you at least take pictures to really view your chaos. Plus, I will have some very rewarding before and after pictures for when my chaos is controlled.

Some helpful inspiration for Chaos Control:
A Beautiful Mess: Weekend Goal: Clean Out My Closet by Emma
A Beautiful Mess: Decluttering Tips From an Aspiring Hoarder by Elsie
TheEveryGirl: 7 Questions to Ask When Cleaning Out Your Closet
My Pinterest Board: Favorite Places and Spaces   <<Check out your own pinterest boards for inspiration on beautiful homes that you can aspire to!

Would you like to join in my Chaos Control? Create your own blog post about your needs, goals, confessional pictures, and inspiration to get your chaos under control. Link up below so we can encourage and support one another! I know I'll need it....

Loooong Time, No See

Warning: This post is text heavy with very few pictures.

Well, it has been forever since I've blogged on here. Life life basically got in the way of my creative life. I've since graduated from college, received my degree and teaching certificate, got my first job, moved, and have successfully completed my first semester of being a full fledged teacher. All riiiight! It's been scary and wonderful all at the same time!

Now that things are finally starting to settle, my hands are itching to create again. I've crocheted a few motifs over the last year or two, but nothing worth noting. I feel like I lost a big part of myself by not creating. In. Any. Way. I tend to create in phases. Sometimes I draw, other times I write, I'll get into baking, start playing with yarn and embroidery floss, working in my amazing planners, or constructing with fabric. I haven't done of any of the above in way too long (except for my planners which I'll post about later!) I need to find and soothe my creative side again.

Teaching is an extremely stressful and never-ending job. I'm always questioning myself about if I'm good enough and if I'm helping my kids to grow. Could I have done that differently? Should I have been more sympathetic/empathetic? Was that the right thing to say to that student/parent? Am I going to get 10 emails about my choice? When is my principal coming in to watch? While these are stressful and never-ending, the job is quite rewarding (at least 3/5 days a week haha) and I love teaching and my students. BUT I've realized that I need to take time for myself and begin creating again.

To get back in touch with my sewing side, I've decided to take Rachel's (of Stitched In Color) Handstitched Online Class. I absolutely LOVE handwork and I snatched up the chance to slowly get back into sewing. But seriously.... I LOVE HANDWORK! Many years ago, **sidebar story begins  here** I took a sewing class at my university. I already knew how to sew, but I wanted to tighten up some of my skills. We had to hand sew our hems and I was in heaven! I learned a few different hand sewing stitches which I loved. For my final project, I created a beautiful complex little sundress with a zipper. Zippers are the bane of my existence. When my professor returned the dress she was beaming and told me how wonderful it was but that my zipper was atrocious. She then suggested I hand sew my zippers since I enjoy hand sewing so much. I should take her advice! **sidebar story ends here** Anyways, I'm extremely excited to learn even more about handstitching and how I can apply to quilting. We will be learning about applique (which I know very little about... it's almost embarrassing), English paper piecing, and various stitches. Plus there is very little pressure which I need right now.

The fabrics for the Modern Medallion Quilt we will be making in the class! So in love with these springy colors. I need to order a few more prints because I mostly have scraps of the ones I have featured on my focal point fabric. It was hard picking out fabric... something I've never really experienced before. It got my blood pumping though, and I can't wait to start!

What does this all mean for you? Alie Makes will come out of its hibernation and you can follow me down my journey to begin creating again. If you haven't created anything in while, please start! It's now or never! Kind of. Let's get out of our creative slumps and rediscover our love of making again!