Crafting in Kyiv

The past few weeks have been quite hectic here – Laika’s teething, which means she’s chewing on everything (and my hands apparently make tasty chew toys); Peema’s decided to protest Laika’s existence by using my shower as a litterbox (Lovely.); we’ve been planning an unexpected trip to the States (more on that in a later post); I’ve applied for a job at the Embassy; and I’ve just realized that the summer is almost over. Where did it go? I can hardly believe that we’ve been here 4 months already.

I’ve also realized that I haven’t done a “crafty” post since we got here to showcase all that I’ve been working on. To be honest, I feel like I haven’t been super productive since we arrived in Ukraine. I initially thought that I would be doing nothing but crafting after arriving here, especially since I didn’t have a job. However, we got the puppy fairly early on, which turned out to be my full-time job. And the exhaustion of living in a foreign country has taken up much valuable free time. Even if my only task for the day is to get groceries, it takes 3 hours to actually get the groceries, and then about 3 more hours to recover from the experience. So not a whole lot gets done on those days. Anyway, here are the few projects that I have been able to get done in the past few months.

This is the only bit of knitting I’ve done. The pattern is from the Spring 2007 Knitscene. I haven’t been very motivated to knit lately. Maybe that’s because it actually took me three attempts to get this garment right…

These are two quilting projects I’ve been working on. The one on the right isn’t actually finished in the photo, but it is now. These were the first projects I started when we got to Kyiv, so they were both pieced and quilted completely by hand. It’s not as impressive as it sounds – they’re only 19 inches square! In other quilting news, I’m still making steady progress on my butterfly quilt – I’ve got all 56 squares put together, now I just need to embroider all 112 antennae.

I’ve decided one of my favorite things in the world is that moment when you’ve got your sewing pattern all pinned on the fabric and are just ready to cut. There’s just something so neat and organized about it. (And you know you haven’t made any mistakes yet. Not that I make mistakes…) On the left is the beginning of a skirt from a Vogue pattern made out of some gorgeous wool that my mom bought for me at G Street in Washington. And the fabric on the right is going to be a top from a Simplicity pattern with a few alterations to the neckline.

And my final project to share is a small attempt to jazz up my sewing area. What makes a space happier than matching sewing machine covers? Honestly?