Sunday, May 20, 2012

Personal Post Cleverly Disguised as a Crafty Post


Look what I finally finished!  I've been in love with this pillow ever since I saw the tutorial Blair over at Wise Craft came up with, and I knew as soon as I saw it that I needed to have this cushion.  And it only took me...3 months to make.  Oh uh, yeah.

Anyways, I'm a little bummed by it, in a way.  Not because it didn't turn out exactly like what I wanted.  Not because the project was hard or the tutorial was difficult to follow.  This is the most perfect little pillow made from a fantastic little tutorial.

Trying to make up all these discs in different colour combinations wound up being more difficult than I thought it would.
No, I'm bummed because I've finished it just in time to either pack up, sell, give away, or toss all of the lovely stuff I've accumulated in my pretty (if often messy) little apartment and move.  Because I can't just move somewhere in the city, or a province over or anything.  No, I decided to move to the Yukon, and I'm going to have to severely edit what I bring with me.

Putting the discs together.

I never mentioned it on my blog at all, but I lost my job at the end of April.  Which, as it turns out, was a blessing in disguise.  I didn't realize just how miserable I was there until they slapped that piece of paper in front of me and said they were letting me go.  

Here's one side, all stitched together. This is the back side, so all of those ridges will be hidden. I attached the discs together using the crochet method shown here.

Everyone, I'm an emotional person.  I get that from my Mom.  When I'm happy, I cry.  When I'm sad, I cry.  When I'm frustrated, I cry.  When I'm stressed, I cry.  When I have to talk to people who make me nervous, I cry.  It's pathedic.  And then, because I hate getting emotional (I get that from my Dad) I get angry at myself.  Which makes me just cry more, and it's this awful downward spiral of tears and snot.

I didn't shed a single tear when they let me go.  In fact, from what I heard, I was calm and relaxed and somewhat happy looking.  That says something right there, eh?

Stitching the two sides assembled sides together, using the same method to join the discs together. I left one side open to insert the pillow.

Anyways, I've been in a sort of long-distance, not-really-dating-but-sort-of-crazy-about-eachother, THING with an old friend who lives in the Yukon.  Way back in March, I decided that I was going to take the risk and move up there to see if this Maybe Thing had any potential to go anywhere.  Of course, I was planning on waiting until the fall so that I could, you know, save up some money for the move, but uh...then I lost my job.

I made an insert using an old pillow case, cut down to size.  I made it a smidge bit larger than the cushion shell, since the crocheted sides will stretch a bit.  By using an old pillow case, I only had to stitch up two sides.  Can you see the mistake I made?  (HINT: This is still unstuffed.)

So I'm in the process of finding a job.  In typical Heather luck, I managed to find a place to live before I even found a job.  The vacancy in Whitehorse is something like 0.2%, and most places are rented out before they're even advertised.  But my friend up there found me a room to rent at a rate you generally won't find anywhere else in the city, and I've jumped on it.  Especially since he's sure that I'll get on with the person who owns the place.

Stitching up the opening after stuffing the inside lining, sewing it closed on the machine (Note to self: stitch by hand next time), and stuffing the lining into the crochet pillow case.

What does this all have to do with my throw pillow?  Well, it means that I've finished it at about the time that I need to start clearing out stuff.  Will that include this lovely pillow?  I don't know.  I hope not.  I'm gutted to have to get rid of anything, to be honest, because I was expecting to live here for a few years at least, and was finally starting to invest in the things I want, instead of whatever cheapo stuff I could find on a student budget.  I'm already devistated that I have to get rid of this awesome couch that I hunted down online and fought to get back here. I look around my apartment, trying to talk myself into starting to deal with my stuff, and I just get...well, I already told you about the emotional thing.

And I don't even know what this means for my sewing stuff.

While in university, I would move on average of twice a year.  The 2.5 years I lived in Kingston was the longest I'd stayed in one place in a decade.  I should be used to this, right? Used to picking up and starting all over, right?  And it's just 'stuff'.

Then why am I feeling so gutted this time?  I'm pretty sure it's because I kept telling myself that as soon as I'm done school, I'll get a job and my own place and settle, which has been a dream for a looong time.  And I had that.  But...


But I wasn't happy.  The job I had settled for kept me too busy to spend time with my family, which was the whole reason I chose to stay here in the first place.  And I was scratching at the 'what if I'd moved up there' itch.  So I'm going.


I just wish I could pick up my entire pretty place and take it all up there with me when I do.  Pretty throw pillow and all.

*~~*~~*

ETA: Look what I found while sorting through stuff.  Apparently I was planning on being a storyteller and illustrator when I grew up!

My writing: RAR RBRROERARR HEATHER
Interpretation: Red and purple elephants eating up your hair

22 comments:

  1. Oooo, how exciting. Do it Heather, do it! I'm in Cape Town now and seriously considering a short term relocation here, but it gets way more complicated when there are small people involved (do I really want to give up my subsidized daycare that took 18 months on a waiting list to get into? Do I want to take my son out of his school when he is just becoming fluent in French?) Only downside: sewing supplies will be so hard to get your hands on up there, and I'm guessing terribly expensive!

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    1. There is a fabric store up there, actually! Google Maps show that there might even be garment weight fabric! And ElleC tells me that it was pretty good when she lived up there. Probably less bargins, though. I might have to get creative. :)

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  2. Very best of luck. The pillow looks great. I have had that sense of calm which is totally unexpected when getting booted from a horrible, stink, butt job. It does mean that everything is about to get a whole lot better. :-)

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  3. Sometimes life makes all the hard choices for you. I really wish a great new start and it's fine to be emotional, just show you care . X

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    1. That's pretty much what I thought. :) It's bad timing, since my Mom's going through breast cancer treatments right now, and I'd like to be here for her. But I know she'll be fine, and I'm glad I was here for the surgery. This is just a kick in the butt to get moving!

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  4. You are a bad sewist, you never mentioned the real reason for the move. <3 8-)
    I am a little envious, Whitehorse is such an adventure, as you know I did it once. Is there someone who has a basement that you can leave some stuff with, it seems a shame to get rid of stuff you love.

    Are you driving up there? Fill you car to the roof so it looks like the Beverly Hillbillies are coming to town, if you have a car of significant size you can cram a lot of stuff in it. Then label boxes of stuff for your family to bring up when they come to visit you. You can also get stuff shipped by Greyhound or by plane when fame and wealth find you. I would suggest you don`t leave any of your sewing stuff behind, as bargains are hard to come by up there.

    Take care of yourself and don't get too stressed out.

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    1. There's 2 reasons for the move. One is the Maybe up there. The other is my career. I need to get back into my chosen career path, and I can do it there.

      I was planning on driving there, back when I thought I'd have an income for a few more months. Now I'm not so sure. My brother is offering to help me purchase one though, and that would be ideal. Then I'd actually be able to bring up more than 2 suitcases of stuff. :D Plus I REALLY want to make the drive. Although I'm terrified of driving on anything but prairie flatlands... lol

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  5. Good luck with all of the packing and moving! I hope this change turns out to be a good one for you. (And you should definitely bring the pillow. It's lovely!)

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  6. oh i'm happy and happier for you at the same time! happy that you're out of a bad situation and happier about all the possibilities you're opening up by taking chances and moving on! good luck packing and moving, maybe your family can store some of your belongings and send packages of your things to you?

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    1. Maybe I can, I'm not sure. It's more things like my awesome couch, the headboard and desk I inherited from my great aunt, and the bookshelves I painted myself. And all my artwork. But I"ll figure it out. If I can drive up, that'll help a lot. :)

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  7. I sure wish someone had told me when I started geology that there's very few jobs that are compatible with staying in one place and having a family! Although I love it in an academic, educational way there's no way I'm passionate enough to want to live in the boonies or work contract for it. I hope this new opportunity is FABULOUS for you! I hear the Yukon is just gorgeous, it's the only territory I haven't been to. My friend from Thunder Bay loves it there.

    PS you can SO take the pillow! Just pick apart a seam and unstuff it, leaving the stuffing behind and restuff it in Whitehorse!

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    1. Huh, that's a good idea. If I don't take a car up, that's a good way to ship it up. :)

      There's a reason I went back to grad school. Had a horrible summer experience that made me rethink the practical use of my undergrad degree. But at the same time, I'm hoping to go work at a mine again. We'll see. Thanks for your encouraging words! I hear that Whitehorse is gorgeous.

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  8. Heather, best wishes on your move. Just GO FOR IT!!!!

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  9. Go for it, Girl!! Goodluck! I love the pillow, take it with you.

    The only thing I regret not bringing with me during one of the moves is a summery yellow tunic that I designed, got it made by a tailor with a fabric I picked out.. and it was fantastic... just a bit tight during the move. I was so tensed with all the drama that unfolded that I tossed it out and still regret to this date. All the store bought stuff I threw out, I don't even remember what they were.

    When you go through your stuff to get rid off, look for what makes you happy and take it along with you.

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    1. Yeah, I did something similar when I moved from Kingston to Winnipeg. I was in the final stages of packing and was tossing things left right and centre, and tossed a pretty skirt that I'd made. I actually wrote a love letter to it here on my blog! I miss that skirt a lot now. :(

      The hard part is, everything that I've been collecting for my apartment makes me happy! Hense my freak out above. :) Oh well, I'll have to narrow it down to those things that make me the happiest!

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  10. This sounds really exciting for you! I hope everything works out and you will find a great job that doesn't suck! I can't wait to hear how it goes

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  11. Man, I suck so much at commenting these days...

    This is SO exciting. Yet frustrating. I can't imagine having to get rid of all my stuff, but then I've been accumulating it for a while now... I hope all sorts of awesome things will happen for you up north. :)

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    1. HA! I now own a car (which will hopefully get me up there), so now I can pack up much more stuff! :D

      Thanks so much. I hope so too. :)

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