A Checkbook Cover and a Challenge

Yikes. Between skipping lunch and the heroic effort it took to make this thing, I have the WORST headache. Even my eyebrows hurt. But- I finished it!

Here is my checkbook cover I made using this tutorial. I am sure for most people it was fun and easy. And for me, it has absolutely nothing to do with the pattern itself when I say this thing nearly fucking killed me to make. First of all, you have to baste every piece to every other piece. I realize the purpose behind this and I think it's nice. But for me from now on I will be going without. Basting is for the birds. It took me longer to get all the flipping basting stitches out than it did to do all the rest combined. Imagine the moment of panic I had when I thought I somehow made the damn thing like two inches too small, when it turned out I hadn't taken out the basting stitches. I am SUCH a dodo sometimes.

Anyway, I know this thing looks a hot mess but it's the most beautiful thing I have ever seen at this moment.

Here's the inside, complete with wonky pocket placement (the OCD part of me that needs straight lines hates it but whatever) and strange things at the top that would have held the pages of the register up if they were actually functional. But since they aren't, I feel like it's a good thing I don't have a check register anyway.


Here's the full view of the back:


and here's what it looks like all folded up. Note the not even half assed attempt at top stitching. I just kinda said enough's enough, and there ya have it. So funny.


You gotta admit, the fabric combo is cute. This checkbook cover has that going for it.

So, I got to thinking while I was working on this checkbook. I have LOTS of supplies with which to make stuff. In fact, I have so many that I am starting to think that I don't like making stuff as much as I like gathering materials for stuff. So, I am challenging myself: I want to see how many days in a row I can Make Something without having to buy anything. I have so many things on various assorted lists in various stages of completion- I bet if I really used my head, I could make something every day for a while. Like 30 days or more. Maybe even 60! What marvelous things could I actually complete if I stopped focusing on what I don't have to make something else? How far out of the box could I think? How much money could I not spend? Would it give me new eyes with which to see the stash I have? Could it help me in my Resolution to try to free myself from the want and need for accumulating things?

I think this could be really fun. And this could be Blogging Gold, considering my propensity for Really Messing Things Up. Also, I believe that creativity can really flourish with limitations, so I am imposing a few rules:

• At least an hour a day goes into the making of something, or The Thing has to be completed, whichever comes first.
  
• Confession is on Sunday, where I tell what I really bought (sometimes you have to have thread and such). If I HAVE to buy something, I will keep it under $5 per week.
  
• No more than 1/3 of my time spent making something can be knitting. I can knit for longer than an hour, or as often as I want, but it can only be counted for the day's project every third day or the equivalent.
• Multiple days can be accounted for in a single entry. This isn't a cop out- as most of you know, blogging is really time consuming, and the whole point of this challenge is to actually do, rather than shop for or talk about.
  
• Pictures or it didn't happen. They may be shitty, but I promise to take them.
  
• Food does not count unless it is a recipe I devise all on my own out of things I already have on hand. Hey, it could happen, right? Probably not, but that's okay.
• Stealing and purchasing are not okay for materials, but any other method of acquisition is.
  

Now, what should I call this Challenge? My first thought was Make Something, Buy Nothing. But then I googled that and it looks like that is already something. Most of the entries on the first page went to a site called God Spot, or God Land, or God Something. I'm not going there, although I bet divine intervention could be helpful in this. Help me think of a name, seriously.