A few days ago, Barbara posted this thought that she'd recently read - only do what only you can do. What a FABULOUS concept to fully grasp for all year round but especially at this time of year when women tend to do the work of an entire tribe while the tribe sits on the couch in expectation. I have opinions on that especially when the tribe is all adult. I delegate and if no one wants "it" bad enough to do the work, than I guess "it" isn't important - whatever it may be. I refuse to have no holiday while everyone else is having theirs. However... this is a hot button topic for me so before I climb up on that soap box and start lecturing, let's move on to...
... simplification. I've always been one for simplifying and organizing occasions mainly so that I will enjoy them more. That works for me along with moving deadlines forward to avoid rushing only this year I'm behind on Christmas by about six weeks and I don't like the feeling. Tomorrow, I hope to catch up and be done although that is entirely dependent on if I can find what I'm looking for when I go shopping. I do recognize that to be done shopping one has to go shopping - LOL - and I've been avoiding that. I hate crowds even more this year.
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One short cut I've taken this year is these boxes from the dollar store. They were $1.00, $1.50, and $2.00 respectively. Open lid, insert present for friend, pad with tissue if necessary, tie with bow using ribbon from studio, and ta da done - AND they are less expensive than wrapping paper or gift bags and are completely reusable and well made. I'll definitely do this again.
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A friend is coming to visit this morning who hasn't been to our new home yet. That's a very good push to get a few of those niggling things done... like replacing the bed skirt that tore in the move. All I can say for this one is that it's on the bed and the dust bunnies are covered because IMHO that straight piece of fabric with no gathers is really ugly. The bed skirts I sew are so much nicer but after twenty-one months of living here, a skirt is not happening fast. Partly, that's because I want to get rid of the country look and move in new directions and partly it's because sewing bed skirts is nowhere on the list of things I'd like to do and... apparently... neither is...
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... sewing 1950's stoles. I cut out this pattern for the friend I had breakfast with yesterday. She has since left town and returned home. This stole seemed like the perfect curl up, cuddle, slightly more elegant than a blanket, garment for her cool and snowy new location - and it might be - but I ended up buying her a gift. I refused to rush and rushing the sewing or not sewing at all were the only options. Well... actually...
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... I did contemplate this version briefly. I borrowed this prototype from another friend. It's a long rectangle much like the technical drawing from Butterick 5993 shown below only I think it needs the side that drapes to be longer that the other side so the drape will hang over the shoulder better. Once that idea got in my head, it stuck and I just didn't feel like drafting a pattern no matter how basic it was plus I wanted to work with a fabric other than fleece - something like a beautiful wool. And I will. Later. Maybe in the summer. I bought five meters of wool suiting in the bargain center for cheap because I think this shape would be a wonderful blank canvas for playing with line and paint and stamps. The fabric is a boring tan so there's a challenge right from the beginning as in can I make it more exciting. We'll see what actually happens. My possibility eyes are bigger than my actually get it done tummy.
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When I pulled the cardboard core from the yarn out of my purse yesterday to show my friend, her eyes lit up and she said that's a bracelet before I even mentioned my idea. I had the feeling she was barely resisting ripping it out of my hands. Ideas were already brewing in her head and in mine. Painted bracelets are another possibility. One with great potential now that I've learned from her how to prep and paint and finish the surface.
Today, after lunch with my friend, I have hopes of working on the Koos skirt. YES YES - it's time to sew something for me.
Talk soon - Myrna
Grateful - boundaries, limitations, and the ability to say no
... simplification. I've always been one for simplifying and organizing occasions mainly so that I will enjoy them more. That works for me along with moving deadlines forward to avoid rushing only this year I'm behind on Christmas by about six weeks and I don't like the feeling. Tomorrow, I hope to catch up and be done although that is entirely dependent on if I can find what I'm looking for when I go shopping. I do recognize that to be done shopping one has to go shopping - LOL - and I've been avoiding that. I hate crowds even more this year.
One short cut I've taken this year is these boxes from the dollar store. They were $1.00, $1.50, and $2.00 respectively. Open lid, insert present for friend, pad with tissue if necessary, tie with bow using ribbon from studio, and ta da done - AND they are less expensive than wrapping paper or gift bags and are completely reusable and well made. I'll definitely do this again.
A friend is coming to visit this morning who hasn't been to our new home yet. That's a very good push to get a few of those niggling things done... like replacing the bed skirt that tore in the move. All I can say for this one is that it's on the bed and the dust bunnies are covered because IMHO that straight piece of fabric with no gathers is really ugly. The bed skirts I sew are so much nicer but after twenty-one months of living here, a skirt is not happening fast. Partly, that's because I want to get rid of the country look and move in new directions and partly it's because sewing bed skirts is nowhere on the list of things I'd like to do and... apparently... neither is...
... sewing 1950's stoles. I cut out this pattern for the friend I had breakfast with yesterday. She has since left town and returned home. This stole seemed like the perfect curl up, cuddle, slightly more elegant than a blanket, garment for her cool and snowy new location - and it might be - but I ended up buying her a gift. I refused to rush and rushing the sewing or not sewing at all were the only options. Well... actually...
... I did contemplate this version briefly. I borrowed this prototype from another friend. It's a long rectangle much like the technical drawing from Butterick 5993 shown below only I think it needs the side that drapes to be longer that the other side so the drape will hang over the shoulder better. Once that idea got in my head, it stuck and I just didn't feel like drafting a pattern no matter how basic it was plus I wanted to work with a fabric other than fleece - something like a beautiful wool. And I will. Later. Maybe in the summer. I bought five meters of wool suiting in the bargain center for cheap because I think this shape would be a wonderful blank canvas for playing with line and paint and stamps. The fabric is a boring tan so there's a challenge right from the beginning as in can I make it more exciting. We'll see what actually happens. My possibility eyes are bigger than my actually get it done tummy.
When I pulled the cardboard core from the yarn out of my purse yesterday to show my friend, her eyes lit up and she said that's a bracelet before I even mentioned my idea. I had the feeling she was barely resisting ripping it out of my hands. Ideas were already brewing in her head and in mine. Painted bracelets are another possibility. One with great potential now that I've learned from her how to prep and paint and finish the surface.
Today, after lunch with my friend, I have hopes of working on the Koos skirt. YES YES - it's time to sew something for me.
Talk soon - Myrna
Grateful - boundaries, limitations, and the ability to say no