In a Week,

It’s been a while, but I've gotten a few things done. With Covid-19 and staying home I’ve been digging through projects giving a few away for others to finish up, or turn into other projects. Mostly, I have been finishing up some that were halted mid-stream. Some of these projects like a pack that fell out of the canoe in the rapids, others accidently dropped along the trail, some thrown overboard because an emergency popped up. During the Safe in Place orders around the world. I have had time to look back down the trail, and pick up the debris of fiber projects. Sorting to give, sorting to repurpose, sorting to complete, sorting to realize some stuff no body will do anything with it and just be the one to throw the supplies away.

Throwing it away, if you are not an artist or crafter then you probably have a hard time understanding and label the aforementioned as hoarders. Where some people just see too much junk an artist see the potential and all that those items can become. Even artist must realize there is a limit to time and space.

As I sort, I ask, will I realistically make this into what I am seeing within my life time; can I do it in the next five to ten years? Can I replace the parts that I see going into this creation? It comes down to simple math: (Lack of time + ability to replace items) x limited space = get rid of it. 






In the past week, I worked on the Apron for a friend with a piece of fabric left over from cuttingmasks. 


Speaking of masks, I had read about using seamless t shirts to make straps for mask.  I took a shirt that was ready to go and cut ½ inch strips across that bottom of the shirt under the silk screed image. What I had read is the image prevents the following from working well. After cutting the strips, which are complete circles, you stretch them and they sort of coil up. I also tried this with seamed shirt and it doesn’t coil up quite as well, but would still be useable. If you run out of elastic this is a soft alternative

  

 I had made a bag for my rotary cutters, and thought, oh that would be good for all of my sharps. Most have sheaths, but not my applique scissors which has that scoop shape, but the other side is very pointy. So, I made this sheath out of a left-over piece from the towel project.

I came across a set of double wool mittens that I had cut out and I sewed the mittens together, when I put the lining inside, I sewed the inner and outer by using blanket stitch and embroidery thread. I might go back to those and add trim. 

In my sorting I came across a towel that was cut in half along with two other towels and a pattern for “Stay Put Hand Towels” I think that was from about eight years ago. I made six of them, so those are done and away. My question now. Do I save the pattern or not worry about it because there are millions online? I’ll put it with my patterns for now as I plan on next winter sorting through all of my patterns. 

I completed a second Aurifil Rainbow this one the “Everything will be good” is embroidered in Ojibwe. Ojibwe or Anishinaabemowin is the language of the Great Lakes Region. I showed it to an elder how to write the words and when I showed the finished embroidery, he corrected my spelling. I kept repeating the phrase, and since the letter “e” is pronounced “ah” I spelled it with an “a” I was grateful it was an easy redo As I began to sew the rainbow piece onto the back of one of my husband’s shirts for our oldest daughter. I broke my needle. I had changed machine foot back to my ¼’ guide foot, but forgot to reset the stitch from button holes to straight stitch.  I always say, “If you can’t be a good example, may as well be a horrible reminder.” You may as well learn from my mistakes.  I will need to make the pillow form especially for the rainbow-shirt/pillow. 

Speaking of rainbows, every day I spend some time on my rainbow quilt, each day I would do now step on each color: press, trim, then sew the grouping. It really is a quick quilt.  I just need to decide on borders now