Category Archives: art

These Are the Times That Try Men’s Soles….and Pantlegs, and Elbow Patches.

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Presumably, Thomas Paine was not talking about the soles of socks, and I am also left to presume that women wore clothes during revolutionary times, as well as men.

Nevertheless. Here we are. Repairing our clothes. Or as my husband likes to say: “You are working on your post-apocalyptic skills.”

Now I’ve seen some videos of people who literally have a tiny knitting machine that they use to darn holes on knitted fabric. I imagine it works on any fabric. But before I got myself into anything too complicated, I tried a simpler, slow-stitched, hand technique.

As you can see above, the trick to repairing a hole, any hole in your clothes, is to delineate the area you will stitch.

Then you want to start and end each stitch across the hole with an “anchor” stitch. This is important. It helps to hold the shape, length and tautness of the long stitch.

I used some decorative thread that I had from Wonderfil that was attributed to Sue Spargo. Eleganza Perle Size #5. This is a fairly substantive thread. Nothing that I would ever use in a sewing machine. Standard Valdani perle cotton is usually Size #8 or #12.

Thread actually gets to be a heavier weight as the numbers go down. The calculation is based on how many kilometers of thread will weigh one kilogram. So a thread that is thicker and more robust will have fewer kilometers per kilogram.

With this method, we’re actually creating the warp and weft of a fabric, as we stitch it out. You can see one layer above, after it’s finished.

Next, we start the weaved layer. Again, you must create an anchor stitch at the start and end of every row. This, of course, is where a little tool would come in handy, but it’s certainly easy enough to do by hand. Weave in and out every single thread. This part is easier to do if you turn the needle and use the blunt end to weave. Don’t worry, I missed a few. It happens. But the more precise you can be about getting your needle in and out in the right places, the more it starts to look like a woven fabric.

I was working on stretch jeans, and so, I noticed a bit of puckering from pulling the stitches taut. I could probably have avoided that it I had stabilized the area, but I really wanted to just try it without a lot of fuss.

I used a small hoop and opened the pant leg up on the side to make it easier for me to stitch.

Would I consider it lovely? I don’t know. It’s unique. And I think with a bit of practice, I could get this to where It’s pretty cool.

I urge you to start repairing your clothes. On social media, I see the youngsters buying up all of Grandma’s old quilts at garage sales and thrift stores and turning them into hoodies and dance pants. It’s really something.

Hope you enjoy some slow stitching in your life, and find you own way to revitalize something that might have ended in the trash.

Sashiko is another gem on my list of repairs. I just bought myself some Sashiko needles. Can’t wait to try that.

To close this one out, we’ll give Thomas Paine the respect he deserves when he speaks of tyranny.

“These are the times that try men’s souls; the summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of his country; but he that stands it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman. Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph.”
–Thomas Paine, 1776

Mending is Trending

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Do you have a pair of pants that are past pretending to be cool with all their holes? Shirts with stains? ( I seem to have a lot of these, I can’t seem to keep my food in my mouth. Kids, this is something they don’t tell you about aging. You constantly have your food on your shirt. Yes, it’s gross. You’ll get there soon enough.)

My husband is particularly good at wearing down the hems of his pants. (Another sign of aging…you seem to get shorter and your pants drag on the ground.)

Although for those of us who have never been considered tall, dragging hems is a lifelong problem.

But hey! We fix our clothes now. I’d love to do a blog post on fast fashion and where all our cheap clothes end up. We all know it’s a problem. We can’t just keep purchasing new clothes and throwing out the old ones or even just donating them. Third world countries are telling us to keep our crap. They have enough stupid t-shirts, thanks.

Here’s a pair of stretchy pants that were way too long and were an easy fix on a serger using the cover stitch.

Of course, mending and hemming are where a serger really comes in handy. For the shredded hems. I just run them through the serger and hem on the sewing machine. Takes a few minutes, and the pants get a bit shorter, but a really quick solution, all things considered.

Speaking of all things NOT considered, here’s another mending project.

I have this sweatshirt which I made, and it is actually quite loved. Worn and worn and worn. But I set it aside when I realized it had grease stains on the front. Probably from cooking at some point. Aprons actually do have a function, but I’m not yet ready to wear one around the house. (That’s really crossing an old lady rubicon for me. Still, why deny the inevitable?)

I decided to cover it with some hand embroidery. Looking back, I probably should have just embroidered a few strategically-placed daisies and been done with it. Instead, I used a photo out my back window, and converted it to a hand embroidery design.

I drew it out onto a piece of wash away stabilizer, so I could see it on the dark fabric. I think I should have just drawn it using a white pencil. The washaway stabilizer made every stitch a bit harder to push and pull through. And there are a LOT of stitches.

This design took me a ridiculously long time to finish. So simple, yet so time-consuming.

And to be honest, I’m not a hundred percent sure I love it, but it is interesting. The washaway was rather stubborn and I had to rinse it in the sink for quite a while.

I finally threw it into the wash and pulled it out before it got to the dryer. I ironed it while it was still damp.

Here’s a tip:

When ironing embroidery, even machine embroidery, use a towel on top of the embroidery. A hot iron will flatten it and take away all the dimension, and it might even harm the thread. So just use a towel over the top which allows the threads in the design to have a place to go.

It turned out kind of fun, almost like a window in the middle of my sweatshirt. In fact, I’m thinking I just might add a frame around it to make it look like a window. It has that hand-made feel, which is something that was important to me. I also get a kick that it’s the early spring view out my family room window. All in all, it was a learning experience.

I love the look of visible mending that all the kids are doing these days. I’ll be trying more and more. I have plenty of jeans with holes in the knees.

Here’s to making things last a bit longer. Like the planet.

Hugs and stitches.

Top Ten Holiday Gift Ideas for a Sewist–Even If It’s You

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I love a good list. So when I needed some gift ideas, I thought…why not go to my sewing room and share with you some of the tools I use the most?

They are things I probably would not want to live without, and I’m sure each of you would have your own items to add to this list. But I recently came across someone online who was fairly new to sewing and didn’t have any quilt shops nearby. And I thought, well, if someone is new to the hobby, and getting a machine for Christmas, or just is interested in the tools I use non-stop…well, here’s a peek.

Whether you are a beginner or an old pro, I hope you’ll find something to consider.

1 Karen Kay Buckley Scissors

I love these scissors because the finger holes are not small. I have several pairs of the green ones because I keep one pair downstairs for hand sewing, one in a container upstairs for binding, and another near the sewing machine for miscellaneous small tasks.

2. Numbered Quilt Pins

I never really thought I’d use these but now I would never assemble a quilt without them. I label rows and point the pin in one direction. That tells me when I go to grab all the pieces for row assembly, which direction to sew. It’s fantastic and I would screw it up every time I turned around with a stack of fabric in my hand, without these pins.

3. Telescoping Magnet

A telescoping magnet is the best tool you never knew you needed in the sewing room. And, what a great stocking stuffer. These are available at most hardware stores and online. I find more pins and screws (because I always have a screw loose) than I ever thought imaginable. And if, like me, you are clumsy and occasionally knock over a box of pins…well. Trust me, you need a good magnet to get into those corners on the floor under the machine.

4. BobbinSaver

Here’s a trendy gadget that I resisted as unnecessary until I was gifted one. And now, I don’t know what I’d do without it. They come in multiple sizes, so be sure to get the right one. My bobbins are larger than standard, so I need the larger size. Comes in regular and jumbo for those Bernina bobbins that are large.

5. Clover Roller

This humble looking little roller can really save some time. This is perfect for tiny piecing, when you don’t really want to run to an iron for every itty bitty seam. It really works.

6. Cast Iron Thread Stand

Sorry for the awkward shot. But when I taught lessons, one of the first things I suggested for someone to purchase after they got a new machine was a cast iron thread holder. Especially if you do any fast sewing like embroidery or machine quilting. I can’t speak to Viking or Brother machines. But on Berninas and many others, the spool cap can catch the thread and break it. I find that this is one of the smoothest thread paths ever, and the thread feeds like a dream.

7. Machine Embroidery Bobbin Thread

Such a simple purchase, but for a machine embroiderer, it’s something you cannot live without. Bobbin thread from OESD. You can use it in your bobbin any time you do machine embroidery. It’s inexpensive and comes on a large spool. You don’t have to use your higher priced embroidery thread in the bobbin. 5500 yards. It comes in black or white.

8. Curved Basting Pins

We can argue about this one. I don’t mind. Everyone has their own process. Obviously, someone with a longarm would not need them. But I quilt on my domestic machine at home. And I hate basting with thread. It just doesn’t work well for me. So I’ve grown to love my curved basting pins. I lay my quilt out across several banquet-sized tables and I don’t have to crawl around the floor. It works for me. So…I never have enough of these.

9. Stabilizer Organizer

To the naked eye, this may not look organized. But shockingly, it is a free-form sort of organization. If you are an avid machine-embroiderer, you know that stabilizer accumulates. Often you don’t know what you have, and can never find the right thing when you need it. Believe it or not, this really helps. I tuck the label inside the roll, so I always know what’s there. This particular organizer cam from Nancy’s Notions and is no longer available. BUT. I found another online that I think would be just as great. (In fact, maybe mine needs an upgrade).

10. Babylock Accolade Serger

Finally, last but not least, you knew I would have a machine recommendation. And I would like to give a shoutout to the Bernina 435 machine which is on sale right now. It’s an excellent machine. But this Babylock Accolade serger has been one of the best investments I’ve ever made. It’s versatile. It has all the normal serger features, plus a wonderful cover stitch and chain stitch. Do not be put off by the list price. No dealer will ever charge that much. But it’s a worthwhile machine. I can make a t-shirt in about 2 hours. I hem shirts and pants professionally. I use it for quilt backs, valances, garment sewing, and 100 other things. You’ll never regret a serger. And you can see the thread dust on mine, as I often also use it to finish quilt fabric before I wash it. (I tend to wash quilt fabric before using it because I don’t like to handle the finishing chemicals) All in all a great sewing room tool and gift idea.

I hope there’s a little bit of sewing in your holidays and that you get everything your heart desires under the tree or however you celebrate the season. Remember that sewing is not just a hobby. It’s a way of life for some of us. We think in terms of this project and the next. And the next and the next after that.

May you find a way to share your love of sewing…with the next generation, with a friend, or in gifting someone with a product made by hand. That’s what the season is really about.

Merry Sewing!

Dreaming of a Natural/Off-White/Pink Blush/Beige Christmas

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It’s that time of year.

When the last leaf falls…

Anyone remember that line? It’s from A Bug’s Life. My son was old enough to watch it over and over and over again until I had it almost memorized. The grasshoppers threaten the ants to come back for their winter supply of food “When the last leaf falls”.

Well the last leaf has not quite fallen, but the temps are finally starting to drop, and that means only one thing: get ready for the holidays.

As I get older I find that I am SO SICK of the same old holiday decorations I’ve had for the past 30 years…some even longer. And I know, I know…TRADITION.

But who wants to look at all of that over and over and over again. I need to rotate it at the very least. Let it become new again in a few years.

So this year, I’m attempting to decorate with a soft neutral-y palette. It’s tougher than it looks. Tree skirts are all red and green (especially the ones I own). Ornaments are all the colors of the rainbow. What about those old weathered stockings? Handmade by Grandma, or Aunt So-and-So, or, of course, the ones made by people who passed away years ago.

It feels like we are supposed to honor them by at least putting up their things once a year.

But frankly, I’m really sick of hanging on to the possessions of the dead, and having no room to do anything my way. Before I’m the dead one.

So this year, I’m starting fresh. Oh, I’ll still dig out a few of my favorites. But my theme is natural. Or low-key. I want only low-volume ornaments and holiday decor.

And I find it invigorating to search out only certain colors, only certain things.

Let’s be honest. We’re all friends here. There is no shortage of white, pink, natural colors in all the retail stores and shops. It’s everywhere. So it’s very fun to allow myself a budget to do something creative.

But let’s start with handmade ornaments.

These are hand-stitched and stuffed with polyfil. Yes, I allowed myself some green because it’s natural. Nothing bright and overpowering.

Here’s a closer look at all of them.

My advice to you this holiday season:

Give yourself a theme. It’s much more fun to go out searching than to just wander. Two years ago, I went with black/white buffalo plaid. Last hear was red checks (hello Bob Evans restaurants). So this year it will be the soft palette, with white lights and fairy lights.

I’m not sure how it will work out. But it will be fun along the way.

Slow Stitching

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It’s totally OK if this isn’t for everyone.

But I have taken an interest (again) in hand embroidery. It’s certainly not something I want to do all the time, and of course quilting is always in the back of my mind.

I’m not entirely sure what the attraction is. For me, it’s a form of painting or artwork I’d moved away from years ago. I don’t really want to drag out my paints again. (Heaven knows it would go much faster to paint than to embroider by hand.)

Still.

When I am working from my own picture, my own drawing and not using anyone’s pattern, I find it very freeing. There’s a time for everything, as you know. Some days, I just want a pattern, and I just want clear directions and I just want to mindlessly sew.

Other days, I want to put something of myself into the project and own it.

That’s where hand embroidery comes in for me. It’s a disciplined form of expression. Takes time. Takes devotion. Takes thread, for pete’s sake…a lot of it.

But I can do it while listening to music, or a podcast. I can do it while I’m catching up with someone else on the phone.

Find your peace of mind. Whether that’s quilting, by hand or machine, reading, sewing, drawing, cooking, taking pictures, woodwork or crafting, literally anything that brings you joy.

Find it and hang onto it. And never let anyone tell you that you should be doing something else. The world only gives us one chance to live and to process it. Be sure you take your chance, and do the things you love and the things that color and fill your world.

What I Did During Summer Vacation

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The asters have started blooming and that means only one thing — summer is over.

This year I attended summer camp. Well, it was a virtual summer camp, sponsored by Modern Quilt Studio. We all worked on a Mystery Quilt together. Well, together separately. If you are interested in the pattern, you can purchase it here. I’m not sure how long it will be available…possibly only until Oct. 1, 2023.

I was very pleased with my color palette, as it caused a great deal of agonizing on the front end of the project. But I was very happy with the way it turned out. The quilt is approximately 83 x 60.

In between installments, I was inspired to start some handwork. I really haven’t done any hand embroidery in years. Yet, my garden this year got me interested in trying something new.

Here is a pic of one of the cosmos in the garden.

And below is my interpretation of this flower in hand embroidery. Obviously, it takes quite a bit longer to stitch out when it’s done by hand…and designed in my head as I go along. A few more days, maybe a week.

And then what am I going to do with it? Well that’s a good question. I’ll have to think about it when it’s done.

I hope you have been keeping your head and hands busy this summer. As I sit here, it’s over 90 degrees outside. The warm weather seems to hang on longer into the fall season these days. But I know it’s time to start hauling out the autumn decor. And even as I stitch a piece of summer onto this fabric, I am thinking about the cooler weather, orange lights, and spooky trees.

Enjoy every moment that comes your way.

And Happy Stitching!

The Mysterious Power of Dorset Buttons

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A week or so ago, I learned how to make Dorset buttons. A friend invited me to an online class, and I randomly decided to attend.

I am not British. I don’t cosplay. Though I have watched quite a bit of Downton Abbey and various Jane Austen renditions.

Nevertheless, I took the class. For those of you who do not know what a Dorset button is, I will give you the basics and you can google the rest. The Internet has produced many more people who are better at the craft or at describing their history than I.

Back in the 16th and 17th centuries, buttons weren’t a thing. We take them for granted in our lives, but they really weren’t available in mass production until sometime in the 1800’s. In the county of Dorset in England, the folks invented and made famous this way of creating a custom “button”, and the craft has carried on now for centuries. Feel free to google “How to Make a Dorset button.” Many people will provide you with instructions and supply lists.

I took the class on a whim, and then discovered, to my surprise, that making these was…I don’t know…FUN. If you are like me, you might already have a stash of heavier weight thread or perl cotton. Purchasing plastic rings online is quite easy. And get started with an upholstery or chenille needle that has a dull point and a large eye.

Once I started making them, I found that I wanted to make more and more. Why not try one in this color? Or in that size?

The next obvious step was to turn them into jewelry. (Well, obvious to me.)

Once the the ring is filled, it is a miniature open canvas for embroidery. so I started with something extremely simple with no thought at all.

But now I’m thinking about different embroideries and shapes and sizes. And I purchased a few necklaces and clasps, and now I’m just on my way.

Of course I’m still sewing, but this little distraction has taken me down a rabbit hole of renewed creativity and possibilities. Plus it’s easy to do while watching TV or sitting at the kitchen table.

Give Dorset buttons a try. You just don’t know when something will ignite a bit of inspiration.

Time for a Modern Quilt

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I wanted a clean-lined quilt for my newest great-nephew. His mom had mentioned that the colors of the baby’s room were tan and forest green, with woodland creatures.

So I found this pattern in Modern Quilts Illustrated #15.

The curved piecing was very reminiscent of leaves, so the first challenge was rounding up all the fabrics that I thought would work for my project. I didn’t want to go with the grey background and thought I might be able to substitute a tan and still get the same transparency effect.

In keeping with my effort to only purchase organic fabric, I found some that were nearly perfect from Hawthorne Supply Company. Many of their regular quilt fabrics have an organic option.

So the above fabric was the inspiration, but I knew it would just be on the back. I really loved the idea that the quilt would have this slick modern look/feel on the front but still have an element of the baby’s room and theme on the back. It’s always nice to have something that will extend beyond just “baby”.

At any rate, I was a little concerned about the curved piecing, but to be honest it was pretty simple. The directions and graphics in the pattern are very straightforward. I made a copy of the template on some template plastic that I had hidden somewhere for years. (It was perfect for the task.)

And I set about piecing and laying out the quilt. It had plenty of white space so overall it was a fairly quick assembly. The hardest part was all the planning in order to get the colors just the way I wanted them.

The result was an extremely cool pattern and vibe.

I ended the quilt with some machine embroidery which I put on the front of the quilt next to the binding in one straight line. It added an element of interest, like a painting signed on the front. I don’t have a pic of the quilt label, because I don’t want to make all the names public. (sad face emoji)

From this pic, you are seeing the bottom half of the quilt as it hags over the railing, so it’s about twice that high.

In general, it was one of the most satisfying quilts I’ve done. Matching the colors to the back, maintaining the theme, and still incorporating craftsmanship and interest. I wanted it to be a quilt that could be washed and washed and loved to pieces.

Don’t be afraid to walk away from your usual work or traditional quilts once in awhile. You might be surprised to find a fun and interesting new aesthetic. I never want to be boxed into a corner or predictable in this craft.

If you’ve been plugging along, feeling like you are in a rut, try something completely different. In fact, try the opposite of what you normally do. I’m personally feeling like I need some improvisational quilting these days. Structure is feeling a little uncomfortable.

I guess we’ll see what comes next. Happy stitching, friends!

The Lowly Zen of Cardmaking

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No one uses paper any more. I know. Just a quick email or text…how are you? what’s up? how’s everything? hey, thanks (I may be using too much punctuation.)

But I am a card writer. I would much rather tell someone how I feel in long form. And if I want to confound my son, like sending a message in code, I use cursive, which no one in younger generations can interpret.

Last year, or maybe the year before, or maybe even 2019, I purchased some card stock for machine embroidery.

The two best places I have found to purchase card embroideries are Embroidery Online, Embroidery Library.

The designs you see here are a mix of the two.

I did not purchase anything new to make these. That’s part of my new goal, to be as much of a non-consumer as possible unless it is electronic. The designs don’t count, at least not in my book, as they are digital–a simple download, and off we go.

Here are a few tips if you want to work with machine embroidery and cardstock:

  1. Use designs specifically digitized for cards. Unless you are daring and a pro, I don’t recommend trying to use any design that is stitch-heavy. It’s just not worth the hassle.
  2. Use a sticky back cutaway stabilizer like Stabilstick Cutaway from OESD
  3. Score the paper side of the stabilizer, and remove it from inside the hoop. You hoop the stabilizer first, paper side up, then score it with a straight pin. Don’t be afraid. Then just tear it out of the inside of the hoop.
  4. On OESD designs, the first stitch is for placement of the card. The first color of the design is a stitched rectangle that goes directly onto the stabilizer and shows you where to place the card. It saves you from some fiddling you might have to do with other designs to get the placement centered.
  5. General machine embroidery tip: If the machine says it will take 15 minutes to stitch out, allow 30 minutes. The time allowed for stitching is just that: stitching time. It doesn’t account for any thread changing time, or cutting of jump stitches or your general speed that you like to work. The more thread changes, the more time you should allow “over” the predicted time.
  6. Always start with a well-oiled machine, a full bobbin and a new needle (sharp or Microtex 80/12.)

This Christmas card from OESD was quite stitch heavy, and I’m not sure I would do it again. It required an applique for the black background. I measured the placement stitch and cut a piece of Kraft-Tex to fit. It turned out well, but I did not appreciate the amount of time involved for one card.

You can see the back of one of the cards. I think you can cover that up with another piece of cardstock. But I thought that some of the charm was that it looked as nice from behind as it did from the front.

As someone who loves stationery, I found these lovely and easy to stitch, for the most part. The designs do come with thread charts and instructions, but it’s a lot more fun to choose your own color way.

Finally, for the last card in the box, I took one of my photos (a peace lily bloom, with a pointsettia background). I transferred it onto the card using Transfer Artist Paper. It was simple and easy, and now I have a set of personalized cards for all occasions.

I hope you still write letters from time to time. I love to receive them and I think others do too. In a world where everything is fleeting, fast and electronic, let’s cherish a little bit of slow communication.

Peace out.