Mending is Trending

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.

I Did Some Holiday Soul-Searching, and All I Heard was…Cricuts

In my quest for a white-ish, neutral holiday color theme, I got the crazy idea of making some of my own putz houses. Now, you need to understand that I really am not adept with paper crafts, and I’m demonstrably terrible with a glue gun. I rarely use one.

But in googling putz houses, I found some svg files on Etsy that seemed like something I would like to do. You can find files to purchase all over. Just google putz house svg files. My first inclination was to print them out and then cut them out by hand.

Silly me.

I couldn’t see how to print the files. I did, however, locate accompanying pdf’s. So that at least gave me some vague instructions.

Undeterred, I remembered that my local library has a “maker” lab. I stopped in and asked if I could use their Cricut. Now, I have never touched a Cricut. I have never even known anyone who owns one. Still, I am endowed with a brain that consistently says, “I can figure it out.”

Whether I can or not is debatable.

Luckily, the attendant at the maker lab, was very sweet in explaining that no one is allowed to touch the equipment unless one of the experts is on hand to guide you. ( I think that is an excellent policy). So I set up an appointment for a couple of days later. I was eager to start my holiday decorating. And now these putz houses had become an obsession.

When I arrived, a very nice lady sat me down at the computer and taught me Cricut’s software. I should say she told me what buttons to push to do what I wanted. I am in no way versed in the software.

The next problem we ran into is that I brought 8 x 10 card stock, and a Cricut really likes 12 X 12. In addition, the files were designed to fit easily onto 12 x 12 and not necessarily 8 x 10.

So back to the drawing board, the software, and we resized everything to make it fit on my 8 x 10 card stock. Fortunately, only the church needed the larger sheet. By changing landscape to portrait for some of the houses, I was able to get most to fit. But some did need to be re-sized. The woman at the lab let me use a 12 x 12 sheet she had on hand and that got me through the hurdle.

Once I got them all cut, then I bundled up my sheets of card stock and went home for the assembly. As you can see in the photo at the top of this post, it was not pretty. I definitely put the smaller church together wrong, with the steeple at the back. But I got the hang of it with the larger size and that one is correct.

I wasn’t sure how I would feel about them, but in the end I think they were exactly what I was hoping for.

Simple, white structures that I could use on top of the mantle.

I like them.

I don’t think I could have asked for anything better. It’s precisely what I had in mind. Festive, but soft-spoken.

The tree is curated with only the light, white, neutral ornaments, and I supplemented with some ribbon that I got half-price at Joann’s.

Now, when I go out and see all the holiday decorations and the Christkindlmarkets and open houses, I have a singular goal: Do they have any white-ish ornaments I can’t live without?

This experiment in a low-key decorating project has been a success. I have a friend who cherishes every ornament and hangs it with the memories of when she purchased it. I love that.

But I also love NOT that. Those ornaments will still be there next year and every year until I’m gone. Sometimes, you just want to keep it simple.

And I think the only rule about decorating for the holidays is: What makes you happy?

And after that, rule #2 is: Don’t make extra work for yourself.

That second rule is cultivated over time. When your kids are young and you have boundless energy and you are visiting multiple houses and different families…well, bless your heart.

Age and time tend to mellow our holiday ambitions, at least to a reasonable degree.

Wishing you and yours all the best this holiday season. May your decorating (and your stitching!) make you happy.

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

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.

What I Did During Summer Vacation

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

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

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!

Kraft-Tex and Machine Embroidery…My Favorite Combination

Once again, I’m on the path to create something new and fresh for Valentine’s Day. I don’t know why I always want to make something for this holiday…it’s so over-hyped and over-done already. Except that it’s mid-winter, and once I put the holiday decorations away, I’m left yearning to do something different. And I always find something unique for Valentine’s Day.

Here are a few of my past posts:

My Heart’s Greeting, and Other Valentines

–The Un-Valentine

-Valentine’s Day Kraft-Tex Project

–My Practical Valentine

-Kraft-Tex, Transfer Artist Paper and Living on the Island of Lost Tools

–Buttoned-Up Valentine

I noticed that I tend to use Kraft-Tex paper a lot for this holiday. Not sure why, it just inspires me.

These days, I am obsessed with little houses. So I found this set of cross stitch designs on Etsy, from Waxing Moon Designs. It is an e-pattern with 3 designs.

I don’t do cross stitch, but I digitize designs. So I used my Bernina Embroidery Software to re-create these in machine embroidery.

I love thiem.

Each one is adorably cute and just perfect for Valentine’s Day.

These are stitched out on the brown craft paper color of Kraft-Tex. I always use 2 layers of Stabilstick cutaway stabilizer when machine embroidering. I could easily turn these into cards or ornaments or hanging decorations.

Here is a post where I created an entire village for a Christmas tree skirt. (It’s from 2020.) And below is a video (I’m not good at videos.) showing all the different buildings in the little cross stitch town.

These days I’ve been kicking around the idea of a quilt village, with my own designs of tiny houses and a village. I have some ideas, but I have to work out the patterns.

I want to do them in applique, but it’s all still in my mind. I have other projects to finish before then.

So stay warm during this mid-winter season, and Happy Stitching!

The Eco-Redemption of My Husband’s Pants

One day my husband strolled in the house after work, and turned his back to me to put something in the sink.

Me: Did you wear those pants all day at work?

Him: (slowly turning) Why?

Me: (coming up behind him and wiggling my cold fingers through the giant tear in his rear end.) Just wondering.

Him: (turning in circles, and reaching around) Oh man. Can you fix it?

He stripped right there in the kitchen and I made the obvious assessment.

Me: No. That tear is shredded, the fibers throughout are worn, and those pants should be thrown out.

Him: I really like these. Can’t you…(waves hands) make something else out of them?

Of course I can. And now I’m looking at my whole closet differently.

The pic above is the original tear. And you can plainly see that the seven inch tear down his backside was not going to be an easy fix. And look at those beltloops…worn past recognition.

He brings a bag to work every day for his lunch, so he needs a few of them. That’s where I started. A simple bag made from his pants.

I used the pant leg hems for the finish at the top. Some simple coordinating straps and I handed him a new bag the next day.

A few days later he was helping me hang a mirror in our son’s room and he strolled past a pillow and stopped in his tracks.

Him: Is that made from my pants?

Of course it was. I ran out of fabric for the back, so I used some coordinating fabric from my stash. A little serged trim and voila! New pillow. That button was salvaged years ago from the flea market where I am inclined to purchase containers of old buttons.

This is all that remains, but I’m saving it. Sometime when I’m watching TV, I’m going to harvest that zipper, and possibly those hooks. All that will be left will be a few shreds.

I’m starting to think about all our old clothes the same way. Fast fashion, as you know, is one of the hugest polluters on the planet. We purchase clothes for a season and off they go to the donation box or just the trash. They’re not constructed to last.

Now, I can’t really say that about my husband’s pants. He’s been known to wear his clothes until they literally turn to dust.

He’s way ahead of his time.

But now I’m re-examining everything in our closets. Doesn’t fit? Hmmm. It matches this thing over here. Polyester? Oooh, that will last 200 years before it breaks down. What can I do with that? Scarlet O’Hara and her drape-y dress have nothing on me. I’ve been giving my old drapes the side eye. (And of course, all I can think of is Carol Burnett coming down those stairs…)

You might be surprised at the inspiration you get from things already in your home. Have a little fun with it.

Endings and Beginnings and Quilts, Oh My!

This barren pathetic patch of earth is where I’m setting up my community garden plot this year. The ground is hard, prone to weeds and, frankly, as inhospitable a piece of land as I’ve worked on in a long time. It reminds me of pics from Curiosity, the Mars Rover.

It’s clear to me that it’s been deprived of nutrients and expected to perform over and over with nothing returned to the soil.

But it’s mine this year.

In our house, it’s a season of beginnings and endings. My son is heading off to college in August, saying goodbye to an old school, old friends, and his old parents. Yesterday, he was 10 years old, reluctantly traveling with me to 30 quilt shops one summer. We did the entire Northern Illinois Quilt Shop Hop. He was supplied plenty of food, was instructed to be Chief Navigator and man of the GPS, and off we went. We found our way to unknown towns (with candy shops) and got lost in cornfields and stopped in strange places for food and potty breaks. He later told me it was the best summer he ever had.

Fast forward a few years to the present, and he (again reluctantly) is tasked with helping his mother by carting 10 bags of organic compost and spreading it out on that empty, unyielding piece of land. (I’m going to make sure he’s happy to be headed off to school.)

In return, I’m making him a quilt of his choosing. I won’t go into the horror on his face when I showed him all his t-shirts from middle school and high school and suggested I’d make a quilt out of those. It was as though nightmare zombies from the dead had reappeared and come back to haunt him and travel with him to college. In the end, he selected a tasteful French General pattern. And it just so happens that I’d been collecting that fabric for years so…hooray…no new purchases.

With the cutting done, I’m ready to start sewing. I figure, if I don’t finish by August, it’s OK, I can always ship it to him. He won’t need an extra quilt for a month or two.

In the meantime, at the garden plot, I’ve had a few seed failures. I tried purchasing flower seeds from an independent grower, and most of those seeds just haven’t germinated. The commercial seeds have begun to emerge, and some of the vegetables are doing OK.

On we go into summer. I hope you have some exciting things planned. I’ll be delving into this quilt in between trips to carry water buckets at the garden plot. Wish me luck.

Happy growing season!

It goes by fast, doesn’t it.