Words to think about

I am taking an on-line course with Jane Dunnewold. Our homework for the first week was a writing assignment. I have selected a few words from what I wrote:

grey
inflexible
rough
polished
armor
complex
shagbark

Those are interesting to me. I don't know where the course will take us but the act of doing that assignment (and several others this week) has already been helpful,

Is a full time job

I have been doing a lot of galloping. The rewards are intangible so there's not a lot to show.

Enjoy some pictures from my Erie Canal ride in 2013.

Rant

I will be using a stylized male and female figure on my Ivory Tower piece for the Structures show.  I did some on-line research on the traditional icons used to indicate gender-specific spaces and activities. I stumbled on something on the Shutterstock site that made my blood boil. I obviously can't reproduce the image here but go look for yourself.

Finished #9 - Sawtelle

I have finished another UFO (except for purchasing three buttons). This one was started to support a friend. Now I think it might become my go-to sweater in spring and fall. It is Sawtelle, a free pattern from Berocco. The yarn is Remix. I don't usually use the specified yarn but chose to do so on this project because my friend was doing the same. I'm glad I did. It is a machine washable yarn made from nylon, silk, linen, cotton and acrylic. It was nice to work with, although somewhat fragile when used for sewing.

Time = 0 (spent too much time learning Wordpress but that will pass soon enough)

Be more thoughtful

Here is some interesting reading. Even if you don't agree with all of the author's points, it is difficult to dispute the general premise. Be. More. Thoughtful.


Time = 43 min

Passing it on

My friend M got a sewing machine for Christmas. She is ten years old (but she tells me that she can skate faster than someone who is thirteen) and her mother doesn't know anything about sewing. M and her mother came to a party at my house a couple of weeks ago and I learned that they had cut out a cape but had stalled when it came to construction.

I spent yesterday morning at their house explaining some of the basics that many of us take for granted. What is a seam allowance. How do you pin effectively and safely. What is the best way to press a seam. How do you make sure that seams intersect when you sew across them. And, of course, most importantly - how do you avoid sewing through your finger and how do you keep your eyes safe. The work was complicated by the fact that there was no obvious right side to the fabric that Santa had brought so they also learned some tips about how to minimize confusion when handling and marking the fabric.

Here are some pictures of M at work. 

It wasn't a straightforward pattern but we created a front and a back. Next time we'll do front facings, shoulder seams and a double layer hood. Finally we'll bind the bottom in a contrast fabric. 

When I left today M, unprompted by her mother, said "We couldn't have done it without you." She was right - there is so much that isn't explained in pattern instructions. Before I went to their house I did some on-line research on good sewing books for kids. This one seems to have promise. I hope M had enough fun today to persuade her mother to purchase the book so she can continue to learn while she makes some of the fun projects.

Time = 1 hr, 7 min

Cleaning up

It is now over a week since I committed to cleaning up my work space each time I quit for the day. I have been diligent in doing so. Everything goes back to its place, even if it doesn't seem to be "in the way" in its last location. I have assigned a basket for the bits and pieces (samples, calculations, fabric) of each current project. I return all relevant material to the baskets even when the temptation is leave them spread out so I can see them.

This practice has made a huge difference to my productivity. I start each day in a fresh space and that carries over to my thinking. I am not burdened by the evidence of ideas gone wrong and when I get on a roll no time is lost to looking for the pins or a ruler or a special marking pen. It won't take long for this extremely valuable behaviour to become a habit.

Time = 0 hr, 0 min