Sew Sweet Weekend!

On Friday I drove for almost 3 hours, making 3 turns and landed in the small town of Brunswick, MO. 

And there it was - Sew Sweet Quilt Shop - one of the most adorable quilt shops I've ever visited (and there have been many!)

With 2 floors (and an elevator to get you there!), the fabric, patterns, samples and inspiration blew me away.

With a warm, friendly staff that made me feel at home immediately.

And I love seeing shops venture out into fabrics other than quilting cotton. Home dec and laminates by some of your favorite designers...

The fun part of the trip was hanging out with some talented, fun and eager to learn students. We made modern Dresdens...

And got a start on some Sunburst quilts

 

One of the highlights of my weekend was meeting and getting to know Tula Pink.

We stayed at the same B&B and I so enjoyed basking in her quirkiness and passion for quilting.

As we left the event she told me to email her ~ I think we're friends?!

More happy faces: Dear Sewful Participants

As much as I love teaching, I'm always a little jealous of the opportunity to sit and sew for a whole weekend. It didn't take long for me to fire up the sewing machine and make some progress on my latest Sunburst once I got home. . . . Cindy

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Too much work

Yay......for grandsons who mow lawns.  That's what I'm sayin.

I am so not into mowing lawns anymore.....think I've mowed my quota for life.

I am still trying to come up with an idea for this area, something that involves not mowing it.

I  am so tired right now, I can barely keep my eyes open.
And I still have one granddaughter to put in the tub.

Summer is wonderful, but sometimes it is pretty exhausting.

My trumpet vine has its first blossoms.  I thought they were going to be red, but instead they are a pale peach.  I think the hummingbirds will love them, no matter what color they are.

I am looking forward to a week with less work.  I can always hope can't I??

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Throwing the shuttle. Back and forth.

Saturday.
Finally, all the painting and repair work are done.  That's a good thing, cause I am tired of all the commotion.
The big hole that was the dry well is now filled up, three windows have new sills, some rotted soffit has been replaced, a new squirrel hole has been patched, and the whole house is painted and looks fantastic.
I am relieved to have it behind me.

I started working  on the Schacht 4 harness with the cotton baby blankets in M's and O's.  I am embarrassed to tell you how long ago I started them.

But I have resolved to finish them.  I have no idea how many yards of warp I have on there.  I keep telling L we should write that information down, and tape it to each and every loom.
But so far, we haven't done that.
I am assuming there are 12 yards on the loom, since there is no sectional beam, so I would have had to have used the warping board.  I can't imagine doing less yardage than I could have.
Sigh.

I vowed that this year I would challenge myself with my weaving, and do more 'fun' stuff.  You know, something other than production weaving to pay the bills.
I have kind of slipped off that slope.
So today, I sat down, and tried to pick up where I'd left off.
The Schacht is in the upstairs hallway.
It was a lovely place to weave.

I am going to try to pick up my good intentions, and pay more attention to what is good for me.

Sometimes you get off track, life can throw you a lot of curves.
My life, lately, has been complicated.
Responsibilities and an 8 month headache at the top of the list.
But today, I decided I would work on getting my rhythm back.

What do you think?

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I did it again.

L finally got a chance to weave a double binding rug.   She found out that it takes a lot more concentration than just plain weave.

But I think she did an awesome job.

While the house was being painted, one of the workmen, stepped into a hole in the lawn.  It's a miracle he didn't break his leg.
It turned out to be an old dry well, that had been covered with a piece of plywood, long since rotted.
I have mowed over this for 7 years now, and I am amazed that I never fell through it.
Such is my luck.

Old houses are like boxes of cracker jacks, you never know what the prize will be.
This will soon be filled up with crushed stone, and dirt, so that will be a done deal.

OK, OK, now it's confession time.
This is where I stand up and say my name............you KNOW what I mean.

So I rescue looms.  It could be worse, ya know.

L and I decided to put it together on the porch, so we could weave on it out there for the summer.

Next was NO help.

Neither was Nuff.

Two happy, comfy boys, they are.

We got it together in jiff time.  I cleaned it up.  We put a new apron on it.  I tossed all the old heddles, they were beyond saving , and I ordered new ones.

How does she look???

This loom has been sitting unused for 15 years in someone's loft.

It is in pretty great shape.

So now the boys will have company out there on the porch, while we're weaving on the 'new' Union Custom.

Where we will put it in the fall???  When it can't stay outside anymore?

Now THAT'S a good question.

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Tree Appliqué

My tree is embroidered, quilted and framed!

The pattern is "Memories" from Don't Look Now

I followed the pattern exactly, free-motion stitching several times around each appliqué piece.

The skinny branches are hand embroidered ~ oh how I enjoyed doing the embroidery

The pattern gives a design for the quilting and I followed that too ~ no need to mess with perfection.

Framed and hanging on the wall ~ why do these little projects make me so happy?

. . . Cindy

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Reality

Sometimes, DH will refer to me as a 'fashion plate'.  It's a joke.

I am not, no way, no how.

I do have some 'nicer' clothes in my closet, that I save for those occasions when it is necessary to dress it up a little.

But it's not my bag really.

And long gone are the days when I worried about how I looked, like I am sure I did back when this photo was taken.

I was seventeen.  Good grief.  That was back when what you wore, how you looked, and how the world perceived you was EVERYTHING.  Remember???
These days I am grateful to be SO over that.
It doesn't move me.
There are so many other things that DO move me, and I want there to be plenty of space for them.  Time becomes so precious when you are old enough to get it.

Like color, and creativity.

 MY family, my friends, my cats, my dog, nature, being active, reading, learning, growing.  WEAVING.

Old things......appreciating them, including old me.

Beauty, cause it's everywhere around you.......and just not necessarily in the mirror.

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Happy Dance

No headache could diminish the feelings of pure joy I experienced when I walked out the door to feed Next this morning.
Yes, prayers were answered,
Enough, or Nuffy, is home.

There is a lesson here.

And I'm so relieved it turned out this way.

He was very hungry, and very happy to see me.  

Within 20 minutes, they were both in their respective chairs for a morning nap, like two little old men.
At last, their world is OK again.
And I will be sure to keep it that way.

In spite of the heat, and after texting EVERYONE about Nuffy......I managed to work on my cotton and hemp placemats.

They are a little change of pace for me..........neutrals, an understatement.

 I had lunch out on the porch, so I could talk to "the boys".
The inside cats are glaring from the window.
Get over it, I say.

This picture seems to say it all............"we're home" ....."thank God"   "ahhh".

And goes to prove one simple truth........sometimes love chooses YOU, and not the other way around.

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