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11:45 AM 33 F, Winds N 5 MPH Visibility 10 miles and tiny lazy snowflakes...
and primroses blooming in the garden.
Arms attached to the body.
Sunrise 8:03 AM Sunset 4:23 PM
"Once upon a time, when women were birds, there was the simple understanding that to sing at dawn and to sing at dusk was to heal the world through joy. The birds still remember what we have forgotten, that the world was meant to be celebrated."
Terry Tempest Williams
I've had the pile of knits I've been sorting sitting on the table. Thinking about what to do with them...
This would be one solution. The other option was a blanket for the dogs.
I suppose I should have spent some time in the garden today. It wasn't raining this afternoon and it was above 40 degrees F (barely!) but I was playing with the knits again:
This could be very addictive...
One of my other projects for the day was a t-shirt. I'm not quite sure why I've stubbornly continued to make t-shirts. They aren't expensive to buy, especially at a consignment shop. I think more than anything it's just been wanting to know that I can make a shirt that I like and feel good about wearing.
I've been spending some time thinking about what I've learned from all the t-shirts that I've made and decided to share in hopes that it helps someone along.
The final piece of the puzzle that I was missing: the directions for attaching binding to the neckline as given in Alabama Studio Style and
the knowledge that I didn't have to hem the bottom or the sleeves were
the final pieces of knowledge that I needed to make a t-shirt that I
love.
If I were going to hem the sleeves and bottom of the shirt I would do so by hand. The results are always so much better for me. I suspect it has something to do with tension.
Here are the the things that I think are important to consider that don't always appear in directions:
*Don't be tempted to make a t-shirt larger than what is needed. T-shirts will stretch as they are worn so if it's large to begin with, it's going to be even larger at some point.
*If the pattern gives you a choice of necklines, go with the highest one. The neckline will always be lower once the t-shirt is on the body. That and it is much easier to cut a new neckline that is lower than it is to make the neckline higher again.
*The better the fabric, the better the results.
*A lot of directions will say to not pull on knits as you sew or cut. What they don't always say is that also means to not let the fabric hang off the edge of the table as you cut or over the side of your sewing machine as you stitch.
Two things that I find that makes sewing in general easier:
I use pattern weights for cutting my patterns (an old tin full of pennies and a glass insulator) and I don't pin pattern pieces together before I sew. I stop a lot as I stitch a seam and make sure things are lining up correctly. With knits stopping often is also necessary to unroll the fabric edge.
And what works for me:
I almost always do the seams with a straight stitch at first. That way if I've assembled my pieces wrong (which often happens if I sew after about 3 PM), it's much easier to pick out the seam. Once I'm sure the seam is where I want it, I go back and sew a zig-zag or overlock stitch.
*And practice, it takes practice...
Now I think it's time to play with some reverse applique for cuffs on a t-shirt...
It's almost embarrassing to admit how much the fabric stash has become out of control. About a year ago I started bagging scraps up into trash bags. I stopped counting eventually and have just kept sorting. One bag was full of knit fabric.
Today I separated the knits by type, 100% cotton or cotton blends. I want to piece together some of these fabrics and the different types do not play well together. That is unless you want a lot of ripples. Then it might be good.
There is a lot of wonderful information out there if anyone is interested...just do a search for "sewing with knits." I've been reading through various things and have been thinking about what I can say that is different.
My advice is to start with some small projects, not a t-shirt or leggings. Something like a cowl:
Playing with the two different types of knits on projects with straight stitching will show how the different amount of stretch makes a difference.
Stretch is what makes knits flattering to wear. But it's also what can cause some grief when it comes to necklines and hems.
This is a lot rough but maybe it will give some ideas:
After that try some drawstring bags:
Sewing the top of the bag will give a sense of how those knits can move. It really won't matter much if it does though since the drawstring will pull the edge up.
I used a cotton/lycra blend for this. One of the beautiful things about knits is that they won't fray. Edges can be left unfinished so I just cut slits for the drawstring.
Something I've been wanting to play with for a long time is reverse applique with knits...Alabama Chanin style, but simple.
Oh yeah I'm making more.
Up early this morning, as usual. Just finished watching (for the third time, the first time was several years ago) Andy Goldsworthy Rivers and Tides. And for the first time noticed the additional part of the title... Working with Time. I can easily say this is one of my favorite movies. For what he says about creativity, the connection between man and nature, the sheer beauty of the images.
And then I went to let the chickens out for the day...
The piece of plywood that I keep over the top of their food so it stays dry.
As I stood there in the silence, three seagulls flew over low and landed on one of the neighbor's roof.
Next came the sound of the songbirds moving through the bushes...
and then the crows.
.....
8:12 AM 37 degrees. Overcast. Wind NNE 10 MPH. Visibility 10 miles. Sunrise 8:02 Sunset 4:19
.....
It probably won't, but it feels like it could snow this morning...
waiting...
Yesterday as I walked down the hill towards work I had my head down, picking my way carefully as it was so very slick. It was dark still and I had my flash light on. Something made me look up...there were two deer behind me, about 10 feet away walking across the street. Doing the same thing. Walking carefully. I stayed long enough to make sure they made it across the street without being startled by a car coming around the corner.
.....
7:14 AM 39 degrees, overcast, Wind speed NNE 10 MPH, visibility 10 miles Sunrise: 8:01 Sunset: 4:17 The sun came out this afternoon.
........
Today was the last Farmer's Market for the year.
Winter squash, swiss chard, pumpkin seeds, raisins, and spices, wrapped in a tortilla. The raisins are the grapes from my garden. I've been storing the raisins in the freezer to keep them fresh. It is hard to dry the grapes enough so they won't rot but not so hard that they become too hard.
.....
Fourteen and a half inches. I am aiming for eighteen.
...........
I finished reading Joanna Macy's book World as Lover, World as Self. In one of my favorite chapters she discusses our understanding of time...
"We can watch time's rhythm in the breathing of the moment, and sense how its very passage connects us with the past and future moments. They become to us like unseen guides and companions as we once again reinhabit time."
"i do not worry if longer nights grow longest; i am not sorry when silence becomes singing" e.e. cummings
I saw my first snow for the season this week. I was sitting in the office at work when I heard the most incredible erruption of joy from the preschool classroom...
The snow didn't stay, but it was beautiful for an hour.
Happy Solstice.
On Friday as I was going to work I thought about how what I really think I find meaningful about this season is that we celebrate community.
I still believe that.
I found this video this morning and think it is simply beautiful...
I think I need to make myself one of these.
Both of these photos are unaltered, just different results from taking the picture.
I like number one, but of course it is easier to see the project in number two.
Not my puppy, but oh he's fun!
Playing with altering photos.
I decided against lights on my "tree" this year.
I like the quietness.
"Breath is really important for us. It's the kind of original movement for any puppet for us on stage. It's the thing that distinguishes the puppet.... An actor struggles to die on stage, but a puppet has to struggle to live." Adrian Kohler and Basil Jones
From an On Being interview:
"The primary purpose of prayer is not to make requests. The primary purpose of prayer is to praise, to sing, to chant. Because the essence of prayer is a song and men cannot live without a song." Rabbi Heschel
Knitting and listening and thinking. And watching for snow...
I went out in some very cold rain to clean the chicken coop. They were all hiding inside until I put some fresh straw out and pulled the plastic cover back up over the top of the chicken run. Eggs are precious right now. They are not in season.
A good use of one egg. From HomeMade Winter (Yvette Van Boven)...Sticky Chocolate Cake. If you try it it's important to not over bake. This one is topped with a bit of a glaze made with honey and cocoa powder.
3:38 PM 37 degrees, wind N 7 MPH, Visibility 2 miles, Fog.
Sunrise 7:51 AM Sunset 4:41