Art, Craft and Needlework, May, 2010

[Harriet]

If it weren’t for art where would you be right now? If you didn’t know how to knit, crochet, weave, spin, paint, sew, write, sing, dance, or express yourself creatively some other way, what would you do? How would you blow off steam and cope with the stresses of life?

I don’t know about you, but I shudder at the thought of a world without soft yarn, lovely fabric, shiny black tap shoes and good music.

- Jennifer Ackerman-Haywood, "CraftSanity"

Creativity keeps us sane! Come in and tell us about coping with the stresses of life through Art, Craft and Needlework!

Harmony is getting ready to bind a baby quilt, for a successful finish to her “while my arm was broken” project! mamapiano is findng motivation for new knitting projects. Nancy is making a blue prayer shawl after finishing up a couple of hoodies. BookSaver has been enjoying sewing clothing and is starting her lunch bags and an apron. Lynlee is connecting those granny squares into a thing of beauty! DeeClutter is researching how to make prayer shawls. Sunny has finished her craft area reorganization and is creating an album for her granddaughter.

[Nancy]

To answer your question if it weren't for art I'd garden!

Finishing up on the last 1/4 th of the shades of blue prayer shawl has been a great
activity for me while I've been in recoup mode fighting off a cold.

[Harriet]

AHa! Nancy I almost mentioned that you were also gardening! Actually, I think there is a lot of creativity in the garden/out-of-doors, too!

[Harmony]

If it wasn't for art, I'd probably do way more reading. I can't do any more gardening than I do because there is only so much physical work this old body will stand for. But I can sit in my chair and read and read and read till I grow roots! In order for me to get all that quilting done I had to give up my reading for a while.

[Nancy]

Finished the shades of blue prayer shawl.
I have sized it too.
Pondering what project is going to be next.

[Harriet]

Ds25 gave me a Singer hand-held "Stitch-Sew" sewing machine for portable repairs and such. I have my doubts that it will be helpful but it could be. Does anyone know anything about these or know an application? I would think doll clothes hemming or hemming of pencil-leg jeans, sleeves, etc. that require getting into tiny sleeve-spaces. I looked up reviews and they are really bad, lol. I agree with the reviewers in one way - when an item says "Singer" it is expected to have good quality and be helpful (evidently, though, these reviewers didn't think this lived up to the name!). In fact, when I looked into the gift bag I immediately said I saw the name "Singer" so was excited.

I am not able to get to much creativity lately. I had to put it off a long time for family needs, and now have a backlog of household work, responsibilities, etc., that must come first.

However, I thought I'd mention that I have enjoyed a few "side-trips" to the handmades website etsy.com and watching the categories of quick changing photos there, which you can hardly keep up with. If you type in "pincushion", for instance, there are almost 7,000 entries so you'd never run out of those to see, and thousands of bookmarks, potholders. I think of our crochet-ers here when I see the pincushions that are crochet.

Also, I came upon this free pattern that I think might make everyone smile with memory.
http://dsquilts.com/fabric_and_patterns.asp?PageID=187

[Nancy]

I've been drawing in my sketch journal it's been very therapeutic!

[Harmony]

Very cute scottie dog pattern, Harriet. Sketching, Nancy, now that's a talent I didn't get when I was made. Sunny has the artistic ability in our family!

Harriet, the little hand-held sewing machine I saw on television was like a stapler, almost except with thread. They were using it to hem curtains which were hanging up.

[Nancy]

I got some yarn for a knitting project yesterday I just got 2 skiens so it won't be
anything very big that I make. I could not find the solid tan I wanted so got a
verigated one.

[Lisa B.]

Hellooooooooo......

I'm still around.

Love the scottie dog Harriet. Am downloading the pattern because I think my DMIL would like something like that.

Re: the hand held sewing gadget - my late Nanna gave me one (a Singer too boot). It's okay for very small jobs. I find that it's still a little quicker just to do the repairs by hand - at least for me. So give it a try Harriet and see what you feel comfortable with.

Note to self: I must take a picture of my first Sashiko block.

I've just ordered Marti Michell's templates, set B & companion set D. I know, I shouldn't have, but I've been battling a little getting the sizing right lately on my practice pieces. Read somewhere that templates would help. Did some research and checked out some reviews, and from what I can tell, Marti's are one of the better ones. I already have her vol 1 book of the perfect patchwork system.