SHEs Organized

What colors will June be bringing to your creative plans? Are you working in springy, autumn, vivid colors? Muted colors, baby-soft colors, monochromatic? Here's a place to tell what's going on in your creative palette!

Let us know.. .. what is the COLOR(s) that's bringing you the most inspiration right now?

In May,

Harmony worked on pillow casings, so that she now has 2 clean nice pillows, all re-sewn
Nancy sewed a shift, altered a caftan and has been learning a technique for lined pockets
BookSaver delivered 217 mats to animal shelter, altered a top and is starting a tote bag
Twins' Mom came in and encouraged!
Harriet pressed some home-grown flowers.

I worked on a teal colored knit dish cloth.
Google on u tube Very pink knits pattern "almost lost dish cloth" pattern is the one I use.
I used Lily 4 ply Sugar and Cream or Wm. Brand Peaches and Cream cotton yarn for them, and hot pads I crochet.

Here's a good one: talked with DGD today on phone. She's going to be 10 in a couple months. I learned that she did not know that her favorite quilt, about the size of a baby crib mattress, is one that I had made. I gave it to DD for her at the baby shower, before she was born, so the date on the label is even before she arrived.

DD was explaining it to her and she was astonished: How did she ever DO that? Turns out she takes it all over with her, cuddling up under it with the pillow I made that matches. It is all lavender and pink to match her room at the time.

So, she proceeds to ask me if I'd make her one with dolphins and fish on it. Now she has a queen size bed. But fortunately she wants a lap size one about the size of the one she has so she can take it around with her and cover herself up with it. This time she wants lots of blue for the water and the dolphins and fish, so lots of colors I guess.

Now I have a project to do! Merry Christmas?

Dil that died made a strip quilt that was too short. So I am going to make pne longer, got a couple stacks of of fabric fat quarters for this.
I will get to it in the next 3 mo. They are in the dryer.

I am excited to be doing some painting for creative pursuits. Painted a stool yesterday. Today did a bucket and so e rocks testing out paint colors.

Attempted to find PURPLES for one last color to add to the miniature quilt in antique colors. Not easy! In the "1800s quilts" type that look so vintage and attractive to me, quiltmakers used purples that were closer to a red than a blue, somewhat heathered or grayed looking. They were called madder purples then, meaning reddish from the plant dye, and later called "fugitive" purples because over time they would fade. Found some things in my own stash that are closer than anything i can find to buy. One sweet old Thimbleberries fabric that I'm coming down to the last of, so hate to use it up but this is a good project for it, since it uses small pieces.

Nancy, painting a stool and a bucket sounds fun. It's nice to spif something up and give it a new "look". Enjoy working with those new fat quarters.

Harmony, so interesting to think of an ocean themed quilt for an appreciative child! That is pure fun in a fabric store (or site) , for sure. I'm glad you made sure she knows you sewed her earlier quilt for her. By the time children are old enough to catch on, their baby or toddler quilts can be such a part of the everyday, no one thinks to explain their beginnings.

I finished the teal stool that was a bit too vibrant so I put a wash of white paint on it applied mine with a rag.
Then furnature polish on it. Could not find paste , so got the spray kind generic furnature polish wm brand worked fine.
Tweaked a method I saw on a U tube vid.

I am enjoying stamping as a creative pursuit lately, obviously it utilizes a different part of my brain than genealogy and is healing for me. I used to describe it (with a smile) as my "art form" because I recall a friend explaining it to her husband that way. It's also a form of love language for me to think of a person while making a card for them, almost like a prayer shawl.

I am painting 2 of the wooden crates larger size they have at W-mart, and Joann's. I am using YELLOW chalk paint. 1st coat almost done.
Painting with BLUE as well.

I just got home a little while ago from my sister's up north, where I shortened a niece's wedding dress. I had only had a quick hurried look at it on the hanger on Mother's Day when dniece asked if I would shorten it for her. Quick & hurried because she didn't want to risk her fiance seeing it or even hearing the description of what it would take to alter it.

She had wanted it shortened from full length to 2-3 inches below her knee. I had incorrectly remembered how many layers in the skirt, and thought it was only 4. Actually, from the inside out, the full skirt has 1 layer satin lining, 2 layers stiff nylon netting, 1 layer bridal satin, 1 layer plain chiffon, 1 layer embroidered chiffon. The 2 layers of netting and 2 layers chiffon didn't involve sewing, but they did take a long time to cut. Of course, the 2 layers of satin needed careful sewing on the slippery fabric.

Therefore my estimate of 6 hours of work had to be revised, and delays and interruptions turned it into a 9 hour job. My commute was 50 minutes to drive up there and over an hour to drive home because I ran into 2 detours due to road repairs.

I'm glad I was able to help my niece and I enjoyed the sewing. However, this reinforced my normal immediate reaction whenever I am asked if I sew or alter dresses for brides, anyone in a bridal party, or prom. No. Too much time, too much work, too much stress!