Art, Craft and Needlework, September 2020

A place for Artistry, Crafts and Needlework; Decorating and Holidays.
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Harriet
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Art, Craft and Needlework, September 2020

Postby Harriet » Tue Sep 01, 2020 2:55 pm

Is creativity helping you get through this unusual time we're experiencing?
Or through the difficulties, concerns or solitude of your own that add to it?

This poem is not exactly upbeat, but may express part of feelings these days. Keeping on with a project may leave us feeling better by its completion, or pass the time wisely until better times show up. Creativity is part of the whole of life, so maybe it's good for us in the disappointing times, too. forgive me in advance, please, if this is too much.

....The Long Day by Hazel Hall

I am sewing out my sorrow,
Like a thread, wearing it thin;
It will be old and frayed to-morrow.
Needle, turn out; needle, turn in.

Sorrow’s thread is a long thread
Needle, one stitch; needle, two.
And sorrow’s thread is a strong thread,
But I will wear it through.

Then not only will sorrow
Be old and thin and frayed;
But I shall have to-morrow
Something sorrow has made.


Here are some August smiles to balance that
Twins' Mom created cards for synagogue Rosh Hashanah pick-up giftbags
Nancy created knitted dishcloths, painted dressers and sketched
BookSaver created a set of shelves and nurtured a challenged sewing group
Lynlee created a link to cheer us with crochet & other needlework surprises
Harriet created a mask-making basket of fabrics, patterns & ear-elastic

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Twins' Mom
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Re: Art, Craft and Needlework, September 2020

Postby Twins' Mom » Tue Sep 01, 2020 3:20 pm

I have been stamping like crazy! I need to photograph the Rosh Hashana cards I made, and I'll see if I can remember how to post them.

I took some time and cleaned up my desk and sorted out and identified my "overstock" of card stock. The file drawer next to me has the umpteen basic colors right now in folders but since they come 25 sheets in a package, not all will fit into this drawer, especially since each folder has a bunch of saved scraps.
Be at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let every new year find you a better [wo]man. Ben Franklin

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Harriet
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Re: Art, Craft and Needlework, September 2020

Postby Harriet » Sat Sep 05, 2020 7:47 pm

Good job neatening your working space, Twins'. I've done a little and need to do much more.

The poem's idea of sewing out my sorrow does hit home to me. I think this would be a good time for those who have a basketful of a thread craft on which they're down to the simple finishing if it could let their mind relax and think through the situations we have. Sitting with a sketch and just quietly seeing where it takes you. Also, planning a tactile craft of any kind, like the masks I've been concentrating on, just working with the different fabrics and doing something that will be helpful - that's a healing thing.

I remember hearing about women making bandages in WWI and knitting for soldiers. That must have been a very tactile, helpful activity for the makers at a tough time.

Some of my pressed flowers that were gathered last summer/autumn have gone to a new creative cause. Dd and I chosee some and placed them into resin for pendants and then she wire-wrapped. Some that had the most vivid colors were still colorful, with blue tiny wildflowers staying very blue. A few of my own in pots that were pink while growing, but faded with the pressing, lost the last of their color in the resin. But even they appeared very pretty suspended anyway, so were a success in white as if we meant to do that.

She knows which ones she'd be excited to work with again now. :| Okay, so wonder what book I pressed them in? What shelf would it be on? LR? Bedroom? lol She's pressing her own tinies - individual parts of marigolds and field plants have her attention now, so I have a reprieve of time to go searching.

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Re: Art, Craft and Needlework, September 2020

Postby Nancy » Sat Sep 05, 2020 10:02 pm

Back in the day letters were encouraged and sent.
I made a fabric journal cover with so so results, needed interfacing on the pockets.
Had to do research and get interfacing I am on a learning curve.

I have been working on a crochet hot pad it is nearly done just a couple more rows, had to give my arm a rest,
this one is to go with round knit dish cloths I gave to dd, I will did another one hot pad.

Doing a third hot pad with a stripe using up the last of my cotton yarn.

Did a sketch in my happy planner this week.
One was a ruffled curtian, a hat, and tulips I planted this week.

I seem to have lost my sewing mojo I bought a ready made travelers note book so do not really need to make those now.
With the smoke it might be the opportunity I need to retreat downstairs where I do not have to look outside and see that smoke.

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Re: Art, Craft and Needlework, September 2020

Postby Harriet » Sat Sep 12, 2020 10:45 pm

Made a more permanent template for masks today using Scotch tacky glue to glue an internet pattern onto the plain side of part of a Rice Krispie box, which is a favorite template method for me for larger things. If anything, slightly large, so if I'm so inclined I may trim it eventually, but I want to be sure. I started not to write a date on it, thinking, "who wouldn't know approximately when we were making masks?". Heaven forbid, though, we may be making masks so long into the future that someday it could be of interest to me what date I decided to make this particular pattern permanent.

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Re: Art, Craft and Needlework, September 2020

Postby Harriet » Mon Sep 14, 2020 7:55 am

Yesterday was not assembly-line-ing, but experimenting with a sample mask to check the size and fit on this template. Using a fabric I like "okay" but dd doesn't, I knew that if it wasn't right for her days, I'd wear it anyhow for my short stints ;) and be content.

Turns out I'm very pleased. There are small tweaks I'm still learning, but none that would have me even shave bits off the template, so it's fine. Worked out some other things like ear-loop length with this pattern for me, at least. And next time I'm going to try the topstitching on the center seam before sewing lining to mask fabric and see how I like that.

I think the reason we weren't sure about this fabric is that even though it's a good-looking artsy print of spirals, it's somehow not "cottony". It says 100% cotton and it's not thick, but it's got a harsh finish with a dense weave. Unless it turns out to seem hot because of that, I may not care, because the lining fabric is very soft.

A thought - as we go into cold weather in the northern hemisphere, masks may seem more comfortable to us.

I never thought I'd be contemplating holiday season mask fabrics.

I have a lot of anger because of this situation thrust upon us, but also some feelings of determination to be caring, do what I can, and just sew some masks.

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Re: Art, Craft and Needlework, September 2020

Postby Nancy » Mon Sep 14, 2020 8:45 pm

I have been resting my hand it is sore so have not been crafting.

But It is helping to go through old planners to get fav. Verses out and write them in my new tn insert for faith I am using.


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