Art, Craft and Needlework, August, 2022

[Harriet]

"The Ds" has been a topic for us here for several days, as we remember wisdom from Pam, Peggy and happy decades of advising each other.

We seem to have, or have found, several versions of the list, which almost always includes Dishes, Dinner, Duds, etc.

So often the ending "D" is "Delight". An ender, perhaps, because it's important to get those responsibilities regularly attended. But oten we can keep a smile on our faces through chores knowing a Delight is part of the day, too.

There are many Delights, but I especially think of personal creativity. Coming up with something lovely, or cheerful, or a conversation-starter. Maybe even practical if we have learned a creative skill that happily ends up as a sensible help or saves money.

How does your creativity Delight you? Do you always put it off until the rest of the day has had enough "Ds", or do you consider it a priority that might be an early part of your good day?

[Nancy]

What a great reminder Harriet thanks for that!
Knitting up the rainbow colored shawl for the gift closet was a delight last month!

This month I am continuing to do up triangle shawl with apx. 6" stripes on it with teal, white and peach. It is a joy to work up.
I am still learning on practice yarn the other one a triangle granny shawl. Today have not done any yet however. update I did a couple of rows on it.

I have brown - tan fabric to hem up for a long folding table cloth on my mind. Done, It still needs pressed, did that when I checked the clothes.

[Nancy]

Frogged out more than I did today on my teal crochet shall project
and got my mistake corrected today need to get it back to where it was when I found my boo - boo.

[Nancy]

Teal triangle shaped shawl is done! Yea!
This was a fun project that went well.

[Nancy]

I started another triangle shaped shawl and it is turning out different I am unsure why but it is okay.
Teal and white on it so far and I will add yellow and peach later.
Finished that one up and put it with the 1st one and have two that I made into a poncho.
Dgd was here and I helped he to make up granny squares.

[Harmony]

I think really creative people enjoy the process much more than I do. I never considered myself very creative, so if I get an idea to do something it preys on my mind until it's done. I enjoy the "done" much more than the "doing it". But after I accomplish something I love looking at it and/or using it and especially getting it off my mind. Still, since I have some skill and the tools to do some things I feel like I should be doing some of this. I actually don't know how people live without some sort of sewing skill and I can't imagine living without a sewing machine.

Was listening to a video last night, and the gal was saying how she gave up a craft she loved doing but did not have time for at this stage in her life. I have several things I'd love to give up for now with no guilt but have been unable to do that. Fancy cookies at Christmas to give... but because I CAN I think I SHOULD.

How do you all deal with these sort of decisions? I'm wondering if Harriet was able to set up a quilting space in her smaller house, and how you're dealing with that?

I did fix those 4 pillow cases with longer hems and they turned out so very nice. Tonight I made a pink and white flowered case for my small travel size pillow. Turned out very nice and makes my bed look very cheery as it sits right on top.

I have a bathrobe to sew a fleece onto the bottom and up the front to make it close better. Then I will tidy up my fabric scraps and put everything away for a bit. I wish I could get my brain to quit thinking of other stuff I would like to be doing...as I really don't have the time for that now.

[Nancy]

Harmony I have been thinking along those lines with my weaving.

I got purple butterfly print flannel for a nite dress and got it cut out to seam up.

Draw string is chrocheted and installed on poncho.

[Harmony]

Nancy, yeah if I could only get over the guilt.

I tackled that last project on my mind. Put that bathrobe on to determine how much material to add and discovered it isn't really the type of bathrobe I thought it is. Even though it has a nice soft tie inside the front, it wasn't made to double lop over the front. It ties inside but just joins at the front and has a nice long wide belt to hold it together. So, I decided instead of trying to enlarge it so it's double layer when worn, I'd just put nice buttons down the front. I wonder if any of this makes sense to anyone else?

So, getting out the buttonholer attachment, first I decided to clean out the bobbin shuttle where I saw a lot of lint. Took out the shuttle race cover and the darn shuttle popped out too. Wasn't planning on that, because last time I spent a long time getting it back together. Well, now what to do? I cleaned it out and oiled what all I could reach without unscrewing the top, and attempted to put it back together. Yeah, that wasn't working.

Watched a you tube on reassembling (I guess lots of us have this difficulty) and tried and watched it two more times and there it is all together again and for the first time I understand how this gizmo works. Not helpful that the picture in my manual has it pictured on the left side instead of the right and the points at the top instead of the bottom and all taken apart not assembled! Yay for YT.

So now to get back to it and make the 5 button holes and sew on the buttons. Wish me luck!

Ok I'm back. It is 6 button holes, not 5, and I carefully did them all and cut the slits. All sitting at my chair ready to sew the buttons on where they are marked now.

[Harriet]

Teal is a cheerful color to work with, Nancy. Have been joining you some on that.

The dress that required shortening is done, with a tailored-looking hem, although not fancy at all. Used the existing hem and shortened above it. Didn't cut fabric away until I had the two parts, hem and dress, pinned together evenly and sewn. Then cut away the excess fabric with one side wide enough to fold over and cover raw edges. Anyway, the join between existing hem and dress body just looks like a double topstitching on the front now, and the back raw edges are hidden, no worries. It is a rather full skirt, so that took a while! And because it's a pattern, not a solid, if the stitching got a bit off, it's not noticeable. I used a similar color thread.

I believe I would have enough of the excess fabric to add an inch length to the sleeves if I want. (Thinking about that - is it worth it since the change would just be nice, not vital? I didn't mean to spend a lot of time on this dress.) Hmmm ... ..

Chat about guilt - yes, I feel it sometimes. The children sometimes have projects they think would be good for me to work on. This doesn't really stem from wanting something out of me but from seeing it as an easy answer to give to whatever complaint I might have. Do some sewing, that will fix whatever it is, and they won't have to listen about it anymore, lol! I don't want to until I want to. But that definitely doesn't mean I'm ready to say "never" to any enjoyable craft and burn my bridges!

Harmony, I love the planning part and the finish part. Many times I can find Delight (smile) in the part in between as "a plan comes together", unless it becomes a slog and then I wish I'd never started and I have guilt. Just a little guilt over longer term unfinished things - not too much. I feel as though that's my business - there have never been any project police, none that I've noticed. I do think I've learned never to over-promise to anyone else.

[Nancy]

I have about half of the shawl knitting project done now.