Art, Craft and Needlework, August, 2025

[Harriet]

"The brightest, most sophisticated and creative people are the biggest procrastinators. Leonardo Da Vinci was legendary for never finishing projects on time and left scores of UFOs for us to wonder about. Accept your genius." - Debbie Bates and Liz Kettle

I'm willing to accept my genius, and it's nice to know I'm in good company. But accepting how many Unfinished Fabric Objects I have is a little tough.

Are there ANY unfinished projects you have that you might be able to finish by the holidays?

Is there going to be a chance to do something special for the people we care about this year? We have the supplies, we have the GENIUS. What about the ? And if we don't find it very easy to have the time, WHAT do we do about it?


A "summer prep for the holidays" thread is also here in this forum, posted by blessed, so a place to post all the varied things we do to get ready for celebrations. Check it out.

[Nancy]

Harriet you hit the nail on the head with this months post!
Time is my challenge getting in to the sewing room to actually sew!

I'm doing another prayer shawl a self striping shades of blue white black one of yarn I had on hand.
It's so soothing and like a mediation for me.

[Nancy]

Blue stripe project got finished this week.
Started another of black white and gray.

Got a pic. of the completed ones in a crate it's full 8 are done plus a cape.

The latest ones are only one skien and take less time to finish.

[blessedw2]

your project sounds lovely d Nancy!

I am trying to wrap my mind around sewing/handwork for the holidays and for joy.

[Nancy]

Ty you Blessed!

Mid mo. CI
Have b& beige & grey project 3/4 this of the way knit up.
Have been putting a marker to see how much I did the last time when I pick it up again is helping too.

Next to decide on the project after this one.
Shades of tan or camo colors, or sewing...TBA

[Nancy]

I got new pj's hemmed them and used what I'd cut off for a pocket for my phone.
Sewing matchine needs the tension or some thing tweaked. sigh...
Yea got that tension fixed! Wa-hoot! Had to rethread the bobbin and adjust the stitch length and the tension knob.
Now it should be so much more fun to do it!

One more pr. needs just a hem a knit fabric so we will see how that goes.
I have a tentative hem mark pinned.
These have pockets already so yea!
They did not need hemmed as they shrunk!
Not using them till my bday or after.

[Harriet]

Good to hear you've gotten your machine to cooperate again, Nancy. Enjoy the pajamas.

blessed, we'll be looking forward to hearing about joys you find in creativity.

Today I mended my favorite purse/tote that had two seams letting go. One was there from my purchase of it, or shortly thereafter, and I had managed to use a large safety pin inside to keep it from being seen. Over time, with weight of contents, it was showing. The other had opened up near the top of the bag, showing the lining.

This is, I guess you would say, a canvas fabric bag, very heavy material, but I was pretty sure the machine could handle it if I planned well enough and smoothed the fabrics. The lining is thin. I checked and double-checked that all the other fabric was out of the way before I sewed. So glad I double-checked because at one point I just almost sewed the two sides of the bag together! Tight sewing!

So glad to have this bag "back" because it goes so well with everything since it is full of pattern, a kind of "Boho" look, I guess. When I wear denim, like my fall jacket, it looks ideal with that.

[Lauralind]

You are reminding me. Once I get my craft room ready I have the odd random things in there to mend. A jacket that is too small for ds. It's still a good jacket but the seam let go. I wonder what size my friend's son is he's like 9 or so but bigger built than ds. Maybe it will fit. There's a couple others as well.

And I finally did it. I ordered an afghan pattern and kit from Mary maxim. In a grey slate ombre it says. There's a fancy name for Grey. But I'm going to make it for the bed in the craft room. I was going to do color but that wall turned out a bold bright cyan sky blue and light gray. I think it needs neutral.

That should get here so I can start after the garden is done.