I wiped away the weeds & foam. / I fetched my sea-born treasures home... Ralph Waldo Emerson







Friday, September 24, 2021

Sewing as a Mood Lift---and Welcome Autumn

 



Hi everyone! Doing a blog post today, feeling---maybe not better but more optimistic. Please do not worry, my health issues will be addressed in the months to come. [by definition, chronic illness never goes away/ is incurable]. My main point is, pls understand if I don't post as often as we like, and maybe can't answer comments right away. Still love comments though, don't give up on me.

Anyway it is now astronomical Fall, 

                                 

the sun sets very early and while the days are hot and sun filled, that darkness hints of winter to come...

                                     

Part of my current problem has been blurry vision, a sudden onset cataract or cataracts that will be treated surgically fairly soon. I am super squeamish about medical issues, so pls do NOT share any eye surgery stories. I just can't deal.


What happened---I was needleturning the Pine Trees on Silent Night but suddenly could not see to sew.  


I finished them somehow! Forgive the wrinkly cotton and seams. Humidity here is 96% with a wind off the water, everything is soggy.


And I went on the the wool animals. Wool is far more forgiving.



Mo:


Stripey and all the other much loved tabby tomcats in my lifetime of loving cats.


I decided not to applique the snow baby children [also wool] until this is quilted, as I do not want lines across their faces and snowsuits.


This is a different quilt, with the same Mo and in this case, Kitty, the feral black cat in my neighborhood. I don't mind the lines on the animals.





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I always love having kits on hand. These are two tiny wool pillows or sachets. The black thread on bright was see-able and I had fun sewing them. I'll fill them with autumnal herbs, pine, cinnamon, lavender, etc, and tuck them in a big bowl with tiny jacks. Orange I think!



I especially liked doing the ''pennies'', a Victorian name for the wool circles.


The sunflower is cute too. I was sad because it got no ''likes'' on IG at first. Has some now finally though, poor cutie.


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My last project was to dig out this tied quilt for evaluation and redo.


It was one of my mom's Midwestern Mennonite quilt tops. She used it as a decorative table cloth. I lent the piece to a friend who to my surprise had it finished! But with poly batting and ties, not quilting.[I believe she asked my ok, it was very long ago. I think I imagined real quilting. But I was happy to share.] Later after I had my mom's other gorgeous top [that had the same fabrics] I asked for this piece back.


My mom's top that I had quilted in her memory.

The blue oxford backing is interesting. Very vintage Ralph Lauren. My friend used this quilt and another on her sons' beds. Not sure how great that worked, lol. Bet they wanted Power Rangers! Marvel heroes?


The border fabric was added later, I believe.

I fluffed it out and smoothed it on my bed this morning. Oh no, it is much more tattered than I remembered. I should make two replacement blocks before I undo it, I suppose. So back in the closet it goes for now.





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Mo went for another big bucks ear treatment today. My Fall home spruce up budget got dipped into again. Mo comes first.

                                              where is my sucker*, mommy?

A few late season potted flowers are blooming in the stalks and crabgrass.


 On Instagram we decided this is a coreopsis, much to my surprise.

As these are what coreopsis look like in my mind.

Good wishes to all! Enjoy the hot sunny days, don't rush through ife looking for Fall and holidays to come.



love

lizzy

gone to the beach...

today's photos from a friend....





*sucker is what we called lollipops...




12 comments:

  1. Your wool ginger cat with the green-glowing eyes looks like our Sammy! So sorry to learn about the cataracts, and wishing you the best with the surgery and that it restores your eyesight better than before. We called lollipops suckers back in my childhood, so many words used to have innocent meanings, not so much any more.

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  2. These aging bodies sure have a lot of surprises in store for us, don't they. I'm dealing with one right now. Not life threatening, just a constant reminder that I'm 70 now. I'm glad to see you've persevered and are still getting things done. I love your pine trees and little pugs.

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    1. Thanks so much, Robin! I hope my pine trees aren't as crooked as they look in the pics. I will leave them, fine needle turn sadly may be a thing of the past for me. And well, trees ARE crooked sometimes, right?
      <3

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  3. I admit I'm not a big cat fan (more of a dog person); but I like YOUR cats!

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    1. Thank you, Tom! I do love cats. One rea=son I love pugs is they are catlike in their own chubby way But I love dogs too.

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  4. Just love your "wool-ey" animals---
    whoever said that aging is not for sissies certainly had that right on!!
    Take care and rest up--no worries--no way we could forget you ;)))
    ..hugs and best wishes Julierose

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  5. Lovely post. I always look forward to them. Your trees look adorable!
    Love the quilt you have that belonged to your mother. Soon you can make the repairs and have it quilted.

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  6. You may be pleasantly surprised how much your sight improves after! I hope you are at least able to sew what you love!

    Yep, both pictures are coreopsis flowers, just different varieties! I'm pretty sure there's a variety that has really fine feathery/ferny foliage, too.

    Enjoy the fall days! And take care of yourself and Mo!

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  7. Your Mum's Mennonite quilts are so lovely, even though you need to do a spot of repair work. I have a few quilts to repair and the damage looks very similar to yours. Our late labrador, Snowy had fun chomping through 5! I have repaired 3 but need to psych myself up to complete the rest.
    Looking forward to your bowlscapes with the little wool pillows.

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  8. I'm happy to hear that you're feeling more optimistic, Lizzy, even you don't feel better. I hope feeling better comes sooner than later.
    Ugh to the blurry vision, and cataracts. It's hard when we can't do the things we love because of some ailment.
    Your quilt in progress looks wonderful, very inviting and fun. Love the background fabrics. I agree that your sunflower is too cute, too.
    Love your mom's quilts. Hope Mo's ears get better soon.

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  9. Glad to see you're keeping yourself occupied. The little bowl fillers are very cute. Love seeing the kitties and Mo's, too. They're looking very good.

    Oh, your Mom's quilt top! Will the repair be very complicated?

    Hope you're able to enjoy your warm summer days, still. We're overcast and in the low 70's today. It's a nice change.

    Mo looks like he feels better. Hope you look the same, soon :)

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  10. I accidentally deleted Audrey's comment: "audrey has left a new comment on your post "Sewing as a Mood Lift---and Welcome Autumn":

    Your Pine Trees project is looking good, something to look forward to when things start looking up! I think many of us are commenting/posting less for a variety of reasons. Always lovely to read your posts whenever you're up and at it.:)" Thank you, Audrey!

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Hi! I'm allowing comments from everyone, even anonymous for awhile, to see what happens. With comments moderation. Hopefully the awful porn spammer has gone elsewhere. Or you can always email me! I love to hear from everyone.