Diabolical Jane top is done!

 Although I continue to fight cold symptoms, (going into my fourth week!) I did get the diabolical Jane quilt top completed. I'm quite pleased with how it looks. As per the instructor's suggestion, I have trimmed with an extra inch around the edges that will be removed once the quilting and backing have been completed. 

I await the fabric for the back and the batting, and as soon as that arrives I hope to get it finished quickly and off for the forthcoming little guy.

Here's where it stands right now:

I quite like it and it has everything from Dr. Seuss to the Hungry Caterpillar, zoo animals, travel themes, space themes, soccer, baseball, and more. Just right for a little one IMO.

Not much else done in the sewing room this week, but as always, more later!

First week of 2023

Well, I've been pondering, and although the cold I got in December is still lingering and giving me strange side effects, I did get a little done, which makes me happy.

I worked on the Diabolical Jane baby quilt, and have the first two quadrants complete. 

Flannel Board Layout

First Two Quadrants Completed

I did pull out my Kayla muslin and know there are issues with the back neck area. I have had an issue in the past where the back neck "rises" up too high and what I have done is just cut down from the center back of the neck whatever amount is needed to lie correctly arcing to zero at the shoulder point, and just redraw that area from the center back to the shoulder point. Not sure that is the "right" way to do it, but it has worked for me in the past. However, I am wondering if that will make my back yoke off grain, and I should split half way down the yoke and overlap the indicated amount to lower the neck area without effecting anything else. Will contemplate and see which approach I think will work. 

That's my sewing for the week. This week I have things to do getting ready for tax season, so I hope to do a bit of sewing in and around the work life.

More later,

HAPPY 2023 TO ALL!

I’ve been pondering my wishes and dreams for the last month. No resolutions, just wishes and dreams that are hopefully doable.

One of my decisions is that no longer would I work for a Company that does not respect their employees but would once again start my own company. That means January to April I will be, as a friend says, “the boss of my own time.” In reality, that means I will be able to spend time doing what I love, and better serving my tax clients.

Decision #2 is that in reality, approaching the grand age of 76, and being mostly stay at home, I do not need a large number of garments. To that end I won’t sew many this coming year, but hope to get some really good fitting ones.

I anticipate taking the In House Patterns course “Fitting Essentials” again and hopefully get farther than I did last year before imploding. My intention is also to redo my bodice sloper, and a well-fitting pants sloper using the top down, center out pants fitting approach. I would like to get a basic jacket sloper also, but that is farther down the list. It is also possible I will need to make another grandmother of the bride dress, but that one is awaiting actual dates.

I have very much enjoyed the quilting classes I have taken at our local quilting store, Thread Bear, and with Great Grandbabies arriving and household items aging out, I anticipate doing more quilting in the coming year.

Decision #3. I just picked up This Is Your Brain On Food by Uma Naidoo, MD from the library. I read a review that indicated not only the subtitled things, “An Indispensable Guide to the Surprising Foods that Fight Depression, Anxiety, PTSD, OCD, ADHD, and More” that it may help stave off Alzheimer’s and/or Dementia in older adults. I do spend time on activities each day to “exercise” my brain, but I also have friends and acquaintances dealing with these difficult diseases and prefer not to put my loved ones through that. I have noticed some slow down, both physically and mentally over the past several years and want to alleviate as much as possible in whatever way I can. I anticipate making some changes, hopefully minor, to help with cognitive functions.

Add to that the universal wish to get healthier through exercise and we have all the intentions for the year.

I’m hoping all of us have our creative and personal wishes fulfilled in 2023. Hopefully this blog will be updated more often, and with beautiful items.