August 9, 2025. My half birthday. Yeah me!
Short commentary, then pics, a short video, ending with Thank You.
The pinboards were made for displaying my work in craft shows back in the day. Now they receive scraps as I go. I share them because they change day to day and reveal something about themes and moods.
The Turtle Quilt is past decision-time. I’m getting tired of all the ways I might vary the bottom fifth section and since none of them satisfy, I may just eliminate.
Lastly, I am so glad you all are here. California, Georgia, New Jersey, Holland, New York, Washington, Maine, TExAS!, New Mexico, Massachusetts, Alabama, and more! thank you. You really matter to me.
yes, I am here every day…Today I yipped because I saw some of the same fabrics I own on YOUR board….. I have piles of cloth on the ottoman next to where I watch tv and sew and read. I also daydream. I rarely if ever work in my Quilt Room. But I hand sew …. and even though I have a small design board.. it’s not here where I work…I should go look for it?????
I know that feeling of seeing cloth I love and own in someone else’s work. It’s a pleasure all out of proportion to what it is, and yet?
Part of my recent surge in activity is precisely because I’m working downstairs where the pin boards live. They’re light enough that I can and often do bring one or two upstairs. I go through cycles of times when I populate our living space with supplies (kind of ignoring the clutter) and times when I want the living room back. In the summer I can spend lots of time in the cellar and really enjoy it.
Dee~ Ha. I too got excited to see your bear and so many turtles! I have a similar bear, in blackish – on the sampler quilt I began in Jude’s Whispering Hearts, so very many years ago. I just clothespin clipped on my closet door, to remind me that I wanted to work on it. Your bear looks so soft. That was one thing that did not satisfy about my own bear – it is very stiff.
The woman I did gobs of babysitting for, as a child myself, had a pin cushion like yours. I always loved it (but use the arm of the couch myself! haha). She made clothing for her two girls and was the closest thing to a ‘mentor’ I had. I remember standing next to her as she sewed on her machine…I remember the sort-of teal blue color of it and the very strong scent I’d fall into as she hummed along.
I think the excitement is not out of proportion because it represents connections and memories and a particular kind of fondness.
Sew happy my friend,
Nancy
How vivid a memory! The teal blue machine and the mentor-figure humming along with it. My mother used to poke her tongue out when she was really concentrating.
I use lots of clothes pins downstairs too. They work.
For me, it was all of your turtles, each so unique and reminding me of many turtles I have seen on Hawaiian quilts. Looking at them led me to the closet by our front door where we keep our suitcases. When we were going to Ireland, we decided to get some lightweight suitcases, with handles, on wheels. Our suitcases are made of heavy canvas cloth, handles and wheels and we each got our favorite color;; Rich chose blue and I, surprise, chose green. Why do I tell you this? Well because my luggage tag was made by a woman in Kauai. The tag was made from a lovely green tropical print and she had stamped a card for you to put your address inside the clear window. In the left hand corner of the card, what else but a turtle!
To be able to connect and share friendships, across our cyber neighborhood, all of these years has been such a gift but there is a deep poignancy about during so these days. We share, we commiserate, we rant, we, at times, even laugh which is quite a feat these days…! I seriously doubt that I could cope as well, given the state of affairs in the world, if I didn’t have you and others to turn to. So in turn, thank you my friend.
The turtle tag!!
I agree that the connections across states is perhaps more precious now than ever given how many places our country is cracking. In real time.
Grateful for you, as well, Dee😘
Love the bits, scraps, partials, ideas, the little video…and that free sewn sketched piece.
Be well!
(& stay safe💙)
I forgot Alabama!
I love the vibrancy of your work; it hums with life. We celebrate half-birthdays, too! More accurately, I do while my husband smiles tolerantly when I mention it (his half-birthday was yesterday). When mine comes along, I maneuver it to my advantage.
We went to a Farm in Lincoln. Got fresh strawberries, a basil plant, some luscious cashews. And more. That counts as a bday run.
And Washington!!
Yes! I updated to include Washington early this afternoon.
You really matter to me too, Dee. (Another Washingtonian here.) I never miss your blog even when I don’t have much to say in return. I like hearing your voice on the video and I always enjoy your work, whether in cloth or words.