A good time

I gave a quilting/sewing demonstration/lesson this morning to a small group of women who are interested in making blankets for charities. I met the group leader at the fabric store one day and we got to talking about quilts and ways to simplify the process. I gave her my number and, sure enough, she called. I had a wonderful time with this nice group of people. We covered two types of easy quilts--4.5 inch squares sewn together in a 10 square x 10 square pattern and then machine quilted to fleece or flannel backing--and a quilt with a "pillow" panel for the center with strips added around it until it is the desired size. We also talked about some tips for easier sewing and cutting. I advised them to try to do a good job, but not to get hung up on perfection. I'm going back in February for a second session.

Getting it together

Well, getting it together in one area of my life! I am almost done unpacking all my sewing stuff. It had been packed up for about 6 months as we were selling a house and then moving back to Albany. I now have emptied six bins of stuff--five actually, since one turned out to be my daughter's-lol. My thread is on the thread rack, several projects are neatly lined up, waiting to be sewn, and I have good lighting. It feels good to have a sewing area where I can sit down and sew for just 10 minutes or for an hour if I have a nice chunk of time.

Recycling

I know a lot of people are using the term "refashioning" to describe things they make out of stash or thrifted materials, but I prefer the term "recycling" for non-clothing items. For this chair cushion project, I used an old curtain, zippers from my stash, and a foam cushion insert from the store I work at.
After some measuring, cutting, zipper installation, and seaming, I have a comfy cushion to use on my sewing chair.
As you can see, the cushion is "cat approved" by Loki, our grey tabby.

It's for me!

I'm actually knitting something for myself. I snagged about 4 pounds of Natural Heather Wool-Ease found in a buyout of yarn at the fabric store I work at. A portion of it is being knit up into a vest using a mistake rib pattern. There should be enough yarn left to make a cardigan. I have my eye on one from Ann Budd's The Knitters Handy Book of Sweater Patterns. The sweater is a modified drop shoulder with a lace collar and cuffs. Should go with anything in my wardrobe (the word wardrobe sounds so organized and fashionable-haha).