Monday, May 28, 2007

APOLOGIES

My gosh, I didn't realize how long it's been since I posted! My sincere apologies to those of you who were looking for me and wondering if I am OK. It was really thoughtful of you to inquire, and I guess for a while I thought I was blogging to nobody! Silly thought, when I have great co-quilters and quilt lovers like yourselves who write me regularly.

I am OK, everyone is fine, I've just been very busy preparing for a very special trip. Details to follow. One of the reasons I haven't posted is because all I've done quilting-wise is to sew half of the rows for the star quilt together. It is extremely time consuming, back-aching work. This is not to say I haven't been working with fabric at all. Actually, I re-upholstered my kitchen chairs with a great home dec fabric I purchased for $4/yard, and covered that with plastic so I can wipe it clean. 4 chairs cost me $24 including the staple gun for $10! But of course for that price I purchased lots of extra fabric which I am now using to make a bag. I also made a comfortable leopard print cotton (only, always) knit skirt which is so comfortable it feels like pajamas. And I just tonight finished hemming a stretchy cotton and spandex knit top for myself that I copied from my favorite-fitting top. This was a first for me. I am tough to fit up top, so copying a shirt I already owned and loved became the perfect solution. It's an Ann Taylor Loft top that I purchased years ago, made of polartec. Now I have that perfect fit in a lightweight, comfortable top - so delicious, smooth like butta! I have read many articles about copying patterns but never thought I could do it. This turned out to be easier than following a commercial pattern, which thrilled me. So many of my garments go unworn because they just don't look right. It still needs some tweeking but I'm happy with the way it turned out.

Comfort is a main objective in all of my (albeit limited) garment sewing. Ladies, why shouldn't we be comfortable? Of course, there is nothing wrong and I much enjoy dressing up for a special occasion, or even just dressing funky for no occasion but my mood, but why should we torture ourselves just to project an image to others - I'm cool, I'm sophisticated, I'm hip - whatever the case may be. Really, when you boil it down to the minerals, it's insecurity, isn't it? Worrying about what others see when they look at us can take so much time. And Lord knows, we quilters need all the precious time we can get!

I have no pictures for you today, but wanted to post to let you all know I am still here. One of our cameras has been dropped one too many times by my daughter, so I guess that contributed to the lack of blogging. Now with the trip planned, I hope to purchased another one soon and get lots of sewing done before I go. I'll try to post the pics of the aforementioned stuff I've been making. Stay tuned!

4 Comments:

Blogger The Calico Cat said...

I made plans for Houston! Southwest has/had a great deal...
So I Guess I was right, Next year in Houston.

10:11 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Dear Miriam,
I'm glad to see your back blogging and that everything is OK with you and your family. I really like the quilt you made for your Uncle Stu.

11:13 PM  
Blogger Marla said...

I'm glad to see you back. I was actually wondering if everything was ok with you. I was going to send a note to see but felt strange as we don't "know" each other.

9:17 AM  
Blogger Susan Lenz said...

Hi!
Thanks for the comment on my blog. I'm new to the Fiber Art Friend blog ring and have so very much enjoyed reading everyone's entries. I've learned load in just a short amount of time, been inspired, and feel like I've already made "cyber" friends in almost no time at all. I love the idea of using a favorite garment as a pattern...but I'm not a quilter...I'm an embroiderer who can honestly say I've never made anything slightly useful in years...in fact, EVER! I do agree, however, that comfort should be much more important than any of the other factors one faces inside one's closet! Also, I love really love cheap...no, scratch that adjective...try this one...inexpensive fabric. Most of my recent work in on 100% polyester. My In Box series is made up of polyester, stretch velvet...what could possible be more cheesy? I'm writing, though, because my felt isn't anything special either. It's just good, old craft felt...just like the little squares that are often sold 10 for a $1. This stuff is 100% acrylic....it melts! Use a heat gun...the type for stripping wallpaper....do it outside as the smell is horrible and I'm sure the fumes must be toxic....it melts. If you stitch with 100% cotton, the threads simply don't melt. It has all sorts of creative possiblities. Again, thank you for your message. I look forward to hearing more about your quilts as I find the scale, detail, and precision absolutely mind boggling.

5:40 PM  

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