- Thanks to Dana

Retrospective (9/26)

Patch #259 Jigged

Original Post 

There's a lot of cross-pollination that happens in the corner of the blogging world I call home. Most recently, Dana mentioned some tools for making bias binding which she was using to turn the edges of cloth strips to prepare them for weaving (http://ravenandsparrow.typepad.com/raven_and_sparrow/2016/09/stripping.htm).

That was an "aha moment" since I currently turn the edges of cloth strips in preparation for my patchplay pieces. But my favorite working size is 1 3/4" inches and I wasn't surprised to come up empty when I looked for a tool in that size.

Thinking I could make my own, I googled my way around the internet until I landed on Melly Sews, where this post gave me the answer I sought:  http://mellysews.com/2013/05/how-to-make-and-sew-bias-tape.html

I already had strips of cloth torn to the width I needed and cover stock around which to press the edges. All I needed to add was a "jig" comprised of 140 lb. watercolor paper scored and folded 1/8" wider than my 1 3/4" cover stock ...

I laid the cloth into the jig ...

placed the 1 3/4" cover stock strip over that ...

folded in the edges of the jig and anchored the end of the cloth to the ironing board with pins ...

then I gently pulled on the jig and the edges of the cloth magically folded themselves around the cover stock ...

I ironed the folded edges every few inches ...

pulled the cover stock farther down the strip of cloth ...

and continued to "chase" it with the jig ...

In no time at all I had a two-foot length of cloth with perfectly turned edges ...

and yes, it's all 1 3/4" wide, but the camera angle makes it look tapered. I quickly made more strips and pinned them onto cards ...

Now they're ready to be cut to whatever length needed for my patch projects, like this new patch ...

made for a retrospective August 31 post (http://imgoingtotexas.blogspot.com/2016/08/northbound-35.html).

- Life x 3

Retrospective (9/24)

Patch #258 And writing could be a sign

Original Post 

I recalled a quote that went "writers live life twice ... once for real and once on paper." Or something like that. So I googled it and the first attribution that came up was Natalie Goldberg, who authored a book we used in the EVWP (Eastern Virginia Writing Project) ...

I wondered if the quote was in my copy and, if so, whether I had highlighted it. I thought I hit pay dirt on page 44, given the marginal note ...

but I couldn't find her using those words on the page, so I kept looking and found this on page 48 ...

Well, I'm here to tell you that this stitcher lives life three times: for real, written on the blog, and stitched into patches.

And so, for the past three weeks I've been traveling, playing with grandkids, taking pictures and writing things down. Now I'm stitching my memories retrospectively by looking back at my posts and printing out pictures ...

Then pricking ...

and transferring lines to linen ...

backing with a bit of harem cloth ...

which at this scale can be held as I stitch ...

then trimmed once the stitching is complete ...

The edges of the patch are then pinched down, using a bit of cover stock to get a straight-ish edge ...

the edges are invisibly basted (thank you Jude Hill!) ...

and the patch is ready to add to the post for August 30th (http://imgoingtotexas.blogspot.com/2016/08/snapshot.html). Now I just have to do 14 more patches (including today) and I'll be caught up.

I also have some awesome news about how I'm making my cloth strips for patching (thanks to Dana at Raven and Sparrow), but that will have to wait until tomorrow.

- Color my world

Retrospective (9/24)

Patch #257 How a tent could be a roof

Original Post

"Nana, what are the colors of the rainbow?" G asked.

We had just taken out a page to color and there was a bag with crayons and small colored pencils. I named each as I pulled them out. "Red ... orange, your favorite color ... yellow ... green ... blue ... and violet."

"What?"

"Um, purple."

"Okay."

Then wrapping his hand around the six colored pencils, G made rainbows ...

And later, as he played with his 'struction vehicles, I sat nearby stitching weather patches for the time we were out of town. Almost four, he understands that we each have our own way of playing, sometimes together, sometimes alone.

It's all good.

- Crow landing

Retrospective (9/23)

Patch #256 Mo's heart

To see more: https://itscrowtime.wordpress.com/2015/07/02/working-into-the-heart-of-the-matter/

Original Post

It's here ...

- Remembering 9/11

Patch #255 North Pool

There are those who remember 9/11 every day ...

Our family lost a husband, a father, a grandfather, a brother, an uncle ... but above all, we lost days, weeks, months, and years with a dear, wise man. A man whose eyes reflected the laughter in his words. A man who always counseled, "Enjoy the ride."

Today the New York Times editorial board wrote a paean to the memorial site, saying in part ...

...

...

I have not yet been there, but today I will stitch my own path of remembrance ... we will never forget.

- Dye stuff

Retrospective (9/19)

Patch #254 Dye Patch 

Original Post 

I went to a great two-hour talk on natural dyeing in the Texas Hill Country ...

Sadly, the artificial lighting in the room combined with the rain outside rendered my on-site photos poor reflections of Deb McClintock's way with dyes. So instead, I'll leave you with this image from her website/blog ...

and encourage you to take a closer look ... https://debmcclintock.me/

- Drinking the Kool Aid

Retrospective (9/19)

Patch #253 Magnolia

Original Post

After Hot Springs and Texarkana, we set the GPS to Waco, Texas ...

Yes, we were headed to the silos ...

home of the Magnolia market ...

brainchild of Chip and Joanna Gaines of HGTV Fixer Upper fame.

And while we only drank $60 worth of Kool Aid (in the form of several gifts), we unashamedly ate a Ship Lap cupcake and a wicked blueberry muffin ...

whilst sitting on the patio enjoying the exceptional plantings ...

Whatever else you might say, for sure the Gaineses have put a lot of effort into the design of their latest enterprise. I wish them every continued success ...

- Never say "never"

Retrospective (9/19)

Patch #252 Fount

Original Post

After a less-than-awesome stop in Texarkana last year, I didn't think we'd be back in Arkansas so soon, but our tour of the National Park in Hot Springs made me glad we returned ...

The stained glass windows alone were worth seeing (although I haven't yet researched who created them) ...

and if the 1980s vintage video was a little hokey, it did explain some of the stranger aspects of the steam bathing facilities ...

The hillside architecture was enough to turn one's head ...

and while the seven-hour drive ahead kept us from going to the top of the mountain, we did make time to visit the museum store, coming away with grandkid gifts for Christmas, a "passport" book to record future national park visits, and directions to this iconic hot spring fountain ...

which spouted water obviously every bit of the touted 143 degrees Farenheit. And yes, that's algae ...

in all its slickery glory, growing in spite of (or perhaps because of) the heat.

Our final never say "never" in Arkansas moment came a couple of hours later when we actually stopped in Texarkana for lunch, following a less-than-stellar experience last year. We're glad we did and can definitely give two thumbs up for the Ironwood Grill's hand-tossed bread dough sandwiches and house-made soups ...

We may just pass this way again.