handstitched mama...

As promised, here are screenshots of the two treasuries I made this week on etsy.

This one is on handstitching. Inspired by Alabama Chanin, my current obsession (can you tell). This one was actually tough to do. I was looking for projects inspired by, not copies of the style.



And this one I really do love. I was thinking Mother's day. Maybe that's obvious. All of these selections are so expressive to me about what it means to be a mother. I especially love the little girl with the frown. She's got a bee in her bonnet about something. Some days are like that.

By some stroke of luck I managed to get two treasuries today, within minutes of each other.

Here is the first one, on motherhood.

And here is the second one, on handstitching. I was thinking about the Alabama Chanin books I recently purchased when I made this one. It's amazing how little is handsewn for construction these days, even in a handmade marketplace.

I will put up screen shots in a few days.

DIY Revelation – Starting a Yoga Personal Practice

I have practiced yoga since 2001, so 8 or 9 years off and on. Off mostly when my babies were born and then on again when I returned to work. But this winter I just couldn't get into the class.

My brain was moving too quickly and I needed to modify or skip so many of the poses that the class became, for me, disjointed and unfulfilling. The class failed to meet my needs anymore. So I stopped going.
And stopped moving.
Not moving is bad when you sit in a chair barely moving all day anyway.
My body started to feel stiff and still and I knew I had to do SOMETHING. Anything.

Suddenly, one day it dawned on me that I already knew everything I needed to practice yoga on my own. Call it a DIY revelation. After 9ish years of practicing, I had learned a thing or two. So I did a little research and came up with a plan and have been practicing in my little office twice (more or less) a week for a couple of months now. I thought it might be beneficial to share the journey a little. Because starting a yoga practice on your own is easier than you think (though I do think you should take classes to begin, yoga can’t be learned by reading about it).

I have always practiced ashtanga yoga and I always enjoyed the classes that most closely followed the traditional ashtanga series. I don’t know why it took so long to figure out that all I had to do in my own private practice was to use that series as a starting point and then branch out from there. Easy. Before I figured that out I would meander from pose to pose, not exactly knowing what I would do next. Finding my foundation was key to a good personal yoga practice. I can deviate from there, but at least I have something to start with.

In my next post I’ll tell you about what poses make up my personal practice, and then I have a third post in mind with tips and hints to get you started and keep you going.
And don’t be shy posting a comment – I love to dig deeper.

TAST - Beaded Hedebo Edge

Here are a couple of pictures for Take a Stitch Tuesday from Sharon B. Check out her blog if you are at all interested in stitching, it's a great resource.

I have to tell you this wasn't my favourite stitch. I don't normally carry beads around with me in my embroidery kit - and I didn't have many ideas for doing different things with this stitch. I like the challenge of doing as many things as possible with a stitch. It is a very pretty stitch, though, and I can see using it in little girl's clothes a lot. It is quick and easy to work up and, as you will see, quite dainty.

You might have noticed that I didn't use beads, but substituted french knots.

I also tried putting it on the edge of the fabric which I'm not actually crazy about, but it was worth the try.

and a close up:
And another close up. This one is actually the front. Next time I would stitch it so that this is on the back.
And that's all I have to say about that.

Friday Links

Links to interesting things I found on the web this week:

An inspiring story about people making a difference in their community. I love the simplicity of the story and the huge grass-roots impact. There's a lesson to be learned here. (OK, and the pictures! I so want white hair like that when I am older!) I've been thinking a lot about the doing that has a bigger impact than just our small lives. Any other ideas, readers? Cause I'd love to see them.


Food Links:

A waffle recipe using soaked oats (and bonus - no wheat!). I wonder if we can make pancakes out of this recipe... perhaps the perfect use for the whey I'd like to make out of this recipe for whey and cream cheeze. Oh, I'm going to be so healthy! or at least well fed...

And, finally, a link to bacon font for Jessica, my fav. bacon foodie friend. I love being your daily sanity call!

I'm working on a new project this week that I am totally enthralled by! I can't wait to show you. I don't even have a sneak peek teaser for you, bad blogger, I know. It's inspired by Alabama Chanin, but a pattern I made myself.
For the gardeners out there I've got something new in my shop. I imagine people giving them as gifts to their mothers and grandmothers. To me something personalized and specific like this says that you recognize and appreciate them for who they are.

TAST - Knotted Loop Stitch

Here are my samples for TAST week 2 - knotted loop stitch. See here for more details on the challenge and how to do this stitch.

(above) Of course, I tried a circle, spiral, whipped, laced, varying the size and placement of the stitches, and combining it with other stitches. I was most pleased with the knots I was able to create (below) by working the stitch singly and very tiny. The darker green knots are french knots show to demonstrate how much smaller and closer to the fabric these ones are.

I must say I am smitten.

Most of my work is done on things that are worn and washed, and I think these little knots will stand up to that kind of wear much better than french knots. If anyone knows the name for them please leave a comment. I'm sure it's been invented before but I couldn't find it on my stitch book.

I like to make things more complicated (so says my husband anyway!) so I made this picture below out of knotted loop stitches. There are a couple of straight stitches thrown on for good measure as I felt I needed more density of color after the knotted loop stitches were in place.

I've always lived near the mountains, and I have such a nostalgic affection for them. I look up at them every day and think how amazing this world is.

vs.



via wordle.