Ribbed Yardage

At five-thirty-five this morning, the smoke detector went off. Not the persistent beep beep of a low battery but a blaring siren - with no smoke - and no boys rising from their beds and rushing out the window - which is both good and scary since there was no fire but - what if there had been? A noisily interesting way to greet the morning.

There was a lot of snow this weekend. The world outside is fluffy and white. Inside, warm and dry, it's the perfect cocoon for working in the studio. Since our family keeps Christmas very low key and my schedule allows me to avoid the stores on busier days, I don't find this time of year stressful. Instead, I've always found the winter months the most productive. When the snow falls, I seem to settle into the studio and start to think about my goals for the new year. What do I want to accomplish? What will I learn?

A friend has been making what she calls her If I wasn't too afraid I would _____ list. For now, it's mostly a mental list. She hasn't actually started writing things down. It will be interesting when she does because that's the point at which we're committed and willing to go for the goal.

Her list has made me think about my list. How would I fill in the blank? At one time, I wouldn't have categorized myself as afraid. I was willing to try just about anything. Lately, I've become far more cautious, perhaps too much so. Although not enough caution is dangerous, too much sucks the joy and adventure out of life. Something to think about.




I've been working on ribbed yardage off and on all weekend. It's tedious to create and a fabulous texture. The grey sweater knit is soft and stable. It's perfect for this technique. Using a 4.0 twin-needle and tightened tension, creates these furrows. They are spaced presser foot distance apart. A narrower twin needle would create narrower and more shallow furrows. The front, back, and one sleeve are finished. There is one sleeve to go. It takes half an hour to do twenty-eight furrows, about 7" wide. As I said, tedious.




Using my T & T t-shirt pattern I'm creating a sweater inspired by this RTW one. It won't be exactly the same. What would be the point of that? Instead, it will be a customized design fitted to my figure, more flattering than this one was although it was pretty good, just too low and the wrong size with some negative sewing situations.

The whole reason I'm making the ribbed yardage is for the contrast between the belt and the background. Since I couldn't buy the same fabric ribbed and plain and since close enough wasn't good enough, I'm making my own. I've always loved thread and texture. Making this is very reminiscent of some of the textile art work I've done in the past. I have to bribe myself through the monotony to get on with the project - LOL.




I showed you the rhinestone buckles last week. They are from Sew Biz Fabrics. Very pretty. The rectangle is slightly smaller than the one on the RTW top. Since I'm short waisted, that's not a problem. It should look more graceful.

This morning, I plan to work on the yardage. This afternoon, I'm visiting one of the women from knit night. She had a baby at the beginning of October - the little girl that I made the frilly twirly dress for. Hopefully by this evening, or tomorrow morning at the latest, I'm ready to start sewing the sweater pieces together. I'd like to finish this top and start on some pants and wear the outfit to a girl's get together for my grad class in early December.

Talk soon - Myrna

Grateful - friends who care enough to say what they think

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Personal Growth - Pray diligently, with your eyes wide open in gratitude. Be gracious in your speech. The goal is to bring out the best in others in a conversation, not put them down, not cut them out. Do your best in the job you received from the Master. Do your very best. - Colossians 4

It shouldn't be hard to come up with a gratitude a day. In fact, a long list should be relatively easy. While it's a generalization for sure, and the details will vary, those of us who have Internet access are living a good life. We have much to be thankful for.

And even so, lately being grateful has been more difficult. My eyes have been focused too much on what doesn't work rather than on what does. That's not a good perspective. It makes me grumbly and negative, which is not an attitude I want to have nor one that I admire.

My purpose has always been to help others to their best. That charity needs to start at home. It feels somewhat hypocritical to be passing out advice to others that I'm having difficulty taking myself - and yet - reality is that life is full of hills and valleys, times when we are doing well and times when we are struggling. Evolving struggle requires climbing hills. There's no other way to the mountaintop. Sometimes, we're not sure which hill to climb. It's much easier when you know.

It's not that I'm struggling. Rather I'm coasting which is a bland and boring, go nowhere, position. I'm coasting while waiting to find a job but that doesn't mean that I can't be working on other achievements in my personal life. It's not just one or just the other, work or a personal life. A balanced life is both and more.

As I think about what would be on my if I wasn't afraid I would ______ list and my goals for next year, I'm encouraged to change my focus, to positive up my thinking, to be less cautious and more joyful, to trust in God's plan even though the lines are blurred and unrecognizable at this point. It may be my fear that is holding me back from that first step and until I'm willing to take it, God is unable to move further. An interesting thought.