The Spring Thing

Other than my one visit to the grocery store, I've been self-isolating at home for almost three weeks. Thankfully, yesterday was only my first tough day. It rained all day and what I really wanted was to meander around downtown, visit thrift and consignment stores, have coffee with a friend, talk to people, and eat cake which - of course - didn't happen. I had a nap.

This morning, the sun is shining. Thank God. It makes everything so much easier. I went for a walk around the small lake and smiled at the ducks doing the spring thing, waddling along in couples. As I was having coffee this morning, the heron t returned to the pond behind my house and settled into her usual nesting site. Some things are just as normal and this is good.

The bag I mentioned in the previous posting is on hold while I wait for a longer zipper to arrive. Meanwhile, I used the last of the skirt remnants to stitch together two pieces big enough to cut out the front and back of another purse. I am - literally and completely - done with these fabric scraps and that's a good thing. I plan to add paint, stenciling, and surface design to the outside. The lining...

... is also made from remnants - this time from a blouse, a pair of pants, and a bit more of the fuchsia. On one side, there is a flat pocket and on the other...

... a zippered pocket. This is a much easier method than inserting a zipper into a welt. The check fabric wraps around the edge of the polka dot forming the edges of the opening as well as the front inside of the pocket.

The two parts are sewn to the zipper with the zipper stop within the seam allowance on one end and the zipper pull extending significantly off the other end.

For the inside back of the pocket, I measured the length of the check fabric, interfaced and cut a piece that size, lined it up with the edges, and stitched in place leaving an opening where the zipper pull is. The zipper was then...

... pushed through the opening and the seam completed and then top stitched in place. As you can see above left, this makes a neat, tight end to the zipper. I love the check pocket inside.

Here is a picture of that side of the lining when completed. The section sewn below the pocket both makes the piece long enough and closes the bottom of the pocket.

With jewelry, I am working on this necklace. It has a back story that I'll talk about when it's completely finished. For now, I am waiting for beading wire and crimp tubes to arrive in order to finish it. The singular bead is one I bought thirteen years ago on a studio tour and this is the first time it may actually make it into a finished piece. The green beads were sent to me by a friend who lived in Germany at the time. It'll be fun to send her a picture of them used in one of my pieces... should it actually finish with them... one never knows.

Talk soon - Myrna

Grateful - sunshine