The thing is ...

I have developed a work-like obsession about "my needlework." There's always one more thing to do, one more thing to try, and so little time. I work from sun up 'til sun down, and my mind is in a nearly constant altered state as I see see things begin to take shape. I'm fascinated by the process.


Hugs III and I together at last
Originally uploaded by Suzie Rozie.


Last week, I was delighted to finish Hugs III, and I was pleased with the overall effect. I'm thinking of yet another doll (and another Bishop dress), but it will be a while before I allow my scissors to begin snipping to shape the fabric. I want to get a few other things completed first.

I've been really pleased these last several weeks, though, to get some unfinished objects out of my sewing boxes and drawers. I finished another pair of pillowcases like the first pair (same pattern, very similar process and colors), dug out some old embroidery test sew-outs from maybe as many as 6 years ago, tossed away some old scraps that were too small to use for anything - ever, pieced together at least 80 9-1/2" blocks for the Martha Circle quilts from scraps (Carol's and mine) plus cut another 80 solid blocks from complementary patterned fabric, tried a little machine smocking (I didn't think it would stretch like hand smocking, but it does), and started gathering a piece of muslin to attempt Shibori (a Japanese version of dying cloth) which I'll make into a sundress if it turns out anything like I think it will.



Smocking sampler
Originally uploaded by Suzie Rozie.

I have a renewed interest in smocking, too, as a result of finally finishing the Bishop for Hugs III, so I started a sampler. I messed up the fabric when I was pleating it, so I'm seriously considering cutting it off before I get to the messed-up pleating area and using it as a panel in one of the bags I make for Lydia Circle.

As I work on things like this, I have two thoughts: The good thought - I can test and test and test and then incorporate the pieces into other objects (that's good because it reduces or eliminates waste)... and The bad thought - I doubt that many of today's young women are interested in hand-made things like this because they probably don't know about them yet. Interest in these types of things generally doesn't happen when one is a young adult - there are too many competing urgencies, like getting or keeping a job, feeding yourself and your family, figuring out how to get established as an adult, etc ... Oh, how I remember. But as long as I'm not wasting my learning experiences (I can use them in useful objects), I don't feel as bad.

So, as I began - the thing is, days and days go by, and I don't think about blogging. I DO think about reading the blogs of others to find out how to do something, but to sit down and write in my own blog? Nah - I could smock another row, make another block, read another description in a book ...

So little time, and it's good!