and I am back for a few weeks

That was a lovely trip!  The only problem was I tried to do too much in too little time!  There were two fiber fairs, time with the Koda Bear and the Tall Short Person, and putting up a wall in the machine shed.  So there are not any pictures of the mountain.  Since I was just there, I chose not to share any.  But it is autumn there. 

We had beautiful weather until the last day.  The mountain is interesting because we share tools with our neighbors.  My scythe took a walk and the funniest thing about that was the one person who everyone said would not have it, was the one using it.  He was all about it was the right tool for the job.  It took longer for him to go get it then for him to use it for the task.  

The fiber fairs were interesting because I had so much company.  Usually it is just my Beloved, who is fairly tolerant.  Or just myself which really is the best.  The first one, I had three boys!  That was interesting.  It was also interesting because I did not think it was all that wonderful but other people did.  I have had different experiences.

The second fiber fair, three more family members.  It was shaken up a bit so two boys and a girl.  Still, I felt a bit rushed.  Next time, I think I will go alone.  But I really did fulfill what I really wanted to do.  Spend time with Koda Bear.

The second weekend we camped in the Columbia River Gorge.  It was beautiful.  And there was lots of autumn.  But where the campground was situated, it was very loud.  I tried to get into a campground a little farther away from the interstate but it was completely booked.  And I understand why!  So, I will probably not camp at this spot again but I will camp in the gorge again.

We also had a lot of rain while we were there.  Koda Bear kept saying he was not cold but he was very damp.  It means that a van conversion or a truck cabin may be in my future sooner rather then later.  It is the main reason I am thinking about going back to a corporate job for a little bit.  Pay off some car repairs and build a van conversion.  Elk hit cars hard.  I was not driving.

every thing takes time!

Every thing that I am doing currently seems to take a lot of time.  Each steps takes time.  This quilt is quilted but then there is still the binding to do!  It was supposed to go on the wall the first of November.  I do not think I will get there.  But it is for me so it is just an arbitrary deadline.

I have been doing a bit of ecoprinting but I find that sometimes the first pass is not enough.  I print again to see what more I get.  Color.  Leaves.  Lines.  Just takes time.  But I am being impatient because I wish to see how it all looks in the end.  Patience.  I need patience.

I leave tomorrow to go to two fiber fairs and see Koda Bear.  Another thing that is taking a lot of patience is the sweater I am making him.  I am making the pattern up as I go.  The first sleeve took three tries to get it right.  I am hoping this one will have less.  A stitch at a time.  I am hoping that it will be done while we are there so I may leave it with him.  I will take pictures.

It has been the first cool day here since last spring.  I am enjoying it very much.  But my body is in shock.  At this point, I am laughing!  

Hopefully, I will have lots to share when I get back.

more twirling

There was surf yesterday and I really thought I was going to go surfing.  But between my hip and being told to slow down, I did not go.  It was probably for the best but it still does not mean it is not a bummer that I do not have all the energy I want back or that I tweaked my hip a week ago today.  There will be more surf and hopefully I will be healed.

Part of this weekend was doing a few things for me.  I liked my twirly skirt so much that I found another piece of fabric in my stash large enough to make another.  I did have to use the grey linen as a waistband but it works.  I have two more pieces of linen that I am looking at and thinking it is possible for more skirts.

I like the twirl.  I like the length.  I like the pockets.  I look at them though and can see how they will transform as they age.  Not a when will it wear out and I will be sad but when will it wear out in such a way that I can dye you.  That I can add a cool patch or a bit of embroidery to the skirt.  Maybe another pocket to hide a mend.  

I have a Christmas present in mind for my best friend that will be similar but different.  Adding a bodice to the skirt to make a dress.  I am calling it a witchy dress because she can always send it back to me and I can mend it.  It could become more and more her. 

My Dad talks about when people only had two outfits, work and good.  Good was for church, weddings, and funerals.  I will never have that because I sew and I made myself so many things I really like that sit in my closet.  But the idea that I can take something I really like and make it become even more as the years go on is really a cool idea.  

I have been mending sweaters again.  Cardigans.  They have just had too much wear and some have been attacked by moths.  But I would rather spend the time mending them then going shopping.  It is much more restful, even online.  Though there is a backpack on eBay that I am covetting.  Absolutely no current need for it but it is the one I want.  Oh well.  That is life.

power

It was an eventful weekend.  Most mornings, before I get on the computer, I spend time on my computer.  It was very dark Saturday morning and I went to turn on my light near my chair.  It would not turn on.  I checked that it was connected to the outlet.  It has been pulled free in the past.  Then I realized the ceiling was not moving as fast as it should have been.  No power.  A tree had fallen on the power lines a couple blocks over.

Since I was in the house I am used having power in, my first thoughts were along the lines of what am I going to do now.  It just threw me for a few minutes.  Then it was time to just go forward.  It was not very hot out so I did not feel like I needed to track down air conditioning.  I had enough gear from camping that cooking was not a problem.  I did not have bread rising so there was no need for the oven.  Later in the evening would be when I would need to worry next.

I did take tea the boyos.  I got asked how I made tea.  My response is I camp a lot and I am more addicted to tea then you are.  It was funny.

I had gotten my autumn quilted basted that I am making as a wall quilt so I started working on it.  I had enough light from the window.  It was a good head space.  I really liked the quiet that it caused.  Usually there is some electric humming noise as back ground.  

I was wandering around in the apron I had printed.  It looks like a dark splotch from here but if I looked down I could see where I printed acorns.  It was cool enough that it did not get warm wearing it until much later.

The power did come on late afternoon so my one worry about lights was not a worry.  It would have just meant an early night which I need many more of.  Power being out changed all my plans for Saturday, and in some ways, the weekend.  But you know, I did not mind.  The days were excellent.  Calm is good because my thoughts are still whirling and I am having a hard time calming them.  Quiet is good.

All the twirls

I know.  I said I would write out how to print with plants.  I will get there.  Right now I have three things I printed in the washing machine.  I kind of want to see how they printed before I started that post.  It is still very much an exploration.

Of all the sites that are considered social media, Instagram is my favorite.  It gives me more ideas.  Which I truly do not need.  I went down a rabbit hole recently and found shapes of clothes I really liked.  Actually, shapes on some of those things were shapes I have worn a lot in the past.  I have pulled those dresses out for printing before I ever went down that rabbit hole.  Koda Bear and the longer skirts did not mesh very well.  I have to keep up.  

Back to shapes.  There was full circle skirt in linen with pockets that I really liked.  It was longer but not too long.  Just short enough?  I looked at my stash and I had some grey linen that was of length that would work.  I had given a friend all the makings for dyeing linen for a costume she was making and sent off a piece of linen with it.  I had this beautiful grey piece to play with.

With a bit of pondering.  A bit of measuring.  Sewing a lot because the seams and hems are just that long, I created a skirt.

A skirt that twirls!

I am now of the opinion that every person, no matter what, should have a skirt that twirls!  It is so much fun!  I get laughed at.  

Is there anything I would change?  I think I would raise the side pockets by an inch.  Another thing I really like about this skirt is that it lends itself to mending.  I can mend with patches or patches and pockets.  Get to five pockets in a skirt that certain wise woman suggests.  I would feel very witchy! 

I am also very aware that this is a light grey and I could easily stain it.  I have multiple solutions for that.  There is dye.  There is printing.  By the end, this skirt may be very one of a kind.  I have a feeling that it will be a tatter skirt in the end.  I actually have a skirt that is in tatters that wanders around photoshoots currently.  Though the Kitten would say it is her's and not mine now.  

This is a soft linen and it works for me.  I have a stiffer black linen that I may make up into something similar.  I am also thinking about dyeing and printing some fabric to make some of the other shapes I saw.  And I a cardigan shape I liked.  My best friend and I were chatting last night about how we need a month someplace off grid, off reception and just get a chance to work with yarn.  

My life!  Too many ideas.  Too many projects.  Just the right amount of happy!