balance

Balance has been hard to find.  

My Mom having cancer has been interesting.  The biggest hurdles we are facing currently is that the team of doctors she is working with are having a difficult time coming up with the origin of the cancer.  The big deal about that is different cancers have different treatments and respond better to some treatments then others.  It causes stress.  

I have told my Mom I am there for what she needs.  She asks and I will try to make it happen.  I am trying to keep my emotions out of it because it is not about me.  It is about my Mom.  But I will say that it is interesting how old patterns that I thought were broken come to the fore.

Part of finding balance for me is trying to continue doing what I do.  I find Mondays I work on my mending pile.  There were four pairs of pants that needed to be mended in that pile this week.  Yes, I am being cheap but I am also quietly stitching.  Like spinning, it can be a place of meditation.  And I am being productive.

The creative is interesting right now.  I am being pulled in a couple different directions.  My creative with textiles and fiber and creative for the boyos knife making business.  Some of that is still textiles and fiber because I am working on chef rolls.  Some of it is working in wood.  I now get asked questions every time a wood question comes up.

The sharpening truck may be taking a different path.  I am putting it on hold currently.  And it is a good thing because it is cold outside.  There are not usually freezes this time of year but we are under a freeze warning for tonight.  

I will just keep moving forward.

Continually mending

Life is interesting.  About the time I have found something I really like, I love it to death!  Mending in every form must happen.  But it is also true for the rest of the household.  I chose to work on a sweater yesterday.  A new sweater but my Mondays are usually spent mending if I do not need to be out of the house.  There is always mending or repairs that need to happen.

Mending.  Why mend?  There are multiple reasons.  I make very little now compared to previously in my life but the happiness is much greater.  Going out and buying new is not always an option.  But, buying new does not happen often just because I cannot find what I want in the stores.  Things I like seem to not stay around very long in retail establishments.  Which means I mend or make.  If I can get it back into my wearing rotation faster by mending then making, that is probably the way I will go.

There is another reason.  The carbon footprint of clothes is four or five years per item.  If I can keep wearing something for longer then that, it is a win for my pocketbook and the planet.  I remake and alter many things too.  Not buying new fabric is already a win.  Mending keeps things working and sometime make them even more unique.  Like this sweater.  Like my Beloved's work pants.  

Mending does feel never ending.  I have even mended some of the boyos things.  I stitch well.  But my family and friends play and work hard.  There is a lot of laughter and work but that means that clothes wear.  And I mend.  Mine too.

mending a sheet (learned a new skill)

I got to visit with Koda Bear on Saturday!  That took all my attention.  Especially since there was time to talk and cuddle.  When he is around though, I do seem to do a lot of laundry.  I found one of my favorite sheets had holes in it!  In just one section.

The linen sheets I have are not inexpensive.  I went online and found some linen that I could purchase so I could repair the sheet.  I decided to compliment and not try to match, because the sheet has been through more then a few washings.

I ripped out the holey bit of linen.  I actually saved it.  The part away from the holes will make nice quilt squares.  The part with the holes might make something very interesting for a collabrative project I am thinking about.

I learned how to do flat felted seams for this repair.  It is not something I have tried before but I knew I did not wish the fraying from unfinished seams but I also wanted something that was smooth.  Not smooth might keep someone awake!

The most difficult thing about this whole mend was how much fabric I needed to work with.  The original sheet is about 100 inches wide and 108 inches long.  I also had to be careful not to scorch my fingers with all the ironing that went on.

I know have a non-holey sheet.  I bought extra fabric because I did not know how it would all go.  It looks like there will be more projects coming from that!  I also ordered more fabric for a sheet and pillowcases.  I would rather make my own if I can.