A heart of gourd

Hope your weekend was good. 

 

 

Time is coming close to two years that Patti died.  She loved gourds.  I mean LOVED gourds.  But her husband and daughter hated the dirty looking shells of various shapes.  She used a transfer paper to print this on a sack, glue was still visible.  I decided to sew it into a heart and give it to her daughter, if she would like it.  This "gourd" will be more acceptable than the real thing and be a sweet reminder of their gourd war.  (Those are cheddar/sour cream chips.)

A few emails were received asking about the thick wool I used on the pouch.  This is the type, found at Hobby Lobby and Michael's.  Once the front is lined with the muslin, attaching to the wool back is very easy.  Some are very thick and sturdy, others are thick but stretchy.  Next time, I will machine sew around the four sides to stabilize before sewing to the front.

 

  I have too much, probably not as much as most crafters, but still too much for me.  The first time I pitched and donated was a little painful, but this time it's worse.  Needs to be done.  Fabric everywhere that I haven't touched in years.  Why am I keeping it?  I know the day will come when I am searching for a little piece of something I threw out, but clinging to that possibility is not worth the excess baggage my rooms are carrying.  I'm sure I will improvise or find a substitute without having a meltdown about letting it go.  Well, fairly sure.

Yardage of wool blends that were going to be blazers and pants have got to go.  I have no intention of making my clothes again and certainly not a lined blazer.  Just the thought has my stomach convulsing.  Of course there could be another use. But no longer will I hold on to items that may one day be part of a project that would cause me to rip my hair out and more likely than not, never come to be.  It's like keeping all those blazers that are too small because ONE DAY, I will be thinner.  I already have storage boxes filled with too small pants and jeans that have been waiting for that taped lid to open and free them.  Light!  Sounds!  Movement!  Only on a rack at the Salvation Army pants people.  I've been waiting longer than they have for that day that is not coming.  It wasn't easy to find items in tall sizes that fit well which is another reason I have trouble letting go.  But I am.  

 

One of the fabrics that I have no use for is a men's suiting silk that my aunt gave me decades ago.  Her husband had planned on a custom suit and I don't even have a tailor shop within a gas tank from here to ask about it.   My home ec teacher cousin said years ago that it is very expensive but what do I know? 

 

It has yellow markings in the selvage with lots of various sized slubs.  This I will hold on to for a while until I find someone that may have an answer for me.  The teacher is my cousin in MN suffering from advanced FT dementia.  Found out last week that my local cousin is now on meds and she is only 68.  Scary.

 

Tomorrow I am going to check for heart boxes, hoping to find at least two.  The last time we went there was a very bad accident on that route and I vowed I would stay off highways.  I just can't get that doc's words about becoming a paraplegic out of my mind when traveling.

 

February is passing quickly.  This better slow down once summer nears.

 

Thanks for visiting.

 

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