Finding Calm – Part 2 – Read, Watch, Listen, Explore

Up close image of embroidered arcs

During the past week, I’ve actually spent time in my studio creating several small pieces with lots of handwork. It’s been quite nice after what seems like days of not being able to focus on anything. That said, with the week ahead in this country, I have a feeling that this focus will wax and wane. So, like last week’s post, I am sharing a list of resources to turn to when you are looking for calm, creative fuel and a break from the news…

Read

  • My husband is currently taking a continuing ed class where he learned that “even knitting” is good for your brain health because it speaks to the complex physical movements our brain was evolved to accomplish. This dovetailed with an interview I heard on NPR’s Fresh Air with Dr. Sanjay Gupta on his new book, Keep Sharp. I’ve added it to my reading list and will keep knitting and sewing!

Watch and Listen

Last night I watched the excellent new movie One Night in Miami, a fictionalized account of a 1964 meeting in a Miami hotel between friends Muhammad Ali, Jim Brown, Sam Cooke and Malcolm X. Read a review here and read more about the meeting here. It is streaming on Amazon. After watching the movie, I had to pull out “Sam Cooke: The Man Who Invented Soul” from our stack of CDs. Issued in 2000, it’s still available (but the price has gone way up since I purchased) or check with your local library or streaming service to access.

Explore

Transforming ordinary materials into something beautiful is an idea that has always fascinated me. Paper folding of any kind leaves me in awe, whether snowflakes made from white copier paper or complex shapes made from beautiful, unique papers. If you’ve not seen Between the Folds, a PBS Independent Lens documentary that came out in 2008, I suggest adding it to your list. It is available for streaming on Amazon – see the trailer here.

Then check out this article on 31 artists who transform sheets of paper into incredible works of art. Three of my favorites – the breath-taking gigantic paper flower by artist Tiffanie Turner, the paper feathers by artist Parth Kothekar, and the ramen (see video at bottom of article) produced by Papermeal. Then grab a piece of paper and start folding – there are lots of tutorials and books (including this one by Tiffanie Turner) to provide further inspiration and instruction!

Finding Calm – Read, Listen, Explore, Cook

Grey and yellow quilt that is basted together with black thread

It’s hard to write a post about making and creativity after the dark week we’ve just witnessed in Washington, D.C. It’s also been hard to keep my focus in the studio this week on anything that requires focused attention, like measuring, cutting and sewing.

Even though it might be hard to believe right now, as I’ve said before, art, nature and physical work (think shoveling snow or cleaning your home like never before) can help provide the space to process difficult events, manage anxiety, and find peace, if only for a few hours. And, these same outlets can help lead us back out to the world to do our work, advocate for positive change, etc.

This week I’m sharing a list of go-to’s that I’ve turned to over the last few weeks…

Read

I’ve been recommending Jane Smiley’s new book, Perestroika in Paris: A Novel, to all my friends in the last month. It’s a lovely story – the pacing is perfect for the times we are living through right now. No big drama, likable characters, and a great story. I borrowed it from my local library but if I had purchased, it would go on my shelf of all-time favorite books. Find it at your local library or bookstore, or check it out here.

Listen

  • “Appalachian Spring” by composer Aaron Copland premiered in 1944. Whether you are a classical music fan or not, this is a beautiful, uplifting piece. Learn more about it here and listen to it here.
  • A CD I’ve pulled from the shelf several times when I just really want to forget the outside world is “Elton John’s Greatest Hits.” Crank the volume and sing along! Check it out here or your favorite music streaming service.
  • Next up on my podcast playlist is Powerful Women: Let’s Talk about women doing good things in the world. There are only 27 episodes as of now so if you like it, it’s doable to go back and listen to all the episodes.

Explore

  • If you can, get outside and explore parks, hiking paths and other outdoor spaces in your area.
  • Online, many museums are offering virtual exhibits. Check out your favorite museums as well as ones you’ve yet to explore in person. One of my favorite museums in Chicago is the American Writers Museum. Opened in May 2017 after years of planning, it is deceptively small. While it has a small footprint relative to other museums, I spent several hours exploring the day I visited.

Cook

  • A big steaming bowl of soup, accompanied by a grilled cheese sandwich on occasion, is my go-to comfort food. And, holy cow, I’ve been making a lot lately – usually on Sunday afternoons for a simple evening meal that we can also have for lunch throughout the week. Make up your favorite recipe(s), then sit back and enjoy each and every bite.
  • If you’re looking for a new recipe, my husband and I are both crazy about the Simple Red Lentil Soup with Spinach, Lemon, and Pepper from At Home in the Whole Food Kitchen by Amy Chaplin. And, if you’re not sure about lentils, red lentils are wonderful – in this soup, they dissolve into a creamy, thick stock. Divine. Here’s a link to the recipe – and an interview with Amy Chaplin – on the Food Network site.

NOTE: The image at the top is from a small quilt that is in process. The working title keeps changing… Today, it is “Sun Peaking Through the Clouds.”

Stitch Up a Winter Classic: Flannel Pajama Bottoms

Green flannel with pine and berry print and the book Weekend Sewing by Heather Ross

Fabric, maker supplies, and books compete for shelf space in our house. We depend on the local library for many books but some you just gotta have – like Heather Ross’ classic Weekend Sewing: More Than 40 Projects and Ideas for Inspired Stitching. A mix of clothing (adults, kids and babies), accessories, and home goods patterns, it is my go-to for pajama bottoms. When teaching my daughter to sew, I leaned into this pattern several times. It’s a good one for learning a bit about fit and getting comfy sewing straight seams and slight curves.

If you’re looking for gift ideas that can be stitched in a few hours, the pajama bottoms take about 2-1/2 hours to make, start to finish. Or, if you’re looking for a gift for a sewist – beginner or experienced – bundle Weekend Sewing or another pajama bottom pattern with flannel fabric.

A note: Weekend Sewing was first published 2009 but is still available. Check with your local bookseller or find it on Amazon. There are plenty of pajama patterns out there, double-check before purchasing to make sure the pattern includes your size.

With presents finished and ready to go out the door, I’m finally getting around to making a pair of pajama bottoms for myself using flannel purchased years ago! Happy sewing!

Transforming Envelopes into Art

Quilt block stitched to white Tyvek Envelope

If you look at a Tyvek mailing envelope up close, you see what looks like iridescent fibers and feels like a cross between paper and cloth. Manufactured by DuPont, Tyvek is a non-woven material, and according to their website, is made of “100% high density polyethylene fibers randomly laid and compressed to form a remarkably tough printing substrate that is ideal for applications where durability and tear resistance is of prime importance.” You’ll find it in building materials, envelopes, reusable bags, building signs…

I like Tyvek for its water-proof properties, especially when mailing something important (like fabric or taxes) And, I feel guilty every time I send or receive something in a mailer, even though DuPont says it’s a recyclable material.

So, when a package arrived the other day in a Tyvek envelope, I decided to extend its life in a new direction: Using it and few scraps of fabric from an earlier project, I made a small quilt block, then stitched it to a piece of Tyvek. I wrote a get-well message on the back and will mail it to a friend tomorrow.

Here are the steps:

  1. Gather some fabric pieces and a used Tyvek envelope.
  2. Design your quilt block. Consider incorporating envelope seams, stamps, and the postage mark into the design. Also consider how you intend to use the finished piece. For example, will you write a message on the back and mail to a friend, tack it on your inspiration board…
  3. Cut out your pieces, allowing for a 1/4″ seam allowance. For the one-patch quilt pattern in the photo, I cut 4 squares (2 from each fabric) measuring 2″ x 2″.
  4. Stitch the block pieces together (1/4″ seam allowance) using a needle and thread or sewing machine.
  5. Stitch the block to a piece of Tyvek. Use tape to hold the block in place while stitching, removing it before the needle pierces the tape. This prevents the needle from getting gummed up. (Note: Pins will leave a permanent hole in the Tyvek, so tape works best.)
  6. Use a longer stitch length – or decorative stitch to add a border around the block. Be sure to use tacking stitches at beginning and end so that the stitches don’t pull out.

Several additional notes to keep in mind:

  • Do not iron the Tyvek – only finger press – because it will melt if your iron is hot enough.
  • You can paint Tyvek with acrylic or fabric paints. Just paint, wipe off any excess and then let dry before using in your project.
  • If you are writing on the back, test on a scrap of the envelope first to make sure the ink does not soak through onto your block – or that your message does not smear. I wrote on the back using a Uni-Ball Signo fine point gel pen (0.28mm tip).

To see other ideas on how to transform mailers into something both useful and beautiful, check out Reinvention: Sewing with Rescued Materials by Maya Donenfeld, available through your local bookstore and, hopefully, library.

Engaging with Nature – The Explorer, Artist, Kid in All of Us

I love trees and flowers in full bloom but… I am totally fascinated by what proceeds the color show and what remains at the end of the season. For that reason, “A Tree in the House: Flowers for Your Home, Special Occasions and Everyday” by Annabelle Hickson caught my eye. The stunning arrangements she creates from what she finds each season is wonderful – especially when she creates a cotton cloud over the table and other installations! The photography is beautiful and nothing is over the top – just pared down, simple settings where nature takes center stage.

Reading this book and watching spring unfold (with a couple of hiccups along the way like the freak heavy snowstorm the other night), I am waking up to the abundance of beauty around us – including the debris that I am carting off to the compost pile and the shoots that are poking up through the soil. Some of those twigs and seed heads will make it into the house to sit on the mantle for a week or two, others might even make it into a craft project or inspire a needlework piece.

So take a break from whatever is consuming your day and grab your kids, a friend, colleague, or significant other and go outside to play like a kid, explore like a scientist, create like an artist: Bring along a paper bag to collect some interesting branches and whatever else you might find, as well as a magnifying glass to examine the intricate designs that are not immediately apparent or the bugs that you are leaving behind but look oh so interesting. Then, bring it all home and set about creating your own artful arrangements! Have someone who can’t make the trek outside with you, like a friend who’s been sick or a small child? Share what you find with them – and don’t forget the magnifying glass : )

“One of the greatest joys of playing and experimenting with flowers is that it opens your eyes to the beautiful things growing around you. The ones that are already there, doing their thing, that you didn’t have to buy or water or prune. You start to notice them. Like words whose meaning you’ve just learnt (nadir and akimbo), you start, as if by magic, to see them everywhere.” – Annabelle Hickson