Thursday, January 29, 2009

One Stitch at a Time


In one of my industrious stash-busting moods, I decided to use some calico scraps to make a baby quilt. It's turned out to be a rather expensive stash-busting project! Well, not expensive -- but not "free," either, once you count the batting and backing. But I'm enjoying the new experience of quilting. And this is the perfect project to start on because it's small.
 



So far I'm about half done with the quilting. It's great having something to occupy my hands while watching a movie! My inner perfectionist is slightly frustrated by "learning by doing," but I know it's the only to learn a skill like this. So I'm taking it one stitch at a time, and I figure that any children the Lord may bless me with won't be measuring my stitches. At least, I hope not!

Thursday, January 22, 2009

Words of Wisdom From Writers


Writers
will happen in the
best of families.

~ Rita Mae Brown ~

Monday, January 19, 2009

Did You Know?


Did you know that I love antique buttons?





Did you know that the only thing I love better than antique buttons is a whole stack of antique buttons?
 



Did you know that mermaids have bobbed hair and look suspiciously like flappers?

   


Did you know that you're supposed to listen for a "click" when you do up snaps?



Did you know that the best way to display shirt buttons is to offer a representation of what they'll look like on the shirt...


...complete with enormous cuff buttons?


Did you know that red is a fabulous color for buttons?




Did you know that there's nothing cuter than a card of 3/16" buttons?

 



My sweet mother found a $5 bag of antique buttons for me at our local charity shop, donated there by an antique store that went out of business. Did you know that I have the best mother in the world? Well, I do!

Friday, January 16, 2009

Waitin' For My Dearie -- A Maiden's Manifesto


While I'm not a huge fan of the musical Brigadoon, starring Gene Kelly and Cyd Charisse, I was delighted to discover a musical gem hiding in the heather, as you might say! I think I can safely say that this is the closest any song has come to epitomizing the idea of waiting for the "right one." Which is why I consider this song a "maiden's manifesto" of sorts.

You can hear a sound clip here on Amazon.com -- the soundtrack has the only good musical version of this song that I've heard!

Waitin’ For My Dearie

Fiona:
Many a lassie as ev'ryone knows'll
Try to be married before twenty-five.
So she'll agree to most any proposal.
All he mus' be is a man, an' alive.

I hold a dream an' there's no compromisin'
I know there's one certain laddie for me.
One day he'll come walkin' o'er the horizon:
But should he not, then an old maid I'll be.
Foolish, ye may say.
Foolish I will stay.

Waitin' for my dearie, an' happy am I
to hold my heart till he comes strollin' by.
When he comes, my dearie, one look an' I'll know
That he's the dearie I've been wantin' so.

Though I'll live forty lives till the day he arrives,
I'll not ever, ever grieve.
For my hopes will be high that he'll come strollin' by;
For ye see, I believe

That there's a laddie weary, and wanderin' free,
Who's waitin' for his dearie:
Me!

1st Girl:
What do ye do while ye're waitin' around
For your lad to come your way?

Fiona:
Well, when no one is lookin', ye kneel on the ground,
An' ye pray an' pray an' pray!

2nd Girl:
But when lassies sit an' have no men,
Oh, how long becomes the night.

Fiona:
But I fear the night is longer when the lad's no' right.

Waitin' for my dearie is sweeter to me
Than wooin' any laddie on the lea.

Girls:
Dreamin' of your dearie, an' idlin' the day

Fiona:
That's how I am an' how I'll ever stay.

Though I'll live forty lives till the day he arrives,
I'll not ever, ever grieve.
For my hopes will be high that he'll come strollin' by;
For ye see, I believe

Fiona and Girls:
That there's a laddie weary, an' wanderin' free,
who's waitin' for his dearie:

Fiona:
Me!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Perhaps the only thing that I disagree with is "idlin' the day" while waiting, which doesn't seem like a very good policy! *smile* But I think I can manage disagreeing with three words out of three hundred -- especially when those three hundred are so good!

Monday, January 12, 2009

A Gift for a Friend


While I love the look of fancy needlework, I have mostly confined myself to "practical" sewing (garments, accessories, and the like). However, thanks to a very talented lady in our church (and "talented" is an unbelievable understatement), I recently learned the art of shadow embroidery!






I decided to put my new skill to use in a Christmas gift for a dear friend. 





Contrary to my expectations, shadow embroidery is a most satisfying and relaxing occupation. I love the delicate look produced by a single strand of embroidery floss, which criss-crosses the back in a herringbone pattern. Actually, I like the back as much as the front!





I think shadow embroidery might easily become addictive. And another crafty addiction was just what I needed... *smile*

Thursday, January 08, 2009

A Keeper

It's official. McCall's 5431 is a keeper.





 For those of you who asked which pattern I used for my skirt in this post -- this is it! I love the incredibly soft hand of this cotton, which was a Red Tag clearance find at JoAnn's. I've sighed over their lovely premium quilter's prints ever since they first came out, so I'm always delighted when I can find one in the Red Tag section.



Comfortable, feminine, and practical. Yes, it's a keeper! The only question is, how many times can I reuse this pattern before people start noticing?

Tuesday, January 06, 2009

Words of Wisdom From Writers

In order to write a book,
it is necessary to sit down
(or stand up)
and write.
Therein lies the difficulty.

~ Edward Abbey ~