I think we humans, probably a lot of women in particular - moms especially - tend to reward ourselves with things we enjoy: reading, manis and pedis, crafting, going to a store for no particular reason other than wandering - alone. Like unless we do x-y-and-z we don't deserve to take the time to do the things we enjoy. And yet, those are the things that feed us - I know they do me - as much as a clean house and cooking for my family does. Probably more.
To help me be more successful in this particular endeavor, I have cleaned up my studio - no mean feat. I have, on my to-do list, several items that pertain to continuing the organization down there. However, those items are not as necessary as the whole "where's my desk and table" issue, but things that could make it easier to be down there. I've also joined two monthly clubs. I joined Ali Edwards' Stories by the Month and Sweetwater's Sweet T Towel club.
My thought process was that if there were things coming in that needed doing, I'd be more likely to do them. So far so good. I have received two month's of towels - which are a really nice heavy linen with a graphic that pertains to the season. You can use them as is, but what drew me was the chance to embellish.
The "Baby It's Cold Outside" towel I simply embroidered a straight stitch around the edge and an over-sized straight stitch on each of the arms of the snowflakes, topped with a triple French knot. At first, I thought the snowflakes would be enough, but it needed something else - the trim! I did this in one evening - just a couple hours actually.
The Home Sweet Home towel came before Christmas, hence its more "used" look. This towel enabled me to break out my brand-new-never-out-of-the-box sewing machine. I bought it two years ago. I know how to operate a sewing machine - my new machine intimidates me, which is why it took this long to get it out of the box. I know how to sew, though I'm no seamstress. I've made several costumes for the kids over the years. I even tackled a "quilt". I put that in quotes because I had no idea what I was doing, and it was so not a quilt. But it covered our bed in the early years of our marriage and it was warm. It was also something totally out of my comfort zone, much like my new machine. To take that first step, I simply embellished this towel by stitching on two lengths of ribbon. Who knows what I'll be trying by the time the last towel of the year gets here!
I have a few Project Sweetwater Kits that I've purchased from Sweetwater and hope to tackle those projects over the year, well. I like that they send the fabric and notions to complete your choice of projects (from several options) with each kit. I think there's like four or five options and you can get, maybe, three from the supplies they make. I haven't looked at the kits in a while and they are not part of the subscriptions I'm receiving this year, though I wouldn't mind one. Once my sewing machine and I have gotten to know each other that is.
That concludes the sewing portion of what I want to accomplish for this year.
Happy Tuesday,
Lori
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