Other Good Things

First Post of the Day

Other things, good things, have been happening that I'd like to share. Kyle came out for a visit. Tammo was Over. The. Moon. (So were we.) More on his visit soon.

Another note from Mila, a new one and unrelated to the others, appeared on my office door. 

I walked past it several times before it caught my eye.

She must've put it there when she was here on Easter Sunday. Sweet girl and what a pick me up during a very sad time.

Some sewing projects were finished and two big ones begun. 

A green striped pleated petticoat made from a hand loomed cotton imported from India. 

I'm happy with how it turned out and I may keep it myself. I don't need a new petticoat, but years ago Jessica had a green striped petticoat that my mother made her and it reminds me so much of both of them.

In the 18th century, seamstresses and tailors often pinked the seams to prevent raveling.

They did not have modern pinking shears; they used pinking tools, pressing the tool into the fabric and repeating until they'd pinked all the raw edges.

Those pinked edges were rounded, not zig zagged. These are two extant pinking tools from the 18th century.

A pinked 18th century gown. (Isn't it gorgeous?)

I've drawn my own patterns for pinking

and then hand cut the seams with scissors.

The results looked good and were accurate to the time period, but my hands ached. Hand pinking like that is not a feasible option for me.

In one of my 18th century sewing groups on Facebook, a woman recommended blades she had found for her rotary cutter that would pink edges. She also included a link to where she had gotten them.

I headed to the site and ordered a package. I was surprised to find that I got several blades of each size, a good thing because roto cutting blades get dull with use and need to be replaced.

The green striped cotton was hand loomed and had a very loose weave. Which meant it was prone to fraying. I crossed my fingers and practiced on some scraps.

Success!!

I have a lot of linen fabrics that I haven't used because I did not have the means to pink the edges when I sewed with them. Now I am looking forward to pulling them out and using my new pinking blades. (I may also go back and buy another set of blades to have on hand when these become dulled.)

Just as I was getting ready to leave for Kalamazoo, I got a custom order for a trade shirt. I told the man it would have to wait until I got home and had had a chance to unpack and catch my breath.

His shirt is done and I am pleased with how it turned out. 

For sleeve buttons, he chose the pair I was hoping he would. They are the only blue pair I have and are a perfect match.

I got those buttons on sale two years ago and I have no idea who the manufacturer is but I am hoping to find more. (I don't know how to do an image search; time to learn, right?)
 

I have two other big sewing projects I am working on, so my sewing machine continues to get a work out. I'll share those when I am able. Stay 'tooned. 😉

Life is slowly returning to normal, even if I don't always feel ready to move forward. But there is comfort in normalcy, in routine, and I am healing.

Next up is another This is Our Molly post. I just reread its draft, and instead of crying, I was smiling. Fondly. Gratefully. Even happily.

Yes, I am healing.

Stay 'tooned!