Into the Sewing Room, Part 2

Mercy was repaired and Elsie Mae's quiet book pillow was done, but neither Kate nor Susie were finished sewing. Susie asked, "Can we make accessories for our horses, Grammy?"

I had no idea what she meant by "accessories," but both girls had ideas so with my help they selected some different fabrics, grabbed the scissors, and got started.

Susie first made a blanket for Poppy, but a different kind of blanket than I thought she intended.

Wearing the blue ribbon from my props stash, this foal with the "comforting gaze" whose color is "very vibrant" now has its own blanket to rest upon.

Kate knew what she wanted to make, too, and it was evident that she had been watching when I measured and drew cutting lines for the quiet book pillow. She pulled out my quilter's ruler and, like a pro, drew her own pattern and cutting lines on her fabric.

She wanted to make a bandana for Zulu to wear, but she ran into a problem with his flying mane.

Her solution? She added a velcro girth and some of Mercy's leftover stuffing, and made a bareback pad.

She machine stitched it, too, with no help from me. I think I may have a future sewist here.

Susie next made a horn protector for her unicorn, one that protected the horn from breaking as well as keeping people from getting poked.

Her final project was to make a blanket with a velcro closure but it didn't fit Poppy. So we tried it on several other models and now my vintage bay Grazing Foal is much warmer.

Kate's last project was a gift for me. Knowing how much I like El Dorado,

she made him a bandana to wear. I was so touched and I have no plans to take it off him! 

After spending the entire morning in the sewing room, I called a halt for lunch. Although the girls wanted to sew some more afterward and I was willing, we all went over to Curt and Vanessa's home

 

and played games, watched the England/France World Cup match, and hung out the rest of the day. (Uno is not one of my favorite games, but give me the giant card version of the game and I am all in!)

It was our last full day together; Camp Tecumseh was over and our Tennessee family would be leaving after church the next morning.

Stay 'tooned!

Sneak Peek

BUSY day today - we are all headed to church and then Emily and the girls will drive back to Tennessee after a week with us. I am going to miss them so much!

I never have problems sleeping, but for some reason I woke up at 1:30 this morning and have been awake ever since. Which means I plan to crash and take a long snooze when we get home from church. I may not even set my alarm for the final match of the FIFA World Cup (Spain vs. Argentina), I'm so tired right now. (But I WILL watch it when I wake up. Go, Messi!)

In the meantime, here's a sneak peek from an upcoming blog post in which we performed "surgery" on Mercy, the rabbit, made a pillow for Elsie Mae that matches her quiet book, 

and then stitched up a bunch of horse "accessories" together.

Stay 'tooned!

A May Mish Mosh

 Geez Louise, does life ever slow down?? Although, truth be told, I am glad that I have things to do, things that I find worthwhile and even fun. But, every once in a while I cry "uncle," you know? LOL

Here is a mish mosh of things that are keeping me busy or that I'd like to share.

The Quiet Book's Progress

The JCs^2's quiet book is underway, and it is a huge project. 

It is the 22nd quiet book I have made and incredibly time intensive. Everything I've ordered to make this book has arrived except for one appliqué whose tracking has been stuck at "Label created" since April 23. 

See those bright pink glasses? My optometrist gave me those - it is starting to get difficult to see all the tiny pieces close up. The joys of getting older, right?

I have a binder of all the planning pages from past quiet books. It is super helpful when I plan another one, helping me to remember what extras I might need to get for each page, the order I put the pages into the book,

and the measurements for the pages and how to cut them. Sounds easy, but it is more complicated than it sounds. I finished the first page of twelve yesterday, so I am making slow but steady progress.

Tempting New Block Prints

I told myself I would not order any more block print fabrics for a while as I have a closet full already.

Of course, then my favorite company announces a slew of new block prints.

Leslie ordered a lot of them for this year's Feast and she has been sending me tempting photos of what is available.

Ack! The temptation is real! So far I haven't bought any, but...

Lukie Scores!

Together, Curt and Vanessa are coaching Mila and Lukie's soccer teams.

Lisa filmed Lukie taking a penalty shot and scoring last Saturday. Yay, Lukie!

The Musical Mitchells

Jessica sent me a video clip of her family's performing activities in April. I pulled these screenshots from it to share.

Titan spent time in the recording studio

and then he and Cambria filmed another music video for composer Angie Killian called Be a Little Better.

Jessie couldn't share info or pics about this next activity for a while but now she can.

They auditioned as extras for the film Salt and Honey and all made the cut.

A Christmas film, it is being directed by Amy Redford, Robert Redford's daughter

and filmed in Helper, Utah. I am not sure, but I think maybe it is a Hallmark movie? Hallmark and other companies film a lot of shows and movies in Utah - there is a thriving music and film industry in the state.

Finally, they auditioned together for a summer production of Prince of Egypt and all made it into the cast.

I'd like to go out and see it, but it will depend on the timing of the performance. Fingers crossed!

Nash Update

The big boi continues to spend each weekday with us while Lisa is teaching. 

Doesn't that look like trouble just waiting to happen??

"Hey, stop hogging all the toys, Nash!!"

She reports that he is VERY happy to jump in the car with her every morning and come over to visit us. For us, it is clear that he is happy to have Pepper and Tammo's companionship.

Lisa is planning on getting another dog when school is out and that will help Nash feel less lonely and allow Lisa to run to the grocery or go on other errands without worrying that he is home all alone.

Ella - Noise!

In high school, Curt was captain of the boys' soccer team, and Ella Masar was the captain of the girls'. They have been friends since 6th grade, were Homecoming King and Queen together their senior year, and were especially connected through their mutual love of soccer.

Ella went on to play soccer for the University of Illinois and, as a hometown girl, the crowd would go nuts and chant, "Ella-noise! Ella-noise" repeatedly while she was on the pitch. 

Ella has gone on to a professional career, playing for several US teams including the Chicago Red Stars. She once invited Curt, Craig, and me to come watch her play and it was fabulous.

Curt and Ella after that game.

As a professional soccer player, Ella has played on several teams in the USA and in Europe, played for the US Women's National Team, and then turned coach. A few months ago Ella was called to help out as an assistant coach to Emma Hayes, the current US Women's National Team's coach.

She has had a very storied career and just moved to Germany to take a coaching position there.

This spring, the University of Illinois' 2026 Hall of Fame athletes were announced, and look who is now a Hall of Famer. 

Ella-noise!!

Goslings!

I am not a big fan of Canada Geese, but I do think their goslings are cute. We currently have several nesting pairs at our neighborhood lake.

This pair has five goslings they are caring for. They are good parents and scold Craig and me for playing frisbee with Pepper and Tammo. According to them, that is NOT allowed anywhere near the lake while they are raising their brood! 

Finally, Happy Cinco de Mayo! 

Catching Up with Life

Second Post of the Day

I have been unable to do my usual daily routine for almost a week now. And, I have not been as able to stay in touch via social media during that time, either. Today is a day of starting to catch up with life and possibly even doing a few more parts of my usual routine.

First, Breyer News

Breyer has announced a few guest horses for BreyerFest, some of whom have been Breyer models in the past. Hobbyists are cautioned that there will not be a model available for any of these horses. (All pictures are screenshots taken from the BreyerFest blog.)

Danash's Northern Tempest

Paddyngton's Mark of Distinction

Rain, a Pryor Mountain Mustang and daughter of Cloud

Biloxi, a Pryor Mountain Mustang and barn mate of Rain

In other Breyer news, their shipping department, CCG, continues to struggle and be the subject of many, many frustrated posts all across social media platforms. I share in that frustration.

I have made three orders since the first of the year - the Stablemate Brilliance set, Vintage Club Inferno, and Prague, the first release in the 2025 Exotic Destinations Series. I've had to send emails about each delayed order and I even called Breyer once only to get an answering machine. I left a message that was never returned, and the emails have only gotten an acknowledgment of having been received coupled with the remark that Breyer "would respond to your case as soon as possible."

Those Brilliance Stablemates have arrived as has Inferno, but there is no sign of Prague. There is still no shipping notice and the order is still marked "Unfulfilled" in my account.

Let's hope Breyer and CCG get this straightened out. It truly is a mess of gigantic proportions.

One last piece of Breyer news. 

Maddox is still available. I don't remember when he was first offered, but it was before my surgery last Thursday, so he's been up for a week at least. I almost went ahead and ordered him this morning but 1) I was leery about having another shipping problem to resolve, and 2) if I were to order him, I would no longer be able to check his sales progress.

Moving on to the Sewing Room!

With Kalamazoo only a little over three weeks away, time is short for preparing clothing to sell.  Not only did I write blog posts ahead of my surgery, I also cut out garments I'd like to have on hand to sell at the event.

I buy many of my fabrics in bulk so I had to first do some measuring and cutting off the bolt before I could begin pinning patterns to the fabric and cutting them out.

Usually fabric is either 42 - 44" or 56 - 60" wide but my white cotton is double folded on the bolt. It is 108" wide and with that double fold, I simply cannot use it unless I cut smaller pieces off the bolt and then open the second fold so that I only have a single folded piece of fabric to use. It takes time, but the fabric is cheaper bought that way. 

Normally I don't mind the extra time to cut things out, but last week I was feeling the pressure of the time lost to surgery as well as having to make those extra cuts in the cotton.

Still, I got three chemises cut out, marked and ready to sew as soon as I feel up to bending over the sewing machine. I also cut out a couple of pockets from some red wool and stacked those on top of the chemises in my prep cart.

Will I get to those projects today? I hope so. I love to sew and I sew almost every day. I am under a lifting restriction but I don't think my iron will be a problem. (I use my iron a lot - the key to really nice end products is ironing before, while, and after you complete the piece.)

Wish me luck - getting into the sewing room would be a huge step towards normalcy for me!

An Unusual & Meaningful Sewing Project

Frequently I get asked to take on sewing projects for other people. 

Fixing Pony Pal Mila's favorite stuffie for the umpteenth time? Her smile when I am finished is always worth it!

A fitting with a bride - she wasn't happy with the closure of her dress and asked if I could fix it.

Repairing Pony Pal Kate's mermaid tail so she could wear it again. (Apparently mermaid tails keep your legs really warm while you are sleeping. Maybe I should make one for myself and see if that's true.)

A very disgruntled Pepper trying on a coat that I was making for Kathy's guide dog, Nacho. They had a holiday event to attend and she wanted him to look festive.

She is a very patient girl, but was she ever glad when I finished and took it off her!

From the "I'm in charge of costuming for a musical and I hear you sew; will you make these costumes for me?" to the "My pants need to be hemmed, will you hem them for me?" I turn most of those requests down. I simply do not have the time. (My most unusual sewing request came at an 18th century event. "Do you make loincloths?" Um, no. Just no.)

But there are times I agree to help - and recently I got a request that I really wanted to do. A very young child with cancer was losing her hair due to chemo. Her head was cold, winter is coming, and things were rather rough. Her aunt, a blog reader, reached out to me, sent some pictures of a hat she'd bought the child, and asked if there was a way to line it to make it warmer and more comfortable for her niece. She also told me she knew I was busy and would understand if I could not take the project on.

This mom of 6, grandmother of 16, and sister of a cancer survivor (Leslie) was not going to say no. I wanted to alter that hat for that little girl.

The aunt explained that she wasn't sure it could be lined and I agreed - the problem with lining the hat would be that that would take away some of the stretchiness and could affect the fit. She was willing to take the risk and I was willing to try, and the hat arrived last week.

I started by tracing both sides of the hat onto paper, adding seam allowances and a longer than needed hem length (to allow for adjustability and errors), and then cut two pieces out of white fleece. Fleece doesn't fray, it stretches, and it is soft and warm - perfect for what I hoped to do.

I pinned the two pieces together and then stitched them together up one side, over the top, and then down the other, leaving the bottom open.

Flipping the hat inside out, I slipped the lining over it, matching the side seams, and pinning the hem all around the bottom. It was a good thing I'd cut the length longer than I'd thought I needed - it was perfect as is.

Next I began hand stitching the hem of the lining securely to the hat using small stitches and hiding them within the yarn so they could not be seen.

When that was finished, I flipped the hat back to right side out, slipping my hands up into it and smoothing out any folds or wrinkles. There was still stretchability even with the lining intact and so I think the hat will fit just fine.

The hat goes out in today's mail and a little girl will have a warm and comfy hat (cute, too!) to wear while she undergoes chemo.

Thanks, Auntie A, for letting me do this project for your niece. You said prayers would be welcome so I send mine on her behalf. And blog readers, if you want to pray, think good thoughts, send karma, etc. please do. Auntie A says that would be welcome.

Time is Flying!

 And the heat continues.

As predicted, it got up to 97 yesterday and that made for another hibernation day.

Craig and I walk the dogs around 9:00 every morning. Normally we don't run into too many people at that time and have the neighborhood park to ourselves. But with this heat, lots of people are exercising their dogs or walking and jogging earlier than usual.

Yesterday morning we ran into our next door neighbor, Nan, down at the pavilion watching a pair of Great Egrets who were fishing in the lake.

Nan and Bob love the dogs and even come out of their home to pet them when they see the dogs out in our back yard. Tammo loves them right back and has been known to ignore our calls and gallop over to their home when he sees them appear. Needless to say, he was delighted to see Nan at the park!

Hibernation due to the heat means I am getting a lot of sewing for the Feast completed. 

Last week I got a new, updated pattern for pinner aprons that better reflects current historical research. I love how it stitched up.

18th century bib aprons did not tie around the neck like modern aprons; they were pinned to the bodice with steel straight pins at each top corner of the bib.

After selling 18th century block prints for 30 years, Leslie's supplier in India knows her well and once in a while sends her something new that he is trying.

In July he sent her this new block print fabric to try. Leslie passed the fabric on to me and I am working on a men's voyageur shirt to see how it looks when made into a garment. So far I really like how it is turning out.

After this shirt, I need to make one more men's shirt and then I will move on to new shirts for Ian and Lukas. They've grown enough that their original shirts from two years ago are getting a little small.

Lukas doesn't really care about fit - he loves his voyageur shirt so much that he wears it to church and to school.

I hope he likes the next one just as much. (I may use the elephant block print for his shirt.)

There are just 39 days until Feast. I waffle between feeling like I am in good shape and then feeling overwhelmed with all I want to accomplish. Timeline-wise, I should have the men's shirts, boys shirt, and two bed gowns completed by September 14. I'd like to make Mila a new dress, too, which puts me at September 18. 

That's two weeks before set-up on the grounds begin, so I should be okay sewing-wise. Then, there's finding time for the 100 blackened beeswax ornaments I need to make... 

Yeesh!!  Time is flying!