We had a lovely Thanksgiving weekend, and I hope yours was also pleasant. The Day was spent with family, overeating and conversing and watching a little football.
Friday, Phil and I headed down to Winterthur Museum so I could view the With Cunning Needle exhibition which currently includes the Plimoth Jacket. It's been at least 15 years since I was last there and the place has changed some, but it is still a beautiful estate with awesome gardens. (Gardens, they call them- 1000 acres of trees, shrubs and water features as well as flowers and grasses.)
The needlework exhibition was amazing. The Jacket is set up on a mannequin in a lucite box at the entry of the exhibition rooms. It's possible to get quite close to the fabric. I've been following the blog and reading some other blogs which discuss the making of the jacket, but even with photos, ...well. The print medium just does not do this garment justice. Many of the shapes are stitched with Gilt Sylke Twist, a thread developed for the jacket project. In photos, this doesn't look very impressive. It has just a hint of "not thread" to it from the gold metal. Up close and personal, the motifs stitched with this thread have a subtle shimmer of gold that adds depth and richness to the piece. Bees, pea pods and flower petals are two-dimensional. The pea pods curl open to reveal tiny peas fashioned from spiraled gold thread. I spent a good ten minutes examining the stitching on this lovely piece before I moved on to other items.
Included among these were samplers dating back to the mid-17th century, an embroidered linen sailor's suit and duffel bag from the early 1800's, counterpanes, side curtains, pockets and aprons. There was a large rug loom set up near a display of wool and linen. Nearby was a collection of linen garments which included a tiny baby bonnet made entirely of the finest linen I have ever seen. I swear it must have been 200 threads/inch or finer. The fabric looked like vellum, it was so sheer and so lacking in visible threads. There was no embroidery on this cap at all; it was just a simple bonnet with a gathered self ruffle at the brim and fine linen ribbons at the chin.
I'm hoping that Tricia Wilson Nguyen writes a book about the Plimoth Jacket, covering its inception, design, the interplay with various other crafts and suppliers, and its construction. Much of this is on the blog, but some of the photos are now missing.
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Saturday, November 19, 2011
Oh, right...I have a blog
Some days I wake up with a lousy attitude. This was one of them and it hasn't been made any sweeter so far.
I just phoned the doctor's office to make appointments for my husband and myself. They have one of those automated answering machines that you have to sit and listen for 12 minutes before you actually get to the "make an appointment" menu. Last time I phoned, selecting 1 or 2 put me through to a Real Person. Today, "it" asked for detailed information on why I wanted an appointment, including the time I want to come in. Right. As if I know when there is likely to be a time open. *eyes rolling*
So, enough of that. Last month, I went to the annual SAGA convention and took a few classes. For the first time since I started attending conventions, I finished one of the projects! Not only did I finish it, I had it done BEFORE I came home. This is the stitching equivalent of a Double Rainbow, my friends. I'm now plodding along on another of the projects. It's a size 2 dress which is smocked from shoulder to waist, so is going to take a tad bit longer than the small beaded emory bag.
Convention was a blast. I flew to San Francisco a few days in advance and stayed with a friend from my California chapter. We drove down together, and the drive was quite interesting. We saw lots of (what we think were) almond trees, some olive trees and maybe nectarines. We also saw a lot of dying trees and areas where fires had completely wiped out some orchards. Apparently, the California congress has diverted water away from agriculture so many areas no longer have irrigation.
The convention was held at the Hyatt Regency Orange County which is located about 3/4 of a mile away from the gates of Disneyland. My room faced the park so I got to see fireworks every night.
There were lots of nice restaurants within walking distance and because there were so many, there was rarely a wait to be seated. This is important if you only have an hour for lunch or dinner. It was also a smaller convention group than most- for some reason, east and southeast members shy away from Anaheim. The smaller group just felt cozier. I really enjoyed the week.
Since then life has been mostly about going to the gym a few times a week and just putting one foot in front of the other.
I just phoned the doctor's office to make appointments for my husband and myself. They have one of those automated answering machines that you have to sit and listen for 12 minutes before you actually get to the "make an appointment" menu. Last time I phoned, selecting 1 or 2 put me through to a Real Person. Today, "it" asked for detailed information on why I wanted an appointment, including the time I want to come in. Right. As if I know when there is likely to be a time open. *eyes rolling*
So, enough of that. Last month, I went to the annual SAGA convention and took a few classes. For the first time since I started attending conventions, I finished one of the projects! Not only did I finish it, I had it done BEFORE I came home. This is the stitching equivalent of a Double Rainbow, my friends. I'm now plodding along on another of the projects. It's a size 2 dress which is smocked from shoulder to waist, so is going to take a tad bit longer than the small beaded emory bag.
Convention was a blast. I flew to San Francisco a few days in advance and stayed with a friend from my California chapter. We drove down together, and the drive was quite interesting. We saw lots of (what we think were) almond trees, some olive trees and maybe nectarines. We also saw a lot of dying trees and areas where fires had completely wiped out some orchards. Apparently, the California congress has diverted water away from agriculture so many areas no longer have irrigation.
The convention was held at the Hyatt Regency Orange County which is located about 3/4 of a mile away from the gates of Disneyland. My room faced the park so I got to see fireworks every night.
There were lots of nice restaurants within walking distance and because there were so many, there was rarely a wait to be seated. This is important if you only have an hour for lunch or dinner. It was also a smaller convention group than most- for some reason, east and southeast members shy away from Anaheim. The smaller group just felt cozier. I really enjoyed the week.
Since then life has been mostly about going to the gym a few times a week and just putting one foot in front of the other.
Monday, August 22, 2011
Ahoy, Hobby Lobby
There it was, emblazoned across a building above the highway- "Hobby Lobby". I spied it yesterday as I was making a trip out to the airport. Today I decided I'd make the trek back out to that area and do a little browsing, as I'd often heard about but never been to a Hobby Lobby.
The first bump came when my GPS refused to acknowledge that said HL existed. No problem, I thought- I remembered it was near a Red Robin. Surprisingly, GPS refused to admit there was a Red Robin in Robinson Township, either. I fell back on the directions to the IHOP by the airport.
I now know yet a 4th way to get to 376W from home. There doesn't seem to be a way to get from the IHOP to the Hobby Lobby (or Red Robin) without getting back onto the highway, though...
So I went to lunch.
I asked my waitress if she knew how to get to the HL; she didn't, but said she'd ask the rest of the staff.
Turns out, it won't be open for another few weeks. Oh, well. There was a Michael's on the other side of the shopping center, so I went there instead. Browsing achieved.
The first bump came when my GPS refused to acknowledge that said HL existed. No problem, I thought- I remembered it was near a Red Robin. Surprisingly, GPS refused to admit there was a Red Robin in Robinson Township, either. I fell back on the directions to the IHOP by the airport.
I now know yet a 4th way to get to 376W from home. There doesn't seem to be a way to get from the IHOP to the Hobby Lobby (or Red Robin) without getting back onto the highway, though...
So I went to lunch.
I asked my waitress if she knew how to get to the HL; she didn't, but said she'd ask the rest of the staff.
Turns out, it won't be open for another few weeks. Oh, well. There was a Michael's on the other side of the shopping center, so I went there instead. Browsing achieved.
Friday, August 19, 2011
getting healthy...
...is bad for my health.
It seems I've managed to tear the meniscus in my right knee. I may have done this at the club, or I may have strained it a bit at the club and then finished the job while mowing my stupid angled lawn. In any case, I'm advised to apply RICE (rest, ice, compression, elevation) for the next few days while until I get the results of my xray.
X-ray, you may ask? Don't those just show bone problems, and not soft tissue injuries? Why, yes, that's entirely correct! However, my insurance company requires that I go through a process. First I have to see my doctor to ensure that I actually NEED imaging. (Never mind that a physical therapist recommended it.)
The first imaging needs to be an xray, just to make sure that there are no broken bones. Now, I'm pretty sure that broken bones would show up on an MRI, too- they do on House and on Bones, anyway... but nevertheless, I had to trudge around about 1/2 mile in a huge hospital to have an xray done first. It's Friday. The xray won't be read by a radiologist until sometime Monday, most likely. My doctor will get copies today, but I can't proceed until a radiologist signs off on the thing.
Obtaining the xray in the first place was fairly frustrating. First, it took me 20 minutes to find parking. The first lot I tried was full. There was also nowhere to turn my car around at the top of the lot, so I had to back up. Eventually, I found the proper parking lot and got the car parked, only to discover that I needed to be on the opposite side of the hospital. To make this even more fun, Radiology isn't called Radiology at this hospital. They refer to it as "diagnostics". Er... Whatevs.
I'm currently quite unhappy about this whole chain of events starting with the fact that I hurt myself walking. (Again...at least I didn't fall off a bridge this time) Walking is supposed to be GOOD for a person! I'm also irritated and somewhat anxious about the fact that since I'm favoring my right leg, my left leg is also starting to hurt, now.
The only marginally bright side to the situation is that since I can't do much in the way of exercise, I have no excuse not to do some stitching, so once I manage to hobble up the stairs, that's just what I shall be doing.
It seems I've managed to tear the meniscus in my right knee. I may have done this at the club, or I may have strained it a bit at the club and then finished the job while mowing my stupid angled lawn. In any case, I'm advised to apply RICE (rest, ice, compression, elevation) for the next few days while until I get the results of my xray.
X-ray, you may ask? Don't those just show bone problems, and not soft tissue injuries? Why, yes, that's entirely correct! However, my insurance company requires that I go through a process. First I have to see my doctor to ensure that I actually NEED imaging. (Never mind that a physical therapist recommended it.)
The first imaging needs to be an xray, just to make sure that there are no broken bones. Now, I'm pretty sure that broken bones would show up on an MRI, too- they do on House and on Bones, anyway... but nevertheless, I had to trudge around about 1/2 mile in a huge hospital to have an xray done first. It's Friday. The xray won't be read by a radiologist until sometime Monday, most likely. My doctor will get copies today, but I can't proceed until a radiologist signs off on the thing.
Obtaining the xray in the first place was fairly frustrating. First, it took me 20 minutes to find parking. The first lot I tried was full. There was also nowhere to turn my car around at the top of the lot, so I had to back up. Eventually, I found the proper parking lot and got the car parked, only to discover that I needed to be on the opposite side of the hospital. To make this even more fun, Radiology isn't called Radiology at this hospital. They refer to it as "diagnostics". Er... Whatevs.
I'm currently quite unhappy about this whole chain of events starting with the fact that I hurt myself walking. (Again...at least I didn't fall off a bridge this time) Walking is supposed to be GOOD for a person! I'm also irritated and somewhat anxious about the fact that since I'm favoring my right leg, my left leg is also starting to hurt, now.
The only marginally bright side to the situation is that since I can't do much in the way of exercise, I have no excuse not to do some stitching, so once I manage to hobble up the stairs, that's just what I shall be doing.
Sunday, August 14, 2011
building a habit
I find it difficult to build and maintain good habits. Several years ago, I got into the habit of walking every single evening, no matter what the weather. It was great. I lost a bunch of weight, toned up and felt much better. Then I got diagnosed with something that required surgery and 6 weeks of recuperation; I got out of the habit of walking and generally turned into a sloth.
This winter, after a sad canoe excursion, the hubby decided he wanted to join a health club and get himself more fit, so he signed me up, too. (He thought I'd be upset, poor man) I started working with a trainer once a week, then twice a week, and am now up to three sessions a week with her. I haven't been going in on my own time, though. So, while I'm very happy with the results I'm seeing from working out with my trainer, I could be doing better. Enter the treadmill.
When I first started going to the gym, I could manage about 4 minutes at a slow pace with no incline. At the beginning of the month, my trainer asked me to start doing 15 minutes of cardio before each of our sessions, so I started that. Only managed 10 minutes the first time. Yesterday and today, I've done a mile in 20 minutes with an incline of 2, plus a bit of cooldown. I'm going to walk at least a 20-minute mile every day for the rest of this month. Hopefully, this will establish a good habit. Also hopefully, I'll be able to increase my speed and distance a bit each week. The long-term goal here is to be able to participate in a 5K walk next spring and to do well in it. The short-term goal? I'd like to be in a size smaller jeans and have less of a gut by October when I go to my stitching convention.
This winter, after a sad canoe excursion, the hubby decided he wanted to join a health club and get himself more fit, so he signed me up, too. (He thought I'd be upset, poor man) I started working with a trainer once a week, then twice a week, and am now up to three sessions a week with her. I haven't been going in on my own time, though. So, while I'm very happy with the results I'm seeing from working out with my trainer, I could be doing better. Enter the treadmill.
When I first started going to the gym, I could manage about 4 minutes at a slow pace with no incline. At the beginning of the month, my trainer asked me to start doing 15 minutes of cardio before each of our sessions, so I started that. Only managed 10 minutes the first time. Yesterday and today, I've done a mile in 20 minutes with an incline of 2, plus a bit of cooldown. I'm going to walk at least a 20-minute mile every day for the rest of this month. Hopefully, this will establish a good habit. Also hopefully, I'll be able to increase my speed and distance a bit each week. The long-term goal here is to be able to participate in a 5K walk next spring and to do well in it. The short-term goal? I'd like to be in a size smaller jeans and have less of a gut by October when I go to my stitching convention.
Saturday, August 13, 2011
Still ticking along
Once again, life has nudged blogging to the back burner. It isn't so much that I've been busy as that I've been busy doing the same things, and seriously, how many times does someone want to hear "went to the gym, took a shower, went shopping, did a little stitching"?
Our neighbors across the alley had a new curb put in along their property line. It looks very nice, and hopefully will keep people from driving over their landscaping. Of course, our property line now looks just that much worse...
Working out at the gym is giving me some good results. I still haven't lost much weight, but I did buy a pair of jeans in a size smaller along with a couple pair of exercise pants in the same smaller size. Today I walked a 20 minute mile at incline 2 on the treadmill. I'm pleased, as a few weeks ago I could barely manage 10 minutes at a low pace and no incline. I'm getting stronger and I feel better, so the work is definitely worth it.
Sewing and stitching have fallen to the back burner for a while. I've been re-reading The Stand by Stephen King in my free time. I've also got The Help and The Pirates of Somalia cued up on my Kindle.
Since I can't read and sew at the same time, the sewing is on hold.
Our neighbors across the alley had a new curb put in along their property line. It looks very nice, and hopefully will keep people from driving over their landscaping. Of course, our property line now looks just that much worse...
Working out at the gym is giving me some good results. I still haven't lost much weight, but I did buy a pair of jeans in a size smaller along with a couple pair of exercise pants in the same smaller size. Today I walked a 20 minute mile at incline 2 on the treadmill. I'm pleased, as a few weeks ago I could barely manage 10 minutes at a low pace and no incline. I'm getting stronger and I feel better, so the work is definitely worth it.
Sewing and stitching have fallen to the back burner for a while. I've been re-reading The Stand by Stephen King in my free time. I've also got The Help and The Pirates of Somalia cued up on my Kindle.
Since I can't read and sew at the same time, the sewing is on hold.
Friday, July 8, 2011
Just another Friday
Few postings have been made recently as I suspect it would get tedious to read basically the same information multiple times.
I'm still going to the gym three times a week. It helps; despite the aches and pains produced by the workouts I feel better overall, so I'll be keeping this up.
The little needle case I'm working on is progressing. I need to trace the patterns for the insert pieces on to linen lined with batiste, though, and can't find my light box. I keep forgetting this during the day and at night there isn't enough outside light to make using the window a good substitute. (I'll be heading upstairs to finish this task soon.) The stitching is going a little slower than I'd hoped due to the fact that my reading glasses no longer seem strong enough for me to focus on tiny stitches or to thread small needles unless I perch the glasses at the exact right point near the end of my nose and hold my tongue Just So, so today I'm off to the eye doctor for an exam and new reading/sewing glasses.
Monday brings the one-year assessment of our house by the builders, so I'll be spending some time on general tidying-up this weekend. There are very few concerns to be addressed, though. S&A did a good job for us.
I'm still going to the gym three times a week. It helps; despite the aches and pains produced by the workouts I feel better overall, so I'll be keeping this up.
The little needle case I'm working on is progressing. I need to trace the patterns for the insert pieces on to linen lined with batiste, though, and can't find my light box. I keep forgetting this during the day and at night there isn't enough outside light to make using the window a good substitute. (I'll be heading upstairs to finish this task soon.) The stitching is going a little slower than I'd hoped due to the fact that my reading glasses no longer seem strong enough for me to focus on tiny stitches or to thread small needles unless I perch the glasses at the exact right point near the end of my nose and hold my tongue Just So, so today I'm off to the eye doctor for an exam and new reading/sewing glasses.
Monday brings the one-year assessment of our house by the builders, so I'll be spending some time on general tidying-up this weekend. There are very few concerns to be addressed, though. S&A did a good job for us.
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