Saturday, January 28, 2006

I am so excited!!

I just registered for Sharon Boggon's "Encrusted Crazy Quilting" on-line course. Sharon has an amazing website inaminuteago.com where there is such a wealth of information about fabric arts in general and crazy quilting in particular. Although I am working away on my crazy quilt, I think a foundations course would be beneficial. Right now, I'm winging it, not too badly but I would like to be able to say "so that's how it should be done!"

In the meantime, I am moving along on my cq piece. I have decided that instead of calling it my "cq thing" to name it "Auf Simchas" which has a double meaning, for me at least. In the Ashkenazi Jewish tradition, at funerals or shivas, participants say to one another on parting "nor auf simchas". This Yiddish phrase means [we should meet] "only on happy occasions", those happy occasions being joyous life cycle events -- births, bar/bat-mitzvas, weddings. "Auf simchas" in this case is a collage of memories in the form of a crazy quilt using fabrics, jewellry, and embellishments of family members, some who have passed away, which were worn or used on happier occasions.

So as "auf simchas" progresses, I can already see the improvements in my stitching, ideas, and daring. And with each stitch I think about the possibilities of doing this thing that I love for others. People who are loath to get rid of clothing or costume jewellry because they holds memories. I could translate their memories into pillows or wall hangings.

On the up the down staircase front, I have climbed the [22 storey]stairwell four times this week. My climbing partner was too busy on Friday. I should have just done it on my own but didn't. I'll try to make up for it by taking a long walk this weekend. The temperature is rising and it's sunny out so maybe this afternoon.

Right now Menachem is working on removing the final drywall screws from the upstairs bathroom and then I'll give him a hand with the new cement board to be installed. After that, I'd like to get out to buy some suitably coloured beads and embroidery floss which I'm running low on.

I hope to finish block 10 of 20 today and post some photos. And while I'm at it, I'd like to post a picture of the ketuba that my daughter Inbal made for her cousin's wedding.

Anyways, if I don't return to stitching, I won't move forward.

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About Me

I am in my mid 50's, have been married (happily) for 38 years, have 3 adult children who live an ocean away... By day I am a legal secretary. The rest of the time I play with fabric but I still won't run with scissors...