Comfort in the Making

 In keeping with my most recent posts, this one's about making, and about comfort.  This year's been such a challenge that we've each one of us had to find ways to bring comfort and calm to ourselves and to those around us.

As most of you know, Gentle Readers, the work of our hands does just that -- and what we produce in that work does too.

I live in Alberta, Canada and our province has been facing the same struggles as every province, state and country in the Northern Hemisphere as our year moves into its coldest season.  Like so many jurisdictions, Alberta has just enacted up-dated public health measures in hopes of stemming the tide, slowing the spread, bending the curve -- however you call it, it comes down to keeping as many of us as possible alive, well and safe.  

Christmas is coming.  For the first time, I won't be seeing either of my children -- and probably not any of my nearby friends either.  I won't be in church, celebrating and singing in worship, hearing the beloved stories of Incarnation.  I won't be baking special foods to feed my family or share with friends.  Even the "Under $100 Art Market" scheduled for Lacombe's Memorial Centre in a couple of weeks may fall through if our local situation doesn't improve.

All I can do to keep myself on an even keel is to keep on keeping on, with my faith practice, daily journalling, and making gifts to send out to family and friends -- in the hopes of bringing them a bit of warmth, a bit of comfort for this very odd season.

So...the making continues.  Xmas socks are on the menu!  Three pair are finished, and two more are over half-way there, with first socks completed and second socks under construction.

Pattern: "Diagon Ally" (sic) from Lori Wagner
A pun on 'diagonally'...with a hint of Harry Potter!

Pattern: "A Nice Ribbed Sock" 
Designer: Glenna C.
Indeed, it is just that!

In the closer-to-being-finished category...

At last!  "Man Cave" -- the cross-stitched piece I'm hoping my neighbour, John, will hang in his workshop -- is approaching the finish line.

See that wee bit of a rug under the snoozing pup on the bottom left?  That's it!  That's all I have to finish -- and then, of course, the outlining!  But being this close after 3 1/2 month's worth of work feels awfully good right now!

And...my daughter's Turning 40 quilt is quilted!  All that's needed is the binding, most of which has already been cut.  I picked up the quilted top yesterday from my precious long-arm quilter and friend, Sylvia, and trimmed it for binding, which will begin in the next few days... in between everything else!

Here are some photos of this queen-sized beauty (86" W x 106" L):

The quilting -- seen from the back

The top, draped over my kitchen table, prior to trimming

A detail of the quilting

A second detail of the quilting

Of course, a person can't have just one, or two, or three or four projects under-way at any given time!  So I am also playing around with a few things.  The "Broken Bricks" charity top is almost complete, and I've begun to join the rows of blocks for "Frolic!", the 2019 Mystery Quilt from Bonnie Hunter.

The first corner plus 2 rows plus sashing
on the 'design bed'

In the photo above, I placed an old, large pale green towel under the edge of these rows, just so you could see them in place with out the bed quilt underneath being a distraction! LOL!  This is a huge quilt and already drops down over the end and sides of the long twin bed I'm using for lay out.  NOTE: the neutral pieces are showing up 'pink' in this photo.  They're not pink.  They're white or off-white.  It's just the light.  Sorry!  😩

Bonnie's quilts never fail to amaze me, because even with my less-than-perfect piecing, they always seem to come together perfectly!

Meanwhile, on the design wall in my sewdio...I'm now playing with string-pieced blocks (no paper foundation) to create a pseudo Rail Fence piece.  Working title?  "Fence? What Fence?"  😉

The blocks are mounted at the tippy-top of my design wall.  Above them is a *wonderful* photograph framed in barn wood, which I bought from a local artist, Gordon Hiebert, at the Lacombe Art Show & Sale a few years ago.  He loves old buildings and chasing stormy skies!  I visited his studio in Red Deer a couple of years ago; he makes all his own frames!

***   ***   ***   ***   ***

In addition to providing comfort with what I make, and experiencing comfort in the making, I'm determined to make more of my work about leaving materials out of the landfill.

In my last post I hinted at a new art piece involving fabric from my "inheritance" that I'd rusted.  Here's a peek at what's going on with that...

Close-up Shot

The working title is Mending a Broken-hearted World; it consists of rusted fabric, with tea bag paper layered on top, hand-stitched down with purchased hand-dyed cotton floss, about to be hand-quilted with #12 perle cotton.  The work will be done after the Christmas season, but in time for a hoped-for Lacombe Art Show & Sale in April, 2021. 

Making comfort.  Comfort in that making.  May you have a weekend of comfort and joy -- COVID restrictions notwithstanding!  Pour a cuppa...check out what your soul friends are doing, making, creating...

I'm linking this to Nina Marie's Off the Wall Friday.  If you're struggling to find ways to be creative -- and thus to find comfort -- she's got som ideas!

Thanks for stopping by.  May your weekend be filled with comfort -- and making!   😊