9 Patch for Health

What do you do when you've been sick for days and you have been livin' on soups and such...and you are just feeling well enough to pick up some stitching?

 Well, it looks like you get a bit dingy from it all and try to stitch yourself back to health with a Saltine 9 Patch!  Because...well, because silly is fun!

 And then...why then, you eat more chicken noodle soup of course!

Photos by NAE @pomegranatetrail ©2013

I've been stitching on this colorful Mexican blanket.  It is in honor of a dear, dear friend of mine.  We used her similar blanket in our shared classroom for the 7 years we worked together.  It was a physical, visual cue to the toddlers that we were going to have Group Time.  We sang, read books, did fingerplays and flannel board stories.  We shared many good times together.  Our Teaching Assistant purchased my blanket on one of her trips home to Mexico.  My friend told me again and again that we could use my new blanket.  However, I refused.  Her blanket was our tradition together.  She used that blanket for 20 years in that classroom.  Twenty years worth of children is a lot of lives touched.

Mine maybe deepest of all.

Now, in a new classroom, in a new school, with new co-workers...
My blanket has been introduced and the children are already familiar with the routine of joining together in song and fun!  As an additional element, I have been adding the names of the staff and children along the outer edge.  Each name is written on muslin by the staff member or child's family member and a thread color is chosen.  Then I sew/embroider it on.  It is wonderful to see the enthusiasm this project was greeted with and now watching it coming together is rewarding.  Over time there will many names, in many hands symbolizing the building of community.

I call it the "Gathering Blanket".

10 Minute Drill #20

Apricot Moons!!

Captured Moon

Spooky Moon

Photos by NAE @pomegranatetrail ©2012

1 Year Give Away

...Drum roll please...

And the winner is:

Michelle!!! 

Congratulations Michelle!

I will confirm mailing information with you and send the gift along soon.
Thank you to everyone who left a comment here and who comes by to read my blog.


Photos by NAE @pomegranatetrail ©2012

Some Stuff

Birds on a fence - sculpture at the nursery

Random, not necessarily connected stuff...

• Saw this sculpture on the fence while at a nursery earlier this month.  It made me think of Grace and Mo Crow ... and all of the friends out there who love birds and feathers and the marvels of our natural world.
• They have been filming a Sears commercial across the street all day long.  There is a small "Kraft Services" truck (food!) and shades to create proper lighting and a giant crane.  Every now and then a deep voice comes a shouting words I can not discern.  But a couple of times, I could tell they were calling for "quiet".  OK, Shhhhh...
• When I got this post from Gretchen of The Happiness Project, I read and pondered her ideas as I always do.  Then I zipped down to the end where she always posts interesting links.   The link to 1000 Awesome Things proved to be just as fascinating as past links.  I had seen this a long while back, and had forgotten about it.  So, maybe that would be my 1000th thing (if Neil has not already done it!).  Having some little bit of goodness come your way.  Something you've seen before, but forgotten about, but feel refreshed by it all over again!  Do watch his TedX talk here.  It will make you feel all warm and fuzzy - happy inside!   UPDATE: Michelle shared this link for more information on this project.
• For the Teacher in me and for those of you...or for any of us with the Love of Language...something is coming!  Yep, it's the annual Poem in You Pocket Day: Thursday April 26, 2012.  You can learn all about it here.  Isn't that a lovely idea, to carry a poem in your pocket...to share poems for others to place in their pockets?  What poem would you carry with you?
• I also had this in my inbox...an update from Kay Angel an orphanage in Jacmel, Haiti.  I have a soft spot for these folks; first because a friend of my sister's is a founder of We Can Build an Orphanage.  That's usually good enough for me..."you're her friend, oh OK, you're my friend too!" But once I started reading Lia's blog posts, once I read about (and met) each child, once I worried about them after the earthquake...well, then i really felt a connection.  Hop on over there and see if you don't feel the same.  Feel free to click on the donation page too.  Every little bit helps.  I have learned so much about perseverance, making do, embracing life, sharing and showing love...generally living the good life, in any circumstance.

• Something's comin'!  The photos to the right and below are your hints.  More details to follow!

• A long time back, I posted this about Delaney & Bonnie and many others.  If you saw that post, you may remember their daughter Bekka.  Today I saw this video someone had posted in honor of her birthday today.  I just really love her voice, her heart.  So, Happy Birthday Miss Bekka!!
• If you happen to be in Bangalore, India, maybe you will be lucky enough to catch the upcoming show of Bobby Whitlock & CoCo Carmel (hint: click the 'play' button right in the middle)  I know their show will be well worth it!  I sure wish I could see them :)

A friend among many!

•  Same nursery, same day...different critter!  This one reminded me of Jude's drawings and cloth beasts.  Look at that face...love it!  Someone recently said that we (the sewing folks of the Spirit Cloth world) end up thinking of one another throughout our days, being reminded of one another as I have been here and with the birds.  I like that.  I think that is what makes this community a lovely, warm place to be.  If it was you who said this comment, please leave the link in the comments.  As usual, things are tangled in my forgetful mind, but the essence of how I read that has stayed with me.
• Well, that's all for this day of sharing.  No cloth pictures.  No recent stitching, just mounds of magazines and cloth sorting into give-away piles!  Every time I think I am close, I discover more that I don't really need :)  Oy!

Have a great last part of the day!

Photos by NAE @pomegranatetrail ©2012

3 Mysteries

The red spot and the moon (February 9, 2012)

Surprise in the mail

Full moon in the trees

Just a few things to think about...to Wonder about...

Busy, busy, busy around here, so more later...

 Photos by NAE @pomegranatetrail ©2012

Two Days

 Two days

Today and again tomorrow

 I remember and honor my mother

Today, for the first time, I attend the Kever Avot Memorial Service.

It is a day to remember loved ones 

and recognize their impact in our lives.

I think of my mother and father.  I think of other family members
and close family friends.

We listen to the sound of the Shofar, reflect on the rabbi's words, 

and hear the cantor's beautiful singing.

Tears are shed. 

We Remember Them

In the rising of the sun and in its going down,

We remember them.

 In the blowing of the wind and in the chill of winter,

We remember them.

 In the opening of the buds and in the rebirth of spring,

We remember them. 

In the blueness of the sky and the warmth of summer,

We remember them.

In the rustling of the leaves and in the beauty of autumn,

We remember them.

In the beginning of the year and when it ends,

We remember them.

When we are weary and in need of strength,

We remember them.

When we are lost and sick at heart,

We remember them. 

When we have decisions that are difficult to make,

We remember them. 

When we have achievements that are based on theirs,

We remember them. 

So long as we live, they too shall live,

For they are now a part of us.

As we remember them. 

-RABBI SYLVAN KAMEN AND RABBI JACK RIEMER

Then our small group of four visits the gravesites of our loved ones.

It is a beautiful day, blue skies, cloud wisps and a warm breeze.

My sister brings chairs and so we sit and share memories.

We laugh.  We are quiet.  We listen to each other and other visitors with a need to share.

We brush off our loved one's markers and leave small white pebbles from Jerusalem.

We bring flowers.

We relish the beauty of the day, the meaningful service, spending time at each gravesite.

Spending time with loved ones.

It's a good day.

Tomorrow is the anniversary of my mother's passing.

At sundown I light a candle for her.
I will spend more time reflecting on and learning from our lives together.

You can learn more about the Yahrzeit candle here.

Photos by NAE @pomegranatetrail ©2011

Feathers Will Fly

The feathers are flying...everywhere!  I have been checking in on Jude's recent 
Magic Feather Project
 It has been great fun to see feathers and stories arriving to her
from all over the world!
These two are on their way!

This is his feather

One Crow Feather

Here is his story, in his words:

"First, I helped Grandma dye the fabric in purple cabbage.
Next, I helped Grandma take out the cabbage.  It smelled very bad.
Then, we put the fabric in the the freezer.
When we took it out, the fabric was silverish-white!
Last, on comes the feather."

The Back

Where Quill meets Shaft

He practices drawing crow feathers.  When I ask him, "Are you ready to draw?" (meaning the feather on the cloth), he responds, "Nope, you can't rush art".

He decides to use the purple cabbage fabric.  You may remember it from here.  After the rinse, the sun and the freezer, there is not much purple left!  He whips out the invisible stitch and attaches it to a piece of muslin.  He loves doing this stitch and completes the X in record time!   He chooses to make a crow feather.   He begins by practicing the shape of the crow feather. We discuss the coloring of it, all black. He draws the outline and away he goes!  He notices that where the quill meets the shaft, it is both black and white.  I suggest that he use one strand of each color and he agrees.  You may be able to see this if you enlarge the photo on the right.   He has already taught himself the wrap stitch after watching a moment of Jude's teaching video.
I must say, I love this little feather.  I love the tight bunched up little stitches, the mistakes cut and/or covered up with more stitches.  I love the cabbage fabric that will one day show no color at all, faded away like stories of our past.  This cloth feels so good to hold...it is so soft and it holds the gentle touches of his hands, stitched with his generous spirit and his own way of understanding that this will be sent to Jude for a quilt project for children.
"For the homeless children", he keeps saying. 
It is stitched with the long lashes of his down-turned eyes, focusing on this one single creation.  This one that will become one of many, a part of something bigger...for someone else.  This fills my heart and I hope that this experience, that will become but one in a lifetime filled with experiences, will stay with him in some way.
It will stay with me.

Big Crow Feather & Little Crow Feather

 Then it was my turn.  I had a few ideas and false start or two.
But, then I came across a square of orange cotton fabric in my stash.  I had gotten it years ago, too many years to remember now.  It was a giveaway square from a local quilt shop, one of those - free with purchase - choose a square.  I looked at it and thought of all the eco-dyeing going on these days.  I loved all of the variations of color and the markings on it.  I didn't even notice the butterflies until I started to stitch!  Orange...not my usual color choice...but it reminded me of the sun and the heat...or lack of heat and rain instead, that has been such a topic of conversation in the stitching community this summer.  It made me think of community and the ways we come together and support one another...how we all need the same basic things.
-Sun-Food & Water-Shelter-Loving Care-Mental Stimulation & Growth-Emotional Support-

Feather Finds the Sun

 In this stitching community...the spiral is to symbolize either spiraling down towards the warmth of the sun or up and away from too much heat.  It's a circling around, a gathering...an open-ended movement...

 These are some of the ideas associated with the spiral found on the web:

 "Ancient symbol of the goddess, the womb, fertility, feminine serpent force, continual change, and the evolution of the universe."
From  radio liberty

"Balance, Progress, Direction, Initiation, Centering, Expanding, Awareness, Connection, Journeying, Development."
From  What's Your Sign?

" Celtic artists used the spiral symbol as a mind-altering creative process in which the act of creating a spiral in their work released their minds into a creative splendor."
From  What's Your Sign?

 "Represents ethereal energy radiating out (or inward depending on your perspective) Also symbolizes growth, birth and expansion of consciousness."
 From What's Your Sign?

In terms of astrology, mysticism and myth the spiral translates into meanings of spirituality and rebirth.In terms of spirituality, the spiral symbol represents the path leading from outer consciousness (materialism, external awareness, ego, outward perception) to the inner soul (enlightenment, unseen essence, nirvana, cosmic awareness).
From Symbolic Meanings Blog by Avia Venefica

The spiral is one of the oldest pagan symbols in existence. It represents the perpetual motion of life, with the spring-like coils suggesting latent power, presenting a picture of life as an endless, evolutionary process bound within the cycles of time. Although each loop of the spiral brings us back to the same place, it takes us to a higher and more evolved level.
From  Exotic India Art

So many of the ideas, in particular the single words themselves really spoke to me.  But, I have to say I didn't do this mini-research until after the feather and spiral were already spinning and winging their way to Jude!  Although, I may have to use some more spirals in upcoming work!!!  I designed it by intuition, by gut, by artistic flow.
However, I did make 'design' choices inspired by what I wanted to communicate.
I chose the 'magic feather' in Jude's traditional style of black and white because I wanted this first (or only?) feather to be a representation of Jude's generosity and the spirit of the Magic Feather Project.  I loved how striking it looked on the bright orange fabric!  When I went to add the spiral, I decided to keep the feel of the magic thread, but mute the color, so the focus would remain on the feather itself...and sort of float off into the spiral.

Thank you Jude for the opportunity to participate in such a worthy project.  Not only is the chosen cause of the nurturing & education of children close to my heart, but I was fortunate to share this experience with my grandson.  For this, I am grateful.

Photos by NAE @pomegranatetrail ©2011

Update # 3 - Completion

Well the little cloth is close to completed.

A backing of an old flannel shirt of mine has been added.

The edges are being sewn with a snug blanket stitch.
He chooses blue, a favorite color of his.

He caught on to this stitch just as quickly as the others, but his interest comes and goes.

It must be that whole appearing and disappearing thing that Jude keeps talking about!  Ha!

He calls this cloth "cat ears" and it fits right in his pocket.
He has actively done each step to create this cloth...all by himself.
I help at the very end finishing the blanket stitch.
We are both proud!
Photos by NAE @pomegranatetrail ©2011

He cuts off the white triangle

Old flannel shirt on back

He does several of the blanket stitches

Update #2 - Stitching - Traditions - Maps

Family traditions counter alienation and confusion. 

They help us define who we are; 

they provide something steady, reliable and safe in a confusing world.

Susan Lieberman

It looks like a map to us, a trail of sorts

 The invisible baste has been completed.  He still wants to cut out the white triangle, to make 'cat ears'.  I am unsure if he will add any more stitches to this cloth.  But, it has already worked a bit of magic as he wrapped it around the throbbing fingers
he accidentally closed in the bathroom door.  Ouch!
"It is really soft" he claims as he cradles his hurt hand in the other one.

My walking map

How many times makes a tradition?  Can it be just a couple of times if the memories are strong enough?  Can it be spread over years, sprinkled here and there?  Can a tradition pop up unexpectedly, sort of after the fact?  And then you say in surprise, "Oh ya, we have been doing that!"  Or you say,  "Well look at that, we all like doing this or that!"  Or maybe the tradition comes on slowly after you notice a comfortable sameness, a certain pattern.  Then you proclaim, "Let's keep doing this!  Let's make it our tradition!"
It seems my immediate family has some sort of connection to maps!

On the way to preschool - Map by my daughter, aged 3

I once wrote a question on the interactive white board in my classroom.  It was early fall and my question focused on Traditions.  
What traditions do you and your family share during the fall and winter seasons?
One mother claimed that her family had no specific traditions.  This led to a wonderful rich conversation defining what traditions may be and then expanding on that definition even more.  She came back to me months later and spoke of what her family does to celebrate the winter holidays.  She came back to me years later and mentioned that she still thought of our conversation.  I basked in our ongoing connection.  Posting that question each fall became a classroom tradition!

My son decorates with maps!

“Tradition is the handing down orally of stories, beliefs, and

customs from generation to generation.”

“Traditions can be adapted from familiar comfortable patterns. 

Traditions don’t have to be old.”

“Traditions provide stability and help us focus on what is important.”

-Origin Unknown, Shared by a dear friend

 What traditions do you share with family and friends?

Photos by NAE @pomegranatetrail ©2011

Tea and Cabbage

Place tea and fabric in glass canning jars.

Place purple cabbage and fabric in the dye pot.

Add water.

Leave in sun for as long as you can stand to wait, to see the mold begin to grow, to smell that cabbage as you pass by!  (It was well over a week - I'm not patient with this)

These have not been rinsed, washed or anything except a slight rinse with the hose and hung on the line to dry in the hot sun.

They've been forgotten out on the line for two days.

We'll see what happens next.  

They may be used on the MD cloth, that is if I can get the smell out!
Photos by NAE @pomegranatetrail ©2011

Update

He is sewing, stitching...bit by bit...

The 'front' ...two down, one to go

The 'back'

There is one more triangle to baste.  He is proud of his work.  When I wasn't paying attention, he taught himself to thread the needle.  He likes how the two trails connect.  So do I!!!  I wonder what will happen next with this little cloth!

Photos by NAE @pomegranatetrail ©2011

His Hands

He came for a visit.

We talked about making a 'pocket cloth'.

He showed interest right away.

He squished up different sizes to see how small it should be 

to fit in his pocket.

In my studio, he's offered fabrics to choose from.

Interest begins to fade.

This was like pulling teeth!  And believe me, even his loose tooth didn't 

come out - it was tough!!!  

After looking at bags and bags of fabric, he chose 3!  

No More.  Just 3.

I explain the "Magic Stitch"  ... "Invisible Baste" ..."Glue Stitch"

His big eyes expand in huge circles of wonder and amazement!

We doodle his design (his is the large square, mine is the small square).

It's tricky to figure out how to make it using the three fabrics he chose 

and the triangle shape he wants.

I explain about the 4th space on the white fabric.

He comes up with a solution to cut away the last triangle 

of white backing fabric, stating that it looks like a cat, like ears.  

Yep, I see that!

He draws a dotted line to symbolize where we will cut.

He makes symbols for the arrowhead and leaf fabric.

And puts a "f" for the feather fabric.

"I can't draw feathers", he says.

As we problem solve how to cut the triangles to have them fit on the white square,

he comes up with a new quote (see top of page in photo above).

I quite agree!

He claims that if we stack the fabric together 

we can cut all three triangles at once.

Right again.

He does this plan, freehand, eyeballing the size.

He tries them out on the white square and two fit fine, one does not.

I explain that the feather fabric needs to be reversed to help it fit 

and we do that.

It works.

So we cut a new triangle from the feather fabric and it fits fine.

Now it's time to learn the Magic Stitch.

I show him how to do the Invisible Baste stitch.

He takes to it like a fish to water!

He loves that it cannot be seen on the front!  Now that's exciting!

His hands are cautious and gentle, but sure.

He works with a certain strong focus.

Can you see his long stitches on the back?

He's really good at this!  He attaches the feather fabric and is ready for a break.

Because, after all he'd really rather play grandpa's guitar...or most of all play his DSI game.

He is 8 years old.  He is my grandson!

He likes trying out the pick and the glass slide!

"Can I play my DSI?"

Photos by NAE @pomegranatetrail ©2011