A good day

Hello all. I've had a nice day, with a variety of activities. I even managed to finish House of Cards and take a nap.

I've decided to call these needle cases instead of pinkeeps. They are really better suited to the task of storing needles and, not incidentally, pinkeep is not actually a word. 

TWO NEEDLES CASES MADE FROM RECYCLED WOOL SWEATERS

More progress on Family Picnic. I am such a slow stitcher. But I'm liking this piece quite a bit.

As I write this, something is "cooking" in the kitchen. Do you like how I rigged a steamer?

Nite Nite

Family Picnic

Having fun with this one today. Calling it Family Picnic because it's related to the other two.

It's almost 2am. Charlie and I say, Nite Nite.

Stitched? Yes. Complete? I don't know

I'm not sure if this little quilt is complete or not. It might be. But I kind of wonder if I ought to do something with the border. Add stitching to it? Or maybe add tiny buttons? I don't know.

I feel antsy about wanting to show it to you, even if I do alter it some more. 

I think of it as the cousin of Secret Dreams, if you remember that one. It uses many of the same textiles, so it's "related." 

I do love all the stitches. There is some internal, soulful, magical feeling that I associate with viewing a field of stitches. Not fancy work, not precise and perfect embroidery. Those are fine things, but what absolutely grabs me is something less orchestrated and certainly less "perfect" in the sense that most people intend that word.

It is when I see a field of irregular seed stitches, or the slightly askew lines of running stitches on the glorious Quilts of Gee's Bend, or a lovingly stitched piece of boro that I feel a sense of heightened appreciation, a desire which is visceral and cannot be clearly explained.

To make a spoon

I thought I'd make a spoon. I dreamed of being able to make a spoon like this hand carved birch root spoon, made by Aaron Clapp (I spotted it at his Etsy shop, NHwoodcraft).

PHOTO: AARON CLAPP

Alex Keilty said he'd help me get started, not with a root, but with a nice piece of green wood. He made the first rough cuts with his axe. 

Look at the beautiful silver inlay on this knife made for Alex by a talented friend.

After my first carving session, I kept my spoon in water so it would stay soft and easy to work.

Charlie was intrigued.

I really didn't get very far with my carving. Too many other things I wanted to do more than I wanted to carve. 

I've removed the spoon from the water and I've allowed it to dry. Maybe I'll work on it with my Dremel someday.

It has a long way to go before it becomes a real spoon!

The big glass container is back to being a candle holder.

Now it's Puddle's turn to be intrigued.

PHOTO: ADELINE JESSICA CRITES-MOORE

“I always carry a spoon in my pocket. You know, just in case it rains.”
— Jarod Kintz