Sunday, October 17, 2010

inspiration

I have always been inspired and grounded by the amazing women in my family. Most of them have had a career outside of the home while mastering the domestic arts. My womenfolk do not call attention to their gardening, baking, cooking, sewing, quilting, crocheting, canning, fruit preserves, entertaining, parenting, and writing of poetry, these acts are simply a natural part of daily life. I have been blessed by their skill and their attitude that making things from scratch or whole cloth is easy and rewarding. They seamlessly weave Martha Stewart grandeur into their family life. Their motivation is a mixture of family tradition, quality, economics, and geography (rural availability).

In August my family lost our matriarch and domestic goddess extraordinaire. Granny was very loved, young, and energetic - she worked 40 hours a week on her feet through her second chemo treatment. Her brief 5 month illness makes her absence seem absolutely impossible.

During one of our summer visits Granny held my most recent crafts projects in her hands. this has made the next project difficult to start. I know that the best way to honor her and to carry on our domestic tradition is to try to live up to grace, humility, and universal talent at all things crafty.














Granny worked as a seamstress in a small town and ingeniously finessed mass-manufactured clothing to fit her neighbors, friends, and family. Over the years scores of prom gown clad teenagers paraded to her home to show off her master work. During one of our last visits she told me a story about one of her customer that brought in her teenager's new, very raggedy pair of jeans. The customer wanted a repair of the split seam at the ankle, but Granny spent hours patching ALL of the tears, cuts, and holes that were part of the original design!

Granny was the foundation and glue of our loud and obnoxious brood. I will miss her sense of easy humor, unwavering optimism, and kind advice. My mother often complains that sewing talent skips a generation. True or not I will accept the suggestion with honor. Thank you for everything, Granny!

My most recent projects
I made gifts for two sweet babies from adorable Michael Miller fabrics. The backs of both blankets are a colorful stripe, the front of one is made from an adorable bird fabric, and the other a great graphic bee fabric. I finished both blankets with pre-made brown satin blanket binding.




























I also made a polka dotted corduroy teddy bear to go with the bird blanket.

































I had no part in the bear's BEAUTIFUL home. (XOXO, sweet cousins)