If you do what you love, the money will follow...right?

January 22, 2024

100 Day Stitch Book

My DS and I are doing a 100-day stitch book stitch-a-long. I've been wanting to rebuild my handwork skills; it's been decades since I did a counted cross-stitch piece. Don't get me wrong, I still love knitting!

The idea behind the book is that you fill 20 pieces of fabric with stitching, roughly five days on each creation. When you're done, you sew them together and assemble the book through an ingenious tab and slot process. My pages are black linen, gray twill, and some pieces from a grey felted sweater. 


What am I going to fill them with? Well...

I have been thinking about sashiko stitching for a while. And I'm currently obsessed with embroidery on knits (like this book by Judit Gummlich). In my search today, I found a treasure-trove site called Sarah's Hand Embroidery Tutorials. 😍 

I am definitely going to do some of her projects in my stitch book. 

1. I think I'll start with this fun string art embroidery

2. A color wheel sampler. I'll probably do this one on the gray twill. Here are suggested DMC colors:

  • Red – 321
  • Vermilion – 947
  • Orange - 740
  • Amber – 972
  • Yellow – 307
  • Chartreuse Green – 704
  • Green – 905
  • Jade – 987 (986)
  • Blue – 796
  • Purple – 333
  • Violet – 209
  • Magenta – 915 (917)
3. A three-part sashiko lesson. I'll probably do this one on the black linen.


September 19, 2017

A new direction!

This is a time of huge changes in my life...
  • My "baby" Mia is off to college and so I have less day-to-day responsibility.
  • I have space for a creative studio in what is now Mia's / guest room.
  • I've started a new job, out of the classroom.
  • My teaching schedule is lighter since there are more folks working at the shop.
  • I'm trying to get clarity on what I want to do in the field of education...with whom,  in what context, and where in the world. 
Nikki's life is changing too...
  • Her twins are off to two different MIDDLE schools (OMG!) for the first time.
  • Vivian is rapidly getting ready for "school" too.
This fall I'm going to participate in something called the Innovator's Mindset MOOC (http://immooc.org/sign-up-for-the-innovatorsmindsetmooc/). I'll be blogging this here.

I'm also reading a book called Stamped from the Beginning: The Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America (National Book Award Winner) as part of a discussion group at work. We're thinking and talking about how we can make Montessori work for all students, especially those that seem to be part of a pernicious achievement gap. 

January 21, 2011

A work in progress...


Sam's Quilt. Fashioned after a Kaffe Fassett "Nona Quilt"
A friendly commission, one year later...



June 09, 2010

and some clothes for the girls


a lazy day skirt by Oliver & S, tutorial over here.
one of about 7 i have made. these are very easy and very cute.
and so fast, that you feel like a star, after about 20 minutes of labor!

one of two halter style dresses made using a favorite
dress as a pattern.

i have made some other things, shorts, more dresses, apron style
open back tops from vintage simplicity patterns, lots of fun, not a lot
of photography. hopefully i will get some pictures up soon!

June 06, 2010

more dollies and blankies for E & F




too bad i forgot to take a photo of the blankets unfolded...ahhh.