THANK YOU all so much for your supportive and kind comments on my last post. I especially want to thank those of you who are no-reply and I couldn't thank personally. I really, really appreciate all your kindness. I'm doing a little better now. It helps just to know you're not alone, you know? Plus, one of my committees had its last meeting (over Zoom, ugh) and another one is finished this week, so that helps a lot. Plus the semester will be over in just three weeks, and I'm starting to see the light at the end of that tunnel. I'm pretty sure it's not a train, too!
Some of you suggested just stitching anything mindless, and I've finally come to the realization that that is the best possible advice. It's like my classes-- I had to throw out what I had planned and make a new plan. My new plan involved those bright batiks I showed last time, an easy, easy block, and a few hours of fairly mindless stitching. This is what that looks like so far:
Yahoo, some fun churn dashes! True fact: I am not fond of churn dashes, but I love how they look on point. I went back and forth between churn dash and shoo fly, because they look really similar to me when they're on point. So I guess that will be the layout, don't you think? That green one reminds me so much of a watermelon rind that my mouth is watering. Gosh, I hope we get to have watermelon this year.
So far I've made about a dozen of these babies:
I feel like I can get maybe 8 out of each fat quarter, which would make a decent-sized quilt top. I didn't measure or calculate, but these are 6-inch blocks. Right now I'm just happy that they're actually turning out to be cute blocks in happy colors. It's literally the most I can do right now.
For just a bit more mindless sewing, I'm planning something using this box of fun squares:
along with these blocks:
Yep, that was an RSC project, but I need the mindless sewing more than an RSC project. We'll see what happens.
Again, thanks for the support, everyone. It meant so much to me and got me through a hard week. I hope you're all staying healthy, and that you're making it through the quarantine okay. And if your hair is screaming "everyone stay six feet away," you are definitely not alone. Good thing I won't use my fabric scissors for anything else, isn't it?
17 comments:
Haha! Yep, don’t you dare use those fabric scissors on your hair! There are probably lots of us taking drastic hairy measures, LOL. I’m pulling mine up (the better to show off my double chin. yuk!) Your churn dashes are so bright and happy. How could they not cheer anyone up? I’m glad some of your more tedious activities are ending soon. Simple is better during these times! Hang in there!
Well, thankfully my hair was short when this all began, so it can grow and I'll be fine. Might look a bit crazy, but I can handle it. My husband's hair, on the other hand, might be the issue. I haven't cut his hair in years. Yikes. Love your churn dashes! They are the perfect mindless project, and yours are so bright and happy. So good that your semester end is not far off, and that things are beginning to wind down in that respect. I'm off to the grocery store this morning - ugh. Will definitely need some quilting therapy after that!
So happy to hear that you are better this week!
The churn dash blocks are so bright and cheery...definitely good for the soul! :)
a lot of times I have trimmed the top of my hair with a pair of "thinning" scissors and it has worked for me and I always trim my bangs myself because hair salon people always cut them to short to my liking. My hair is in layers - I might grow it out a bit to see if I like it longer but my hair is very fine and won't look good in a pony tail because it is not thick in the least and very hard to even secure up in a barrette. I dye my hair frequently as it fades fast because I am covering up mostly white and gray hair - maybe it is time to see what that will look like and start trimming my hair every month myself and growing it out - we will see but I think social distancing will be going on for awhile - I'm not sure what that will do for hair salon's maybe reopen by appointment only and allow only a certain amount of people in the shops at a time - I don't know but I'm not going to worry about it right now
Hair - DH and younger son use close clippers so they're just fine. Mine will just grow - it's short and will be unruly for a bit and then settle down for the long haul. My stylist was off nearly 3 months with her last baby (long story) and I survived that length of time so I'm comfortable with knowing I can handle this. SO glad to hear that you're feeling less down this week. It comes and goes here - rainy days are harder than sunny ones. And when all else fails, we get in the car and drive about for 20 minutes or so and then pull back into the garage. Amazing how that helps (tulips are blooming we discovered last night).
The churn dash blocks are very spring-like and cheery. I have shoulder length hair, so I've had to cut my bangs, but otherwise, I'll just wait it out. Hopefully you are able to get out for some walking. Being out in nature seems to help.
Pat
I am a huge huge fan of churn dashes - so thank you for making pretty things for me to see!! ( and now I want to make some with batiks!!) Love the happy colors!!
Yes, I really need a haircut, but no, I haven't tried it myself... yet! :) I love your churn dashes in the bright, happy batiks! They look like the perfect project for right now. Glad your school year is getting close to being over. I'm sure many teachers are feeling the same way!
My DH cut my hair and it isn't half bad! I've paid for worse cuts :) Fun churns in bright colors seems like a very fine way to occupy your mind. I'm definitely doing mindless sewing lately. Right now I'm sewing 600 3" squares into a top. Yup, the most basic patchwork.
What is the difference between a Churn Dash and Shoo Fly block? I always thought they were the same!
I love the simplicity of the churn dash blocks! When we were first married I found a job, asked one of my superiors where she got her hair cut, said she did it herself. I have mostly been my own hair dresser since. Short and layered, but right now growing out the front so can have longer hair again for a while. With this isolation I can have ugly hair (as it grows through awkward stages) and come out a winner! Lots of you tube videos on how to!
So good to see you on top of the hill. Yes my hair is annoying too. Mindless sewing is good.
Hi there - I have been remiss in reading blogs and missed a few of your posts. Hang in there Mari - it will get better. There is just nothing that feels normal right now and it is really unsettling. Yuk. Alice turned five weeks today and I haven't seen her yet - Yuk again. But such is life these days.
Love the churn dash squares - bright color is just what the doctor ordered for now. Also some sort of bandana over the hair. My hair is so curly and it is getting out. of. control. It has never in my 59 years been this long and wild and it takes a ton of product to tame it each day. Humorous really - plus no one sees it so it doesn't matter. Give Julia and Ray something to smile about when I get up in the morning and it is just crazy.
Miss you Mari. :-)
I watched this video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_E4DIf82a3w and I asked my son if he would watch it and we could cut each other's hair. We were in a local box store shopping for Easter stuff for his daughter so I went to see if they had thinning shears. Not only did they not have the shears, the clipper shelf was almost empty. There were only 3 boxes of shears on the shelves. I honestly had a feeling of not being alone. Everyone else must feel the need to cut their own hair
I also finished all of the blocks for a Christmas quilt while working at home in between emails and phone calls. Yeah!!!
Mari, I identify with so many of the feelings you shared in your last post—although I don’t have the added cares you have with your students. I hope you have a good support system for all of you. I’m glad to see that you are sewing some items with happy colors. Those churn dashes on point are delightful. They make the block look lighter somehow than when it’s on the flat side. The RSC blocks are so pretty, too. The simple design makes the colors shine. The whole hair thing is interesting, isn’t it? I keep thinking of how people kept their hair in the “olden” days. I grew my bangs out over the past year because it makes it easier to do my hair with my wonky shoulder. That has turned out to be helpful now. I missed a haircut in January due to illness, so I guess now I’m revisiting long hair from my youth. I’ve not had it cut since November! I’ve entertained thoughts of trying to transition to shampooless hair since I could go through the yucky stages without anyone seeing (except hubby, but our standards have fallen anyway), but I can’t quite bring myself to do it. So here’s something weird: I enjoy peeking at the interiors of the homes of news commentators on TV right now as they work remotely, and now I’m also noticing the changes in their hair as they style it themselves, grow it out, and in some cases revert to their natural colors. It makes them seem more real. So, keep it real, stay safe, stay well, and stay quilting!
SEW glad to hear that you found a bright spot in "Coronaville", Mari!!
My hairdresser actually tracked me down on Fb to ask me not to cut my hair. I won't myself, that would be a car crash. But I might get my fastidious husband to carefully trim around my ears with nail scissors. Hopefully trim the hair not the ears! Thankfully I got my hair cut short just before, and all my colour has grown out, naturally grey now. Happy for small mercies!
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