Stitched Selfie

I stitched this selfie on a block for a group quilt.  Can't wait to see the others! Guess I will have to wait for next year!  Happy New Year, Friends!  Jessica Pearl

Christmas Blessings!

We had planned a family holiday weekend in Savannah but the stomach flu hit me!  Even So, thankful for the blessings of family togetherness!  Emily Jane prepared meals and all 3 kids struck out on numerous joy filled store errands as needed and we all 5 watched movies and we laughed together.  I was well taken care of and happily restored to health!  I added finishing touches to this holiday window yesterday morning. I recounted all of my blessings, paint brush in hand.  All in all, the weekend may not have been exactly what we wanted yet everything we needed! I pray that you and yours find blissful provision in this Season of Love!  Merry Christmas!  Jessica Pearl

See and Sew

I hesitate calling this garment an apron because I will be wearing this one, out and about with leggings!  Hence, I am calling it a tunic wrap!  This tunic wrap was made with Denyse Scmidt and Michael Miller fabrics, using See and Sew pattern B5274, view A.  It's a wrap!  Jessica Pearl

Sew Santa, Sew!

What a great Saturday at O'Toole's Herb Farm in Madison today.  I made this Santa with handmade remnants and sewing notions in artist, Janet Moses studio.  Janet is a most gracious hostess and teacher.  This Santa will live in my sewing room 365!  He is just too fine for attic storage!  He will remind me of this blessed

day of Holiday fun and fellowship.  Sew Santa Sew!  Jessica Pearl

Betsy is Having a Baby!

Betsy was our babysitter when our 3 children were small now she is having her own baby boy.    I am so excited for her and I have hopes and prayers sewn in this wee quilt.  Maybe Betsy will be comforted by its softness in the early days of sleep deprivation.  Maybe her baby boy will drag it around the house by a loop as he learns to walk.  I hope that as a toddler he runs his matchbox cars over it and sugar cookie crumbs fall on it and he naps better if he holds it close.  You will be a wonderful Mother,  Betsy.  I do not hope so, I know so!  Maybe I can babysit?  Quilty hugs!  Jessica Pearl

Many thanks to Serena for the fine fox, the finest in the forest!  Your gift has made my gift extra special!

Things That Keep Me Warm!

It is very cold,very early here in the sunny state of Florida.  Keeping me warm:

1) Happy mail from Serena of blog, Sew Giving!  Just look at this fine fox from down under and the sweet patches!  Love!!!!  Thanks and warm hugs,Serena!!!  Blog friends are the bomb diggity!!!

2) Sewing hand embroideried doilies as elbows patches on thrifted wool jacket.  Handmade adds warmth!

Now to sew a baby quilt with a foxy center! Sewing warmth! Jessica Pearl

Shoebox Finishes

I just cannot resist making a little handmade for the Shoeboxes we fill for Operation Christmas Child.  The girl box has a handmade doll blanket in her baby's shoebox cradle.  While the boy box has a handmade frog trying to escape!  The frog is a free tried and true pattern from the archives of Purl Soho.  I only pray that the children who receive these boxes experience part of the joy I had making them!  They are feel good Friday Finishes!  Jessica Pearl

Charmed

I went to the Goatfeathers Studio trunk show yesterday.  It was held at the annual Stephen Foster Quilt Show.  The Goat Sisters were a hoot and inspiration to boot!  I was inspired to make this multimedia necklace.                                  I  am really drawn to novelty of late.  I bagged a patchwork rhino at HomeGoods.  He was very lonely  when I brought him home.  I did not exactly know what to group him with.  After searching, I came up with a chalkboard on which I drew antlers and a pair of binoculars.                                           Now if I could just be inspired to address dust and dirty laundry.  Grime is just not very charming!  Jessica Pearl

Tempted by Tula

I have lots to do but I keep finding distractions!  Like Tula, block #6.  I wish I had chosen more contrast.  A good excuse to make another!  

Annual Library Book Sale, another rabbit hole!  I did find a nice stack of vintage crafty goodness for less than a dollar  each.

Recipe hunting calorie friendly meals.  I made skinny spaghetti last night with cabbage instead of pasta!  I liked it! 

I really must get to work.  Ta ta, Tula!  Jessica Pearl

Hello, my name is Pearl...

Bonnie Hunter is coming to our quilt guild retreat in March with a scrap rehab theme. Until then,

I am cutting scraps like a mad woman to prepare!  My name is Pearl and I am a scrapaholic. True dat!  Jessica  Pearl

Cutting fabric and calories!

Our quilt guild had a day sewing retreat at Stephen Foster State Park on the Suwannee River.  Fun!  However,  I did more cutting than sewing and some sitting on the river bank as well.  The weekend has included some thrift.  I patched this thrifted denim skirt with old embroidery and some scraps.  It is a tad snug as are more and more things in my closet!  I have hooked up with My Fitness Pal.  Lovely app!  Good thing, my fat quarters need trimming!!!

Jessica Pearl

Nights at Improv

Current obsession, improvisational quilts! I love that I can sew scraps as they are, random and happy!  Perfect activity after a long day at work. 

I stole away for some thrift therapy yesterday.  I found this floor lamp to brighten the area over Great Grandmother's treadle.  $5 for this 'chandelier on a stick' as I call it.  Whatever it's called I love it.   Rick rack, 70's embroidery transfers for denim and 40's paper dolls rounded out the haul!  

Scrappy, thrifty, happy!  Jessica Pearl

Back to School

We completed our first week of school in Suwannee County.  I really needed some stitch time to unwind this weekend. I made a baby quilt out of ginghams with a little chicken scratch kite embroidery. Very simple yet satisfying!   Embroidery sampler is close at hand for small moments of stolen stitches.  Hand Sewing is my sanity!  How about you?!  Keeping it together one stitch at a time!  Jessica Pearl

Mending

 Summer has flown by.  Adult children are returning one by one from internships, classes and summer jobs.  Our little family is reuniting for a trip to the mountains.  We will reconnect and restore ourselves for the start of a new school year. 

I quilted a mini this week.  I found the pattern in Quilty.  I love the representation of the polka dots that form letters of the Braille alphabet to say, "I love you".  I was inspired by our visit to Helen Keller's home earlier this summer.

Also, doing some mending and thinking how good it is to restore wholeness.  Looking forward to wholeness as a family.

 Mending!  Jessica Pearl

Lessons

One of my goals for the summer was to draft a pattern.  I have always sewn from store bought patterns and I have never made a muslin.  Well, I drafted a simple tunic pattern using my own measurements (agh!) and I set out to make a muslin.  The muslin is such a great learning experience!  My muslin taught me several things: 

1- I can transfer and sew darts!

2- I do not currently wear darts well!  My first clue should have come from my measurements.  Dimemsions that equal that of a beach ball require no accentuating!  'Nough said! 

3- There is much joy in the process!

4- Even when the product is far less than perfect, a good pressing covers a multitude of sins from fiddley dee seams.

5- Add a big ole homespun pocket to an imperfect muslin dress.  And voila!  Happy house dress!

Always learning!  Jessica Pearl

Out of the Hoop!

This wonky cross quilt is complete!  Hand quilted and finally out of the hoop!  The bracelet I made from thrift, vintage buttons with shanks that are threaded on 1/8 inch elastic and tied. I scored the dress patterns from the share table at our quilt guild meeting.  I love the new and the old and the new from the old!  Having fun!  Jessica Pearl

Apronology

Saturday afternoon, Mother and I visited royalty in her kitchen. By invitation of The Cupcake Queen, also known as Rita Mae and her court of critters.  Before us on her kitchen counter was a box of aprons stitched by Rita's Mother and Grandmother.  One by one, my Mother and I lifted each apron from the box to exhalt its unique handmade qualities.  Sixteen works in all of hand and heart.   Hard working art pieces.  Rita graciously gifted them all to me!  I am in awe of the beauty wrought and worn and worked some more by Rita's ancestors.   I am tying one on this morn in hopes my work today maybe influenced by their gracious labors.  Cheers to all labors of love!  Jessica Pearl

A Paper Anniversary

Friday, July 11 was my one year Blogiversary.  One year of blogging, a paper anniversary.  The thing that strikes me most as I look over the past year of blogging is the extreme kindnesses and generosity of this community.  You share yourselves, your creative processes, your blogging techniques, everything!

I was at an author's speaking engagement yesterday.  A very likable and energetic writer of fiction.  I enjoy her books and her talk.  But I was very saddened by a statement she made about not allowing her older books to be free downloads on Amazon.  She said that she felt that sharing her creative work for free would diminish her work and value as an author. While I respect her view,  I couldn't disagree more.  I think creative work is enhanced in the sharing.  For example Alabama Chanin, Natalie Chanin has made her design aesthetic available to the masses through free content on her blog as well as books and DIY kits.   I believe that sharing always shapes our lives for the better.  I see it throughout my varying experiences of community.  I met unexpectedly with friends of my quilt guild yesterday.  Lunch and a lesson on making a crochet necklace spontaneously followed the encounter at JoAnn's (thanks Gay, Ramona and Melba!)

In much the same way, sharing is a way of life in this blogging community.  You have shaped my life for the better.  My paper airplane launched!  Thanks Friends!  Jessica Pearl

Coming Home

Coming home is even sweeter when the DIY order from Alabama Chanin beats me to my front door!  Poncho kit is navy blue with an outer layer of forest green.  Yes,  my Mother is smiling because  I said,'forest green'!!!  The Anna's Garden stencil is so stunning.  The dark on dark stitches up into a texture feast for the eyes.  I am at once, excited and scared.  With sweaty palms and shaking needle, Jessica Pearl

Camplanta

John and I are in Atlanta this week.  He has IT boot camp, serious stuff that pays the bills.  And I have Camplanta which is just fun!  I explore Atlanta during the day and craft during rush hour traffic and the evening hours.  Thanks to Creativebug and my IT Guy, I am learning to crochet with Cal (hodgepodge), loving the thread with Natalie (Alabama Chanin) and embroidering with Rebecca (dropcloth).  Greetings from Camplanta!  Jessica Pearl
Pictured- 1 single crochet practice. 2 cotton knotted necklace and bracelet-  Natalie calls the knots, 'pearls', love that! 3 filled running stitches.

The Destination Looks Like Heaven!

On vacation in the land of Alabama Chanin.  I am here to tell you that the place is move in ready!  The cafe, the factory, the inspiration, I did not want to leave!  Luckily, they are shipping a kit assembled while visiting for a poncho to my home in a couple of weeks.  I picked up some scraps of organic cotton just to hold me over until that happy mail arrives!  Posting a few pics of thrift and stitches just to verify that I am still breathing!  On the road!  Jessica Pearl

Care Packages

Yesterday I assembled care packages for all 3 of our children turned adults.  I saw a quilting friend at the post office and she asked if I was mailing quilts.  Unfortunately, not!  But if love can travel in random pieces of 'things that make me think of you' than at least our 3 will know they are missed and cherished beyond measure!  On the sewing front this week, a quilt block and a thrifted linen dress turned crop top trimmed in yo-yo's.   It occurs to me that life is a care package to open and celebrate everyday!  Cheers!  Jessica Pearl