The Year 2014 is Dying

Today is a holiday, New Year’s Eve, and so Yoga Class has been cancelled today and tomorrow. I can see our instructor’s face in my mind, saying “You can resume your practice on your own…” with a “Hmmm?” question to hint around that she’ll be asking later if we did.

Yoga Studio Before

Our group yoga practice changed this past year. Although we went through a few changes, yoga has been pretty much a constant in my life. I try to attend a class every morning, if possible. Yoga has helped me cope in countless ways, as in relieving stress, stretching out those sore muscles, connecting with friends, exploring spirituality, healthy things, body and mind awareness.

Yoga Studio After

At one point late in the year, they pulled up the carpet in the classroom at the gym and replaced it with artificial wood. We’ve gone through a few changes with teachers, too. It’s all good.

Another constant in my life, church, will now change to a different time of day for Sunday meetings, as we switch morning and evening sessions with another congregation that meets in the same building.

I noticed that the last Sunday of 2014 we didn’t sing “Ring Out Wild Bells” like we usually do. I was happy 🙂 , because I’ve never really liked that hymn; it’s downright depressing. Decided to do a little research, and what to my wondering ears, there are loads of different versions of that song all over You-Tube. This is the version I’m used to. Now, if you feel like it, check out some of the many other versions on You-Tube. I especially like this one by Mike Shipione, and this one by the Crofts Family. I didn’t think these versions were depressing at all, so 🍸 here’s to the memory of the lyric writer Alfred, Lord Tennyson! Happy New Year!

Postscript: I spoke too soon, or someone read my post and sought to correct the missed opportunity to sing “Ring Out, Wild Bells” at church. We actually sang it twice, the first Sunday of 2015; once in church and again in the sisters’ class. So, it’s done!

For Me??? I Shouldn’t Have! :) and Weekly Photo Challenge: Warmth

I did a minuscule amount of holiday sewing, mostly for me. Why me?

1) I’m not offended getting a homemade gift 🙂
2) If I mess it up, I totally understand.
3) I, as giver, will not be hurt if I see that the givee (also me) has re-gifted the item to another person or institution.
4) I can chalk it up to experience.
5) I can chalk it up to having a bad day.
6) If it doesn’t fit, I can ask my daughter if she wants it. Also, she likes weird styles and things anyway.
7) If I’m going to spend a lot of time making something, at least I know I will appreciate that.

warm Star Trek fleece lap blanket

As you may know, I like to knit while watching TV at night. Of course I have other lap quilts and blankets, but this one, my gift to me, is special. Why special?

1) It’s fleece, very warm and fuzzy (my other usual TV-watching lap quilts aren’t fleece)
2) It has a TV show theme, ideal for…watching TV
3) I like to think it is the Original Star Trek. Actually, it obviously is the Star Trek animated series, which I like to think is based on the original Star Trek: William Shatner as Captain Kirk, Leonard Nimoy as Spock, etc. I love the new actors too…but the old school series shaped me into the adult I am.
4) It fits the area of me as curled up on the loveseat upon which I perch to watch TV and knit.
5) The fabric was a remnant, so 50% off the regular price.

Remnant Marcy Tilton top

Next is the remnant top I made for myself.

pattern

top

The pattern shows this Marcy Tilton Wearable Art top, three views, all made in a solid-color medium-stretch knit. My expectations from the pattern photo did not lead me to the top I created from this pattern. Why?

1) I used two remnants that have greater than medium-stretch quality. And for the neck band, I used a rib-knit, not a piece of the overall fabric. The two remnants I used have the same colors, but vastly different patterns. I wanted to make the fronts and backs half of each fabric, but I couldn’t because the back pattern pieces are longer than the front, and the fabric I used for the front wasn’t long enough.
2) The picture on the front of the pattern appeared to have the z-shaped seams lapped under. According to the directions, the seams are just sewn, leaving the edges on the top piece exposed to the elements. So after wearing, washing, etc., these unfinished seams will curl up. Also, according to the instructions, the neckband is only sewn on the bottom edge to the neck of the garment, leaving the top edge to fray, curl up, whatever. I didn’t like the look of it on my rib-knit band, so I sewed the top edge of the neckband down onto the bottom edge.
3) I do like the look on the pattern envelope, so I may decide to sew a solid-color top according to the directions some other time.

Meanwhile, other quirks I noticed with this pattern:

1) The directions tell you to glue the seams together with spray-on fusible adhesive prior to sewing or top-stitching. Why? It can’t be just to affix the seams together and keep them from moving while sewing, because you’re also directed to pin them together as well. And you’re still directed to stay-stitch the neckline, and to reinforce the shoulder seams by stitching them on top of a piece of tricot interfacing. I think the idea is that the knit fabric won’t stretch during sewing and therefore pucker, if it’s glued together.
2) I didn’t enjoy using the spray-on adhesive: it’s extremely messy and irritating to the skin around my fingernails when I’m trying to position the hems, etc. But I have to admit that the hems didn’t pucker, they stayed flat as could be, and I was able to use a nice top-stitch, and not the usually-called for serger cover-stitch hems. (Good because I hate to re-thread the serger).

gunky spray adhesive

Speaking of hand-made, my friend Aura is fabulous at making beaded jewelry. Here are some examples of earrings she has made recently:

Aura’s beaded earrings

Hope everyone is still basking in the light and warmth of happy holidays! For more Weekly Photo Challenge: Warmth ping here.

Weekly Photo Challenge: Yellow #3

I like the non-traditional winter holiday week theme of Yellow. This votive candle holder seems to cry out “pick me! pick me!” In which alternate universe are the Christmas cardinals yellow?

For more Weekly Photo Challenge: Yellow click here.

Weekly Photo Challenge: Yellow #2

the yellow tree in the neighborhood

Yesterday the leaves on this tree were a bright lemon yellow; today a little more orange-yellow. Tomorrow? If it’s like another tree in the neighborhood, they will soon turn crispy brown and fall off.

December in Central Florida. For more weekly photo challenge: yellow, click here.

Weekly Photo Challenge: Yellow

Getting ready for a Feliz Navidad celebration; looks like the predominant color of packaging for Mexican food items is yellow!

For more Weekly Photo Challenge: Yellow click here.

Weekly Photo Challenge: Twinkle

New and old twinkling together on the tree

Love the photo ornaments the grandkids give us! Next to the ancient ceramic Ms. Santa Claus ornament that must be at least 60 years old! It’s a miracle that one is still intact over all the years…

For more Photo Challenge: Twinkle, click here.

Weekly Photo Challenge: Gone but Not Forgotten

Hope you have a happy Christmas in Paradise, Mom!

For more Weekly Photo Challenge: Gone/Not Forgotten click here.

December De-stress If You Can

I won a contest around Halloween, which resulted in my opportunity to get a session with a personal trainer at the gym for half-price. Never mind that I don’t remember entering the contest… I was intrigued, so I accepted the prize.

Yesterday I met with the personal trainer. At the gym where I go, a session with a personal trainer normally costs $70. That’s a lot of money to pay someone who is supposed to help you meet your goals of — just what are your goals, by the way? To lose weight, to become more flexible, to get physically fit? Or do you have to pay someone to carry on a conversation about and act interested in your health, like you do the doctor or physician’s assistant? Because they will make you sign a waiver that says you realize they are not a doctor and that they cannot diagnose anything.

To be honest, I’ve been so busy I don’t remember much of the session. Just that she wanted to see my range of motion so she had me goose-stepping all over the gym in a pair of old workout shoes that had round-bottom soles (remember Shape-ups?) because that’s the only pair of tennis shoes I could find in the closet. Me that morning, trying to get dressed in the dark: “Uh-oh, I’m meeting the personal trainer today, better find some real shoes to wear to yoga class…” and then I couldn’t find a pair of real shoes… Ironic that I found the Shape-up shoes, that temporary fad item: is that what the personal trainer is for me, just another fitness fad to induce me to work out? Whatever it was the personal trainer had me doing Thursday, it’s now Saturday and my sore, stove-up muscles are happy to hide, to cower, far from the gym.

The personal trainer was very impressed with the good state of my joints, which can only be due to years of doing yoga, even though I have arthritis and I’m not as flexible as I was in my younger days.

selfie in favorite Eco-Flow yoga shorts

Celebrating Cyber Monday score of my favorite yoga shorts on sale. I wish I could replicate this pair of yoga shorts in my own sewing room with the help of some sort of holiday DIY pixie dust.

Reading back over this, I apologize that it sounds so “me, me, me” oriented. But maybe I need to pay attention to myself more often. In this season of shopping, stress, and focus on the materialistic, I hope you find what helps you to feel at peace. What would do that for you? A massage? Get someone to watch the kids while you take a nap? A pair of shorts that are comfy when you’re working out? Give yourself a break.