Spring WIPs

this is the time of year I start making a LOT of messes 0:-)

One of the beauties of writing a monthly dispatch is that I can look back through them and notice themes. You’d think by now I’d know that February is fraught (cue cold and flu season!), and even though I love winter, I do eventually get desperate to open the windows and let some fresh air in.

march is for making messes

By March, I’m compelled to pull out our “Seasonal Clean Checklist”, but then I inevitably become daunted by it. The clean involves taking everything out of every drawer, then cleaning and organizing inside. It takes a while, but we find that it’s worth it, and we’re getting more efficient as the years go on. This fact doesn’t make it any less irritating to me, though. Spring stirs something up in me, and I feel an urgency to have Made The House Nice By Now! Why don’t we have curtains, or good light fixtures, or a nice big rug, should we paint things?? I struggle to know where to start.

So I write it all down. I end up repeating myself in lists— in my Notes App, in Notion, on whiteboards. It is, admittedly, an inefficient process but I find (at least in hindsight) I do make progress on the good ideas (albeit slower than I’d like). I flounder around for a few days weeks, but crucially I keep working on a familiar project — a sock, a patchwork, something that gives me a sense of purpose and outcome, that doesn’t require me to make any big decisions or go out and buy materials or tools. This is what keeps me from going (fully) off the rails.

By now, I’ve abandoned some projects, and completed others that initially daunted me. I’ve picked up projects that have been half-baked for years and swiftly completed them. I’ve started seeds with a hopeful heart. I’ve opened the windows to let in the (still frigid) air. I’ve danced around the kitchen while I put the dishes away and noticed that we have, in fact, made some progress.

If only I could remember this each year…

what I’m working on

I’m taking an upholstery class! I’m working on this Victorian chair that they had on hand at the arts center. The plan is to cover it in a pink velvet (ooh la la), but there are many steps before the final fabric is applied. I’m having a great time — upholstery feels like it shares vocabulary with other textile work (for example, some weaving and blanket stitching), but it’s more architectural. Also, have you ever just seen the guts of a chair? Blew my mind!

L: Day one with my chair, after I took all the staples holding the old webbing in. R: one month of classes later, my chair with her “underwear” on! :,)

I’m learning intarsia. I initially started with this Degen vest, but could not for the life of me figure it out (advice/help very much welcome!!). Instead, I’m working on this bonnet for a friend and it has been such a balm to work on :)

The little swan!! It reminded me of a dear friend I sing with. I’m using some black yarn I got at Swansons years ago, and two pink yarns I naturally dyed years ago with avocado (light pink), and madder root (dark pink). :)

My redwork embroidery obsession continues. These doodles (heavily inspired by a journal I have from Middle Dune) symbolize luck, progress, silliness, and grit. They’re destined for a journal cover.

rainbow courtesy of our window light catcher

I made this scrappy cover for a $7.99 photo album to fill with 4x6 pictures from our wedding. Someday I’d like to print fancy framed pictures, but for now, this felt like a good step.

I’ve been avoiding working on these socks for over a year, perhaps my deepest affliction of Second Sock Syndrome yet, but on a flight where I ran out of other projects, I finally got down to business. I’ve been daydreaming about the frilly purple with my orange clogs for well over a year but then we found these $5.99 fish sandals at the thrift and maybe that was their true calling.

I found this backpack 10 years ago at the tip (the dump) in Hobart. It’s had a hole in the side for years that I’ve managed with tape/safety pins/weird little patches. I finally decided to patch it correctly by replacing the panel that busted. I used Baggu fabric from a tent we had that broke a couple of years ago. I also made my own Baggu-style bag out of the same fabric using this video tutorial as a guide (though I skipped the stuff pocket because I never use the stuff sack anyway).

Josh and I found this incredible stack of antique embroidery at the Sturbridge Textile Show in 2023. The hand of whoever made this was so uncanny, so funny, so bizarre. It’s been in a closet this whole time because it felt too precious to mess up. But while I was sick last month I spent a lot of time thinking about household improvements and suddenly I thought — what about those as a curtain?! So I got to work sewing them together with scraps from our talented friend, Chinatsu’s, indigo work. These “squares” were so wonky that the project ended up being an exercise in accepting inaccurate seams (and at some point, even relishing the opportunity to say ‘who cares?! there’s no use lining it up anyway!’ 😈 ).

Can you believe that little crying infant one?! Amazing. Every time I look at this, I find a new favorite.

Is Spring like this for you, as well? A bit complex — the energy kind of stop/start (indeed, the weather is!), full of bursts of energy followed by overwhelm/big feelings? I’d love to know whether you notice these seasonal patterns, too!

reading

I’ve been dying to share my reading list from the last few months, because I’ve particularly enjoyed most of these titles! Let me know if you end up reading any of these :)

A Language of Limbs - Dylin Hardcastle — This book rearranged my insides. After it was over, I had that reading-induced-euphoria that makes you excited to be alive so you can read more books, you know? It’s heart-breaking subject matter (AIDS), but so full of love and hope and resilience. Cannot recommend it strongly enough, especially if you have any ties to the Sydney area. Related, heart-achingly beautiful material, When We All Get To Heaven is a stunning podcast about queer resilience and faith.

Middle Spoon - Alejandro Varela — The blurb called out to me (queer, poly parenthood?!), but it wasn’t super memorable for me.

Winter Solstice - Rosamund Pilcher — I’m pretty sure I checked this out from the library because I was looking for some solstice-themed writing. This is very loosely solstice-themed (ie it is set in winter, lol), but I loved this! A story where you learn about a bunch of seemingly disparate characters who end up having an impact on each other’s lives. Quite long, very fun. Get it on your library holds now so you can read it next winter ;)

Patchwork - Maddie Ballard — My mom got me this book of short stories & boy, does she know me! This is a perfect little book for the sewist/maker in your life.

Make My Wish Come True - Cheesy but sweet. I didn’t love this… until I read the acknowledgements and realized it was written by wives who were newly postpartum while writing this. I take it all back!! You’re heroes.

Bog Queen - Anna North — OH MY GOSH. I picked this book up at our local shop because of its jacket and an affinity for bogs (lol). A real treat, I loved it.

That’s all for now — back to all my little messes with a deep breath and a reminder (to self) that we are, indeed, making progress. <3