2013 Sewing and Hope

Hi readers.    I am here, well and sewing.    I am stronger now than I was even in October when I drove myself to Louise Cutting and Linda Lee's October Sewing Retreat in Winter Park Florida.   There's a shadow of the past couple years every time I realize that I am doing something that I could not do.   More good news - in mid-December my doctor at Johns Hopkins decided that due to my continued progress and stability I could begin to taper down the immune suppressant I take.   This will take 18 months to taper off and we are hopeful that this is over and it won't recur.    

I've been busy since Florida and then SC in October before coming back to Asheville.  I had a great time at the retreat/workshop, met some talented and very nice sewing friends,  and was inspired to create and sew when I returned.   I have been sewing since but have been too tired or complacent at the end of the day to blog about it.    I'm not a competitive sewer - I just sew to please myself.    I'm not into how fast or how many I can turn out.  I spend a lot more time planning than sewing.  I enjoy the journey and the results, so I take my time and finish what I start before starting another project.   I am not an impulse buyer of fabrics or clothes or anything else.   It has to be interesting/unique and fit or work with something else I already have.  I don't buy something because it's a great sale or because somebody else has one and I've just got to have one too.    

I know you like to see the finished garments, how I style them, and how they look on a real person.   So from time to time I posted photos of various things I've sewn and worn with existing garments/coordinates on the Flickr photostream.  I hope you've enjoyed my photos even though I didn't blog about them.  I'll pull together some outfits of more of the new pieces and post soon.

Thanks to each of you who checked in on me from time to time and/or commented here.   I wish you all good health and productive sewing experiences throughout this new year.   I look forward to spring and the sewing expos when I get to see and visit with friends and teachers again.