God Slows Me Down

Can't sleep...and even if I do...the dreams are WEIRD. Flu bug caught up with me - or some kind of bug - on Sat. morning real early. Has knocked me flat. God slowing me down, I do believe. Tomorrow, we'll move my mother from a nursing home (which has been wonderful - but it is still a nursing home) to a lovely assisted living home. I had such huge plans for really tending to every little detail of it all - but it's my prayer that I'll have the strength to do that Monday morning - in a few hours - so it looks like 'home' to her before we bring her in late afternoon.

Anyway...above is photo of the "Convertible Collar" version of my new CHOSEN pattern. This jacket is finished with facings at the neck and center front -pretty conventional. I do love those jumbo snaps that finish off the front though.

This is not working... 2:46 am. Might 'tweet' it and back to the bed - perhaps I can convince my brain to stitch up the other 2 jacket collections of stuff I have pulled together to completly test my directions...

Back in the Designing Saddle...

I haven't uploaded photos from today's design session yet, but it sure was good to get 'back in the saddle' on this pattern. Since last Thursday morning, I've been at my Dad's side as we took my mom to the hospital, and now into a nursing home. Alzheimer's is a very, very exhausting and challenging disease to live through with a loved one. I'm very grateful for online support groups!

My mind got to hit STOP on all those concerns and I reached a new level of being in touch with God's peace as I got back into designing and sewing today. Once again, I was in control...not Alzheimers, not the health system - which, by the way, I feel stinks EVEN MORE now that I've been thrown into the Medicare/Insurance maze with all this. Reform is needed, but more government??? Don't get me started! Anyway - bossing the fabric around was true therapy, and I'm sew grateful it is part of my life!

This delay - and the catching up on the full process of designing - photo-ing - writing - and now recording directions as well - has made it real to me that I can only include 3 collar designs on my new talking pattern: CHOSEN. For one reason, it is just getting too big - too long with these 3 designs already. For another reason - I'm running out of time now too - but that is as it was to be, I know. During late night non-sleeping hours, my mind has the other design in my head morphing into anohter pattern to honor my Mom - perhaps re-cycling some of her clothing that she won't need in the nursing home - or even perhaps scraps of something I've made for her over the years hidden in my stash.

Tough Week - Walking with Alzheimers

Wow - what an end to the week. Events occurred that necessitated taking the step
God was there - sending an angel named Liz to help us wade through these waters. God was there orchestrating all this occurring NOW, while I am still home before my fall travels start.
God was there placing Mom in a room with a perfect room-mate.
God was there transforming my Mom into a totally 'new' personality that we totally did NOT expect...with saying she 'died' the first night and came back. She seems very comfortable there and even said she was praying with other residents. I am well aware this new 'mood' for a woman who was very argumentative and angry with Alzheimers may not last - but, for now, we're very grateful.

Dad and I are both exhausted - mentally and physically.

But - God is good~!

Newest Jacket for CHOSEN pattern

It was a good day - though I can tell you I'd MUCH rather design and sew than get all the directions written down and spoken (for the new Talking Pattern concept!). I'll be on a roll taping into my computer and then along comes a train or a plane...
Grrrr.
Here is a photo of the jacket I finished up today. Not the 'official' photo - but what I have for now. This is the same design basically as the one from a few days ago with the sweater used for collar and cuffs, but I wanted to test and figure out using a woven fabric cut on the bias for the collar. It worked!



I have decided to take pre-orders on this new pattern - it should be available Sept. 23. Here is the link where you can do a pre-order: http://www.londas-sewing.com/Chosen--Londas-Talking-Pattern-p24600.html

Tonight I'm trying to figure out this Twitter stuff...

Figuring out Facebook

I'd much rather be designing and sewing - which I WILL get to again today - but before I forget - this Facebook thing - well, I've set up a page for my business and here it is: Become a Fan...I'd appreciate it!
Be a Fan of Londa's Creative Threads @ Facebook.com!


Sad thing - but when you're in business on the internet I'm told, and agree, that 'doing all this stuff' is NOT a choice.

Newest Creative Sweatshirt Jacket

I LOVE this collar! Achieved with 2 darts, it is an old sweater. Now I'm working on a version from a woven fabric as well. I make each design at least 2 times to write and test my directions...quite a process. Again and Again, I realize how VERY IMPORTANT a great stash of fabrics is to creative sewing. I hope YOU have one!

Finally decided what styles, and what fabrics the cover jackets (4) will be for
this pattern, Chosen. Sept. 7 is my deadline for all to the printer and computer whiz. Will be my first "Talking Pattern".

Can't wait to debut it!

Not My Tax Dollars to Fund Abortion!

I am staunchly PRO Life - as I have stated before.
I want to help get the facts out there about the current 'health care initiative' regarding abortion - and am pasting here below what I just got in an email from AUL; Americans United for Life:

"Perfect example: Planned Parenthood’s spin machine has issued a “Reality Check,” attacking what Richards says are “myths” spread by pro-lifers -- and twisting the truth so much it made my head feel like it was in a spin machine. I showed it to our legal team, and they responded with some masterful mythbusting of their own. Here’s their take on the abortion industry’s three biggest myths about health care reform:

MYTH: Pro-life groups want to strip reproductive health from health care reform.
Reality: Pro-life groups want to protect women’s reproductive health. And we do not want to deny women insurance coverage. However AUL, along with the vast majority of Americans, believes that “Real health care respects life!” No matter what Planned Parenthood says, abortion does not equal reproductive health. And health coverage should not include the destruction of unborn children. Furthermore, no one should be forced to violate their conscience by performing, referring for, paying for, or providing coverage for abortion. And make no mistake, that’s what the bills under consideration would do.

MYTH: The health care reform bills before Congress will not change the “status quo” regarding insurance coverage of abortion. Reality: An amendment added to H.R. 3200 permits the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to include abortion in the public health insurance plan, and requires abortion coverage if the Hyde amendment is ever reversed. The current Secretary of HHS, Kathleen Sebelius, is staunchly pro-abortion and would certainly include abortion, allowing for immediate federal funding of elective abortion coverage. The provision also requires that all areas of the country contain one private plan that covers abortion and permits taxpayer funding of private plans that cover elective abortion.

The Senate HELP bill delegates to a “Medical Advisory Committee” the role of deciding what benefits any private or public health care plan must offer. This Committee is expected to include abortion as a required minimum benefit. Further, based on court precedent, private plans would be forced by the government to include coverage of abortion -- this is a drastic change from the status quo in which private plans may elect to cover abortion and individuals may choose whether or not to purchase health insurance that offers coverage of abortion. Ironically, “pro-choice” activists are trying to take consumer choice out of health care.

MYTH: The health care reform bills before Congress do not mandate abortion coverage.
Reality: Both H.R. 3200 and the Senate HELP bill mandate abortion in several ways:

an amendment to H.R. 3200 permits and may require abortion coverage in the public health insurance plan, and permits taxpayer funding of private plans that cover elective abortion;
prior court holdings which state that abortion is included within several of Medicaid’s mandatory categories of care (inpatient services, outpatient services, and preventative care) will certainly apply to any federal statute revising Medicaid and involving health care reform, and;
the rejection of several key pro-life amendments in the House and Senate Committees, where the inclusion would have ensured that abortion was not funded in the bills, demonstrates that the bills are intended to mandate abortion.
If you’re trying to sort out the myths from facts on health care reform, the best place to start is AUL Action’s RealHealthCareRespectsLife.com. The site features in-depth analysis from our legal team, showing how the health care reform plans currently under consideration by Congress would mandate abortion coverage, strip providers of their rights of conscience, and threaten the ill and elderly with denial of care. Also, if you’re going to a town hall meeting this month, download our special town-hall flyer and distribute it to show your friends and neighbors to show that Real Health Care Respects Life.

Thank you for joining me in working to protect and defend life!


Yours For Life,

Charmaine Yoest, Ph.D.
President & CEO "

Crescent 'Chosen' Design Complete

Monday was a great sewing/designing day. The design process was interesting, and decisions were not too hard to make. That was all yesterday - and it was GREAT to completely finish a jacket in a day - including taking 40+ photos of the process, making written notes, along with all the design decisions. say - I even put a dinner on the table!




Today - I did the 'Talking Pattern' portion and - unless dear son/producer tells me otherwise, I think that went well too.

Tomorrow, sewing and designing again. I'm all set - decisions made on color of sweatshirt and trims, etc. to use. Will be quite a SURPRISE....

DESIGN PROCESS BEGINS

OK - I'm ready - have exercised, organized, rested the weekend, most dishes are tended to - and though there are (plenty)weeds in my flower beds, the time has come to design/write/record, etc. for my new pattern: CHOSEN. I've done several jackets already, but I need to refine/add to - do more, etc. Ideas from snoop shopping on vacation added to the concept - so I can't wait to get started.

The photo is really an organized mess - necessary to figure out which collection of sweatshirt and embellishments/fabrics will turn into which specific design idea.
Think I'll yet have a protein-rich breakfast, then HIT IT!

Ready - winding lots of bobbins, and have decided I'll listen to good Christian radio programs in the mornings - and watch a good movie in the afternoon. My favorite archived programs are at: www.chrisfabry.com and www.middayconnection.org

Daughters' Wedding Album added to Facebook

I just added a nice collection of photos to both my personal and my business pages at Facebook - enjoy them there. I share about it here because I also blogged alot about the creation of her dress during the process.

Vacation Inspiration/Snoop Shopping

I'm often asked "Where do you get your ideas for the sweatshirt jackets?" My answer is "From Everywhere". This old brain sure can't remember every idea I see, so I carry a small spiral notebook in my purse for taking notes - sketching, etc. Above you can see a few of the pages from our recent trip out west.

Obviously, many ideas are from garments themselves I see in Ready-To-Wear (RTW), but others are sketches of just LINE - DESIGN. For example, the pattern of the back of a chair at a restaurant, the design of a piece of metal yard sculpture.... EVERYTHING gets sketched or noted in my notebook.

THEN, when I get home, I tear the pages out - copy many of them so I have duplicates, and put them with different bundles of fabrics, etc. that I think they 'go' with. These pages also get put into my DESIGN NOTEBOOK so they are never lost.

SEW...like this next week when it's time to design and sew some new jackets and perhaps develop some new patterns - my creative process is just interpreting, combining, and implementing these ideas. The only hard part is FILTERING the ideas - forcing myself to decide on the best interpretation, the best technique, etc. on a jacket - NOT PUTTING EVERYTHING ON ONE JACKET! But, since my "Frumpy to WOW" class teaches that - I am finding it easier to 'practice what I preach'.

Stay tuned for the rest of August and much of September for postings and photos of my upcoming design and sewing fun!

My Love Affair with Fabrics

This is my current 'job'.... measuring, swatching, naming, describing, scanning and uploading this wonderful group of Fine Italian Fabrics that just HAD TO COME HOME WITH ME from Albuquerque. The vendor across the way was selling these (and many more 'to die for') fabrics,and when it came apparent that I could buy them wholesale to offer to my customers, I............weakened, ONCE AGAIN!

I'd pretty much weaned myself off of offering fabrics on my website - mainly because I just couldn't find many of a quality that I demand - but these Italian fabrics just wooed me mercilessly.

I'm on my 3rd day of this task - and hope to wind it up this morning.....so off to work I go! I've even dreamt up a really exciting debut marketing plan with them and the Sewing Workshop patterns that I think my customers will love.

Went to My First Political Meeting.......

On Monday, I went to my first political meeting - happened to be the Senior Republican local group. I really call myself an Independent thee days - truly disgusted with most politicians - regardless of whether they're 'red' or 'blue'. As far as I'm concerned, they all have let the power and trust we placed in them go to their heads!!!! TERM LIMITS - that's what we need - that's what was planned in the first place. These people are just all too full of themselves.

WHY oh WHY wouldn't they want to PROVE they had decided the best in health care reform for us by RUNNING to sign up for the same - not REFUSING the same plan??????????????????????

And this not reading bills before voting? Gee golly whiz - I could say the same thing about my house contract?? That I just didn't have time to read it before I signed it - therefore I shouldn't be held responsible for what I signed??? It's the same ridiculous thinking! A friend of mine suggested the other night that we pass a law that every legislator must pass a POP QUIZ on any legislation before he is granted the RIGHT to vote on it!

Representing me? I really don't think so - they are representing themselves - and usually not even honest enough to realize that they are so buffaloed by what someone has said they'd give them ($ for their re-election campaign or a better loan on their mansion of a house) that they don't even KNOW what they believe - they just OWE people.

I was reading in Romans 3 today in the Message and these words jumped out at me...
"Our lives get in step with God and all others by letting HIM set the pace,not by proudly or anxiously trying to run the parade."

A gentleman was at the meeting letting us know he is strongly considering a run for state Congressman against a woman who is so 'in bed' with Chicago politicians that it makes us cry - and his presentation was quite inspiring. After the meeting, I had one important question for him - "On what basis do you make your moral decisions? What is your 'rudder'?" When he answered 'Jesus because I am a Christian' - I gave him my business card and said I'd be happy to work in his campaign any way that I could.

To me... That says it all. I'm just praying - fervently for our country these days - specifically that these 'leaders' so entirely, disgustedly full of themselves and only themselves GO AWAY - either by the Lord taking them out in some miraculous manner, or us voting them out. I can only figure that God - who is in control - knows where we are in this country, and has let us fall this far in the hopes that we FINALLY seek HIM again as a nation.