The best thing

I help people make things every day, but one project in particular this year has meant more to me than all the others combined.  A friend and former co-worker lost his battle with ALS on February 20 this year.  For the past few months, I've been helping his young widow make two patchwork duvet covers for their small daughters from his t-shirts.  Today, she finished, just in time to wrap them up for Christmas.  I can just imagine the girls snuggling under their daddy's shirts as their mom tucks them in at night.

I am so happy for her, but I'm also feeling a renewed sense of loss.  I've enjoyed getting to know her better during our hours together in the shop.  I've enjoyed reminiscing about Tony.  I've enjoyed spending time with their precious daughters.  I'm sure I'll still see her around, but I'm going to miss our time together.  When I got home tonight, I couldn't stop thinking about Tony and the family he left behind, so I visited his blog, www.dontshrink.com.  I hadn't visited since a few days after his death, so I hadn't realized that Amanda had picked up writing where he left off.  I've been reading with tears streaming down my face for hours, partially from missing Tony, but even more from heartbreak for my new friend, Amanda.  Life has dealt her a tough hand, but she has played it with strength, dignity, humor and humility.  I am honored that she let me be a part of this project, and hopeful that this is the beginning of a new friendship.

Lots of little things

This week was eaten up by lots of little projects, mostly for other people.

• I transferred 11 patches from one boy scout shirt to another.  Pure tedium.  I hate using invisible thread almost as much as I hate sewing things onto sleeves.  Put the two together and  - UGH!
• I hand embroidered a recipient's name onto a quilt her grandmother made her.  Fun, but fiddly.  I prefer to do hand embroidery BEFORE a project is finished, sandwiched and quilted.  I had to be careful to make sure I only went through the top layer of the quilt, not all the way to the back.  I turned out really nice, but, of course, I forgot to take a photo.
• I made some tooth fairy pillows for my nephew since he has his first ever loose tooth.  They chose the brown one, so I guess I'll sell the green one since all my other tooth fairy pillows have sold out.

Tooth Fairy Pillow

Back of Tooth Fairy Pillow where tooth/money goes

They chose this one for my nephew

I wonder how much teeth will cost in their household.

However, some of my finishes were for ME!  I finally wove in the ends of my Isadora Cowl - I've worn it twice already this week; it is so warm and cozy!

We all know by now that my favorite color is orange, right?

I sewed together these orphan pinwheel blocks that were in a bag of donated fabric.  Now what to do with them?

It currently measures 16" x 22".

Do they want to be a mini/doll quilt?  This is about the right size for an American Girl doll, right?  Or are they the start of an Orphan Quilt since I somehow lost the Orphan quilt I finished in July 2010.  I don't even have photos of it anymore.  :(

I have some other little things to get done before heading back to work on Tuesday.

• The person I knit the Little Avery Sweater for, along with a matching hat, has now asked for another hat for a friend.  I'll try to get that done today and in the mail tomorrow.
• Next week's project with the after school program kids is an apron.  We've done some full aprons in the past, so part of me wants to make half aprons.  Anyone have a half apron pattern that they love?  I hope to whip up a sample on Monday.
• And just because no weekend is complete for me without some quality reading time, I want to finish my current cozy (A Novel Time To Die - A Black Cat Bookshop mystery) and spend some more time with Claire and Jamie in Dragonfly in Amber (the second of the Outlander series).  Last weekend I read The Cat, The Sneak and The Secret, the latest of the Cats in Trouble mysteries.  If you like cozies and you haven't read those, the protagonist is a quilter - BONUS!

Well, and then there's that holiday sneaking up on me, the one for which I have done NO creating, NO decorating and NO shopping.  I need to get on the ball!  Enjoy the rest of your weekend, y'all!