with needle & thREAD

Hello, sewing friends!

I welcome you to needle and thREAD. What have you been sewing lately? Or are you embroidering? Pulling a needle with thread through lovely fabric to make life more beautiful somehow? Would you share with us just a single photo (or more) and a brief description of what you're up to? Will you tell us about what you're reading, also? Would you talk sewing and books with us? I'd love that so much.

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I can't believe it's Thursday already. I thought I'd have so much more (sew much  more?) to share. I have one half-finished tunic and about a half dozen half-finished books, and another half dozen newly downloaded not-even-touched books. 

First, this blouse. Oh my! I do love it. Love the way the fabric feels, love the way it drapes, love the front. Love the colors. I even bought a pair of bermuda shorts to go with it. Love, love, love. But the back? Um. I blew it. And I tried and tried to figure out what was wrong--what those pattern directions meant--and I couldn't. Just couldn't. I spent hours, hours, hours reading and re-reading, taking out and doing again. I scoured the internet looking for just one person who had struggled with this pattern. No one.  I'm sure it was just me. And all the while, I was thinking and praying about a child of mine who has learning disabilities.  Every day is like this for him. Everything he struggles to learn. Ridiculously hard. And mostly lonely. Please, God, don't let me forget this.

At then end of the day (literally), I made a "design decision." I just covered up my mistake, made sure it wouldn't affect the usefulness, and moved on. It's a coping technique I've witnessed again and again in that child. Figure out a way around it. I hauled myself upstairs, aching and exhausted, and wondering if sewing was really in God's plan for me.

And waiting up there was a text from Sarah, directing me here.

I cried.  Really. I can't even begin to tell you how hard I struggled with that quilt, how many, many imperfections are there, but if you look closely at her photos, you can see them. Likely, you won't though, because you'll be utterly entranced with her baby, with God's creation. The uneven corner (I know it well--it's there) seems so ridiculously unimportant as I drink in those delicious toes. And that's how it is, isn't it?

We sew clothes to cover our bodies, but those bodies and our souls are His. The clothes will never be perfect. We sew quilts for our homes. The family that lives in that home? The most glorious, splendid art of human love? It's His. We bring beauty to His perfection and He makes it more beautiful. We are created in the image of the Creator and if we can keep our eyes on Him and do it all for His glory, no matter how we struggle and how flawed our product, He makes it all so good. 

I want to sew this blouse pattern again. I want to learn the right way to do it. But I'm grateful for the now and I will wear this shirt  one day-- after I tuck under all the bias for the hem and handsew the facing to the yoke. Did I mention I made that bias tape? I did. And I thought I was a rockstar sewer. Briefly.

 I will wear it, though maybe not too far from home;-). For now, though, I'm going to show you the back as well as the front, even though I could get away with editing out the flaws and never revealing a back view, because, hey, you're my friends and I'm not alone, even if no one in history has ever messed up this pattern.

(The color is truer here. I got tired of messing with iPhoto above)

As for half-finished books, I'm out of time. Those will wait until next week. Maybe they'll be finished then. But don't miss these, my not-even-started books. For years, Kim has been telling me about Grace Livingston Hill, sharing quotes and big thoughts. And, oh, how this is a writer after my own heart. Last night, Kim shared on Facebook that all of Grace Livingston Hill's books are available for free on Kindle. Don't wait! Download a bunch. We have a whole summer to read them together! Maybe Kim will chime in and tell us in which order to read them.

What have you been up to this week? Reading, sewing, embroidering? Do share:-)

Sponsor Introduction & Giveaway: Catholic Embroidery

I'm very pleased to introduce you to the good people at Catholic Embroidery. 

The story of this small business is one that reads with the light of grace.

Catholic Embroidery  was established by the Serafino Family in 2007 and is dedicated to providing Catholic items for both every day life and for the service of the Altar. Our family business strives to offer products that bring beautiful representations of our Faith into the homes and hearts of Catholics across the globe. To do this, we have worked with only the finest Catholic graphic artists to create exclusive signature embroidery designs that display the true beauty and symbolism of our Faith, and applying them to useful items (ie. aprons, handkerchiefs, afghans) to uplift Catholics in their daily lives. In our short history, we have been blessed to serve numerous families, parishes, religious orders, gift ships, Bishops and Cardinals, in the USA and Europe.

What started as a sewing hobby for the oldest daughter of our family has turned into an enterprise that we hope, will continue to provide a positive, Christ-centered vocation while offering to the public only the finest in Catholic art in the form of stitches.

 With needle and thread, they bring beauty and grace to all sorts of things. To begin to get to know the endless possiblities for needlework, look around the store. And then, to see it all come life, be sure to visit the blog. What lovely gifts for priests! What happy things to tuck away in hopechests or with which to bless new babies!

 The blog is designed to show customers the various applications of the extraordinary embroidery services. The design gallery on the main website features the signature Catholic designs  created and offered on all custom projects. These designs of choice are often accompanied by the customer's monogramming in initials, names, dates, and even saint's quotes and mottos. While Catholic Embroidery works on these custom projects on a regular basis, not all of them are on the new website. They welcome your ideas and  and always encourage customers to ask about an item they may not see or a project they might have in mind. For a look at some other custom designs, take a peek at these First Communion Handkerchiefs and Custom Book Covers. 

Working with other's items is also a common occurrence inthe shop, which has a history of fine embroidery on heirloom baptismal gowns, drapes, items for Bishops and Cardinals, home linens and decor, vestments, clothing, quilts, and so much more.

I don't think I'd feel like quite such a workhorse wearing an apron that reminds me that " a married woman must often leave God at the altar to find Him in her housework." I can only hope to look as cute in it as this woman who inspires us all as she clearly takes those words to heart.

The company warmly welcomes international orders. I smiled and thought of a friend I love when I saw this stack of aprons. I don't even know exactly what it says, but I have a hunch the one on top would suit her fine:-).

And you can be sure that when I pack a trunk next winter and send my boy off again, this time to the University of Virginia, I'll put these in amongst his linens. Sweet dreams, college boy. Stay true to your faith.

And for the new driver in my life? The one who made me promise never to tell about the thought process behind her "exciting" first drive home yesterday after getting her permit? A key fob. I think I might try to have it blessed.

~ ~ Giveaway Details ~ ~

Visit the blog and leave a comment or like Catholic Emboridery on Facebook and then come back and tell me you did:-). You'll be entered to win a snuggly blue Lilies of the Valley embroidered afghan, perfect for chilly porch evenings in May, cold morning soccer games, and nights on the beach all summer.

 

~ ~ and a Freebie, too~ ~

In the Heart of my Home readers will be offered free shipping on their orders through May 18th, using the code HEARTOFHOME.

Sponsor Introduction & Giveaway: Catholic Child

Are you, like me, looking for the perfect First Communion and Confirmation gifts this week? Ah, the Mary month of May in a Catholic home--our gift and devotional needs are just as predictable in May as they are in December. And that's a good thing! The liturgical calendar blesses us with an awareness of the sacred year 'round.

We are also blessed by shops like Catholic Child, where we can readily find just what we're looking for. Please allow me to introduce you:

Greetings, from our Catholic family to yours! We invite you to visit us at catholicchild.com and browse our collections of books, games, movies & audios, toys, music and Sacramental gifts. We hope you’ll stop by to see all the wonderful resources we offer to help your Catholic child learn about, live and love his or her faith. There’s something for everyone, from board-book toting tots, to college-bound young adults! And if you shop with us during Mary’s Month of May you can use In the Heart of my Home’s special Coupon Code 169051 and get free personalization on all of our Marian Prayer Pillowcases!

I spent some happy moments this morning looking around and discovered m favorite big books of saints' stories: The Kids' Book of Saints and The Kids' Book of Heroes. Those books are used weekly Along the Alphabet Path.

With an eye towards Marian consecration, I made note of a beautiful girl's Miraculous Medal and this lovely 4-way medal.

My favorite First Communion gift, particularly for May celebrations is a two volume set of pictures books, tied with a big, white tulle bow. The books of choice are delightful picture books written by Josephine Nobisso.

The Weight of a Mass was inspired by a true story that took place in Luxemborg. An old woman enters a bakery and begs a crust of stale bread. The baker refuses and she asks if she can offer Mass for him. He jeeringly writes "One Mass" on a scrap of paper and then tries--and fails-- to counterblalance it on his scale with an assortment of baked goods. No matter how many times we read this book, my children love it.

Take it to the Queen is a stunning tapestry of allegory, original fable, and lush illustration which honors the Blessed Mother. In the story, once favored villagers transgress against their king, then seek the intercession of the queen, who is a native of their own village. The book has won multiple awards and thrilled fans of Nobisso's earlier works. It is quite possibly her finest work. The book is a joy to share with others and truly meets the qualifications of a fine picture book: it is a story loved by every generation.

~Giveaway~

What about you? What are your favorite gifts to give during this time of year? Have a few minutes to poke around at Catholic Child? If you tell me what you'd give, you'll be entered to win a pair of Marian Prayer Pillowcases of your choice.

In the Moment: Tuesday afternoon already

I find myself:

::noticing God's glory

We did some planting last week. Everyone is excited about watching the vegetable garden come to life. I love our visits to the garden store and so do the children. I relinquished the camera and let them do all the photos. Nicholas is really becoming a shutterbug and nature is his favorite subject.

We planted lots of tomatoes and plenty of basil. Caprese salad love will happen here all summer, I hope.

The peonies are now in full bloom. Must be prom time. My mother’s peonies always bloomed in time for prom.

::listening to 

a medley of accents and languages. I’m sitting at DMV, waiting for a teenager, but I might as well be in the lobby of the United Nations building.

::clothing myself in 

Clogs, jeans, and a tunic. Nothing terribly noteworthy.

::giving thanks for

a successful launch of the new studio for ESPN Deportes in Coral Gables. I’m happy for Mike; those professional successes are not to be belittled. But I’m super-happy for me. It will be nice to have him working locally again. Very, very nice.

::talking with my children about these books

Since I'm going to share my own reading on Thursdays at needle and thREAD, I thought I'd share some reading from our family's choices. 

These bee books are making the rounds in our reading rooms. I so want to keep bees. I don’t think it’s going to happen in this neighborhood. I did, however, learn that Kristin's grandfather used to keep bees and he has all the equipment and I can have it. But where to put it?

In the meantime, we’re enjoying the education:

Fruitless Fall: whether you want to be a beekeeper or not, this book is utterly fascinating.

The Backyard Beekeeper. An absolute beginner's guide. Perfect, as I am an absolute beginner.

Better Beekeeping. This is the advanced book. I'm going to pass it along to Ginny. 

 

::pondering prayerfully

In a certain sense, Consoling the Heart of Jesus is all about striving to remain at peace and in spiritual joy, striving to stay in a spirit of praise and in spiritual joy, striving to stay in a spirit of praise and thanksgiving throughout good times and bad. ~Fr. Michael Gaitley (inspiring video link here)

::carefully cultivating rhythm

We were introduced to the world of competitive dance last weekend. I’m still recovering. We had to be at the site, an hour away, at 6:30 AM. We pulled out of the parking lot at 6PM. Eleven and a half hours in an auditorium with incessant music. Quite the experience. I was there with some other mothers who also have soccer players; we all agreed that a soccer tournament with the same hours and travel is far less exhausting. My reality is that I’m usually happy to spend the day outside, but I really struggled with being in a dark auditorium. I also have never had internet access away from my house, so it was a new experience to take my iPhone along and have unlimited access throughout the day. I learned a lot about myself and that tool this weekend. More on that later this week, perhaps.

My little girls came along and loved the whole thing. Totally unfazed by the fact that we saw more than 300 dances, they came home, flipped on their ballet music, and began choreographing anew.

::creating by hand

I’m making slow progress on the Painted Portrait Blouse from Anna Maria Horner. I didn’t do the most careful job of cutting notches (and I wish I had). And I did my marking with a Frixion pen, which was just plain stupid. That pen's ink disappears completely under the heat of the iron. It’s a great choice for embroidery and a really dumb one for garment sewing. I’m struggling a bit, but I’ll persevere. Maybe you can see it for needle & thREAD on Thursday. 

::learning lessons in

nutrition. Again. Paleo or Dr. Fuhrmann? Full fat dairy or no dairy? Whole grains or all grains are bad? Sometimes I feel like nothing is good to eat...On the other hand, pretty much everyone agrees that fruits and veggies are a good thing. Salad, salad, salad.

::encouraging learning 

This is the beginning of our school year. We school year ‘round and we’ve pretty much finished all I had planned, so it’s time to start anew.

::begging prayers

for all the people who have joined our weekend prayer community. I carried your requests with me to Mass and I will keep a candle lit for you throughout the week.

for a dear friend who is discerning God’s call in her life.

for lonely missionaries.

:keeping house

I made a new chore chart last week. I haven’t really had much of a functioning chore chart in a few years. So far, it’s a disaster.

Everyone is ignoring it.

But I’m cracking the whip (metaphorically). This thing has to work.  There is too much to do for me to be the only one doing it.

::crafting in the kitchen 

I’m stumped. See “learning lessons” above.

::loving the moments

when my little girls jump into the arms of my teenagers’ friends. The younger children in my family are surrounded by really great role models.

::living the liturgy

We are using  33 Days to Morning Glory  in preparation for Marian Consecration on the Feast of the Visitation. Also in the plans for this lovely month of May: new handmade rosaries for everyone. I've ordered nearly all the necessary beads and parts. Admittedly, I've been gathering for several years now, but I think we're nearly ready to begin to make heirlooms. 

::planning for the week ahead

"There is nothing pressing this week. The idea makes me giddy." (I cannot believe I wrote that last week. It was a killer week, schedule-wise. Perhaps I should invest in a better planner? Perhaps I should consult the planner more often. Whatever the root, I got totally blindsided by the intensity of last weekend and I’m still recovering. May is exhausting. Be sure to check out the planner giveaway!)

 

Sponsor Introduction & Giveaway: The Catholic Daily Planner

Many of you will recognize this product as a classic. The Catholic Daily Planner from Family-Centered Press has become a favorite of Catholic women. The folks at Family-Centered.Com  often find that once someone uses their planner, she becomes a yearly customer for life.

The Catholic Daily Planner is a useful, annual resource designed to help you live your Faith and order your life –every day. Each day lists feasts and ferias as well as the liturgical color proper to the day for both forms of the liturgy. The weekly pages are formatted with plenty of space to record all of your tasks and appointments. Blank lined journal pages, contact/address book pages and weblog all help you order your life.

What you find inside these pages:

• Liturgical observances (i.e. First Sunday of Advent, Memorial of Our Lady of Sorrows, etc) 
• Mass reading citations for every day (ordinary form); 
• Holy Days of obligation
• First Friday and Saturday devotions
• Daily rosary mystery reminders. 

This  beautifully designed planner includes both the Ordinary (New) and Extraordinary (Traditional) Forms of the Liturgy, the liturgical colors proper to the day, and 11 cover options.

There are two sizes available: Large (8.5" x 11") and Small (5.5" x 8.5")

You also have your choice of coil bound or hole drilled.

~ ~ ~ ~ Giveaway for You!~ ~ ~
Any planner of your choice with up to two add on options


US addresses only

~ ~ ~Shipping offer for everyone~ ~ ~


Free shipping on all orders over $25 (US addresses only)

What to do:

Pop over to Family-Centered  and peruse the offerings. Leave a comment telling me which planner you'd order. What cover would you choose? Size? Binding? Add-ons? 

You just might win it!

Winner announced next Monday.

Remember, these planners sell out every year, so if you see something you like, don't delay too long.