Climbing Mt. Everest, 1

After finishing my vest with a spot, which was fast and easy, I felt acute desire for a challenge. I was aching to climb Mt. Everest, the Mt. Everest of my stitching world. Yeah, yeah, I know...I'm supposed to be finishing the Pomegranate Tree quilt, but the work is just that: finishing work. I needed high adventure!
        And then I knew I would be sitting in a hospital waiting room yesterday morning for a long stretch of time...nothing serious, just a necessary procedure for a family member. I took along my sketching kit, my stitching kit, and "He Went to Work Everyday, Then He Retired." 

This is Mt. Everest for me because there are so many challenges, like the collars, cuffs, and front buttons, not to mention the layers of fabric that will become entangled and the large size. Here I've only attached two of the five shirts. I just sew a small part at any one time, whatever seems do-able. I managed to finish a couple strands yesterday.

My techniques are honed and I feel physically fit (from working in my orchards).
 I have been training to climb my stitching Mt. Everest for a long time. 

Snow Days

As this week's blistering temperatures inch towards 105° F (40+° C.) with a Sirricco (hot desert wind), I remain blissfully happy. These are "snow days" for me because it would be unhealthy to go outside. And so I sit contentedly with needle in hand. The spotted vest just might be a rapid project.

















I'll go out in the late afternoon to talk to my lemon trees. Temperatures are supposed to go down slightly next week...

Doodling & a Spot, 4

More evening stitching on my cotton vest with a spot. After picking lemons most of the day. I love lemons, I love stitching--life is good. I don't even mind the 90° heat.

Doodling & a Spot, 3

Stitching before collapsing into bed at night. Work in the orchards is giving me a total workout...feelin' good.

Doodling & a Spot, 2

Stitching late at night. This is a fun project because of all the possibilities of shapes.

Doodling & a Spot

Oh, drat! I got a spot on a vest; a comfortable piece of clothing made from a nondescript cotton. Middle front, no way to hide it.

This might be an opportunity--maybe a flower would be in order?

Or maybe something bigger and wilder? 

And then there were my 300+ new fabrics still sitting on my sewing table. How about that pretty turquoise and blue fabric on the top of the pile?



Ahhh, but did I need another project?

More Summer Doodle Stitching

Doodling along with thread and needle allows me to explore the possibilities of stitch juxtaposed to fabric. This has been a peaceful project--mindless and yet mindful. Quite bizarre!

Summer Doodle Stitching

My leisurely summer vacation has affected my stitching--I have been stitching s-l-o-w-l-y. This is partially due to the lack of a sewing machine. 

Just doodling on fabric with bits of scraps that I couldn't throw away. I'm leaving the raw edges (attached with a running stitch) and then adding some needle turn appliqué holes here and there. 

Cheerful. 

Doodling

Having spent some time visiting in a hospital last week, I needed a small stitching project to tote along.

Women will start talking to me when I'm stitching, especially if they do some kind of handwork at home. What I don't understand is how people sit around for hours in waiting rooms doing nothing...

This is just playing with beautiful colors of leftover bits from a journal page. Just couldn't throw them out, so I'm stitching them down with a running stitch, leaving the raw edges. Doodling.