A flood (but it’s okay now)
As everyone in New England knows, it has been crazy cold here for quite some time. I have basked in the warmth of the studio (thank you overactive heating system trying to meet the needs of an entire building on one thermostat) wearing a tank top and flip flops most days.
When I came in Saturday morning to grab supplies for the Repair/Mending Fair I hosted at Forbes Library, I noticed the profound cold WITHIN the building. A shocking difference to our normal equatorial temps. I realized that a door had been left ajar due to ice build-up on and around the door, thus preventing it from closing. A good Samaritan from the building was hacking at the ice with a pick, so I thanked her and left her to the job, noting a small worry that if she didn’t fix the door the interior pipes may well burst.
Well, I got a call from my studio-mate mid-repair fair with the news that indeed a pipe did break and the one and only studio to be actively flooding was ours! My husband jumped into action and headed to the studio while I finished up fixing holes, rips, and frays and chatting with lovely community members (reach out if YOU want a mending/repairing event for your community!) and headed over myself. Due to a series of fortunate events, and even though water was pouring into the hallway from the ceiling, my two studio neighbors were spared any damage and the water only reached half-way into my space. Gravity did it’s job and sent the water down to the basement through all the cracks and holes. PHEW! So come Monday morning after hours of clean up, I was able to hold classes with no interruption! I still can’t believe our luck.
As these very wintry classes come to a close, I have been reveling in the creations, accomplishments, and skills of my students, and noting I have hit a bit of a creation lull. In November and December I was chugging along trying new patterns, making tricky alterations, and mending a million holes in my family’s clothes. But suddenly my inspiration went a bit dormant. Thank goodness for those long-term projects I always keep next to the couch. When I want a bit of sewing but don’t want to think too much, I just pick up my quilt and sew a few lines - creating texture and contrast and sensorial bliss at the intersection of smooth thread and pillowy fabric.
I also whipped up some adorable linen baby pants from scraps - cause who doesn’t like mini PANTS!
