Maaaaaaaaa!

I could hear her panicked screech out in "the back 40." Back in my work room, I found her poking her finger through a hole in her favorite jeans.









"You gotta add another patch! I LUV these jeans!"

Now, I know holes in jeans are in style, but, this was an embarrassing hole. So I dug out the necessary fabric and stitched a simple patch.

Mission accomplished--jeans saved...until the next hole.

Jeans Mama, 2

The hole in Mr. M's old jeans got stitched down and the white threads were couched.





It was quite a tangle for awhile





Then, the repair just kept growing up.
<--







              
                     




    








                  And down.-->

Until it was finished.

I asked Mr. M if he would like to model his jeans for the photo shoot. He scoffed. Fine with me. I had no intention of letting him wear them anyway.





















So I got out my long denim coat from Istanbul and "posed" in the garden.

The jasmine is going crazy.



The pomegranate trees are turning a bright yellow.

And a final closeup.

I had a good time on this adventure. 

I was dazzled.

Ah, yes, there is much to be thankful for. 

Jeans Mama

Until I went to college I suffered from the rule that only boys could wear jeans to school. How fair was that? Why did boys get all the good stuff--like taking shop rather than home ec? (Well, if you understand basic feminist ideas, you can answer that question yourself.)

The inevitable happened: the day I went to college I donned the uniform of the 1970s--jeans. In addition, working with fabric has given me a deep respect for denim, especially old denim. None of those new-fangled stretchy jeans for me.

Consequently, I can't bear to toss out old jeans. I have a nice collection on my studio shelves, besides stacks of jeans that are still wearable in the closets. 









I've used up a little bit of my collection in purses. 














The last few days have been errand days...groceries, waiting rooms, eating out and socializing. 






Yesterday, I felt kind of uninspired to create (a rare occurrence) and empty... couldn't even pick up a needle. 


The Pomegranate Tree wasn't speaking to me, even though I have been working diligently around the edges. 

This morning I ran across a pair of Mr. M's old jeans that needed a repair. I tried them on...they were oh, so soft. They spoke to me. 

Then I remembered a young woman I had seen a couple days ago in a restaurant. Very stylish, wearing jeans that were thoroughly ripped on the front and only held together by the back! Hmmf--scandal! Think of all the possible, beautiful repairs one could do...

Which brings me back to Mr. M's jeans. I asked him if he wanted them repaired in the standard, discreet way. He said I could have them...ahhhh, the possibilities. I went digging in my fabrics.

Here's what's sitting on my sewing machine table right this minute...and I feel so energized! 

I'll be able to get back to the Pomegranate Tree tonight with a light heart and hand...once I get started mending that hole!

Linked to Nina Marie's "Off the Wall Friday."

Getting Ready

The suitcases are packed. We leave for a Parisian hospital soon. After sinking in the quagmire for so many months, I feel like we are finally moving forward.

In line with my Finishing Rule for 2016, I completed a bag that will go with me. I did the panels for it when I made my recycled bathrobe (here) way back in January 2012 (gulp!). A couple weeks ago I added the sides and strap (old jeans), put in a lining with a zippered pocket, and sewed in a zipper across the top. I've been test driving it lately and it holds all the necessities, such as stitching, sketchbooks, and art supplies. I will be able to self-entertain for hours on end.

And so, we face another mountain to climb, but with hope. See you on the other side...

Another Spot, Another Small Flower

It happened again. A couple of spots appeared mysteriously on a summer vest. I just don't know how this happens--well, yes, I do. I don't wear an apron and I'm not particularly careful. Fortunately, I can sew a small flower on a spot--however, the flower inevitably grows. I started with a pretty fabric acquired this summer that reminded me of the sea.










I cut into the blue fabric in a random design at the bottom, and began to do needle turn appliqué.





It went fast--a rare occurrence for me. 









And so it grew...














Yes, it's finished. 

Guess I better wear it while the weather is still beautiful. 

It's sunny and in the 70°s and 80°s. 

Autumn is a lovely time of year in Tunisia.

Linked to Nina Marie's "Off the Wall Friday."

Now Where Was I?

Yes, now where was I? Well, I'm trying to get back to some kind of a regular blogging habit, which I have missed over the past two years due to teaching. So how about something wild and over the top to get some momentum going?

It started with a blouse that was getting old. Small holes began to appear in the fabric. I laid down some fabrics, some "old-fashioned" colors (I am perfectly aware that these colors are no longer "in style").

Then I needle turned to my heart's content...and it seems to me that when I added a couple of maroon pockets, a heart took shape in a tangled fashion.




And so it grew...





                                     and grew...





Today I model this wild thing. I'm not sure that I can wear it anyplace, but it is like an old friend. We have spent many hours together. Possibly, it will become part of a wall-hanging in my series on aging and retirement (retirement? what's that?).

My mornings start with a bit of yoga (bores me silly, but necessary), then I go out to the orchard and get a really good work out and have fun talking to my trees. Just gotta show off my new physical fitness. 

One could conclude that teaching is an unhealthy business: very stressful, and the prep work requires a lot of sitting...well, so does stitching, but I do that after I work up a good sweat in the orchard.

And so, greetings to all my friends out there in the magical virtual world.

Linked to Nina Marie's "Off the Wall Friday."

It's in the Bag

Spring vacation has been productive. I finally finished my Jeans Bag, which has been under the needle for nearly a year. The main materials came from the rather tall stack of old jeans sitting on a shelf in my workroom.

 I sketched the pocket into my daily journal.

I love the soft blues and whites. The plaid fabric creates the illusion of colors fading in and out.

It slowly progressed down 



and around. 

I love all the pockets--four on the outside (plus the mini-pocket) and four back pockets sewn to the lining, which is a flea market fabric. 

Except for two brass rings and a zipper, the bag is entirely made of recycled materials.

The strap is long enough to go over the chest. I took a black nylon strap recycled from another worn bag and covered it in denim.

Hand stitching on denim may seem daunting, however, I sewed from the top and only caught top threads, so it was not any more difficult than working on other fabrics.

A few recycled beads and buttons attached to the zipper pull make it easier for me to find the zipper quickly. 

And most important of all, it holds everything. 

I will no longer envy other people's jeans bags.

 Linked to Nina Marie's "Off the Wall Friday."

Further Entanglements

Happily, parliamentary elections in Tunisia (October 26th) went smoothly and the outcome was not disastrous. "Nida Tunis" (the Call for Tunisia), which groups the major center and leftist parties, won 86 seats out of 217, while the religious part won 69. Although "Nida Tunis" does not have a majority, it appears that they will be able to work with other small parties to form a government.

The first round for the presidential elections on November 23rd went relatively smoothly as well. However, the results were rather surprising. While the "Nida Tunis" candidate, Beji Caïd-Sebsi, garnered slightly over 39%, the current president, Moncef Marzouki, managed to get 33% of the votes. As the pre-election polls had shown him at less than 2%, one can only conclude that the religious party threw their weight behind him since they did not have a candidate in the running. 

The run-off elections would be December 14th, if nobody contested the results of the first round. However, Marzouki registered 7 complaints at the last minute of the 3-day filing limit in a bid to buy time (sore looser). This now has to go to court. Elections will be no later than December 28th.

In the meantime, the country sinks into limbo as there is no real governmental authority in this transition period. The school where I teach reflects the state of the country--it feels like we're on the edge of chaos. I can't remember having such a difficult teaching job. And yet, students and teachers keep plugging along with a certain amount of courage...

Sometimes I wonder if my work isn't a direct reflection of my distressed environment. I have coveted a jeans bag for a long time and so made one from a tall stack of old jeans that I can't bear to throw out. I love working on the soft blue and white of the old fabric. I stitch from the top and only catch the upper threads, so the denim is not tedious to work.

It's looking like Tunisia's future--entangled. 

"I Need a Flower!"

She did it again. Like last summer, my daughter required repairs on a summer top, this time in linen. [See here for last summer's flea market marvel.]







Instead of a hole, there was a spot. 

"Ma," she wailed, "I need a flower. P-l-e-a-s-e." Ok, ok. But, I don't do flowers! This was a speed job because of the narrow time frame. I managed to sit down and stitch yesterday. She leaves for a professional conference in Venice (Italy, not Florida) today--lucky lady.


Unfortunately, the design had to be in beige, however, in the end I rather liked beige and white together. This turned out quite subtle. Surprising for me...















And I want to see lots of pictures of that top in Venice!