Creative Mending

Since I wanted to try making at least one garment this month I decided to tackle mending this black and white flannel sample shirt I got from Fabscrap. Sample garments are unfinished pieces that can have some issues, although from the front this one looked really nice.

The real issue was the big gap in the back, which was about 8" X 12".

I didn't have any kind of flannel scraps large enough to patch the gap, unfortunately. The shape of the hole reminded me of NYC skyscrapers, however, and in the white scrap pack I had a graphic knit piece I thought would work well as a patch.

I needed something to cover the raw edges of the gap, and tried a couple of bias scraps I had on hand (always save your bias scraps; you never know when you'll need them!)

Another possibility. I still don't know where I got this roll of bias. Someone must have given it to me.

In the end plain black seemed to be the way to go.

The next step was to baste the patch in place for sewing on the machine. I have a Singer heavy duty, so I wasn't worried about the bulk. Mixing knit with flannel can create some headaches, though, as one is stretchy and the other isn't. If you're ruthless with pinning you can make it work.

I then covered the raw edges with the black bias and sewed it in place on the machine. I went very slow so the knit wouldn't pucker or stretch out of place.

The end result, which I think looks quite good. Saving one sample garment isn't a big deal, especially when the fix was pretty simple, but it pushed me to step outside my comfort zone and really get creative. Lots of fun.

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Stuff

After finding this Caron one pound skein of lovely peach yarn in my thrifted lot I raided my stash for two cakes of Mandala in Pegasus, which matches it perfectly. For practice and hand therapy I'm going to make another Worth Street Afghan with this free pattern , but this time I'll use the yarn that was recommended for it plus the one pound skein. I'm not quite ready to do the vintage/recycled linen quilt I had planned (still a bit too nervous about the idea), so I'm going to use some color therapy and make a quilt from these thrifted green fat quarters. I considered doing another Yellow Brick road patchwork pattern, but I might go with a split rail fence like this one.

Journal Find

This is a page from my 2010 poetry journal. My handwriting isn't the best, so I'll transcribe it: If my heart survives to tell all the secrets kept inside it will be an abalone shell in which the beauty did reside. But I think I will always be lost to the tides that rage in me . . . humbling and polishing . . . I don't write many self-portrait poems, but this one isn't too embarrassing. A bit overly dramatic, but the girl I was eleven years ago went through some tough times. I'm in a much more peaceful place today.

The Numbers

Back in March my diabetes doctor changed my medication and encouraged me to alter my diet and exercise more in order to bring down my A1C, which at the time tested out at a dismal 8.3 (normal is 5.8.) So for the next two months I dealt with the increased meds, stuck to my decidedly grim diet and added a lot more walking to my exercise regime. P.S., it's never fun to be a diabetic, but over the last couple of months I've really tried to keep a good attitude about it. Attitude isn't everything, but it helps a lot when you have to make significant changes while battling a disease like this. Yesterday I performed a home A1C test, and I'm currently at 6.5. That's pretty amazing results, even for me. If I can get it down another half point before I see the doctor in July I'd be over the moon, but I feel like I've already done great. Image credit: Image by Daniele Liberatori from Pixabay

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