The Not So Ugly Christmas Sweater

For my Fabscrap Ugly Christmas Sweater Project last month I thrifted this fleecy hoodie so I could save the sample sweater that came with the kit.

The kit also included these scraps, pins and some heat and bond. Since I liked the hoodie almost as much as the sample sweater I decided to do something other than what Fabscrap intended but that still would result in a Christmas-themed sweater.

First I used the heat and bond to make a wreath shape out of the black and gold flashy synthetic and a scrap of black and gray quilting cotton from my stash, and then I got out my 1-1/2" yoyo maker and started making yoyos out of the two green fabrics.

In the center of the yoyos I sewed pearls leftover from my pearl trees project.

I then sewed the yoyos to the wreath shape.

The final touch was adding a bow of pearls I harvested from an old barrette to the wreath.

Here's what the hoodie looked with with the wreath covering the word Maine on the front. I pinned it rather than sewed it to the hoodie so I could remove it and use my not so ugly Christmas sweater after the holidays. The wreath will become a decoration for my sewing room during the holidays. :)

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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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