Waiting For The Sun

Patchwork for a skirt (any takers?)

Hi everyone, well let me tell you about my week beginning Monday 18 Sept. Finally I get time to get my head into some sewing projects. Unfortunately today, I am waiting for the sun, 'waiting for the sun' so I can photograph my work.
Trying to take photographs on a narrow boat is not always that easy. Firstly, it can rock, so you may get a blurry photo, next, you cannot take a shot of a large area because you can only stand at various angles, and, because of the enclosed space you need a really sunny day to get a decent image. That's why I do a lot of my photography outdoors when it is dry and sunny.
The other reason I am waiting for the sun is because I need more solar to power my iron, I am going to be doing a whole blog on irons in the near future, as I have quite a collection of vintage irons. The one I use mostly is a 1950s travel iron, its powered by electric but  a low wattage, but on a miserable day like today, I will struggle to power it.
To live and work off grid you not only need to be resourceful, you need to be flexible and have patience to (something I lack when I'm buzzing about a project I am working on).
I also need the sun to make me happy!! I often meditate towards the sun, as I am thankful for its presence in my day, partly because I rely on it so much.
So, what have, I done this week?
I started by sorting through all my fabrics, I always do this when I haven't properly worked for a while. Its a good starting point, to remind me what have, and check any things I haven't finished. I was also given various bits of vintage fabrics over the summer I had to properly sort through and file.
I cut some of the small pieces of vintage fabrics I had, and cut them into neat squares and started to patchwork them, ready for a skirt for anyone who is interested?
Then I finished some bags, which if I do say so myself are exceptionally great. I tie dyed the fabric myself (reclaimed sheets), then embellished the front with various things, and made the straps out of an old pair of Richards jeans. Everything is upcycled.
I also had a massive bag of baby grows to sort through. Someone has commissioned me to make a 'baby memory blanket'. This is a rather unusual project, that I am excited to work on. So last night I started hacking away at the baby grows (yes it did feel a bit barbaric), I cut off the feet (ouch) mittens, then the strips of poppers (good lord what will I do with them?? Macrame?), then the arms, and legs, so I could lay the body out flat ready to make into squares. It was like a horror film but with pretty fabrics.
My next job is to measure up a single quilt, and figure out how many sqaures I will need per quilt (Im doing two), and then back all the grows with interfacing. I need to reinforce them as baby grows are made of stretchy fabric, and the squares will not keep their shape.This is an on going project that I will do 'between jobs'.
My last project for this week, apart from doing some social networking, is to plan and prepare an Autumn Equinox Sister Circle. Every New Moon, which this month was Wednesday, I get a group of females together, and we share our feelings, and have a spirtual occassion which includes meditating together. I have been holding the Sister Circle gatherings since January, and everyone finds it a cleansing a positive experience. We are holding it tomorrow evening as it coincides with the Autumnal Equinox or Mabon as it know in Paganism. Seasonal changes and in particular the Equinoxes are really important to me living off grid, and relying on the elements more than most people. The Autumn Equinox (as with Spring) is when the evening is as long as they, and from now on the nights are drawing in, therefore, we have to start being more resourceful with our energy (electricity). Since living on a narrow boat and off grid, I have become much more in tune with nature, and feel I have a spiritual connection with the earth. I think we all have, its just that how humans have evolved, it has taken us away from these connections. I believe it is good for my soul to connect with nature, and pay respect for what we have.

Funky Tie Dye and Denim bag 

OK, so since writing this earlier today, I am pleased to say, I can quit my moaning as the sun has popped out, so I can put up my photos... Oh and I also this week, I pressed our last few wild flowers and picked Sloes to make Sloe Vodka. I'm pleased to say that we planted our own wild flowers, and also the Sloe trees, we usually go for long walks to find Sloes, but for the first time we had them right outside our home. Just enough for one bottle so may still go off picking elsewhere. The Link to The Doors Waiting For the Sun
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A0kypyGSKsE

Ess's Flower Press (made 2008)

Ingredients for Sloe Vodka