Big birthday milestone!

Not afraid to admit that I have made it to the Big 60 - now known as Level 60! 

Child of the 60s. 

I am the model on the right circa 1971

Teenager in the 70s. Parent in the 80s/90s, working/attending college in the 2000s. 

It has been quite a ride. With my mom alive and well at 91, I hope to have 30+ years to make my mark on this world. 


Thrifted fashion news:
From the blogosphere is a movement I have joined. A challenge at slow-fashion-summer-2019 described as "3 months, 10,000 people, no new clothes." 

In the summer of 2018, we took on a big issue: the (fast) fashion industry. With 2625 people across the globe, we didn't buy any new clothes for three months. And now we're back! Join us for the biggest crowd act to date and buy no new clothes during the summer/winter season of 2019 together with 9,999 other people!

The fashion industry has an enormous negative environment and social impact around the world. Did you know that it takes 2,700 liters of water to make your cotton t-shirt? And that fashion is one of the most polluting industries in the world? It produces more greenhouse gases than international shipping and aviation combined. Time for action! Or better yet: inaction. We’re taking a stance and pledge to not buy any new clothes for three months! So, get creative - dig up your old shirt, trade your outfit in the CollAction #sharechain, or get your favorite pair of jeans repaired, because slow is the new black!

The fashion industry is responsible for enormous amounts of water consumption (32 million Olympic size swimming pools per year) and CO2 emissions (8% of global greenhouse emissions - and growing fast). If 10,000 people participate, we will save up to 360 million liters of water and prevent 1,4 million kilograms of CO2 being emitted. Also, textile dyeing is the second largest polluter of clean water globally, only after agriculture. Then there is the enormous waste creation (148 million tons by 2030) and land use (115 million hectares by 2030), and we haven’t even started on labor conditions yet...Enough numbers, time for action. Time for Slow Fashion Season!

The rules: you’re allowed to trade clothes and buy second-hand - just no new clothes. A great opportunity to get creative with the 80% of clothes that you never wear (if you’re anything like us).

Follow us on Facebook and Instagram for updates on the Slow Fashion Season. For example, we’ll be launching the #sharechain - the largest online clothing swap of all times! Offer your last year’s outfit and trade it for someone else’s.

Quilting/sewing news - what a difference a machine makes!

I had been struggling along with a Brother quilting machine and the thing was down more than it was "up."  I broke down and bought a Baby Lock Jazz II. The only problem I encountered is because it is a new machine, there are no YouTube tutorials on running the thing. This my first Baby Lock so I wasn't used to their unique machine setup. Their written instructions and diagrams leave a lot to be desired. I am considering posting tutorials on the Jazz II because not everyone can take the classes. 

I was able to figure out how to thread the machine, after trial and error. One project finally to completion is the vintage fan quilt. I purchased the denim print wide backing from another quilter in my area, and had it professionally quilted by a longarmer. 

This quilt top has waited at least 75 years to come to fruition. It will now be used and loved. 

Next up is binding the Wedding Quilt after I receive it back from the longarmer. In the meantime, I am quilting Composition Quilt, a king-sized project I have been working on since last year and hope to complete prior to summer's end.