Snow day, sew day

The snow started again this morning, coming down in great big fluffy flakes.  So pretty.  I put black oil sunflower seeds in the feeder and on the windowsill, in hopes of luring the chickadees close and beginning the process of getting them to eventually feed out of my hand.  Mary inspired me.

The chickadees came right away, and also tufted titmice, dark-eyed juncos, cardinals, and the little chipping sparrow.  I put seeds on the windowsill (just behind my little space heater) and in the days to come, I'll put my hand out the window with seeds in it.  We'll see how long it takes!

It was the perfect morning to sit by the window, reading and watching the birds.

Then I shifted to the studio and my trusty old Singer ...

I have a couple of major projects, but I've been away from them - and from my machine - for awhile, so I needed something to sew as a bit of a warm up.

This is a piece of muslin which one of the women in our Make Welcome class sewed.  The very first class, I gave them each a piece of this cloth and showed them how to use the straight stitch and vary the stitch length.  Then we moved on to the zig zag and other stitch options on the machine.  Each of the women made a little sampler like this one and I've had them on my studio shelf, just waiting for an idea.

I made the first one into a zipper pouch with lining from a sari I have stashed.  How would you like to open a little pouch and find this bright bird inside?!

 And here's what that sampler above became - a shoulder bag, with sari sides, back, strap, and lining.  It has an antique button with elastic closure and one pocket on the inside.

These "First Stitches" bags will be for sale (somewhere, sometime - we're still working on those details) but if you're interested in either one, you could leave me a comment.  All proceeds will go toward the work of Make Welcome.

By the afternoon, our snow storm was over.  Coty dug out the driveway and I poked around the yard a bit, anticipating this year's garden chores.  There are many.

Then we went for a walk in the neighborhood.  So many snow people on lawns (today was great snow building, snow ball snow), so many people out walking or shoveling snow.  Everyone was cheerful.  Who wouldn't be?  It was 45 degrees, the snow was beautiful, and the skies were Carolina blue again.