Bower's Museum visit 06-06-19

Yesterday, Wednesday, a friend and I visited the Gua Pai exhibit at Bower's Museum in Santa Ana, CA.  The clothing by the Chinese couturier is mostly not for wearing.  She considers it her art expression and it is spectacular.  I took a lot of pictures, but am still struggling to get them from my phone into my laptop.  I'm working on that.  

This comparatively simple gown is my favorite.  My friend pointed out how 1950's it is and that is probably why I like it.  Yep, guilty as charged, I would have worn this to my high school prom and any other special event I could.  

I had hoped to post about 20 images taken at the exhibit, but it has taken me hours to just get this one to show.  Maybe tomorrow I will have better luck.  Meanwhile you can visit the Bower's website for additional images.  The exhibit lasts until July 14 - I highly recommend it for the style, embroidery, fabrics, etc.  

I believe this is the correct URL to reach the website:

https://www.bowers.org/index.php/exhibitions/upcoming-exhibitions/448-guo-pei-couture-beyond#collection

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A repeat from five or six years ago 06-04-19

All those years ago I was having trouble with carpal tunnel and arthritis and had to wear a brace on my right hand - day and night.  Now I am there again.  My right hand/wrist/elbow/shoulder has been so terrible sore for about two months.  I finally had an appointment with the hand doctor.  My choices? Live with the pain, have cortisone shots, have surgery.  My choice, of course, was #2.  The doctor gave me the shot and by the next morning the pain from the carpal tunnel was pretty much gone.  The arthritis, naturally, remains.  All I can do for that is apply ointments for pain relief and take Tylenol.  

Today I went to the hand clinic in Orange and the nice lady custom made a night brace that covers hand and wrist.  The one I had previously only covered my hand.  It is a fascinating process to watch her take a flat piece of plastic and by cutting, shaping, heating in 157degree water, and fitting it to my hand, create the beige brace you see at the bottom.  The black brace is for daytime wear and is a commercial product.  I've been wearing one that only covers my hand, now in the daytime I need to wear this one that covers hand and wrist.   I hope this, along with the cortisone shots will solve my problem, I really dread having surgery.  

 Meanwhile, it seems I will have to learn some new sewing habits.  Since I am relearning, I will just learn a new way at the same time.  She even showed me how I should be pinching thumb and first finger together, something I thought I knew how to do all my life!  I need to pinch in the middle of my thumb and not just to the right side of it.  Who knew??

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A Coral Tree

The common name coral tree refers to about 100 different species of trees that belong to the genus Erythrina. Some other nicknames are flame tree and tiger's claw. These are tall, broad, leafy shade trees that bloom with brilliantly colored flowers. They grow in tropical climates all over the world.

I have always thought this is one of the strangest trees around.  The Coral Tree is also called a Flame Tree (as in the "Flame Trees of Thika").   They lose all their leaves in the winter and set out flowers on the completely bare trunk and limbs.  The flowers have a very short stem and appear to grow out of the bark.  Later the leaves come out and are large heart shaped.  The blooms have no fragrance that I can detect. This particular tree was heavily pruned this past winter and I sometimes wondered if it could regrow after the shock, but it is blooming vigorously now. 

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Friday Flowers 05-31-19

The peonies I bought at Trader Joe's were a lovely experience for me.  They started out very bright and faded a little each day until they were a soft ivory color when the last petals fell.  I counted the fallen petals on one flower and there were 71!  That is a lot to come from about a one inch bud.  The $7.99 was well spent.  

These two images were taken in the morning whereas the others were in the afternoon. 

They lasted just seven days.

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More Froggie surgery 05-30-19

Froggie needed major surgery again tonight.  He had about a 2" rip in his shoulder seam.  I pulled out all the polyfill and re-stuffed his arm.  I had to add some under-skin in order to have something to sew to.  His skin is getting way too thin in some places - sounds like me! 

Now to sew him up so KoKo can go to bed.  And I also.

If you think I am the only over indulgent fur parent, check this out:

https://www.msn.com/en-us/lifestyle/lifestyle-buzz/worried-dog-watches-dad-perform-lifesaving-surgery-on-his-favorite-toy/ar-AAC6u0L?ocid=spartandhp

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Still trying with the pictures 05-29-19

This is specifically for Elizabeth who asked how I set my Pfaff to sew a 1/4" seam. 

With a clear ruler under the presser foot  I measure 1/4"  from the edge of whatever presser foot I am using to where I want the needle to be. 

Then I move the needle position with the dial on the right to line the needle up with the 1/4" line on the ruler.  I usually make a mark on the dial to indicate that position in case I knock the dial off kilter.  I need a good light to the right of the needle to keep on the edge.  I have also used a piece of masking tape from the edge of the presser foot to keep the fabric in line before it reaches the needle.  Since I haven't been piecing for several years it will take some practice to keep things in alignment.  Practice makes things work better and maybe, eventually, perfect!. 

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Still sewing 05-27-19

And I am still struggling with pictures.  Talked to AOL help tonight and he gave me another, more complicated, way to send the pictures from my phone to my laptop.  So, I have these three images transferred for now.  

I think I messed up and turned the strip sets opposite directions, so the spacers line up more than they should.  The only way I will find out is to make another quilt the same, which I am not likely to do.  But if I do make another jelly roll race quilt I will be careful to always keep the top of each section matched with the top of the previous section.  Does that make sense?   I will try for a full picture tomorrow, but the top needs borders and I haven't chosen fabric for those. 

Here is the sewing helper again, with his BFF Froggie. 

And this is what he does when I ignore him for a half a second - he is fast.  And this position requires that I stop everything, remove him from the machine, and possibly throw Froggie for a while to wear him down a little bit.   He is SUCH a big help - NOT!

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