Dawn Sellers

Yo Yo

Are you familiar with yo yo quilts?  They were very popular in the late 1930's, during the depression when women didn't have money to buy beautiful fabrics to use for quilting projects.  Instead they would use the scraps of fabric from the families worn and tattered clothing.  Salvaging what they could of the beautiful dress cottons.  Made from small circles of fabric, gathered and sewn into little yo yo's then carefully stitched together into a beautiful quilt.  Most of the time these quilts were used more as bedspreads, without a fill or backing.  Also, mostly made from the scraps of fabric their designs were random.  Occasionally you will find one that has a pattern of sorts and I've also seen table covers and pillows made from the yo yo's.  This is a photo of just a small portion of a yo yo quilt owned by my friend, she purchased it several years ago in an antique store here in Portland and enjoys displaying it on one of her beds.

 

This friend is the one who has me now hooked on yo yo-ing.  We have been cutting circles and stitching them together during our breaks and lunch times at work.  I am making a tablecloth to match my kitchen colors and it will be in a pattern of sorts, I'm not quite sure what that pattern will be but it is coming together slowly.  She has a couple of different projects going, one table cloth and one small bedspread.

Apparently, there is some new yo yo gadget that is sold and it can make the yo yo-ing easier but really, these are so very simple to make there is no need for anything except a cardboard circle, a tracing pen, scissors, needle and thread.  It is a great portable project (once you have your circles cut) and is quite relaxing.  I'm currently exploring some other ideas with the yo yo's and know that there are hundreds I haven't even thought of yet.

Scents

I took a little time at lunch today to stock up on Bath & Body Works hand soaps.  I love all of the wonderful scents.  Whenever they have a sale I always try to stock up.  Right now they are 4 for $10 which is a great deal.  I noticed they have a few new scents and have discontinued some of the old ones.  I have had the unfortunate experience of losing my entire sense of smell over the last 6 months or so.  Because of that, I wasn't able to test the new varieties but I'm sure they are all wonderful.

You will also notice the Taco Time bag, bad for me but oh so tasty.  Can you believe they have been around for 50 years?!

 

Alicia Paulson Book Signing at Powells

 

My co-worker and lunchtime crafting partner shared with me yesterday that Alicia Paulson was doing a book signing at Powells for her new book Embroidery Companion.  We both follow Alicia’s blog, Posy gets Cozy, and even though most of her work isn’t really my style, I love her attention to detail and her creativeness.  Some of her projects are right up my alley and I have been waiting for her new book to come out.  Since the signing didn’t start until 7:30 pm, we decided to work late and get ourselves across the river to Powells (it is seriously, a five minute drive!) so that we could line up for an autographed copy.

When we arrived and worked our way up to the Pearl Room at Powells, careful to not be totally distracted by all the amazing books and other things at the City of Books.  There were only about 15 people all seated in chairs waiting.  I spotted a couple of knitters.  So we grabbed our books off the rack that was set up and found our seats.  Dear Powells, can you please find some seats that are just a tad bit more comfortable?  My butt was numb by the end of the otherwise enjoyable evening.

We watched as Alicia and her family, minus the dog that she so often shows on her blog, arrive and set up all the samples from her book.   Even more amazing than they seem in the book, her embroidery, cross stitch and crewel work is just lovely.  I enjoy the 70’s folk art designs that she uses frequently and much of her work is taken directly from early needlework designs, which of course I love. 

She was introduced by this big, mountain man looking guy that works for Powells and he couldn’t have had any less personality, I was really embarrassed for her.  Alicia, if you happen to read this, please let me or my friend come along to your book signings and do your introduction.  You really deserve better!

Alicia’s talk was mostly questions and answers which was very enjoyable (except for the uncomfortable chairs mentioned earlier).  Alicia even brough cupcakes which were delicious.  Loved the fresh blackberries on top.

While in line we ate cupcakes and chatted with a woman who is one of Alicia’s neighbors and came to support her.  Very sweet lady, we talked about embroidery and cross stitch and other craftyness.  She was more of a gardener and so was interested in our take on crafts.  There seemed to be several friends and family there and the whole environment was very friendly and comforting.  Not at all like I expected. 

We finally worked our way up to the table and introduced ourselves to Alicia, although we both feel like we already know her from reading her blog.  She was completely and totally as I expected.  Sweet, welcoming, grateful that people came to see her and buy her book and she is totally willing to share her knowledge and love of embroidery.  I have only briefly flipped through the book but have already spotted two projects I will be doing.  I too have loved embroidery since I was a little girl and even though the only embroidery I have done most recently includes what I call ‘stitching’ on mini art quilts and fabric ATCs, Alicia has inspired me to work on a more traditional project and reconnect with basic embroidery and cross stitch.  I’ll share in another post my cross stitch project that I started about 15 years ago and am only about a third of the way finished!  I’m so easily sidetracked.

 

 

I'm so indecisive

I thought by moving my blog over to Wordpress my issues would be resolved and I would somehow magically begin posting everyday or every other day.  Boy was I wrong.  I think I posted a total of TWO times at the other site.  It looks like Typepad has resolved some of the issues that were frustrating me.  So here I am, back at Typepad.  Hopefully some of you are still around.  I am going to work on a little redesign here to better reflect what it is I am doing now.  I need a new header and I'd like to share more about the new crafty things I've been doing and some exciting changes at our stores as well as some fun things coming up in general.  We are still in the process of sorting the mounds of antique and vintage buttons for the button bar - will the sorting ever end?  We hit it pretty hard yesterday and made a small dent in the collection.  I'm considering how to best share the treasures of antique buttons we are finding.  A book?  Share on the blog?  A little of both?  I don't know yet.

I am still so busy with work and the extra community things I've been working on.  Art Walk is taking up a huge chunk of my time but is very enjoyable.  I love meeting new artists and helping them get their work seen.  I've been doing some successful grant writing and have found that I enjoy it as much as I thought I would.  I am working on a committee to help promote Downtown Hillsboro and also on a group know as "Vintage Hillsboro".  We are planning a big event this fall - The Time Travelers' Marketplace & Ball.  You can see the details on the website and advance tickets are available now.  It is going to be big fun, I think I'm going to try for a  Steampunk look.  I still need a costume.