Monday, September 18, 2023

Groups again, stitching, painting, fraternal twins

The gloves are coming along, and the color-changing yarn changed color between gloves, knitting along to Atomic Shrimp on YouTube, great channel 

So I think this pair will be fraternal twins. With any luck the blue section will show up before the second one is done. I'm just a helpless prawn of fate here.

I put together the makings of the next section of applique

After this, two more, then I organize the overlay. That's to look forward to. Now I'm deciding on what stitches to use here and what colors.

Meanwhile, I did a three minute small study of flowers, from life.

A while back I posted daily paintings, all rapid studies and fun to do, a kind of here goes nothing approach. Maybe that will happen again. I really recommend it. As a commenter yesterday said, with watercolor there's no second chance. Not with one painting, true. The second chance is the next painting!  

About library groups and activities, several people have noted that their local library doesn't do classes and activities. Neither did the two I use before they were encouraged! I pushed and asked and supported and assisted many programs into existence. 

What libraries often need, and their governing boards require, is evidence that there's enough interest to warrant the staff time and attention. If they never hear from you, they may never try it, though they might love the concept.

I do know some very small town libraries struggle even to keep the doors open, and I'm not criticizing. But if we value them, they, especially now, need our support and encouragement. 

You may show up week after week with no takers. Our currently wildly successful and friendly knitting group started out that way. Just the library lady and me, chatting and working on our projects. And me recruiting friends. Week after week.  So there has to be a moving spirit, and if you fancy a group, maybe that's you! End of commercial for How to be a Good Patron.

And here's flowers, a couple of new ones added, couple of faded ones now outside to feed the earth. You'll see alyssum, dayflower, zinnias and marigolds


cooler and raining today, and my days of sitting outside this year are numbered, but still lovely. I sometimes just sit and be. No reading or stitching, just watching and listening and sniffing. 

Happy day, everyone, sometimes it's okay to just be.




15 comments:

  1. Yes, the second chance is the next one! I enjoy just being sometimes, it quiets the insides. Fraternal twins, good one!

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  2. BTW, I really like your quickly done watercolor.

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    1. Thank you! I do like the way you respond to several points in my posts. Nice.

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  3. Ah- it is so much cooler here today. A walk was not torture, it was fine. And the light and the shadows foretell the equinox which is in just a few days.
    I am constantly amazed at what all the little library in Monticello offers in the way of classes and activities. It is a busy and productive place which feels both cozy and up-to-date. And the librarians (including our beloved Terez) could not be more helpful.
    I love your little quick/quick. paintings.

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    1. I think the secret is in who works at the library -- lively people create lively places.

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  4. "a helpless prawn of fate" GROAN! I know with any of the public groups I've started in the past (on my own, not through a library), it takes time for your peeps to find you. I always give a new group a minimum of 6 months before re-assessing demand for it.

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    1. Yes, definitely. Time to find out about you, then schedule coming, then finally show up.

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  5. I love how the self changing yarn just does it’s thing. Even with gloves. You know they go together but there not exactly the same.
    I’m trying to spend time outside while I can. Before it gets way to hot
    Right now we can’t even imagine it hot. But you just know it will be so

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    1. I know that not believing it will get hot, or cold, ahead of time. I'm not believing it will snow again!

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  6. The watercolours would be lovely! I look forward to them. Love the twins, fraternal as they are.

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    1. I'm glad you're ready to enjoy a few little paintings.

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  7. The gloves are grand, colors irrespective. I belonged to a knitting group for a year or so, but never felt welcome or included, so I left.

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    1. It's disappointing when you can't get into a group. But you gave it a fair try.

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  8. Always rather envious of water colourists talents and ability to sort of swoosh colour into a scene. I hear what you are saying about groups. I have flashed through a few places where libraries hosted more than just book borrowing and thought that this kind of replaces what churches might once have been in communities (especially in NZ and Europe where congregations have been falling for decades and community glue has been loosening i fear.). Maybe we will settle one day and a crafts or gardening group will be my calling.

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    1. In the US there's been a long period of promoting the library as community centers as well as book centers. They're pretty lively places, and there are a few people who wish they'd go back to shushing!

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