Getting into sewing again.

@marguicha (215424)
Chile
October 15, 2011 1:03pm CST
After many years of little sewing (my girls got married, my hubby died and I hardly need anything new), I have to start sewing again. To begin with, Spring has come to my country and I´m on chemo, no hair and no wishes to wear the caps I knitted last Winter. So now it´s time for turbans and scarves. I have bought a couple and borrowed some too, but I want to make some that go with my clothes. Besides that, and when I have more energy (the next is my last chemo), I also want to make new covers for my terrace. I made some lovely ones some years ago, but the sun almost disolved the fabrics, not to mention the colours. My lymphoma has behaved well with chemo, so I am in a good mood to make middle term and far term works. Vanity firt, I´ll make the headdresses of all sorts. Next, I hope to be able to buy some fabric as lovely and unexpensive as I did the last time. I´ll post here a picture of my terace when I finished the job, also to see it again and give me energy to do it agian.. Do you need motivation to do your crafts and needed work? Share.
6 people like this
20 responses
@peavey (16936)
• United States
15 Oct 11
I need motivation to do mending and the like! I don't sew that much but sometimes get in a mood and do it. I don't need motivation to knit or needlepoint, though. It sounds like you're doing well with your chemo. It's kind of scary how many people have gone or are going through cancer treatment (me included).
1 person likes this
@peavey (16936)
• United States
16 Oct 11
I try to do both - mend and wear them out. It's easier to wear them out, I agree! If it's smaller, you're making progress. It seems like staying the course for treatment like this goes on forever, but there will be an end to it. Hang in there.
1 person likes this
@marguicha (215424)
• Chile
16 Oct 11
I´m afraid I use my clothes until they are past mending and they I turn them into rags for several uses. No guilty feelings, no mending! As for cancer, as there´s nothing I can do but follow doctor´s instructions as to diet, cleanness at home and such (and the chemo, of course), there I go. I m planning vacations after chemo. I don´t care if they are my last vacations or not, but I wnt fun. As for kidney, I have to drink loads of water all the time. It´s drink and loo for me now. But the darn thing is smaller.
1 person likes this
@marguicha (215424)
• Chile
19 Oct 11
My cancer has responded well to chemo, but it has not cure. Fortunatly it´s a slow grower. Still, I don´t want to live forever, but I do thing I can still have fun. We´ll see. I have a last tests to know about and that will help to know my prognosis. If all goes well, I will have more chemo , but more spaced. This thing cannot we radiated or taken away by surgery.
1 person likes this
@kyrararen (601)
• Indonesia
15 Oct 11
is it ok for me to respond to this? because I don't sew and I can't do so. but your title caught my eyes. it reminds me of my grandma who liked to sew and knit. in fact, she made me some beautiful dresses when I was still a kid, and this kinda reminds me of her. the beautiful memories that still remain. I do hope that you will get well soon and I am looking forward to seeing your pictures. have a good day.
1 person likes this
@marguicha (215424)
• Chile
16 Oct 11
Thanks for your comments. You know, I never thought that I´d be a grandma sewing, but here I am. My grandma taught me to sew and embroider while she told me stories. Then I got a love for language, read and read and then became a writer. When my children were small I started to sew from patterns and then made most of my own clothes. I gave up later, when nice clothes started to get cheaper and fabrics expensive. So now I´m back, little by little, because although I´m a grangma and an ol´wich, I still wnt nice scarves, beautiful covers in my terrace and beauty around me. I don´t know what will happen with my health, but meanwhile, I´m enjoying life
1 person likes this
@marguicha (215424)
• Chile
19 Oct 11
Thanks a lot, kyrarayen. I wore my first Summer turban today, as the day was beautiful, but I just wrapped a big scarf over my head. It was a change from the more formal knitted caps I wore in Winter and I was elated. I hope tomorrow the day is as warm. I invited for lunch an old aunt and I want to look gorgeous. I don´t want the "you poor baby" on her old face, just because I have cancer. In fact I told her that I´d invite her only if she did NOT do that. I am sure my quality of life is better than hers, but I will not tell her that , of course.
1 person likes this
• Indonesia
19 Oct 11
oh woah, it sounds so nice what you had for the day. XD I saw the pic you posted, Ma'am. it would be awesome to have lunch and get some good time there. hmmm, tea with some cookies. yumsssss...._
@ElicBxn (63235)
• United States
15 Oct 11
More than anything else, I need SPACE! And today the young man is out there finishing up my craft shed! Its warm and sunny today, tho the ground is still a bit soft from last weekends rains so hopefully this week I can start getting things done out there and actually start making a few things!
1 person likes this
@ElicBxn (63235)
• United States
15 Oct 11
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1913321351972.2093104.1210065193&l=66bdc9e51a&type=1 Keep an eye on this page, the roomie will be uploading the new pictures to it later.
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@marguicha (215424)
• Chile
16 Oct 11
Awesome pictures! I want one!
2 people like this
@marguicha (215424)
• Chile
15 Oct 11
Take a picture to show it to us when it´s done. It´s nice to have a craft´s shed, but nicer still to have someone who does it for you.
2 people like this
@paula27661 (15811)
• Australia
16 Oct 11
I don’t sew but I wish I knew how to! It would be lovely to be able to make my own clothes. I don’t have the skill for sewing and craft although I like to have a go when I’m in the mood. My daughter loves to do crafty things and she is usually the one who motivates me with her creative ideas. School holidays are a good time for us to do different things together. Good luck with the rest of your treatment...
1 person likes this
@marguicha (215424)
• Chile
16 Oct 11
Thanks, paula. I much prefer to do things when I´m with someone else than working alone. We get ideas from the other and explanations if we get stuck in something. And the conversations makes the rest! Have a lovely day!
1 person likes this
@jaiho2009 (39142)
• Philippines
16 Oct 11
Nice to know you keep yourself busy inspite of what you are dealing right now I don't know about knitting, but I know how to crochet and sew and cross-stitch. I also know few paper works and a lot more. I like handicrafts and it's my forte. I really wish to learn about knitting too... Have a good day and looking forward for the photos ma'm :)
1 person likes this
@marguicha (215424)
• Chile
16 Oct 11
I have posted a couple of pictures here. Scroll up. I would like to do cross-stitch. I have a friend who made an awesome handbag for her daughter in cross-stitch and found a good plce where they made leather handles for it.
1 person likes this
@velvet53 (22528)
• Palisade, Colorado
15 Oct 11
I used to sew all the time and loved it. For some reason I got out of the swing of things. It is so nice to see a finished project and how it feels and fits. I will watching for pictures of your sewing.
1 person likes this
@marguicha (215424)
• Chile
15 Oct 11
Terrace coverings - I took several pictures of the work and the final effect as I was very proud of my work. I hope I can do it again.
I forgot to add a picture of the terrace furniture covers I have a few years ago. Now they are bleached and torn so I hope I can gather energy before Summer to sew some again. My last chemo is in November and we are in Spring in our country. Here goes one of the pictures.
1 person likes this
@velvet53 (22528)
• Palisade, Colorado
21 Oct 11
That is a nice picture. I know that once your chemo is over with things will be different for you. Just get well now and the rest will follow.
• United States
15 Oct 11
I love all kinds of crafting.Not to long ago I made a handbag with some old blue jeans and fabric.
1 person likes this
@marguicha (215424)
• Chile
15 Oct 11
You should download a picture and show us your work. We all want here nice ideas, specially if it means recycling. It seems that many times seconds are better! Share!
1 person likes this
@alottodo (3056)
• Australia
16 Oct 11
I Am trying to get into my sewing again...I Am making some cushion covers to give as presents for Christmas...some I embroidered some have laces so I will see how I go...keep your good spirit I Am happy you are doing so well take care.
1 person likes this
@marguicha (215424)
• Chile
16 Oct 11
Those are wonderful ideas for Christmas presents. We all love cushions and a new cover makes them new again. Thanks for your wishes. I´m doing the best I can and, as all is going as well as it can be expected, I´m thinking of vacations for this Summer
1 person likes this
• United States
16 Oct 11
I use to sew, knit and crochet years ago, but did so mostly for my kids. So to a sense yes I need motivation in order to do it again. I really have not in years so nothing really has appealed for me to begin again. I think it is an excellent idea you do some sewing and know you will be all classy looking in your matching ensembles. Send me pictures as I know you will be looking all nice.
1 person likes this
@marguicha (215424)
• Chile
16 Oct 11
This coming Summer I´ll be as fashionble as anyone can be! I bought bangs online at the america cancer society (a King´s ransom in shipping!) but I´ll have some hair to show in my face. It looks almost real. Certainly I´ll tke pictures. I´m a lady full of vanity.
1 person likes this
@fannitia (2167)
• Bulgaria
15 Oct 11
Hi, Marguichaq I hope you feel better. It's good that you are in the mood to do creative work as sewing. I used to sew almost all my clothes when I was young. Later I had less and less time. Then my daughter began to study textile and fashion and took hold of all my needles and sewing threads. I don't have time to sew and sincerely speaking I don't feel like it right now. But I still wait for a new inspiration to come.
1 person likes this
@marguicha (215424)
• Chile
15 Oct 11
I have not sewn for a long time. In fact, I had even lent my sewing machine to one of my daughters. But if you want to look nice while on chemo, you have to spend a lot of money or do some work. I think it´s very important for me to look well. I can´t allow myself to feel depressed. So there I am, buying fabrics, getting ides and the like. My friends and family have been most helpful, giving me caps, hats and beautiful things to wear.
1 person likes this
• Philippines
16 Oct 11
I am glad for you after knowing that you are using sewing as a way to enjoy living life. It is nice to see a person such as you who choose to be productive and positive than be depress by your current state of health. I do have my own hobbies which help me to clear up my thoughts when I am highly stress out.
1 person likes this
@marguicha (215424)
• Chile
16 Oct 11
I am inventing new good recipes as I love to cook and must have a special diet. I have a darling helper that comes every day as I don´t have energy to do all I want. So, between both of us, I still tend my veggetable garden also and now I´m starting with my scarves for the Summer. A nice activity is a good way to overcome stress. Enjoy!!!
1 person likes this
@louievill (28851)
• Philippines
16 Oct 11
ah friend you are so productive even in your condition and I love that very much. That's why I feel sorry when young people who are not sick in our place just hang around doing nothing the whole day and wasting their precious time, next time I meet somebody who is like that, I will tell them the story of my very brave friend here at mylot
1 person likes this
@bretay61 (722)
• United States
15 Oct 11
Also dont forget to post a pic of the scarves you make.I am glad you are doing well.You can find some really thin cloth to make some turbans or scsarves to match your outfits.
1 person likes this
@marguicha (215424)
• Chile
15 Oct 11
I already bought 3 squares of a fabric that it´s a little thicker than gauze , just the colour of some dresses I bought at Aruba for the beach and that I can use here to go to the garden. I´ll only hm them and then place them in different ways around my head.
1 person likes this
@rollylolly (2843)
• India
16 Oct 11
Hi friend nice to hear that chemo is responding and your health is improving . Thanks for sharing the picture . OMG you are so talented , you cook and sew so well . Wish I lived near you and could learn . I sew in my school days as it was mandatory in school . Never nurtured the craft later . I have an aunt who is an expert but lives far off my place . I appreciate your interest . Good luck friend :-)
1 person likes this
@marguicha (215424)
• Chile
16 Oct 11
I knew nothing about sewing or cooking when I got married. But anyone can learn, little by little, if there´s a will. I never learnt how to make my own patterns, but discovered patterns that suited my body measures. With cooking it was more like trial and error, but if you think what you had in your dish when you ate it (made by someone else) and think then what is tougher to put first into the pot, you have it!
1 person likes this
@jillhill (37354)
• United States
17 Oct 11
I am motivated when I need to be.....sounds like you are getting better all the time and I truly hope you can return to your sewing....that will take your mind off other things too....can't wait to see the photo of your terrace!
@marguicha (215424)
• Chile
19 Oct 11
I´m enjoying my life includung the changes my health has done. My only worry right now is that my oldest dranddaughter wants mee to write a story for her and I only have 7 days until her birthday. Some stories take a day, others a month. She won´t accept the ones I have written but hasn´t read yet. It has to be a new one The terrace covers will have to wait a while. And I have to make some scarves with the fabric I bought a couple of weeks ago. It seems I´ll be busy. And hospital fills one week bwrween exams, doctor and chemos.
@daeckardt (6237)
• United States
8 Jan 12
I have never been into sewing. I will probably have to find things again if my temporary doctor has his way. I was told on Thursday that he wanted to see me next Tuesday to talk about starting on chemo again. I will know more after that appointment. Oh well...I was hoping that wouldn't happen again. I hope you are able to find some great fabric for the purpose. Happy New Year!!!
@daeckardt (6237)
• United States
8 Jan 12
I'm not giving up on anything yet. I know that I can get hats from the AIU (ambulatory infusion unit) again if they do decide to start me again. I still don't know if they want a blood draw on Tuesday so I don't know if I will use the cream or not so that if they do need to access the port they can. I guess I will wait and see. I may limit hats to when it is cold or too sunny since I didn't use them last summer after my doctor told me I could just use sunscreen to protect my scalp. But the cold does bother me.
@marguicha (215424)
• Chile
12 Jan 12
I´m afraid I am full of vanity. I have cried for my lach of eyebrows. Luckily they have grown back to some extent. But as it happens, then doctors take over, they won´t let you get away. Now they took out a mole they did not like and I have 11 stitches in my scalp. It hurts! This happenned 2 days ago. In 3 more weeks I´ll have the biopsy. I hope there´s nothing wrong with it. I want a life!
1 person likes this
@marguicha (215424)
• Chile
8 Jan 12
Hi Deb, I finally did not sew anything as everyone brought me lots of scarves and hats. I bought a couple form the American Cancer Society at reasonable prices. The most expensive part of that was the shipping. I will not have chemo again. They will have me for two years on Rituximab, a monoclonal antibody. That´s all and my hair will not fall out again although it is not certain that all this will help my lymphoma. But to get to the hats and sewing, I do wish I could send you mine. They are lovely. I have this thing with hair, so I wnted to look decent
1 person likes this
@mentalward (14691)
• United States
15 Oct 11
Mrs. Santa Claus ??? - My youngest son dressed as Mrs. Santa Claus one year near Christmas. He worked there in that bar where the photo was taken. His friends all said that, if they had been having a costume contest, he would have won, hands down! LOL
You are to be commended for your entire attitude during this trying period in your life, marguicha! You always seem to have such a positive attitude and looking toward the future is proof of that. I'm SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO happy to hear that your lymphoma is behaving well and that your next chemo is your last. I know how you must be looking forward to all that renewed energy. That is enough to give anyone motivation, all that good news! I normally don't need any motivation to work on any of my crafts but, with my marriage being over in every way but legal, I've battled with depression over the move I'm about to make. Not because it hurts emotionally, that part is long over; my depression stems from the physical part of moving. It's exhausting for a younger, healthier person and that is definitely not me. Besides, I've just been diagnosed with bursitis in both hips and they love to scream at me throughout the day, every day. I'm extremely fortunate to have enough strong muscles from my sons and some male friends who are very willing to help me in this move but I am still doing quite a lot with all the packing, sorting and disposing of things before the big move occurs. (I'll be starting physical therapy soon to hopefully help with the pain in my hips.) I've been a crafter ever since I can remember. My mother used to almost shove me out the door when I was little to "go play" because I preferred to stay home and work on whatever craft project I had going at the time. I've never changed. I used to LOVE creating new costumes for my sons for Halloween when they were little. That put my imagination as well as my crafting abilities to the test. I wish I still had a little person to create costumes for. My sons are way too old for that, now. Well, my youngest son still likes to find a party to go to and wear some sort of costume that he's created. Hmmm, now that it's on my mind, I believe I have a photo of him one year around Christmas when he dressed as "Mrs. Santa Claus". He was a hoot! Yeah, I'll post it here and hopefully give you a good laugh. Maybe I'll even do a discussion about him closer to Christmas! You know what? This discussion has given me the motivation to create new costumes for little people because my closest friend (in my literal world) works in an inner city (very poor) elementary school and uses the costumes I made so long ago for my kids and lends them to children who don't have costumes. They have a Halloween parade and party every year and it's so sad to see the kids without a costume only because their parents (usually just mothers) don't care enough. I think I'll start working on new costumes again as soon as my big move is over. THANK YOU for the motivation!!!!! Oh, I can't wait to see your patio once it's all finished. Maybe you could model some of your turbans and scarves for us.
@TrvlArrngr (4045)
• United States
15 Oct 11
Glad to hear your chemo is almost over! It is great that you are so creative to make your own headwear. I am very impressed. Hope you are feeling great soon!
1 person likes this
@marguicha (215424)
• Chile
15 Oct 11
Chemo is over for the moment. Chemo has helped a lot, but my lymphoma has no cure yet. But the demon has shrunk and I hope a bone marrow test that was done 2 days ago will come out better. I keep my fingers crossed but I´m forgot about longevity but want a good quality of life, whatever the time left. So, I try to have fun. I feel tired, because of the chemo, and that makes me sleep most of my most loved TV shows. But besides that , I´m ok.
1 person likes this
@dorannmwin (36392)
• United States
19 Oct 11
I think that I was meant to be a crafter from the time that I was a small girl. I tend to do something that is crafty every single day. This year alone I've crocheted two baby blankets, one for my little niece and the other for the new son of my best friend that lives in Texas. I've also been working on a blanket for on my own bed as well. In addition to that, I also work on life scrapbooks for my children as well.
@marguicha (215424)
• Chile
19 Oct 11
Crafts and all kinds of work with our hands help a lot in several ways. for me, tending the garden has been a source of happiness all my life. I life the contect with the earth and many times, when I have problems I take a spade and dig and think.
• India
19 Oct 11
Sister Let me wish the best of health and everything for you, never think you are alone, i am with you, we are same age, i pray the almighty to give you enough strength to finish the job, it is nice to hear you are back to sewing.. You know sewing is one of my hobby, from old pants and shirts i prepare bags, mats and that kind of stuff only, blessings from Bhuwan
@marguicha (215424)
• Chile
20 Oct 11
I´m trying to keep my hands and mind busy, Bhuwan. Next week I will know more about the prognosis of my lymphoma but for now, I only think about near future and little things I can do at the present.