Silver Linings in a Pandemic

At Hip Stitch:

This last week wasn't one where I was on the store floor much.....the holidays, catching up w/office work after being away for a bit, and my daughters home had me occupied!  And as many folks do this time of year, I've done my fair share of reflecting....

A little over a year ago, I offered to any customers interested in meeting weekly in a Zoom group for crafting & companionship.  The world was shut down, we were all in our homes, and I wanted to offer a creative connection.  One year later, we have a steady group of 7-8 of us - now good friends who meet weekly over Zoom (we've changed to name from Craft Hour to Happy Hour, as we moreso just catch up on our lives)  Here's a snip I took when the group just started - most in this pic are still w/the group; a few moved on:

(boy did I need a haircut!) 

I'm so grateful for the group of women I've connected with weekly for a year.  We've collectively laughed, and grieved, and celebrated, and lamented.  We're still crafting, we're reading, we're starting to travel again, and getting together with our families again, and still getting through this pandemic, some days better than others - with the friendship of each other.

Making this week:

Some fun Valentines placemats:

Learned:

How about this lovely piece, shared by my friend Mary.  Reminders for us all:

Update on Melissa

I sat down with Melissa (Mel to us) recently to ask her/talk about this past year.  This has been on my radar for several months, since she’s returned to work at Hip Stitch, but there’s always something pulling us away.  Our wonderful customers have asked about her again and again, so we just had to make the time to chat.

Needless to say, our 'interview' was emotional.  She summed up the past (almost) 2 years as "I just put her head down and powered through."   Now, though, that it’s over, the emotions and the weight of this journey are still present and strong.

Here’s her story, medically speaking:

In February 2020, she had just returned from Quilt Con, laid down to go to sleep, and felt a lump in her breast.  This was out of the blue, as she was 38 years old and had zero family history of breast cancer.

Then, the whirlwind:

Despite (or because of) Covid19, everything happened very quickly, which was a blessing:  biopsy, diagnosis of stage 2 breast cancer, port put in, and started chemo within a month.

Six weeks after her last chemo treatment, she had a bi-lateral mastectomy.

Margins were clear, the surgery was successful, & she went on to have 17 herceptin infusions, the last one being July 2021.

Her final step - the removal of the port, was Sept. 2, 2021.

Now for the emotional/mental journey:

All throughout our chat, she used the word ‘gratitude’ - and it’s no doubt she embodies it.  She’s so very grateful for life, for the UNM Cancer Center (“phenomenal”) and everyone who helped her along the way - all the health care workers. She had to go to every one of her infusion treatments alone, but she had nurses there to hold her hand.  She’s grateful for her friends, many of whom are Hip Stitch customers, who reached out to her, sent notes, even a care package.  She’s grateful for her family, she’s grateful for having health insurance (yep, thanks Obama!)  She’s grateful to be back at work, amongst friends and her work family.  (we’re so very grateful too)

She’s grateful that her breast tissue when she had her mastectomy was immediately sent to UNM Research to be able to help others in the future with their diagnosis and treatment.

I asked her what else helped her through, and here were a few things:

*Listening to a mediation app for anxiety, especially at night, when the mind spirals down the rabbit hole.

*Doing guided image therapy.

Finally, some wisdom from her:

*ladies, get your regular mammograms!

*The only way to overcome fear is to walk through it over and over and over again.

*A silver lining of the pandemic was getting fast treatment from the start.

*A lousy attitude can make a miserable situation more miserable.  A positive attitude can make a miserable situation not just bearable, but filled with gratitude.

*This past 1.5 years have felt like a marathon - powering through, but once it’s done, the soreness (loss) catches up to you.  She feels the weight of the past year now at times unexpected.

*Finally, if anyone wants to reach out to her, please do!  Questions, just to chat, she’d love that:

mel.hipstitchabq@gmail.com

Her instagram handle is @clutteredcurator.

And all of us at Hip Stitch are so very grateful for her, our sister in this journey of life.  She’s now back at work full time - we’re all trying to make sure she doesn’t work TOO much, and have a good balance of work/home.

Here she is with port still in, without her strawberry blond hair, yet her beauty shines brightly:

She’s a shining star in this world.

Silver Linings in a Pandemic

 At Hip Stitch: 

Gosh darnnit, I forget her name! (Pandemic brain, I plead)

A sweet customer was in and we ended up chatting more than usual, because, well, it just flowed.

She's retiring at the end of this year from a big local company. She's pretty much counting down the days, and I asked if she's retiring because it's just time, or another reason. She shared that she's retiring because of poor managment, and we dove into a great discussion of what makes a good leader/manager, and why it's important, and by the time we said goodbye, we agreed that we really should get together and write a book. (but in course it's real life, so we'll just see each other now and then and have a lively talk when we do)

That made my week.

Making this week:

A sample of the Ruby Apron - a fairly new pattern in the store.  I love love love making samples!

It took about 2 hours  (cutting out the pieces not included).  I decided to make it 2 sided/reversible, and here's a little documentation/review.

The assembly has begun -  I decided to do the contast fabric as pockets:

The directions came together easily to make, and then there's the important clipping curves and corners to make everything lay nicely.  (lie or lay?)  Moments such as these that I miss my mom and her impeccable grammar.

There was a little confusion in the directions as this point, when it was time to attach the strap at the back, for the reversible version.  But it was easy enough to work around this; I just seam ripped an opening to slip the end of the strap inside and then topstitch all around:

Measuring placement and length of strap

Inserting the end of the strap into seam ripped opening

Topstitching and sewing strap in all at once.

And done!

I opted to not add a back closure strap.

The act of putting one's hands in one's pockets.

This'll be one I'll wear at work, it so adorable!

Learned this week:

I listened to a great podcast on Spotify:  Brene Brown of Dare to Lead interviewing writer James Clear on habits.  (atomic habits, he calls them)

He talks of consistency over intensity when striving to form a habit.  I'm developing that in my work life,  my personal life, my creative life.  Whether it's exercise or sewing/quilting a project or routines around the house, the mission isn't to go big, race to the finish, set huge goals.  A little at a time is just perfectly fine, and I learn that I much more enjoy the journey.

Silver Linings in a Pandemic

 At Hip Stitch: 

Sometimes positive outcomes come from initial negative ones. A husband and wife came in, not wearing masks. Honest to God, I spaced out that I should have reminded them that it's required. I haven't had to do that in ages (months?)

We struck up a conversation, saying our hellos. He said to me something along the lines of "isn't this whole thing (mask wearing/pandemic) ridiculous?"

I responded, "No, I really don't think it is," and we had a tiny bit more back and forth before I said that it's ok for us to agree to disagree. And that was that. No anger, no tantrums, no defensiveness, nothing

negative. His wife was shopping for fabric, he was along to be with her, and that's where the focus was.

And I was a little unnerved by the whole experience (our staffer Lisa stepped in and offered them masks to wear, which they put on), and then we went on with our day.

How.....refreshing.

And thinking about sweet Madelyn, a new quilter who came in a few months ago to shop for her 1st projects, then brought this finished top in to proudly show it off. We posted it on Instagram, and her mom chimed in with how proud she was, and then the icky comment came in - an opinion about mask wearing. We removed the comment - that was not the place for that negativity.

Here's Madelyn with her beautiful quilt:

Making this week:

A finished sweater -  blocked to get the size and fit just where it should be.  This all wrapped up today, so only a picture of it in the drying phase:

  But, a FINISHED sweater - yippee!

Learned this week:

Sometimes, it's perfectly ok to politely, respectfully, simply - agree to disagree. And then go on with our lives.

Silver Linings in a Pandemic

 At Hip Stitch: 

Rachel:

I've known Rachel for at least a year? (honestly, remembering anything is a challenge these days)

She teaches at a local elementary school, and is my "National Parks" customer.....I love when I've known a customer enough to know their fabric style & taste.

I love that she's a regular - that Hip Stitch is a place to be and leave the stress of teaching behind, that she brings friends in to the store. I love that she loves the National Parks. I love that she can come in on any given day, and if I'm not having the greatest day, we can at least smile at each other and say hi, and other days that are better we can have a good chat. I love the comfort of her visits.

Making this week:

Quilting!  (not piecing, but QUILTING)

It's time to get this one quilted:

On the back porch....a sheet first, then the backing then batting, then the top.  Took my time - used these:

The Elmer's to touch up the skinny scallop cut strips that came loose; THIS spray for attaching the batting to the backing, then the top to the batting.  THIS pen to draw the first lines for quilting.

Then, one of THESE needles to start, to make it easier to get through the glue and the Steam a Seam.

Two hours later - time for a break when the bobbin thread runs out.  This time with my quilt and my machine and walking foot and a great podcast and the sun shining in the window has been lovely!

Learned this week:

My friend who lives in Maine sent me a link to THIS NPR story on:

Solitude.

Pandemic Isolation.

Creativity.

Journaling.

Silver Linings.

Silver Linings.

Silver Linings.

Silver Linings in a Pandemic

 At Hip Stitch: 

Sabine:

It was close to closing time, and quiet young woman came into the store to shop. Not sure whether it was shyness or just needing to be left alone to browse, we said our hellos and offered assistance if needed, but otherwise took her cues and left her to be on her own to shop.

When she came to have her fabric cut, I asked her if she was visiting because she had a distinct accent. Oh my gosh, what a fascinating young woman!

She - Sabine - had just finished hiking the Continental Divide Trail, which took her 4 months and 10 days - Canada to Mexico. She hiked it with a few friends, and her trail name is "Mermaid" (I didn't know that was a thing - trail names!)

She said the best thing about doing it was being able to take off her mask. (oh, there's nothing like the outdoors). And that she missed her sewing machine.

Now THAT'S my kind of girl.

(She's also hiked the Pacific Coast Trail, by the way)

Making this week:

I posted this on the blog a few weeks back, have looked and looked at in person, but it wasn't 'til today that Cathy from my weekly Zoom Happy Hour group noticed that 3 blocks are turned the wrong way.  

Holy cow, do our eyes decieve us or not?!?  Can YOU see those blocks?  And now that I see them, I can't UNSEE them!  As I told the group, it's a good thing I like to seam rip!  (my mother liked to seam rip too.....is that a hereditary?)

Learned this week:

A fabulous podcast series on beliefs on Kelly Corrigan Wonders, and so far I've listened to her interview:

Suhag Shukla, who is the Executive Director of the Hindu American Foundation on all about the 3rd largest religion in the world (she says 'treat others well, and treat the planet well')

Anne Lamott, who is described as a woman who is "celebrated for her raw, hilarious accounts of stumbling toward her best self"

Rainn Wilson, (yep, "Dwight" from The Office) - and why his religion is the most important thing in his life.

There are 7 more in this series - I highly recommend this to ANYONE. Huh - opening our minds a bit and listening thoughtfully,,...what a wonderful thing to do......

Silver Linings in a Pandemic

 At Hip Stitch: 

Maria

Maria came to take a class in September - garment making. During a break in the class, she and I wer e chatting in the kitchen. We have a storage cabinet in the kitchen where there's a collage of photos of customers from over the years. Suddenly Maria stopped talking and said "that's my daughter!" Sure enough, her daughter, who is now a freshman in college, was in a picture when she was......6? Holding a sweet little doll she made at Hip Stitch!

Now THAT was a really neat moment!

Making this week:

The sweater is looking like a sweater!  Bring the time change and the cold weather on.....I'm ready for you!

Learned this week:

Remembering how much I LOVE to teach, but during a pandemic, the choice I made to move to private lessons from teaching a group was a GREAT decision.  I've been doing exclusively private lessons for about 6 weeks now, and have taught folks how to use their machine, how to read a pattern, how to sew curves, how to make alterations - giving individual attention to someone and following them on the path they're on is so much fun - in these mask wearing days, it's much for meaningful to sit side by side and make eye contact and have a geniune conversation!

Silver Linings in a Pandemic

 Charming customer: 

 (this week I was the customer!)

Gayle

While visiting my daughter in Bowling Green, Ohio, last weekend, we were walking down Main Street (yep, there's a 'Main Street' in this wonderful little town), and stopped in our tracks when we saw a signboard out in the front of Coyote Beads that had something along the lines of "just in from New Mexico". Wait.....what?? We went in to this charming shop full of gifts, jewelry, candles, and lots and lots of other goodies. We met Gayle, the owner, who travels to New Mexico a few times a year to shop for HER shop (she had just returned a few weeks ago)

What a great shop - a wonderful, gracious owner - and YAY for another small business that is surviving the pandemic!

Making this week:

The blocks for Mountain High  are DONE!

One row is together (they're put together on the diagonal - can you see the one all connected?)  I'm loving this quilt!

Learned this week:

Time for silence.  When I sew, knit, putz around the house....or am at the store....there's often music playing.  Or a podcast going when I'm at home.  And music is fun and motivating, and a podcast is entertaining or educational or both.  I've been learning to live in comfortable silence now and then.  It takes a concentrated effort, and makes me uncomfortable for a few minutes.  But then my brain calms and settles, and thanks me.  And hey, the creativity is still there!

Silver Linings in a Pandemic

 Charming customer:

Kathy

Kathy is a kick-ass independant woman who solo travels around the country. She has grown kids, raised them on her own, and now just, well wanders. (See her FB page HERE)

She's absolutely sweet and charming and gracious and was a joy to meet. We hope to see you again, Kathy, if/when you make your way through Albuquerque in your travels!

Here's the profile pic on her page:

(doesn't this just make you want to hit the road?)

Making this week:

The sweater is coming along - a body, a sleeve.

Knitting on the airplane flying to Ohio to visit my daughter, knitting with my daughter in her adorable tiny apartment, and more knitting to come on the flight back to ABQ tomorrow (a few tears while knitting because time with her was too short).....the sweater is coming along!

Learned this week:

Man, do I love the younger generation!  Being around my grad school daughter and her friends this weekend gives me such hope and confidence that the world will be ok.  Yes, they're very different than me at that age, yes, so much has changed in the world.  But this is THEIR time - they have the energy, the intelligence, the caring for their world, the passion to make a mark, a difference.  It's quite breathtaking to be a witness to it all.

Plus, any kid of mine who is a full-fledged adult but still gets just as excited as I do about spotting frogs in a pond is my kind of person:

Silver Linings in a Pandemic

 Charming customer (from a few weeks ago):

Mildred!

Oh my gosh, what a treat to meet Mildred, who was in Albuquerque recently for the Senior Racquetball Championship!  She fell in love with the “Chuckwagon Charlie” kit we have, and I enjoyed helping her pick out fabrics to make it customized to her taste.

In the process of chatting, I learned about why she was here, and she very modestly told me all the winnings she took!  How awesome is that?! 

(I couldn't successfully link the page to her info, but if you google "Senior Racquetball Tournament Albuquerque", you can find your way to her.)

Making this week:

Knitting!  The cooler weather beckons....

This sweater:

With this yarn:

Bottom picture taken against a backdrop of a peek of Aspen trees in the beauty of Northern New Mexico.  A fall drive was a balm this past week.

Learned this week:

Bloom where you're planted.

A reminder to take in the here and now and appreciate what's right in front of me.  (Don't we all sometimes long to be somewhere else, at another time, maybe, where it may seem things would be.....better?)

I didn't attend the Balloon Fiesta this year, but I made a point to stop and linger and gaze while looking at the balloons in my driveway each morning.

I drove (well, my husband drove, I knit)  to northern New Mexico to just see Fall.  And it didn't disappoint!  Smaller, less traveled roads,  unplanned stops (the Vietman Veteran's Memorial in Angel Fire.  Profound. Sacred.)

I've live in New Mexico for over 30 years.  Even after all those years, I remind myself to bloom where I'm planted.  How lucky I am to be planted here.

Silver Linings in a Pandemic

 Charming customer this week:

Doris

from Westchester County, NY.  (near Yonkers, she told me)

She and her husband were here for the Balloon Fiesta.  They were New Yorkers, with just a touch of an accent.  We had a lovely visit, and my favorite part was when she said “I’ve got to stop feeling guilty when I buy fabric,” to which her husband quietly nodded his head and smiled.  And I leaned across the counter and said, almost in a whisper, “were you raised Catholic too?”, and we had an immediate connection.

More and more, I feel quite lucky to have folks like this drop into my life, into Hip Stitch, and be the seeds that plant happy memories for me.

Making this week:

I've FINISHED!

Well, the top, that is.  It'll get quilted in the next few weeks.  I've grown in my love for it as it transpired.  And, once quilted, dare I say it might be stunningly beautiful!

Learned this week:

When you're an adult, it's VITAL for your mental health to play with children, if at all possible.  I have the joy of spending time now & then with a great niece and nephew, ages 6 & 4.  

(Now, I'm speaking as the AUNT when I say how joyful it is.....I have been there as a MOM in the trenches and know it's not the same)

I spend time with them studying ants and anthills, coloring, playing make believe, reading books, having deep discussions about things like:

*what makes a mean kid mean?

*the importance of 'please' and 'thank you'

*what does (insert word) mean?  This week it was the word 'overkill'

*why the dark is suddenly scary when it wasn't last week at bedtime. (yes, I'll crack the door open for light)

Here they are, playing on the new "Dreamland" Play Mat, complete with roads, a bakery, a castle, a pizza parlor, candy shop, and more, for much enjoyment by little ones (and an aunt!)

Silver Linings in a Pandemic

 Fabulous customer:

John and his wife Natalie came into the store this week - it was his first time in, and he was looking for a place that would feel, well, right for him.  Being a new sewist - easy.  Being a male sewist and walking in to a quilt shop?  Not as easy.  We joked about the common assumptions of a husband and wife coming to a quilt shop - he's just there for his wife as she shops, he's not shopping/interested in fabric, etc.

John not only taught himself to sew during the pandemic, he taught himself how to FIX machines during the pandemic.  Yep, he bought some old machines and fixed them up.  Oh, and in the process of learning to sew, made some clothes for his 3 daughters!

All I could think of was, "WHAT A GUY!"  He was, to boot, personable, funny, engaging, and just enthusiastic about sewing.

Now, he's working on selling all those machines he's fixed up - Natalie sure would like to see those moved out of the house!  

Making:

I'm plugging away at the Cotton Couture Cacti sample:

This is a tough one, because I know the end result will be completely different, but seeing it day after day in this partial state forces me to be patient, and visualize what it's becoming, not what it is!

Learned this week:

This summer I re-read East of Eden by John Steinbeck.  I came across on my phone an exerpt that stood out to me: 

"Aron was content to be a part of this world, but Cal must change it."  Whether you're content in the world or restless to change it,  we are all valuable, yes?

Silver Linings in a Pandemic

 Fabulous customer:

2 this week: (both on the same day, to boot!)

*A private lesson with Sarah, who was absolutely riveting:  she shared her love of history, combined with her years of service in the U.S. Army.  and it made for a lovely interaction with her.  She taught me so much, and as I told her "it's so nice to get out of my bubble of running this store/fabric/quilting" and just open up to listening and learning something new.

*Phyllis came to me to to learn about our Eversewn Sparrow 20 machine.  She's 88 and has macular degeneration, so she needs a machine that she'll be able to easily use despite her vision challenges.  She is funny, optimistic and a pleasant human being to be around.  We jokingly shared of the perils of aging:  weakened eyes, stiff back, achy bones, but knowing the importance of seeing the glass as 1/2 full!

Thank you, ladies, for choosing to cross paths with me this week - you are silver linings.

Making:

Continuing:

This pattern:  (remember from last week?)

As I began some of the 'collaging' today:

I felt like I was a bit in the mind of Laura Heine, the pattern designer, as she created this.  I LOVE this process!  It's a shit-ton of work with the prep, but as I said in my previous post, that's part of the meditative process of creating, at least for me.  There are plenty of projects that I do that I just want to quickly get them done:  a mask, a pillow cover, a new set of curtains, an easy garment, for example.  But there's something about creating projects that force you to take your time and every step requires creativity:

I especially love that Laura Heine specifically says in the directions: "try to be a little messy when placing your strips...." - after all, perfection shouldn't really be the goal in the creative process.  Make something that your eyes see as lovely.

So, in about 2 hours, I finished this one:

Learned this week:

If you haven't read the latest Hip Stich newsletter, we told customers of the continuing fabric shipment delays and the stress on every level of the production and distribution of fabric.

I have tremendous respect and appreciation for those working on this.  I had conversations with sales reps and a company vice president.  They were apologetic and sincere.  It was important for me to tell them,  "I'm frustrated with the situation, not with you."  

What a world of difference that makes in our interactions with each other, no?

Silver Linings in a Pandemic

 Fabulous customers:

Tomato Soup:

Add milk or water?  This was the conversation I found myself engaged in with 2 customers.  How we got to this?  I have no idea.  One minute we’re standing side by side in the store, looking at fabric and patterns, the next, debating over which is better - milk or water added to a can of tomato soup.  Then, of course, it must be combined with grilled cheese.  And so on, and so on.  These gals were in town for a National Guard conference, and, well, added to my growing list of “best things about my day”

Making:

This pattern:

Lots and lots of lots of ironing to Steam a Seam Lite & cutting with a wavy rotary blade, but I've grown to enjoy it - part of the meditative prep work for what's to come:

Learned this week:

Appreciation for customer's communication:

Jeremy cannot fix ALL sewing machines, whether it's due to access to parts (if we're not a dealer, sometimes parts cannot be acquired), warranty issues (again, dealership thing), or the time it would take him to fix it would exceed the value of the machine.  We've been working very hard to communicate clearly with customers about this, but sometimes, one avenue of communication is overlooked.  Suzanne came in last week with her Viking machine - we thought we had covered all the bases in letting folks know he does not service Viking machines, but she graciously pointed out that indeed, it did say he serviced them on a page on our website that has Jeremy's bio.  So, thank you Suzanne, for letting us know so we could edit that!

(Did you know......there's a Viking dealership in town!  Gathering Stitches, a great shop in Los Lunas, is the one!)

Silver Linings in a Pandemic

Fabulous customers:

Carrie

One of the cool things about having a shop that primarily has a female customer base is that it’s generally acceptable to have a girl crush on a customer. 

Like Carrie, who is not only a really nice human being, but also makes lovely quilts,  AND has gorgeous hair.  When I ooohed and aahed over it one day,  she told me about the Curly Girl Method, which I’m now reading up more on and trying out!  (I’m tired of straightening my hair but frustrated when I let it go natural, as it becomes a wavy fizzy mess)   So thanks, Carrie, for your gorgeous hair inspiration and your everyday sweet nature!

(wellll, not really going for this look!)

Making:

I started on a garment using fabric Reut hand-stamped:

She acquires her leaves from a variety of sources - ask her sometime about it!

Also, made this from the pallet that delivered the 24 Eversewn machines that were purchased by our customers to donate to Mexico:

Learned this week:

Did you know? 

Women’s buttons are sewn onto the left side of the garment. The reason for this is that buttons were very expensive and only wealthy women with domestic help could afford them. So to make it easier for the help to button up they were on the ‘wrong’ side.

Huh.  I'll remember that next time my ladies' maid buttons up my dress, and the convenience of it for her.