My 2016 Challenge

Earlier this month I came across a blog post by Heather Lou, of Closet Case Files, called Just Make it Already! How to Boost Your Sewing Confidence. It is a brilliant post! Go ahead and click over to read it - I'll wait :) I found myself nodding and smiling as I read because what she was saying really resonated with me. The gist of the blog post can be summed up in this statement Heather Lou makes at the beginning:

Stop telling yourself you can’t do it.

Do you talk yourself out of trying something new because you're scared to fail? I do it all the time. I really want to learn how to do something, but I'm scared of it, so I put it off and then I procrastinate, and then I put it off again and in the end I accomplish nothing. I did it for years with my desire to learn to sew clothes. I was terrified that I wouldn't be able to understand the patterns, and that I'd ruin fabric and waste money, so I didn't try. Then, last year, I finally plunged in and discovered that I can do it!! With the help of the book Love at First Stitch by Tilly Walnes I made a skirt...

 

and a dress that I love.

You'd think that I'd be ready to tackle anything now, right? Instead, I find myself in the same holding pattern. I really want to try sewing with knits, but I'm scared of them. They stretch! Quilting fabrics don't stretch! What's the difference between jersey and interlock, and which one do I want to use to make a t-shirt? I've spent hours reading different articles and blog posts and I'm still not sure!

So, after nodding my way through Heather Lou's blog post and agreeing with her that it's only fabric, I am publicly stating that in 2016 I will try sewing with knits. There are so many patterns I want to try (I'm looking at you Renfrew Top and Lady Skater Dress), but I'm going to start with a Craftsy class.

I figure Craftsy worked for helping me learn free motion quilting (which also used to scare me), so I'll use their class Sewing With Knits: 5 Wardrobe Essentials to tackle this next challenge. The class includes patterns for a hoodie, two styles of t-shirts, yoga pants and a dress, so I'll have plenty to work on. The class has been sitting on my wishlist for months, but no more - I just bought it!

Wish me luck!

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The List

Devotion for the Week...


We always have a time of prayer during our church services. The pastor reads out a list of all the people who have requested prayer (most of whom have requested prayers for healing, some of whom have been on the list for months, if not years), and then we pray together as a congregation.

One thing I have noticed is that the list is never short.

We are a small congregation, but that doesn't change the fact that there are many, many needs presented each week. There are those within the congregation itself who are sick and family members who are sick. There are requests for former church members and for friends of people in the congregation. We also have prayer for pastors of other churches who are sick...the list goes on and on. Of course, even with how long it is, the list is incomplete. If asked, probably ever person sitting in the church could add the name of someone they know who is sick or hurting or needs help in some way.

Another thing I've noticed is that the list never gets shorter.

Though names are removed from the list because the person has recovered from their illness or surgery, or because they have died, there are always more names to add to the list. There are always more people in need of healing from God.

I will be honest here. I struggle a lot with the issue of healing. I believe that God has the power to heal. Jesus healed people while He was here on the earth, after all, and I know people who have been healed. God told the Isrealites, "I am the Lord, who heals you" (Exodus 15:26). I also believe that He cares for each one of us enough to heal us. But the truth of the matter is that many people are not healed in this lifetime.

People struggle with chronic illnesses and disabilities. Why?

Cancer continues to attack too many families and to take the lives of those who are too young. Why?

I read last week about the passing of little Eleni, whose 10 months of life were full of pain and difficulty. Why?

Zachary was asking questions about his Bible reading yesterday, unrelated to sickness and healing, but Paul's answer strikes me as being appropriate here too. Paul said, "We just have to trust that He's a righteous God and that he's doing what is right." He also said, "I know that's not a very good answer, but it's the best we can do."

As much as we want Him to, God doesn't have to answer our whys. "For we live by faith, not by sight," the apostle Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 5:7. That faith is hard, sometimes. The believing that even in sickness, pain and death God is in control, and that He is good; it's hard.

 But sometimes God does give answers. I read yesterday this letter Rachel wrote to be read at Eleni's funeral and cried over the beautiful answers she feels she has been given. How important it is for all of us to remember that any time of suffering here on earth will seem insignificant when compared with the length of eternity spent in a place where "God’s dwelling place [will be] among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away” "(Revelation 21:3,4).

Sickness and death were not part of God's design for us; they were brought into the world because of sin and so long as there are people living on this earth, there will be sickness, pain and death. But there will come a day when all of that is gone, and there will never again be a need for a prayer request list.

Sugar Block Club - January

I've said before that I love Amy's Gibson's blog, StitcheryDickoryDock. I joined in with her Sugar Block Club BOM back in 2013 and made all the blocks, but I didn't get any farther with the quilt after the year ended. So, when she started up the SBC again this year, I decided I'd make this year's blocks, add them to the blocks from 2013, and make myself one big quilt. To begin with, I pulled out the old blocks and laid them out.

While I love the blue and beige/cream blocks, the collection seemed to be lacking something. They just seemed a little bland. So, I started digging around in my trunk of fabric to see what I have that might add a pop of colour. I found a bunch of nice, bright pinks so I scattered those over the blocks and I really liked how they looked. This is why I love having a stash of fabric ready and waiting!

With my new colour scheme in place (blue and beige/cream with pops of pink), I made the January block - an updated Churn Dash.

What a fun version of a classic block! 

Here are all my blocks together. That pink adds exactly the pop I wanted! I'm excited to see what blocks are added over the rest of the year.

Linking up with WIP Wedsnesday.