I hesitate to mention it, for fear of jinxing it, but it would appear that summer has finally arrived here in Northern Idaho. Temps in the 90's this weekend make sitting in the shade of my various old trees a pleasure I cannot resist. I take my lunch outside any day remotely nice enough for it, but this last week the problem has been convincing myself to come back inside once the meal consumed and a little reading done. The exceptionally long winter and near non-existent spring may have something to do with it. With all I always have waiting for me to attend to (inside, of course), I need justification to stay outside longer. So I've been filling the time with handwork - for the moment, the basting in preparation for appliqueing vines on sashing and borders (something else that can be done outside).
That particular project, though, is not as high on my priority list as some others. I still need to put time in the studio, and am doing that (a bit begrudgingly) in the mornings. I'm still anxious to get going on my azalea palette idea, but feel the need to first machine quilt two smaller pieces that have languished long enough. Fortunately, the idea for using those colors in a mosaic format will incorporate hand applique, something I can take outside once the prep work is done. I've decided to allot a bit of that morning studio time this week to get it to that point.
I was thinking all this through this afternoon, which led to me wondering, how do people who do all their work by machine find ways to spend time outside on lovely days and still make progress on their art? I knew of one lady who, once summer arrived, hauled her sewing machine and its table outside under a tree, strung a long extension cord and sewed away.
So my question to you, whether you do all your work by machine or not, or practice any art form that would normally keep you inside, is this: What clever ways have you come up with to enjoy the nice weather sans guilt, sans lack of productivity?
That particular project, though, is not as high on my priority list as some others. I still need to put time in the studio, and am doing that (a bit begrudgingly) in the mornings. I'm still anxious to get going on my azalea palette idea, but feel the need to first machine quilt two smaller pieces that have languished long enough. Fortunately, the idea for using those colors in a mosaic format will incorporate hand applique, something I can take outside once the prep work is done. I've decided to allot a bit of that morning studio time this week to get it to that point.
I was thinking all this through this afternoon, which led to me wondering, how do people who do all their work by machine find ways to spend time outside on lovely days and still make progress on their art? I knew of one lady who, once summer arrived, hauled her sewing machine and its table outside under a tree, strung a long extension cord and sewed away.
So my question to you, whether you do all your work by machine or not, or practice any art form that would normally keep you inside, is this: What clever ways have you come up with to enjoy the nice weather sans guilt, sans lack of productivity?
2 comments:
For me this year until the end of July I'm stuck in my sewing room as I have two quilts to finish on that deadline. It would make me sad to sit in the garden this summer as my knee is bad and I cannot garden, so not seeing too much of it is a bonus.
That occurred to me today actually - that it might bug me to sit out in the yard if there were things needing to be tended to that I didn't have time to deal with. Yes, deadlines...they don't allow for much give and take. I'm happy to be only working towards my self-imposed deadlines at the moment.
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