Search

Sewing with less stress Front

Sewing with less stress Front
My newest sewing book

Sewing with less stress back cover

Sewing with less stress back cover
What my new book is about

Clothesmaking mavens

Clothesmaking mavens
Listen to me on the clothes making mavens podcasts

About me

My photo
I am a mother, a grandmother, and a teacher. But whatever happens in my life, I keep sewing. I have worked as a political communicator and now as a teacher in my formal life. I have also written extensively on sewing. I have been a frequent contributor and contributing editor of Threads magazine and the Australian magazine Dressmaking with Stitches. My book Sew.. the garment-making book of knowledge was published in May 2018 and is available for pre-order from Amazon
SIGN UP BELOW FOR BARBARA EMODI'S MONTHLY NEWSLETTER

FOLLOW

SIGN UP TO FOLLOW BARBARA EMODI'S BLOG "SEWING ON TH EDGE"

Follow me on Instagram

Instagram
Follow on Bloglovin

Friday, March 27, 2020

Flypaper thoughts: still in quarantine edition

  • Well we still have a pandemic don't we?
  • I only hope it doesn't get too bad too fast
  • There will be many stories out of this
  • Hardships that are invisible
  • I am thinking of my friend whose marvellous husband 
  • Just went into a memory care facility
  • Because he has early onset
  • Now she can't go and see him
  • I wonder what he thinks
  • My mom said to me
  • We got through the war, we got through the flood (Winnipeg in the '50s)
  • We can do this
  • Of course we can
  • My first father-in-law was in forced labour in Russia in the war
  • He walked back to Hungary in the winter
  • How did he do that?
  • The secret he said
  • Was that he made sure, even if it was with snow
  • He washed every day
  • Now that was a something
  • We are at the end of week one of self-isolation
  • Daisy has a ruptured disc in her neck
  • So she is on bed rest for a month and a half at least
  • She's in the dog stroller in the day and not liking it
  • But that's the way it goes
  • Ever tried to keep a dog from moving their neck?
  • But we can do it
  • Main crisis at the moment is the shortage of flour
  • My husband is a stress baker
  • And I am a stress eater 
  • A very successful marriage
  • I made a decision to dress every day like I was still going to the office
  • I sorted my enormous button collection on Tuesday wearing my pearls
  • I knew I had them for some reason
  • I had a female boss early on who told me
  • If I was going to have a decent career I needed pearls
  • Never wore them
  • Thought I was too young
  • Too matronly for me
  • But turns out they are perfect quarantine wear
  • So this is what I was saving them for
  • Tomorrow I think I am going to put on stockings
  • Covid-19 what do you think of that?
  • You will be hearing from me again

Monday, March 23, 2020

Flypaper thoughts: quarantine version


  • Home now after an odd trip home
  • Double time
  • In the house for two weeks now
  • All good except Daisy
  • She has a very bad foot/shoulder
  • Trying to do telemedicine with the vet
  • If all else fails will have to leave her in the yard 
  • And have someone take her in
  • Strange times
  • My DIL in Berkeley has a a cough
  • They aren't tested but she's been told to behave as if she has the virus
  • Two front line health care workers here
  • And a son and his girlfriend now separated by a border
  • Hard when they sail out of your own safe harbour
  • Not entirely patient with those who are noncompliant
  • We need to get this done
  • However
  • My neighbour left muffins at the end of the driveway
  • My son put his hand to the front window
  • My husband is cheerfully stress baking
  • I discovered a pattern piece I lost
  • I am getting that sock knitted
  • I folded the laundry as soon as it came out of the dryer
  • I am making sure I wear jewelry and my lipstick every day
  • I am using up all those Christmas bath bombs
  • And eating peppermint patties
  • I had a group chat with four seven-year-olds
  • I made a lesson plan for my virtual home schooling
  • Bees, capitals of the provinces, and creative writing
  • I am modifying my old 4th year writing syllabus
  • Work with what you have
  • I think later in the week we should do cover letters 
  • And how to address an envelope
  • 6,8 and10, seems to me to be about time
  • I have an idea for fractions with coloured water and measuring cups
  • It occurred to me that I am living the life of a '50s housewife without a car in the Canadian winter
  • Pretty close to being that person anyway
  • Unpacking so I can get sewing
  • Need to see those stitches form in a line
  • Just want my dog to get better
  • Happy with our leaders here
  • That matters
  • Someone smart I worked with said to me once
  • Never stand too close to insanity
  • It is contagious
  • So true, so true
  • I think I will sew small things tomorrow
  • Important to sew in different proportions to events
  • I am thinking of you
  • One day this will be past