I Can't Stop Myself...

Brynwood Needleworks - More Masks

 

I told you I'm cleaning up my studios. I'm pulling fabrics to list, donate, or give away, and then I see a fabric that I think will make perfect masks. Sidetracked (again), I carry the fabric to my cleaned cutting table and prepare to make more masks.

 

As of yesterday's count, my updated production number is 320. I was asked to share my pattern, which is a combination of others, and planned to do that today. Instead, I'll work on the pattern and share it with you tomorrow. (Thanks for the request!)

 

In case you missed the information, I'm only charging to cover postage for anyone who wants some. It's $4 for 2 masks. If you're interested, you can send funds via my email address through PayPal. If you don't choose the "friends and family" option, please add 50¢ to cover the PayPal fees. Be sure to include your address, in case I don't already have it. If you don't know my email address, you can find it through the "Click here to send me an email" button in my sidebar. -------->

 

I'm going to work on the pattern now...and probably a few more masks later. I keep trying to work on another project, but these masks just keep calling me. I can't stop myself!

 

I heard a nice sentiment yesterday, so I thought I'd close with it today...

 

"If you can't be with the ones you love, 

Give them a call."

 

Happy May Day! 

 

Another Ten...

Brynwood Needleworks - Purple Covid-19 Masks

 

I whipped out another ten masks on Tuesday morning for a friend who requested purple. Why do just two, when I can easily do ten in just a little more time? 

This increases my total production to 298 to date. (sigh. I could have done two more. I wasn't thinking.) I mailed out the request, plus more from showing them on Facebook, so I only have two left for someone else.

I know I'll be making more masks toward the end of the week, so I'll see if I have fabric to make more of these. Aren't they cheerful?

I hope you're staying healthy. We're doing fine here, except for pacing and waiting for the phones to ring from Florida! Thanks to all who left notes for Tag. He really appreciates hearing from his friends...and so do I.  

I've been cleaning studio space in both my sewing and my fabric rooms. I'm listing things in FB Marketplace (some of which sold almost immediately), and pulling more to donate after St. Vincent de Paul is ready to accept items again. For now, I'll box them up and put them in the garage, so I can free up my work areas. But I also need to create again (at least two more masks right away!). I'll be back tomorrow. I'll see you then.

Keep Calm and Carry On...At Home.

Fifty Five New Masks In One Day!...

Brynwood Needleworks - Latest Masks Created

I was on a roll yesterday! I've finally got my system fine-tuned, and was able to create a whopping 55 masks in one day! Remember, I'm doing all the prep (choosing fabrics, cutting mask parts and straps,  and sanitizing as I sew), sewing, and packaging myself. That brings my current total to: 288!!

I completed an order for 15 masks with a camping theme for my friend, Denise in Vermont. They're all packaged individually, and labeled with wearing and sanitizing instructions.

There are additional masks here (about 10) that were still here after I distributed or mailed prior requests.

Brynwood Needleworks - Children's and Ladies' Masks

I made smaller masks for kidlets, using the great puppy fabric shown in the foreground. I love these!

Brynwood Needleworks - Men and Ladies Masks

These are the masks I made for the orders I have for ladies and mens' masks. I have an entire bolt of the barbershop fabric (that I love), so I'm using that for the mens' masks. I thought my colorful travel-theme fabric would make great ladies' masks, too!

Brynwood Needleworks - Ladies and Patriotic Masks

 

I also have a few patriotic masks left in stock for vets or someone who wants to support their hero. I'll be carrying some of these with me when I go to the pharmacy to pick up my meds. I'll leave them for anyone who would like them and could use them.

 

For now, my mask sewing will go on break. I'll get all the outstanding orders out this morning, and then turn my attention back to finishing my Wooly Critter sampler quilt. I'd still like to complete that!

 

Delivery Day...

Brynwood Needleworks - 150 Covid-19 Masks For Local Nursing Home

 

I completed the last twenty masks for the nursing home early yesterday afternoon. They're all bagged individually, and then packaged in groups of ten masks.

 

I'm taking them to my niece's facility today for a safe transfer. I can't go in, so we'll both be wearing masks and gloves; she'll bring out a basket into which I'll place all the masks. No hugs, just loving words through our masks, and then I'll turn around and come back home.

I have orders for about fifty more, which I'll cut, prep, sew and mail out this week. I'm only charging for the postage to mail them ($4 for 2 masks), but accept "tips" toward making more masks for others. It's very generous and appreciated. 

 

Once I get this week's orders sewn, I think I'll turn back to working to finish my Wooly Critter Sampler quilt. I think it would be nice to slow down again for a bit.

Tag will be here tomorrow. He's very excited to talk with you, and I don't think you'll want to miss it. See you again Wednesday with my updates.

   Keep Calm and Carry On...At Home.

Busy Stitching...

Brynwood Needleworks - Fairy Steed Corgi Pincushion Detail

I've been stitching all weekend. I created three new Woolen Strawberry Pincushions for my shop, and then I created a Fairy Steed Corgi Pincushion that I had donated to a fundraising auction. ( I completed a second for my shop, too!)

Brynwood Needleworks - Fairy Steed Corgi Pincushion Donation

In addition to the knowledge that I donated to a good cause, I was gratified to learn that the donor wanted my creation enough to earn it with her high bid of $75 for an item she could have purchased for $30 in my shop. I'm shipping it off to her today, and I hope she will use and enjoy it for a long time to come.

Nifty 50s today, so I'll be working on something new to share with you tomorrow. Wishing you a blessed day.

REMINDER: My shop sale ends Friday, July 15th. Use Coupon Code: VACATION15 to save 15%.
 

Firecracker Dress Drive...

Brynwood Needleworks - Dressed In Joy - Marcy's Dresses and Dollies

It's almost time to deliver the dresses and dollies for the Firecracker Dress Drive!

Brynwood Needleworks - Dressed In Joy - Marcy's Dresses

All of these gorgeous dresses have been sorted and packaged for their upcoming trip to Orlando.

Brynwood Needleworks - Dressed In Joy - Sherry's Dresses

They're all so wonderful, and I know every one of them will be loved and appreciated. As I sort through them, I frequently hold them up for Handsome to see. He asked me to convey - on his behalf - how impressed he is with the sheer variety and creativity that goes into each one.

Dressed In Joy - Danice's Dresses

 

After our last drive, the Clermont group decided to break away from our original group. They're close enough to the Orlando ambassador and work group - and one of their members frequently travels between the two groups - so they now deliver the dresses they create on a weekly or monthly basis. 

 

We wish them all the best as they continue their efforts for the Dress A Girl Around The World organization. 

 

Brynwood Needleworks - Dressed In Joy - Pat's Dresses

 

With that (and summer vacations) in mind, I set our goal for this drive at 100 dresses, and we're close to meeting that goal. There's still time if you'd like to contribute a dress or two. I'll be making my own dresses in the next few days.

Thank so much to Marcy, Sherry, Danice, and Pat for the dresses we've already accumulated. Marcy, your doll faces make me giggle as I packaged them with their matching dresses. I'm always impressed with your time management and ability to create so many dresses. Ladies, again, I'm grateful beyond words. Thanks, and thanks again.

I'm planning to deliver them to Orlando in about a week. If you're interested in making a dress (with or without a doll), please let me know so that I can plan to include it in this delivery.

Still Counting...

Brynwood Needleworks - Dressed In Joy Dresses

 

I'm still counting and packaging dresses, preparing for my trip to Orlando on Thursday. Linda and some of the ladies from our Clermont/Heritage Hills work group, as well as Karen from the Tampa area will be joining me once I get to Orlando. Together we'll present our dresses to our Ambassador.

I'll give you a complete total - and post photographs - on Friday. I know you'll be as impressed as I am with the number of dresses that have been produced for our Valentine's Day Dress Drive. 

I'd love to stay and chat, but I want to finish getting these dresses ready for the trip. I know there are going to be a lot of happy little girls when they get this shipment!

Nearly One Hundred Dresses Already...

Brynwood Needleworks - Karen's Dresses

It was a rainy day yesterday, but the sun was shining in our dining room! Karen and her husband, Keith, came down from Palm Harbor, Florida to deliver the dresses she made for our next Dressed In Joy effort.

Karen brought forty eight dresses - with matching dolls! FORTY EIGHT!!!

Brynwood Needleworks - Karen's Dresses for Dress A Girl

We had a chance to sit and visit before they left, but we made sure photos were taken to share with our FaceBook group - and you!

These dresses are part of our Valentine Dress Drive, our first effort in the new year. Dresses are due to me by February 13th, and will be delivered to our ambassador shortly after that. We already have ninety eight dresses toward our goal of three hundred, with commitments for more from our Clermont, FL work group.

 

Once the dresses arrive here, doll-less dresses are paired with a dolly, made by some of my local friends; Dress A Girl Around The World labels are sewn to the pockets; and then I confirm sizes, and package them for delivery. 

If you're interested in taking part in our charitable effort this year, please let me know and I can add you to our roster. You can also request joining our closed FaceBook group (so we can share addresses, etc. privately). The FaceBook group link is HERE. You can also read more about what we're doing (and find patterns) by clicking on the Dressed In Joy (our name for our Brynwood Needleworks group) link HERE.

Thanks to Karen and Keith for delivering the dresses yesterday; and to Karen for sharing her wonderful dressmaking skills. The little girls are going to love them!

Marcy's Dresses...

Brynwood Needleworks - Marcy's Dresses

I received a large package last week from California, and I knew what was inside. I waited to open it until I could give the contents my full attention.

Brynwood Needleworks - Marcy's Dresses

One of our Dressed In Joy group members is Marcy R. and she's been busy since I set our next goal and date! She made dresses in every size and color conceivable!

Brynwood Needleworks - Marcy's Dresses

She set about making dresses in the most wonderful, colorful, fanciful fabrics you could imagine. Each dress has applique' accents or ruffles, or other trim and each pocket is more than just a pocket. They're also trimmed and bound on the edges. And, inside each pocket is enough fabric to make a matching doll for each dress!

Brynwood Needleworks - Marcy's Dresses

Dear Marcy...herself...alone...created FORTY dresses toward our February goal of 300!! I was shedding tears of joy when I took them out of the box. There was even one, sweet little dolly tucked in the pocket of one of the dresses.

I'll be planning a work group to make up the dolls to fill the rest of the pockets on these dresses after the holidays. Each of these gorgeous dresses will have a little doll to match, and they'll be treasured by every little girl who receives one.

Thank you, Marcy, from the bottom of my heart. As I said on our FaceBook page, your efforts and generosity left me speechless and crying tears of joy. Words are so inadequate in the face of the individual and group efforts of our members. If only the children knew what we know...

This Project Is Finished...

Brynwood Needleworks - Corgi Tote and Wallet

I'm really happy with the way they turned out!

Brynwood Needleworks - Corgi Tote and Wallet

I posted the images on my FaceBook page so Corgi friends who may or may not make it to the Florida Corgi Picnic can see the set. The response has been nicely enthusiastic. (whew!)

I'm told that they'll be putting the set up for auction, rather than raffle.  I just hope they raise a lot of money for CorgiAid!

I'm going to add a listing in my Etsy shop for custom orders for these - or other breeds - as desired by customers. You can visit my shop by clicking this link.

Now, to finish that pair of socks!

Number Thirty Two...

Brynwood Needleworks - #32 Corgi Picnic Wallet

I finished my thirty second wallet yesterday. This one is a donation to the Florida Corgi Picnic in November. Proceeds will benefit the CorgiAid charity.

Brynwood Needleworks - #32 Corgi Picnic Wallet

Not only does it have the usual interior security tab (with a snap closure), wrist strap, shoulder strap and key fob, I now add a special lining that protects credit cards with the new WI-FI chip from hackers and signal thieves. All of my wallets created after September 1st have this extra protection.

Brynwood Needleworks - Threads

Funny story: I was nearly finished with the wallet, with only sewing up the side gussets as my last step when I realized I had only inches of thread left. I looked through ALL my spools of thread (see the photo) trying to find a match - without luck.

The only thread that matched in all my assortments, was on two bobbins! I had to put one bobbin in the top of my machine, and one bobbin in the bobbin case. Crazy! Anyway, thread loaded, I finished the wallet. It only mattered because it was a top-stitch area, so this Type A had to make it match.

Brynwood Needleworks - Corgi Tote In Progress

With the wallet accomplished, I turned my attention to a nearly matching color thread to start on the coordinating tote.

I got the exterior pocket assembly done and the parts for the rest of the tote cut out by the time I headed out to Paneras for knitting with the girls. (That second sock is almost finished now, too!) Both will be finished by the end of the day today, and you'll get photos tomorrow.

Oh, yeah. It's a good week so far - and it just keeps looking up from here!

More Work For Charity...

Brynwood Needleworks - Corgi Embroideries In Process

Having finished and listed a few more project totes on Friday, I turned my attention to my next creations. Each year, Corgi owners gather in Palm Bay, Florida to raise money for a charity called CorgiAid. This year, the meet-up is on Saturday, November 14, 2015.

CorgiAid is a non-profit, 501(c)3 organization that provides money for rescue and foster efforts, medical care and financial aid (within their guidelines) for Corgis and Corgi mixes. They also help provide carts to help dogs with Degenerative Myelopathy maintain a level of mobility to enhance their quality of life. Fezzik and Taggart get the credit for my interest in the organization, and willingness to participate in their fundraising work.

I have donated items in past years, and likewise, I'm creating something special for their fundraising efforts this year.

Brynwood Needleworks - Finished Corgi Embroideries

I stitched out the embroideries (with the help of Destiny) on Saturday and began cutting out the pieces for a wallet in the afternoon. I'm also making a matching tote/handbag, but I cut those pieces as I go, because I make these totes without a pattern.

I had every intention to sew everything over the weekend, but the Green Bay Packers were on Florida television Sunday afternoon. Whenever the Pack gets national coverage so we can see them, of course, everything else comes to a halt! That means, I was knitting on my socks instead.

I'll work on this project today and see if I can't get them finished by tomorrow. Of course, Tuesdays belong to Tag here on the blog, so you won't see pictures of the wallet and tote until Wednesday! 

You will come back, won't you?

Playing With Hand-Dyed Linen...

Brynwood Needleworks - Linen "Roses" Project Tote

I finished two more project totes yesterday. This one was completed in the morning before I headed off to lunch with a girlfriend.

I pulled two pieces from my assortment of hand-dyed linens, and then chose the twill tape to coordinate with them. I'm quite happy with the way they came together.

Brynwood Needleworks - Linen "Carnations" Project Tote

The "Roses" project tote is a true one-of-a-kind, as I have no more of this fabric and it was hand-dyed years ago. I seriously doubt that I'd find a match for it now.
 

I do have one more piece of the linen used in the "Carnations" tote, so I could do another one at a later date. The color is a beautiful shade of gray/mauve/rose. This one came together after I got back home from lunch, and I really like the soft fabric and colors in both of them.

 

You can find more photos and information in my Etsy shop: BrynwoodNeedleworks.

I'll be starting another charity project today, and hope to have it finished by the end of the weekend. It needs to be on its way to Florida Corgi Picnic headquarters next week! 

 

The event is in November, but we want it to have some exposure before the big weekend. It's going to have machine embroidery on it, so I'll start that this morning. Everything else comes after that's done. I'll share photos soon.

A Purpose Such As This...

Brynwood Needleworks - Dressed In Joy Dresses & Dolls

 What a fun day I had yesterday!

Brynwood Needleworks - Dressed In Joy Dresses & Dolls

I created four dresses for our Dress A Girl ongoing effort...these three, and

Brynwood Needleworks - Dressed In Joy Dresses & Dolls

 this last one, which I put the final touches on right after we ate dinner.

Every time I finished a dress and doll, I carried it out of the studio to show Handsome for his critique. He chuckled when I held each set up for him, and said they were all so darned cute.

I took pictures of the dresses before I remembered to put the Dress A Girl labels on them, but it was simple to add one to each pocket before I packaged and labeled them for donating. Putting the labels on them is the final touch, and I won't let any of our dresses head off to our Ambassador without making sure each dress has one.

Brynwood Needleworks - Dressed In Joy Doll

I had so much fun making everything. Sewing the hair on the dolls was especially amusing to me. I wasn't sure what each one would look like until the hair was sewn into the seam and turned right-side-out.

Our group often shares techniques, and now many of us are sewing heads to bodies prior to stuffing them. It takes one step out of the instructions on the pattern from the Dressed In Hope group. The last thing left to do is sew a decorative stitch seam across the bottom of the doll and then it's done.

Brynwood Needleworks - Dressed In Joy Doll

 Each one wears fabrics matching the dress to which it belongs.

Brynwood Needleworks - Dressed In Joy Doll

Some have short hair...

Brynwood Needleworks - Dressed In Joy Doll

Some have long hair. Each one has a unique personality like the little girls who will eventually play with them.

I hope that the little girls who receive them will love them as much as I loved making them. In fact, I'm looking forward to the next sewing day when I make more to send to parts unknown.

Brynwood Needleworks - Dressed In Joy Doll

We've set our next deadline, which will come in the new year. I've called it the "Valentine's Dress Drive" and all dresses and dolls will be due here (at Brynwood) by February 13, 2016. I set our goal for 300 dresses with dolls, and the dressmakers have already said we can surpass that number. What an incredible group we have!

If you're interested in sewing dresses or dolls, or donating supplies (like fabric, stuffing or ribbons) to our cause, please ask to join our Facebook group, Dressed In Joy - Brynwood Needleworks. There are so many ways you can contribute to our effort even if you don't sew.

I'm so honored to be a part of this project. I think it may be something I've been working toward my whole life. Maybe this is one of the reasons I learned to sew when I was only 11 or 12. A purpose such as this.