Not a quilt anymore, it's a pillow.

I finished the piecing for my camouflage quilt top. I decided that I'd rather have a giant, huggable pillow than a tiny quilt. The pocket is for love letters. The pink words are the lyrics to "Stand by your man." The center of a log cabin square represents the hearth. Military wives are left behind to tend those fires. Sometimes it's hard to be a woman...

I'm washing and blocking the needlework right now. I'll stuff it tonight.

I'm proud of this piece. Maybe it's more craft than art, but it's something that can be part of my life and live in my house.

Waste Not, Want Not

I chopped up one of David's old uniforms from Desert Storm last week. I'm making an art quilt with a pocket to store love letters from his time overseas. It's deeply meaningful...blah, blah, blah. I had a few scraps and I'm trying to use them in everyday objects.



I crocheted a little linen purse with my handspun flax. I like the light, summery fabric. I added a little band of shells to flare out the bottom of the bag. I decided to line it so I can hold a sock knitting project without the needles poking out. The pocket and nametape from David's uniform worked out perfectly.

I got the bamboo handles with a 40% off coupon at the fabric store. I'm happy with the results. The colors worked together perfectly.

I always want something of his near me.

Division of Labor

Red Heart & Sole socks, ankle high on size 1 needles. One ball makes a pair, what a bargain. Peds are the perfect sock for showing off badass knitting tattoos.



I finished the Wellbutrin piece and blogged about it here. Other exciting self-guided art therapy projects will join it soon.

I lost a percentage of the readers at Knit-R-Done by posting so much about the personal struggle and artistic expression I experience though embroidery. I'm trying to keep the knitting, spinning, and crochet projects over here and embroidery there. I'm a bit in limbo trying to decide what to post and where.

My knitting projects are still going strong. Knitting is a constant in my life. Knitting is easy to do in a waiting room. Knitting isn't going anywhere. I decided to take my Prozac capsule to my daughter's ballet class to work on while I waited. Not. Smart. Did I mention that I live in a tiny town where people look at you like you're batshitcrazy if you're embroidering a giant antidepressant in public? There will be plenty of knitting posts in the future.

If you read this blog for the artsy fartsy stuff, most of it will be posted on my new blog from now on. http://meetmeinthedayroom.wordpress.com/

Handspun Linen Crocheted Bags

I used all of my handspun flax. I made a few sturdy bags with some of it. I like a crossbody net bag for farmers' markets and vacations.

It's light and strong. It was easy to make. I didn't bother with a pattern. I improvised a single crochet bottom, double crochet body, and a single crochet strap. I can't wait to take this baby to Korea this summer.

May Cause Drowsiness

I don't think of my years of medication as bad years. Medications can be confusing. Side effects are irritating. Drowsiness sometimes feels like chemical restraints--a straight jacket in a bottle.

The worst years of my life were the unmedicated ones. I'm not saying that I didn't take any drugs in my mid twenties, I just refused to fill prescriptions. Alcohol, weed, Ecstasy, mushrooms, LSD...I'd take anything to get away from reality.


I'm seeing life much more clearly these days. I'm not ashamed of the orange bottles that are always a part of my life. Instead of "may cause drowsiness," I see, "may prevent loss of relationships." I don't take them with alcohol because I don't need alcohol to blind my pain.

A lot of people see psychotropic medications in the same light as street drugs. I don't. A sick person doesn't usually know which antibiotic she needs and I don't know what chemicals my brain needs.

Besides, I'm married to a cop now. I live on a military base. I have a family. I'm a grownup. I'll keep dealing with psychiatrists, prescriptions, side effects, and therapy. I'm never giving up.

Staying Busy

I finished some knitting a while ago and forgot to post it. A friend sent me some ugly sock yarn that she didn't want. I didn't really like it, either. I knit it into some hand/wrist warmers and overdyed it teal blue. I love the finished hand warmers.

I'm working on another pill picture. I've already used over 50 yards of floss and it's less than half finished. I finally broke down and organized some of my threads. Organization isn't my strong suit, but I like having a palette. I also waste much less time detangling.


I've got a dozen needles threaded and waiting for me. These pills aren't going to sew themselves.