Thursday, January 4, 2024

Sewing Saved Me!

                                               

Sewing Saved Me!

and you and the world.     Covid 2020, the world shifted on it axis and 100s of thousands of persons lost their lives.  While we are learning how to live with Covid I look back over the years 2020, 2021 and 2022  and I am grateful and also pissed off.  I lost my father in this time.  It was not due to Covid but, it was due to his lose of "Hope".  For him the thought of never being able to touch his loved ones again caused his loss of hope and in turn the end of his life, in my opinion.

But Sewing Saved Me .... and many of you!  If you have followed me you would know that I am a Co-Founder of the organization  - The Sewing Labs.  This is a community sewing center here in Kansas City which teaches the legacy of sewing as a vocational job skill and for personal enrichment.   When Covid closed down the world in March 2020 the sewing world got busy.   And that included The Sewing Labs (TSL).  We just started on Day #1 - making kits for masks to protect our community from Covid.  We didn't even hesitate.  We had fabric, elastic and interfacing.  We had an active group of "safe-at-home" sewists that wanted to help their neighbors and community.  So TSL made kits, created a drive thru drop off/pick up system, collaborated and partnered with other companies and organizations in the community.  Why you ask?  Because that is what a good neighbor does!!!!  Funny we didn't even think twice... we just did it.

If you remember back when Covid started supply chains dried up fast because there was not importing or exporting going on in the world.  We were all on lock down.  No one knew how to control the virus so we sheltered at home.  There was a world-wide "Covid Vacation".  Well at TSL we did not have a vacation we got busy.  In the first weeks, we took every piece of cotton fabric from the donated stash and put together kits.  We were lucky we had a few rolls of the right elastic and interfacing.  You see TSL is generously supplied with donations from the community of sewists from Kansas City and the surrounding areas.  So TSL had a stash!  We developed a pattern and instructions.  Our staff, who could not teach due to lock down, kept their jobs and we worked together to make kits for making masks.  

I want to stop here and say that picking the right pattern for mask making became a political uprising.  TSL partnered with We Care KC and others.  To get masks into the world!!!!  There were so many opinions of what is the best mask or the best fabric and everyone was generous and researching and praying that we would get it right.  But, honestly, we all were just doing our best with what we knew.

And sew it began....  Quickly we were running out of supplies, but not out of volunteer sewists.  At one point there were over 200 safe-at-home sewists in the pipeline that would sew masks.  Masks were in kits of 12 with everything needed.  We had church groups and guilds, old and young sewists.  While is was a scary time for the world, these sewists did not hesitate to serve their community.  

Each Tuesday and Thursday - we hosted a drive thru service. Kits were packed and ready in totes.  Staff and volunteers would mask up and glove up and man the drive thru.  As cars pulled up we asked them to open their trunks or back windows so that we could drop their kits into the vehicle without coming in close contact with them.   We recorded the kits going out and coming back.  But, encouraged them each to keep as many as they needed for their own family and neighbors.  Between the drive thru we packaged kits and left them in quarantine before pick up.  We didn't know if that helped but, we knew it didn't hurt.  

Supplies were quickly being used up.  But, our sewing community saved us.  Missouri Star Quilt Company out of Hamilton Missouri jumped in and sent of 10 cases of fabrics.  This was about 1000 pounds of fabric or about 4000 yards ( this is a guesstimate)  The first of many shipments from them. Individual sewists, donated their stash or ordered fabric and had it directly sent.  FabriQuilt in North Kansas City donated hundreds of yards of fabric.  These amazing partners allowed TSL to continue to make masks.  Interfacing was our filter and it too was quickly gone.  There was none at the local fabric store to be acquired.  Weave Gotcha Covered! & Sacred Stitches, the TSL origin sponsor, donated a roll of  interfacing that they used in their products and also the connection so more could be purchased.  Each roll was 100 yards and that equals 1000s of masks.  Elastic was the next item needed.  The supply chains for elastic quickly were used up and magically TSL received a call from a unnamed woman.  She asked if we could use some elastic?  YES!!! was the answer.  She brought rolls and rolls of hundreds of yards.  Exactly what was needed.  Although she is anonymous to us, to this day, her story of where she got the elastic is a paradox that leads me to believe that there is a greater good looking out for us all.  She had cases and cases of elastic that she gave away to the community for masks.  You see her husband worked for a company that had closed down before the pandemic and they had stockpiles of the elastic that was being thrown out.  She told her husband not to throw it out but bring it home and she would find a use for it.  HA!  Did she ever.  And here is the bizarre fact.  The company that closed down was a manufacturer of ...... masks.  Let that soak in. 

We also had Cy Young Seating step up and do bulk cutting of kits items.  They could stack 10 layers at a time and cut into the sized needed for kits.  Individuals donated printing of the instructions. Blessing and helping hands sprung up.

 It was truly an act of community and sacrifice of ones time and talent for the greater good.  And the masks were redistributed to the "essential workers"  to hospitals, to senior centers, to the public bus system and more.  Anyone who needed masks would contact TSL and be added to the list to get their masks needs filled.   There were masks for schools when they reopened, for indigenous groups and church groups.  All given away FREE of charge.  Over the 2020 and 2021 years TSL made kits and redistributed over 75,000 masks.  Thanks to the safe-at-home community of sewists.  Sewing Saved us all!

The industry of sewing was given a "RE-Birth". People who hadn't sewn for years dusted off their sewing machines.  Many of the machines didn't work and so they either took them in for repair or bought new ones.  Sewing machine repairs were backed up to over 10 weeks.  Sewing machine sales were SOLD OUT and with supply chains stopped or slowed to a snails pace.  Everyone was looking for a "Sewist" to be on their Zombie Apocalypse team.  If you could sew, you were in great demand.  I believe it brought back a new admiration of the skills of sewing.  Sewing was saving us all.

I wish I had written down these stories as they happened because there were so many more amazing acts of community during Covid.  It think that everyone benefits from the reflection of revisiting what we survived and to have gratefulness.  Many of the safe-at-home sewist shared that they don't think they would have made it through those months if they had not been sewing.  They were so busy sewing, that they were distracted from the uncertainty in the world.  Sewing kept their hope alive.

We have made it through those horrible days.  While Covid is still an evil in the world, we are learning how to control it.  But let's now take sewing for granted again.  First, I believe that sewing is a life skill that everyone should know or appreciate.  And when I mean appreciate,  to respect the skill and mastery that it takes to be a sewists.  Sewing is a skill that takes as much time and practice as a carpenter or plumber or mechanic, possibly a doctor or lawyer, yet is underpaid in comparison.  We take if for granted because it is primarily a skill held by women or supplied by a foreign workforce.  

Pay sewists for their experience not for their time.

Thank you for being part of the greater community!

Linnca





Friday, December 29, 2023

Sewing is my Religion

 Sewing is my Religion...

This is going to be a wandering of my thoughts and I hope that you will allow me this space.  Sewing, like a religion, like family is the constant in my life.  It is always there for me to lean on or celebrate as needed..


Let's define religion according to the dictionary.   

  1. A set of beliefs concerning the cause of nature and purpose of the universe... especially when considered as the creation of a superhuman agency usually involving devotional and ritual observances and often containing a moral code governing the conduct of human affairs.
  2. A specific fundamental set of beliefs and practice generally agree upon by a number of persons or sets
  3. the body of person adhering to a particular set of beliefs and practices
  4. the life or state of a monk, nun, etc.
  5. the practice of religious beliefs, ritual observance of faith
  6. something one believes in and follows devotedly, a point or matter of ethics or conscious.
  7. to get religion ... to acquire a deep conviction of the validity of religious beliefs and practices.
  8. the field of study and analysis that treats of Gods and of God attributes and relations to the universe ... study of divine things or religious truth.
  9. thesaurus...  church, creed, cult, ritual, spirituality, theology,  spiritual mindedness
Sewing has lead me most of my life and even when I have been pushed into another direction, it has remained in my life to sustain me.  Each time I come back to it for comfort and for support.   A religion is a personal journey, that while it is shared with others of like beliefs it is still mine alone.  It brings me joy and glory even in the agony of failure.    I have chosen sewing, in many forms to be who I am in the world and I take pride that it gives back to me as much as I give to it.  I use the method and art of sewing to help me to serve the world.  I know that sounds strange, corny, ridiculous but also simple, wonderful and welcoming.

If you know me and have been a confidant for more than a few years you know that joke that the community of sewists is like a "cult".    We all join together, sometimes blindly, to serve our community through the act of sewing.  Sewing, in my opinion, is our common thread that lowers all barriers and prejudices.  Let me put this into another way.  If you are a Kansas City Chiefs fan, you are a fan!  It does not matter if you are from Platte County, Jackson County, Kansas City MO or Kansas City Ks or even New York City NY.  It does not matter what your church is or your race or your sexual orientation.  You are brought together as a believer in the KC Chiefs Kingdom.  That is the same for the community of sewists.  


Within the "Kingdom" of sewing there are "sew" many activists from garment sewing, quilting, embroidery, mending, hand-stitching, etc.  My personal religious' practice of sewing evolves and changes.  But I believe that "sewing" is a life skills that is open to all and drives self awareness and confidence and gives each of us a voice.  It should be available to everyone to experience.  Sewing gives me a purpose.  It often is my funnel to serve the greater good of my community.  Funny, sewing has been a servant of the greater good, forever.  Now-a-days there are quilters that make quilts for veterans, children, refugees and immigrants.  There are sewists making and mending clothing for the homeless and poor.  There are items sewn for weddings, babies, homes, hospitals, nursing homes and more.  Did you know this?  Possibly not, because the individuals doing the sewing get the glory often at home behind their own sewing machine.  And that is good enough!  And they sign up again and again to serve through sewing.  They give of themself with divine handi-work.   

If you have a sewists in your life, take a moment to understand them, to thank them and ask them what the art of sewing does for them.  It might surprise you. I have faith that sewing brings me closer to God and connects me with the goodness in our world.   I hope that you have something in your life that brings you this same joy.


and the Cloth Continues .....
Linnca

Tuesday, February 16, 2021

Magic of Sewing

 Sewing is a magical connection....

When you meet someone new it can be scary and uncomfortable but the moment you discover you have a connection thru sewing.... it is like your heart opens up … your hand in friendship extends... and there is no bias …. just sewing!!

Sewing is a universal language.... you will discover it allows you to met on a level that levels the playing field and deepens your connection.

Sewing is it's own language.

This photo makes me smile --- I hope this will be me & my sister someday!!

It is the bringing together --- of hearts & hands.

    - building a community of sewists is my theme of my book inspiration.  My plan is for this book to combine the stories from my sewing journey.  This will include projects that you can use to build a community to serve others thru sewing.  A belief my family has lived and passed down.   

And to share how you can use these projects to support your community is PRICELESS !!



Whether you are a beginner sewists or a veteran sewist …. my goal is for my "Cloth Continued" community will  bring you together and supported with other sewists.

I have wanted to write a book for many years and just didn't know how to start.  So, I started asking for advice and I was total - START!!  So, that is what I am doing.  Just starting to get my words started to flow.  ( and if you still have advice - send it my way)   And the abstract year of 2020 has brought a strange since of urgency to START!!  I need to get this book started even just through this blog.. with the goal to share my "Joy of Sewing".  

Sew ---- you are invited to follow along - I have not set pressures of scheduled posts but, want to continue to journal my thoughts and build this into a book.   ( I actually have 2 books planned)

Feel free to share

Linnca

and the cloth continues....

Saturday, December 28, 2019

Life is Short - who needs all this stuff??


....  Coming into 2020 I have been reflecting back over the last few years and pondering on what I treasure and cherish in my life. And I have decided to make sure that I am making things that have been pulling at me happen.  And continuing this blog happens to be one of these things....

 The last couple of years have been full of new experiences even if they come from unwanted life happenings.  But, even with the good and the bad it has made me realize that life is short, family is golden, who needs all this stuff ???

Let me explain .......

My dad is in his 80's and over the last couple of years he has suffered from many health issues and has had his house and home uprooted. But, he is doing great now! 

 Wow! nothing makes me feel old more than coming to the stage of life where you have to parent your parent.  But, first, hooray for my sister, she keeps us all sane.  My sister brings our mother's grace into every situation and reminds us we are family first.   And although she does not ask for help, she is amazing! (we all should help a lot more).  She has had the blessing and the unfortunate task of the day to day connections for our dad.  I don't like that I don't spend enough time with my dad.  Each week, I work thru the guilt of not having the time to spend more time with him and the rest of my family.   I am very blessed to have 5 wonderful grandchildren and 3 great sons and daughters-in-love that bless my days with hugs and kisses and making memories. 

Estate Sale Here!  Since my dad's health does not allow him to live home alone it was important to get him into a safe place to enjoy his life.  And then he was ready to have his children disperse the treasures of his life. ( well he was kinda ready)  Moving thru the process of sorting and selling the contents of my dads house is an experience that for our family brought many tears, (but tears of joy),  grand memories and treasures that we will pass onto the next generation.  It also, brought a lot of " what the hxxx?" were our parents thinking when they bought this and that???  I highly recommend that when it is your time to work thru your family's estate that you do it yourself ----- it is a lot of work and worth each memory !!!  Family is truly golden!

Who needs all this stuff?  I do!!!  I want to keep it all - all the items from my childhood that remind me of places we lived and people that are gone forever.  The coffee table that our dog Pogo would slide across the bottom shelf and make scratches that my dad would have to repair.  My mothers china  & silverware that I always remember using for holiday dinners.  The tools that my dad used to build furniture, a real airplane and a Model A Ford and more.  Grandparents mantel clocks, paintings by my mother, my mothers sewing machine, rocking chairs from my grandparents lives, blankets, and so much more that I just cannot name.  But, you can't keep it all and I have to share these items with my 4 other siblings.  It took about 4 -6 months for the 5 kids to go thru my fathers house.  There were days that we dug in and then there were weeks that we avoided this process.   This was a hard process because it brought the end of an era in my life and a final decision that my dad was loosing his home that he built.  Thank goodness that my little brother is moving into the house ....  I could not bare to have this home, my family home being sold to a stranger. 



So Cherish the treasures of your life!  And what makes a treasure important ---- people!  Going thru this has made me look at the things in my life.  They are "things" unless they bring memories to the people in your life.   And I am working thru my "stuff" to make sure that each item brings memories otherwise, I need to pass it on ....... Happy New Year!!




     

Tuesday, July 7, 2015

Grace


Your worth is not measured by the value given to you by people who don't even know you. Your grace comes from God's love.

Share the Quotes of Grace
She Has Fire In Her Soul and Grace In Her Heart Art

Hand painted Sign  Your grace is enough' on by sariko1981 on Etsy, $30.00
Allow yourself to Nurture Yourself
Where do I jump back in - I started blogging as a journey and an self- inspiration.  I am so grateful for my creative life and family.  And these also keep me so busy that I forget to breathe.-------

There have been so many events that continue to inspire me this year I don't know where to start. 
  • Barbara T'Arts - this is the gathering of my sister, sister-in-laws, nieces, daughter-in-laws.  We get together each year to share a craft project that is inspired by Mom - Barbara . ( Love you Mom!!)  Our theme this year was the word "Grace" .  I must say I am impressed at the talent and creativity that each of crafted to celebrate  "Grace" 
  •  So ------ENJOY!!  
  • a Collection of : Appliqued & trimmed towels by Kris, Nest of Quotes of Grace to ponder daily by Susan, Artful jewelry with hand - stamped charm of "Grace" by Brittany, a heartfelt collage of family - given to Sheila by the Grace of God, Dinner plates with quotes of Grace to cherish by Ali, a cross decoupage with burlap & letters in regal purple by Crystal, a serving tray with "Grace & sunflowers by Becky, and a canvas of quotes of Grace by me.
We are all so blessed to have each other - and to have the families that bring us together in joy & comfort.
And so it continues ----- my creative life shared with the women that inspire me---- who will you inspire.  

The Women of Barbara T'Arts
back; ME, Becky, Susan, Kris
front; Crystal, Sheila, Brittany, Ali

Thursday, January 8, 2015

.                                                     

Happy New Year! 2015

Ok I'm about a week late.   Better late than never.

I make no excuses but, will just jump into it. A great year so far ---family in good health. 
What do I expect this year?  What are my resolutions?  Probably the same as many

- lose weight
- Enjoy family & friends
- create in all forms
- share passions
-  Be inspired

This goes for me at work and at home. Simple plans to live in 2015
 I pinned these words recently that I want to work into my daily life as well- see above 
 I think that I need to appreciate the simple things this year. Back to Basics
I look back over 2014 and the most important and memorable things are; babysitting grandkids, time with my sons & husband, enjoying a craft day with the girls, the road trips with my sister, celebrating with my team.  Its the personal connections that mean the most.  And personal connections don't cost a thing!

Simple life & Back to Basics

  • Lose Weight - this will be the hardest for me - so stay tuned.  My first steps; bought a scale & have ap on my phone to monitor my success.
  • Enjoy F &F - first appreciate them in each moment.  And stay in touch.
  • Create - schedule it!  Planned projects - art journal, new quilt, grandbaby clothes
  • Share - everything is better shared
  • Be inspired - Wake Up...
  
So I have challenged my Facebook connections to start an Art Journal.  I open this up here as we; and will add more details as we go .

Art Journal
JANUARY - the month of beginning - so I have challenged my Facebook friends to create an Art Journal during 2015.  And I invite you too!!  Make it your own - nothing fancy.  Use  a plain notebook, recycle a book, make a page, block, whatever.  Use an art median or word or receipt or clippings - again - your choice.  Each month I will supply a theme - use the whole month to create. 

January - snow - white - minimal




Hurrah for January -  Jump into it!