Author: jmn

Climate Change Has Caught Up With My Wardrobe!

Posted by

3

I may not have written much but I’ve been making pants these past few weeks. Why, you might ask, with a closet full of summer and winter pants, I doubled down on making pants?

Well, the weather in Nova Scotia has been unending sunshine. We don’t get weather like this. The “normal” in NS is a day of sunshine sandwiched between two days of rain! If it’s one thing we can count on here is lots of rain, all summer long. Then September comes and we get our best weather into the middle/end of October. Sunny, if a bit cool, days wonderful for being outside. For six weeks, maybe seven, we get our best weather of the year.

Not this year. It rained for most of June, days on end, and then July came and the sun came out and it stayed. In fact the weather has been so dry it’s been considered a drought! Wells have gone dry. Activity in the woods has been banned. We’re conserving water because the water level in the watershed lakes is extremely low.

The outcome of all of this is, after Labour Day when that one “fall’ day would normally arrive and I’d change over to winter clothes, that day hasn’t yet happened. I realized I needed a couple pair of fall coloured, if somewhat light in weight, pants to wear in this shoulder season that we never have! Something a bit heavier than the summer cotton pants and lighter than my fall corduroy or denim pants/jeans.

In addition, Sally at Sew With Vision asked if I’d do a class on making a basic pair of pants. I’d agreed. So I dug out my Japanese Monpei instructions and took a look at them. Monpei are constructed using 4 rectangles based on hip measurement for width and from waist to a smidge above the floor for length.

To create a crotch, the traditional Monpei uses a gusset based on two crotch triangles. I wanted the crotch to be incorporated into the front and back of the pants. So I decided to draft a pattern first.

I started by drawing two rectangles – one for the front, one for the back. I marked the vertical centre line (to use as the grain line), and drew in the horizontal crotch depth (including ease and seam allowances at waist and crotch).

I shaped the crotch using the measurements suggested for the gusset and drew the appropriate triangle to the front and the back along one side at the crotch depth. (In the Monpei instructions, the gusset triangles are cut from the top edge of the rectangle and repositioned at the appropriate depth along one side – the centre front/back seam.

In my drafting the centre front edge remained straight (because I need to be able to pull the pants over my hips and my waist and hip measurements are almost the same). I used a French curve both front and back to round out the crotch shape.

Then I shortened the centre front crotch length by 1″ and rounded the “waist” with the French curve, because my front crotch length is shorter in the front than the back.

I drafted pieces for a pocket to be placed on top and incorporated into the waistband and side seam (pants without pockets are useless!), and a pocket facing. Finally I created waistband facings.

Because the Monpei gives me a rather nicely fitting pair of pants I decided to go ahead with the basic design without comparing my drafting to any of the several pull on pants patterns in my pattern stash.

Using a Polyester/rayon knit fabric, I ended up with these:

Although you can’t see them, the front pockets are there.

I made two pair of denim pants using the same basic construction but added a fish-eye dart down the centre back and shaped the side seam to narrow the legs a bit. I also added a back pocket to conceal the top of the fish-eye dart.

Then I tackled pants for Sally!

First I made a muslin from the Monpei pattern I drafted using Sally’s measurements (no pockets – although I added the waistband facing elastic, and hemmed the legs so I could gauge the fit). The crotch depth worked well, but the legs were a bit short. Next I made the pants for Sally adjusting the leg length and adding pockets.

The plan is to display the Monpei/pants in the shop so people have an idea of what they’d be making when they registered for the class. (I have a hunch Sally is intending to wear them!)

So I’ve been sewing, just not writing about it.

Bisa Butler Is Back!

Posted by

1

I’ve written about Bisa Butler’s fibre art before. I came across a new Colossal piece today about her latest work.

Butler’s work is simply amazing with texture and depth and brilliant use of fabrics and stitching…

I don’t come close, I have to say.

Her pieces are large, each must take quite a bit of time to execute. I wish I had an opportunity to see them in person. Not going to happen. My travel days are pretty much over. But if you ever get a chance to see her work, jump at it!

Harnessing the power of empathy, Bisa Butler presents a tender, evocative suite of new works in her current exhibition, Hold Me Close at Jeffrey Deitch. The artist is known for her chromatic, multi-patterned quilted artworks exploring Black history, identity, and craft traditions. Her elaborate pieces combine materials like printed cotton, silk, sequins, beads, and velvet to create both large-scale tapestries and intimate vignettes.

Not There Yet –

Posted by

1

But not far off…

This is where it’s going.

Interesting that in the ad, mom (the woman) is the brave one, the one who supports non-compliance; dad (the male) is the coward, willing to submit. It’s also clear the son aligns with his mom’s view but without dad also behind him he’s pushed into acquiescence.

Read 1984 by George Orwell to see where trump is heading!

But in case you haven’t a copy of the novel at hand watch this:

https://saveamericamovement.substack.com/p/the-pledge-of-allegiance-to-trump

Paperclip Protest #2

Posted by

2

Fight censorship!

I just got home from having lunch with a friend. She came into the restaurant raring to talk. She’s a regular panelist on a couple of CBC radio programs. She’d spent the morning trying to negotiate the next panel opportunity. She was more than a bit exasperated.

The topic the panelists were being asked to weigh in on had something to do with their thoughts on why Canadians are feeling jumpy, grumpy, a bit scared – but please don’t talk about politics!

I’d say the majority of Canadians are steeped in the mess happening in the US and more than a bit concerned that we could be next. 

And while we’re not paying as much attention to Canadian politics, we’re keeping half-an-eye on what’s going on and a bit uneasy about the economy and social issues here at home. As much as anything, it’s politics driving the uncertainty we’re all feeling.

Poilievre is back in the House of Commons playing his broken record again, sounding just the same as he did before the election in, when was it, past March (no, I just looked it up – April 23/2025) – feels like years ago! 

I can’t believe anybody is listening to him, paying him any attention. He’s at it again, tearing down, making no effort to be constructive. He’s still doing his best trump imitation. 

And the fact that PP is back in the House of Commons, still campaigning in an election he lost both as potential PM, as well as his seat in his Ottawa riding, is having a chilling effect on the CBC.

Since PP introduced his defund the CBC campaign even before the election campaign itself, the CBC has tried instituting policy to limit political discussion on its talk shows. A couple of the program hosts have joked about censorship. This was the first time I understood what’s actually going on.

So I’m not just wearing my paperclip in solidarity with Americans fighting to preserve most of their constitutional rights, including freedom of speech, freedom of expression, freedom of religion,…. 

I am wearing my paperclip to remind people here in Canada our freedom of speech is also under attack. I’m wearing it to protest censorship right here in Canada!

Hell, if the CBC can be forced to self-censor, quietly gagging program panelists before there has been any discussion of defunding the CBC in Parliament, then we all need to be proudly wearing paperclips!

Better dig one out and get wearing it.

Today.

And now something different…

Posted by

0

Pair #4 Finished

(As the Monty Python gang used to say “And now for something completely different!)

I’m working away at those six pairs of socks I agreed to knit for a friend for her daughter and granddaughter for Christmas. I will make the deadline – two pair left – three weeks/pair. I’m hoping to be finished by the end of October/first week of November!

I’ve already started pair #5 – in green.

My only concern is whether the foot is long enough – if it isn’t – I’m going to have six pairs of socks with feet I’ll have to lengthen by around 4-5 rows.

(I’ve started thinking about how to do that – like by cutting the foot open, adding the rows to the foot, then reattaching the toe end using a Kitchener stitch! It would be less work than unravelling the toe, knitting the extra rows, and reuniting the toe!)

Fingers crossed the socks will fit.

The Jimmy Kimmel Test

Posted by

1

From Dave Pell [https://nextdraft.com/archives/n20250918/?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email]

I’ve been following Dave Pell for a long time. I’m fascinated by his ability to read widely and offer succinct synopses of what he reads. So daily, I read his newsletter, The Next Draft, keeping up with a range of happenings I wouldn’t otherwise know anything about. He’s one of those news aggregators who does a great job, and I find his take on the world, and his humour worthwhile.

Here’s his take on what the cancelling of the Jimmy Kimmel Show represents.

Even when it comes to his business, it’s always been personal for Jimmy Kimmel. He’s been taking major career risks by fighting for what he believes in for a long time. In 2017, motivated in part by his son’s medical challenges, he began using his monologue to challenge a terrible health care bill being pushed by the Senate GOP. Back then, some politicians and members of the media referred to a Jimmy Kimmel Test — used to determine whether a kid who was born with certain health difficulties would be covered and get everything they need (regardless of cost) during the first year of life. I suggested we adopt a different Jimmy Kimmel Test: Will a person take personal and professional risks to stand up for what’s right? As I wrote at the time, I can’t say many good things about Donald Trump, but I’ll give him this: Donald Trump is a values clarifier. He’s a living, breathing reminder of which values you cherish and what you’re willing to stand up for. We’ve spent countless hours analyzing the character of Donald Trump. But that’s a settled issue. 

The real character being tested is ours. We’ve seen that character wilt in our halls of Congress, our institutions, our universities, and our corporate boardrooms, as a parade of rapid-fire knee-bending has heralded in a new era of American exceptionalism—one in which we prove that no country capitulates to authoritarian tendencies faster than us. We’ve been let down over and over. 

But Jimmy Kimmel didn’t let us down. He kept calling out the Trump administration, even though he knew he was being targeted. Even though he knew that he had much at stake, given his career and huge public profile. It’s that kind of courage that inspires so many of us to wake up each morning, fire up the laptop, and continue to fight the good fight. Jimmy Kimmel is one of the best, most caring, most generous, and most popular people in Hollywood. 

Let’s hope his colleagues pass the 2025 Jimmy Kimmel Test: Will you stand up for someone who has been standing up for you for years? 

And let’s hope the rest of us pass that test too, because if his show’s coerced suspension isn’t stopped, the cancellations won’t stop there. Kimmel has always known that it’s personal. The rest of us better get that message soon.

The Jimmy Kimmel Test – it’s about speaking truth to power. So far, the mainstream media (print, TV, radio) have failed the test. They’ve kowtowed to trump et al. They seem to think that if they pay him off, in cash, in flattery, whatever, he’ll let them carry on. But pay once, and you keep on paying. 

At some point, people (who have easily given in) will learn they, too, will have to pass the Jimmy Kimmel Test.

Paper Clip Protest

Posted by

2

Joyce Vance today shared the Paper Clip Protest that’s just getting going – to symbolize opposition to the attacks on free speech by trump et al.

It seems E. Jean Carroll started it on Thursday: Paper Clip Protest – Comely Reader! I suggest we all start wearing the paper clip. Subtler than a red hat, more powerful as a CONNECTION,” she wrote, explaining they were also worn during World War II as a sign of resistance against the Nazis.

I just found a small pink paper clip in my stash of “office” stuff. I intend wearing it (I’ll see if I can find a large pink one at Dollarama!).

Here’s the link to Joyce’s short piece: https://open.substack.com/pub/joycevance/p/paper-clip-protest?utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=email

Let’s get this growing!

Parrsboro Show – Circles…

Posted by

6

Parrsboro Show – Hung

Had a lovely day yesterday travelling to Parrsboro – my friend MaryAnn drove because she wanted to visit friends and family who live there. Our first stop was the Art Labs Studios and Gallery on Main Street to deliver and hang my four quilts and two wall pieces.

Finished Wall Hanging/Table Runner

I had finished the wall hanging “Circles #6” last week. It just fit the spot where it got hung (I’d created it for a different larger space in the gallery which was already occupied).

Here is a glimpse of the other half of the exhibit – William Forrestall’s work (egg tempera on paper).

MF relaxing for a moment

I had a chat with William Forrestall who made interesting observations about my work – he picked up on the connection to traditional quilting techniques but also noticed the focus on colour and the movement of colour – all intentional aspects of my work. He also commented on the technical aspects of the quilting.

Circles #5

The quilts are on display until August 30. If you’re anywhere in the vicinity, drop in for a browse.

Outside the gallery…

Enjoying A Summer Day

No! to the “Golden Shield” scheme

Posted by

0

Did we hear about this on July 15? There certainly was no hullabaloo in the media about it. That was nearly a month ago. We can’t let this decision pass unnoticed!

Fellow Canadians, this is an all-hands-on-deck moment.

The Liberal government has informed the United States that it has resolved its internal issues regarding the signing of Donald Trump’s “Golden Shield” missile initiative.

This message was delivered on July 15 in Colorado, when Defence Minister David McGuinty told U.S. General Gregory Guillot, his American counterpart, that Carney had “removed all restrictions on air and missile defence of Canada.”

This is way bigger than Carney caving on the Digital Sales Tax. Or his musings about cancelling the Online News Act that has pissed off Facebook. Or even dialling back the counter tariffs imposed by former Prime Minister Trudeau.

This move sends the ultimate signal of weakness and represents a serious repudiation of Canada’s longstanding position on airborne missile defence.

This cannot be allowed to stand. [Charlie Angus: Charlie Angus / The Resistance
A Message to Mark Carney: Shut Down the Golden Shield Scheme Now]

Seems to me this move deserves attention. I can’t imagine a majority of Canadians would be OK with this:

Since the threat to our nation began, Canadians have shown an unprecedented level of solidarity. The PM has been given a strong mandate because Canadians are determined to hold the line.

He will seriously undermine this support if he thinks he can placate Trump on something as fundamental as the sovereignty of Canadian airspace.

The blowback will be intense.

My advice to the Prime Minister: Not a single dime, Mark. Not a single dime. You asked for a mandate to defend us with your Elbows Up. We gave you that. But do not think you can placate the gangster.

My message to my fellow Canadians: Let’s shut this idiocy down before it gains any more traction. The PM needs to hear from you.

I urge you to use your voice. Tell him that he does not have a mandate to go along with Trump’s missile control of our skies.

Office of the Prime Minister
80 Wellington Street
Ottawa, ON K1A 0A2
mailto:mark.carney@parl.gc.ca
Fax: 613-941-6900

It’s time to write to Carney letting him know he doesn’t have my support on this move to placate trump!

Here’s my letter:

Mr. Carney,

It seems I missed the announcement that on July 15 Defense Minister David McGuinty informed US General Gregory Guillot you had “removed all restrictions on air and missile defence of Canada.”

I was more than a little uncomfortable when you caved on the Digital Sales Tax – I understood you were trying to create conditions that might lead to a favourable trump tariff pullback, but that move was pointless – no reduction in tariffs, no new trade deal by whatever moving deadline trump’s whim broadcasted. (It also doesn’t look as if Canada can look forward to a reasonable renegotiation of UMSCA / NAFTA if trump’s and your comments are anything to judge by.)

I kept quiet, giving you the benefit of the doubt on having inside information I wasn’t privy to that influenced your decision. Seems I was wrong. You, and Canadians, got taken for a ride on that one. Par for the course with trump! You must know by now trump lies – he’s a manipulator – his word is worthless.

Now I learn about the removing of restrictions on air and missile defence of Canada. Sorry, but you didn’t make such a move on my behalf. I don’t support giving trump and his minions unlimited drone, satellite and plane access to fly over Canadian sovereign territory – that move is folly. You can’t seriously believe the American forces would be engaged in such activity to protect us!

Right now, the US is our biggest threat!

Instead of spending billions to pay for trump’s Golden Shield scheme, we should be taking lessons from the Ukrainians – building our own drone factories, strengthening our own mobile defence systems, increasing production of ammunition and other supplies for ourselves and to help supply Ukraine (against both Putin and trump).

I hope your “decision” was a Canadian ploy (comparable to the UK, Japan, and the EU) promising a big deal but having no intention of spending a single nickel (we no longer have Canadian pennies) on the project. But if that was the case, you’d better wink in our direction, letting us Canadians in on the game.

Are you hearing us? We will support you when you stand up to trump. But know we are ready to push back when you try to placate that wannabe dictator.

We Canadians are determined to stand strong against trump! Whether that means sustaining, even intensifying, the boycott on US agricultural and manufactured goods, refusing to travel to the US, refusing to become the 51st state. It definitely means not giving in to bullying regarding trump’s fantastical “Golden Shield” scheme.

Just sharing my thoughts with you before I take to the street with my sign:

Shut Down The Idiocy!
No US Drones over Canada!

Sincerely
Judith Newman

Sign the No Golden Shield petition to show your concern.

Build “Canada Strong” — the right way

Posted by

2

Don’t gut the laws that protect it.

At the top of my inbox this morning was the weekly newsletter from the David Suzuki Foundation. I’ve subscribed to the newsletter for a long time. I read it but I don’t often do anything with what I’ve read.

Today the newsletter argued something I have felt strongly about for a long time – Canada can’t move forward economically in any strategic way if we don’t work with the environment in the process. I contend “the environment” has to be our #1 priority.

You can’t “build” a stronger economy, a caring society, a healthy community, safe cities and towns, … , when you’re constantly having to deal with wildfire, flood, hurricanes, drought, disease, insect infestation, …. (sounds like the list of “plagues” named in the Passover story).

In any given season, more and more people today are directly affected by these environmental events/happenings.

Each uncontrolled fire, every flood, epidemic/pandemic, drought, famine, hurricane costs our communities huge amounts in recovery costs – which, had the destructive environmental event not occurred (or not have been as severe) could have been used to “build Canada Strong!”

Here’s what the Suzuki Foundation newsletter had to say:

Premiers Doug Ford and Danielle Smith have already dismantled environmental protections in Ontario and Alberta. Now, they’re teaming up to pressure Ottawa to weaken the last line of defence: federal environmental laws.

They are hiding their deregulation agenda under the cloak of “nation-building”, but if the rules that protect endangered species, reduce climate risk, uphold Indigenous rights and give the public a say are eroded, so too is Canada.

It’s a “no-brainer”. We have to protect the environment!

We reduce flood risk by keeping our wetlands healthy. A strong biodiversity reduces the impact of changes within an integrated ecosystem. Limiting carbon emissions would stabilize annual global temperature over a period of time. Just a few examples of how looking after the environment would bring long term benefits.

Rising global temperature impacts different parts of our country differently – right now, NS where I live (usually one of the wetter regions of Canada), is experiencing “drought” conditions – we’re in serious need of rain which is nowhere in the forecast for the next few weeks. Not just a gentle rain or fog, we need repeated heavy rainfall to soak into the ground, to fill our lakes and raise the level of our streams/rivers.

The threat of wildfire grows each day as our sunny weather remains unabated. We experienced several severe wildfires three years ago, we don’t want a repeat.

Black-legged ticks continue their march across our province due to rising temperatures, from the countryside into the cities, bringing with them an increase in Lyme disease cases.

It’s critical for Canadians in every part of our country to understand we need to reduce our reliance on fossil fuels while building a greener economy. We need to work in harmony with the planet.

If Canada wants to build a better future, we must maintain the natural systems that support economic activities and all life. We must invest in clean energy, sustainable infrastructure and policies that respect the planet and people.

We need to say it loud and clear:
Protecting the environment is in Canada’s interest. Build “Canada Strong” — the right way. Don’t gut the laws that protect it.

In Canada, we’re at a critical and uncomfortable moment! For the past 60+ years we’ve built an integrated economy with the US suddenly to be faced with significant challenges to our sovereignty! We must find a way to greater self-reliance, a reduced dependence on the US, for our economic stability. It’s understandable that our federal and provincial governments want to make some big changes to facilitate economic development and expansion. And there’s pressure to move quickly – but expanding our reliance on gas and oil development at the expense of supporting our growing green energy capability is short sighted. Our rush to extract the rarer minerals (now very useful for our exploding digital way of life), by ignoring indigenous voices on whose lands these minerals are found, is asking for conflict where a slower collaboration might find a more harmonious way to benefit all of us.

At the moment, it feels as if things are quiet on the Canadian political landscape, but there are many conflicting pressures bubbling beneath this apparent calm surface. The trade deal talks with the US have passed a couple of deadlines with no deal, only more tariffs and threats. Interprovincial solidarity is an illusion we can’t rely on, either.

This is a moment when we Canadians need to understand we stand together or we fail. Any policy we make regarding our economic development needs to embrace the environment as our #1 priority. If we continue making decisions which extend environmental degradation at the current pace, we’re in for a long, rough ride.