Inset Circles

Posted by jmn

I decided to try inset circles – an extension of Drunkard’s Path (a square with a contrasting pie-shaped piece in one corner. With an inset circle you cut a background square then remove a circle; cut a contrasting circle 1/2″ larger in diameter, then carefully line up a few markings and inset by sewing a 1/4″ seam. When pressed you get a pretty good inset circle. (These two blocks are 9 1/2″.)

I’m playing around with this idea in a number of ways. In the first block (left) I created a background from two pieces of fabric, cut the circle from the centre of the block, then inset a strong contrasting circle. In the second block (right) I offset the piecing seam for the background as well as the centre of the circle (which in this case was the offcut from the first block!).

I’m playing around with scraps – just to see what happens. I had a better idea of how to manage the fabric when sewing the second block. I need more practice. I want to cut my circle insets from pieced fabric assembled using curved seams. In block #2 the circle was pieced across the diagonal simply because that was how I’d assembled the first block background.

My next experiment will be to piece the background slightly offset, but the make a more intricately pieced fabric for the circle. We’ll see how that goes.

I’m not sure whether I’m working on a quilt or a fibre art piece – I will have a better idea once I’ve made several inset circle blocks!

What Small Thing Would Help You Right Now?

Posted by jmn

I just read an interesting article “Eight Words to Say to a Friend“! It’s about a young woman and her small daughter landing in Cambridge England, late at night, arriving at their college accommodation, utterly exhausted. Their friend, whom they were visiting, popped out of her apartment, hugged them, and asked:

What small thing would help you right now now?

She continues:

Not: Can I do something for you?

Not: How can I help?

Not the terribly generic and unhelpful: Let me know if you need anything.(Anything???!)

But: “What small thing would help you right now?“

Something about the specificity, the smallness of it, was a revelation.

These days, I’m often in the position of seeing someone needing support of some kind or other. I used to ask “Can I do something for you?” and been turned away, graciously, but my offer of help rejected, nevertheless.

I started asking, “What can I do for you?” A bit more specific, but not any more effective.

I learned as a teacher the question I needed to ask a struggling student was not “How can I help you?” but “What do you need help with?” Again, the focus is shifted from me to the learner. It worked with even the most recalcitrant kid (1).

“What small thing would help you right now?” is definitely a better question in a social situation – focused on my friend and not on me. I have to try it, the next time I’m able to offer assistance when I find a friend dealing with a stressful situation!

(1) Another critical incident (2009; Newman, Judith “On Becoming A Better Teacher”).

One of the most difficult transitions I personally have had to make has been dealing with kids’ resistance, their ‘not-learning’ as Herb Kohl (1994) calls it. Just when I think I have some control over my responses I run into a kid who pushes me back into my instinctual, authoritarian way of responding. There’s one like that in one of the third grade classes I’ve been visiting.

In my experience when kids avoid engaging, offering some support brings about a small shift in attitude. Usually I can get a kid to ‘just try’. I’ve learned that helping kids to be successful overcomes a lot of their resistance. But I can’t even get near this one — Andrew, I’ll call him. He cuts me off by turning away from me before I can offer help of any kind. His body language is real clear — stay away!

Part of Andrew’s problem is that he doesn’t read or write very well. At age nine, that’s starting to be serious. He’s bright, so he knows what the others can do and he can’t. He behaves aggressively — pinching, hitting, or jabbing his classmates with a pencil. They don’t want anything to do with him. His behaviour keeps them from discovering his shortcomings, but at a cost — by isolating himself he is unable to build friendship.

I’m flummoxed. Andrew is showing quite clearly he won’t learn from me. And each time I attempt to engage him I seem to be digging the hole deeper. Andrew evokes the ‘witch’ in me. Although I understand his antagonism, I react to it in a way that doesn’t help him. I find myself wanting to force him to try.

I have no trouble engaging Jake, who drives the teacher crazy. He doesn’t make me bristle the way Andrew does. The question is what about the behaviour gets to me in Andrew’s case and not in Jake’s. What in my own history is being triggered by Andrew and not by Jake?

Maybe it’s the way Andrew rejects assistance. When he cuts me off I just walk away. I’ve learned there’s no point in attempting to cajole him and I have no authority to insist he do anything. But I’m not happy walking away. I keep wondering what I’m doing that evokes Andrew’s resistance and what I could do that would permit us to work out a different kind of relationship (JN. Journal: 11/7/1995).

Writing about the problem helped me see Andrew and I were engaged in a power/control struggle.

I was rereading Interwoven Conversations (Newman, 1991) the other day when I came across a critical incident about Danny — a six-year old who taught me to ask “Do you need help?” before barging in. I’m barging in with Andrew; he immediately raises his barriers, which in turn angers me because it leaves me nowhere to go. Hmm. So I guess I should at least be giving him some room to let me know how I can help him before we’re embroiled in his not-learning game. I can see I should ask if he needs help and accept it if he says ‘No.’ That gives him an out and me a way of leaving gracefully. I’ll try that tomorrow morning and see what happens (JN. Journal: Nov. 14, 1995).

The next day, when I asked Andrew if he needed help he considered my offer and then told me precisely what assistance he wanted when I followed up by asking ‘What do you need help with?’ That surprised me. In other words, I discovered that asking if he needed help made it possible for Andrew to retain control of the situation. It made it possible for him to engage in learning with me. My reflective writing helped me understand what was causing my struggle with Andrew and what I might do about it.

Bev, Andrew’s teacher, and I had a conversation one afternoon in which she described how she learned to accept his clear signals that he wouldn’t comply. As she wrote later

The issue of power and Andrew’s behaviour was a serious issue. I found myself challenged by the dilemma of how to give Andrew the power he needed without ‘caving in’ to his tyrannical behaviour. How could I get out of the power struggle that I didn’t want to be in and that Andrew continually created? One clue for me came when he told me one day that he didn’t want to go to music and if I forced him to go he would misbehave so that he would be sent out of the room. At that moment I knew he had it figured out — he was in control and he knew it. I had to learn ways of negotiating activities with him, allowing him acceptable choices. Instead of reacting in an authoritarian way I had to find ways of allowing him to choose to engage. Andrew has taught me that I can’t make anyone do anything he doesn’t want to; external power has limited impact; it’s internal power that makes a positive difference (BC. Journal: 4/21/1995).

Bev learned how to negotiate with Andrew. Her important insight was that Andrew was always in control and that she would never get anywhere trying to force him to do anything. Because she has become adept at reading his signals, he’s become much more involved and proficient at reading and writing and his behaviour is considerably less resistant. My coming to understand the dynamics of my interaction with Andrew allowed me to talk with Bev about his resistance and avoidance of learning. In turn, Bev and I were each able to restructure our relationship with Andrew.

O Canada!

Posted by jmn

Today, there was an op-ed piece in The Globe and Mail by Jean Chrétien – a former Prime Minister of Canada (1993-2013). It’s his 91st birthday and he has decided to speak out about trump’s threats against Canada. He lays out ways in which Canada, and Canadians, are not Americans:

I can tell you Canadians prize our independence. We love our country. We have built something here that is the envy of the world – when it comes to compassion, understanding, tolerance and finding a way for people of different backgrounds and faiths to live together in harmony.

We’ve also built a strong social safety net – especially with public health care – that we are very proud of. It’s not perfect, but it’s based on the principle that the most vulnerable among us should be protected.

This may not be the “American Way” or “the Trump Way.” But it is the reality I have witnessed and lived my whole long life.

We all recognize the current stresses Canadians are dealing with regarding public health care and housing but the undergirding principle, “that the most vulnerable among us should be protected and helped“, is still a Canadian value. In spite of the large current influx of immigrants, “people of different backgrounds and faiths“, we’ve done our best to live in harmony in our diverse communities. We are, after all, a country of immigrants; everyone, but people from our First Nations, are here because our forebears came from somewhere else. We know we need more people to sustain and build a vibrant Canada; that means welcoming newcomers.

He goes on:

If you think that threatening and insulting us is going to win us over, you really don’t know a thing about us….We may look easy-going. Mild-mannered. But make no mistake, we have spine and toughness.

To present and future leaders of our country he has this to say:

…you don’t win a hockey game by only playing defence. We all know that even when we satisfy one demand, Mr. Trump will come back with another, bigger demand. That’s not diplomacy; it’s blackmail.

…we also have to play offence. Let’s tell Mr. Trump that we too have border issues with the United States. Canada has tough gun control legislation, but illegal guns are pouring in from the U.S. We need to tell him that we expect the United States to act to reduce the number of guns crossing into Canada.

He adds several more issues the US needs to resolve with Canada to hold up their side of the “friendship” relationship before ending with:

Every time that Mr. Trump opens his mouth, he creates new allies for all of us. So let’s get organized! To fight back against a big, powerful bully, you need strength in numbers.

I am ready at the ramparts to help defend the independence of our country as I have done all my life.

Trump’s threats to Canadian sovereignty are not a joke! If we’re to survive the next several years, we’re all going to have to become more engaged in the national conversation as leaders do their best to defend the independence of Canada and work to make our community and country a better place!

I’m 82; I’m ready to join Mr. Chrétien “at the ramparts!” I’m reaching out to find people who feel it’s time for a network to tackle the big problems facing us. We don’t all have to live in the same place to work together; we just need common goals and strategies. Anybody interested in joining Mr. Chrétien and me?

Socks Done

Posted by jmn

Well these socks turned out well. The peach solid blended nicely with the peach in the variegated yearn and the other colours are bright and serve as accents for the main colour. And believe it or not, there was exactly enough of the peach solid to finish the second toe. I was prepared to add some mauve, orange and yellow to the toe if I had to. That meant I would have to undo the toe in the first sock so I could match what I did with the second sock. But none of that was necessary – there was enough peach solid to do the job.

There’s enough yarn left in the ball to make a pair of legs, for sure. I’ve added a mauve solid for cuffs, heels and toes. I have a second variegated yarn that I’m going to interleave with the peach variegated which will give me more than enough for a full pair of socks. The socks I want to make are a slightly smaller size for a friend who wears a size six shoe. Plenty of yarn here.

To prep for the socks, my next step is to divide both variegated yarns exactly in half so I know how much I have for one sock (and be assured there will be the same amount available for the second sock)! Now, to divide the yarn and get going!

Amaryllis

Posted by jmn

I bought this bulb in late November, planted it mid December. The photo on the package showed a single petal layer, but I’ve got a mix between single and double! There isn’t a full third layer of petals and it looks like there’s a single stamen! So likely an infertile flower – but lovely to look at. Two more blooms to come and maybe a second stalk (likely not). The stalk on this flower is quite short – not a bad thing since when the stalks become long, the plant has a tendency to overbalance and topple over. That’s not going to happen with this short stalk.

Not much else going on. Almost finished a pair of socks – this evening I anticipate. Then I plan to use the leftovers for another pair of socks – I’ve pulled out some contrasting solids that I will interleave with the variegated yarn to make sure I have enough for a smaller pair of ladies socks.

The holiday baking is nearly all consumed (well, not all of the fruitcake). That will be consumed over the year either to take to the knitting group or for a friend; I am able to avoid snacking on it, thank goodness.

Just about to open my fabric stash and sort through the batiks. There are some lovely batik fat quarter bundles I’ve seen online, but there’s no point in buying more until I see what I have already.

My life goes on calmly in spite of the political craziness all around. Canada amalgamating with the US – I swear, I’ll sign up to help organize a resistance group. The Prime Minister responded with “a snowball’s chance in hell” but where is Poilievre! Not a peep – where does he stand on this massive insult? Does he think it’s a great idea? How is he planning on dealing with trump 2.0? Not a word – just screaming anti-Trudeau garbage! And people consider that leadership? It’ll be interesting to see who steps up to lead the Liberal Party. The Liberals can’t win this coming election in the spring, but they don’t have to suffer a Mulroney massacre, either, if they can choose someone who knows how to offer a strong positive message and organize people and policy.

Back to resistance – a month ago I joined an American resistance organization – Indivisible: A Practical Guide to Democracy On The Brink – to eavesdrop on the discussion and to access their resources. This is one of many groups that sprang up in the run-up to the November US Election. This one has grown considerably since November. I’m lurking to have access to their “Strategies, Tactics, & Tips For How Everyday Americans Can Fight Back Together Wherever We Live”. We’re going to need those tactics if Canadians are stupid enough to give Poilievre a substantial majority government! Those of us opposed to his way of doing politics are going to have to organize dissent in a substantial way. Interested in joining me?

Jan 1, 2025

Posted by jmn

The year begins. I can’t say I’m filled with eager anticipation. I’m expecting another difficult year.

The political uncertainty in both Canada and the US will affect all of us in many unanticipated ways. There’s “Canada as 51st state of the Union” – our Arctic is going to feature in Canada-US relations in an increasingly signifiant way, as well as issues over tariffs and our southern border. There’s China’s hovering over Taiwan; the ongoing conflict in the middle east; the Ukraine/Russia war; and other hot spots which could flare unexpectedly.

There’s the swarm of misinformation that has taken over social media (I participate in as little of that world as I can get away with) affecting everybody’s perception of “truth”. I see Artificial Intelligence creeping onto my screen (as I write this, for example – it’s anticipating what I’m writing, filling in words, suggesting what to write next). I’m choosing to ignore the prompts – I’ll do a personal revision when I’ve got my thoughts sorted out.

I was born at the end of WWII. 80+ years later the economic and political stability that has been the backdrop throughout my lifetime is changing quicky and in unanticipated ways. It leaves me feeling unsettled. I feel it more this year than last – not just because of the outcome of the US election but that certainly is a factor. There’s nothing I can do about that.

I’m also in limbo artistically. I have that silk floral appliqué I should be thread painting – can’t get myself to work on it. In the next day or so I want to go through my fabric stash, picking out all the batik and sort it by colour so I have an idea of what I have. Jordan fabrics has lots of beautiful batik fat quarter bundles but given the current value of the Canadian dollar I figure I better check my stash before adding to it!

I have fabric to make a boiled wool jacket sweater; I have patterns that would work – can’t get going. I picked up some bamboo velour to make a new housecoat – stuck there, too. Maybe the first step forward will be going through the batiks….

Today, it’s foggy and damp; the snow from last week is almost gone. The days are getting longer (the winter solstice has come and gone) – we won’t notice that for several weeks yet. However, my phaelanopsis will respond to the change in daylight, and if I’m lucky, some of them will flower for me!

This morning I replied to the New Year wishes letter from the eldest daughter in an Afghan family of seven (sponsored by the group to which I’m connected). They arrived in Halifax on Christmas Eve. For the past three years their lives have been unimaginably difficult and terrifying. She and her sisters speak English. Her parents do not. I explained what my role has been with two other immigrant families. I offered to visit for tea and conversation if her mother, in particular, was interested in learning English. Her mother is 60 – more than young enough to have a go at learning a bit of the language; certainly enough to engage with the world outside of their apartment. We’ll see if they take me up on my offer.

Time to get on with the rest of my day. Shortly, I’m off to visit a friend for tea and conversation! That will brighten my day. I just have to take 2025 one day at a time….

Holiday Greetings 2024!

Posted by jmn

A bit late for “Merry Christmas” but still in time to extend best wishes for 2025!

May the coming year bring you health and contentment; may you be able to carry on!

A couple of weeks ago my submission to the Central Library Sunroom Gallery was accepted. The acceptance letter asked me if I had a preference for when I’d like to show the quilts – I answered by suggesting sometime during the summer was my choice. The next note I received from the Gallery coordinator offered the end of December/25-January/26 time slot – not a great time to exhibit. I answered I would accept that time slot but I was disappointed and listed a couple of reasons.

The coordinator replied – “If you would rather not to exhibit in the winter, we could postpone your exhibit to a preferred time of year in 2026. If you don’t mind the delay, I would be happy to work with you on a date that is better for you.“

I discussed the choice with my sister Donna. “My age is a factor in this decision – should I take the sooner rather than the later time slot,” I asked. “Leave age out of it, when is the better time of year to show?” she replied. “Summer, of course.” “Well, then, accept a summer 2026 time slot. It may be 6 months further away, and you’ll be 83, but you have no guarantee you’ll make it home for dinner!”

She’s right, of course. Take life day by day! (That’s all any of us has.) Enjoy each day. Take pleasure from the small things that happen. An unexpected conversation, something nice to eat, finishing a particularly challenging puzzle, being able to do something for someone else, a pleasantry in the elevator, a good workout at the pool, a leisurely walk, the sunshine!

Yesterday, I used the morning to make 8 small zippered bags – five were gifts to take to Christmas dinner I was having with a long-time friend and her family. I also found time to complete my annual charitable giving and talk to both sisters before going to the Christmas feast of turkey, mashed potatoes, roasted carrots and parsnips, green beans, stuffing and kugel, with cranberry sauce. For desert we had cherry pie and an ice cream/raspberry sherbet concoction – “a bombe glacé” – both traditions for this family (instead of plum pudding). There was no room for cookies or fruit cake, both of which were available.

Best of all I received a small gift. Geoff knows I enjoy the challenge of a physical puzzle. For years, he’s given me a difficult one. This one is called “The Mangler” – difficultly level 4 stars!

The objective – to separate the two pieces of the puzzle. I could see I needed to align the centre prongs in such a way that they’d slide past one another but I just couldn’t find a way to manipulate the two pieces to make that happen. I gave in when I got home and looked up the solution – there’s a tricky twist you have to make so you can slip the end of the right hand piece under the arch of the left hand piece and suddenly the prongs are aligned and the two pieces slip apart!

The puzzle Geoff gave me four years ago (the last time I was at Christmas dinner with the family) was an exceptionally difficult one. It required some large number of steps, done in a precise order, to separate the two parts. I solved it with help from the instructions but there was no way I was going to remember how to do that one. This one is obvious once you understand how to set up the alignment!

I ended the day by dropping in on Ruby’s family gathering to greet her large gang.

None of us knows what’s in store for tomorrow.

You’ve made it through 2024. All the best in the coming year.

Judith

Small Zippered Bags

Posted by jmn

Yesterday I was packing small gifts for people like the gal who cuts my hair, the one who does my nails, my pedicurist. I had made small fruit cakes just after Thanksgiving; during the summer I’d bought a half dozen small tubes of my favourite hand cream (which I actually use as hair cream!); I added a Danish star to each bag but I needed something more.

I have no zippered bags left in my stash – I have to make a couple of dozen soon. There was, however, a small prototype of this diagonal zippered bag. I hunted through my sewing files and found instructions (click on instructions to read & print them):

I quickly chose some fabric for the outside and lining, cut out three 10 1/2″ squares, cut the squares along the diagonal. I rummaged through my zipper tape stock and cut out 3 lengths of zipper then separated them (each bag uses one half of the zipper tape). I chose contrasting pulls. Then I followed the instructions.

I added one to each bag.

I still had three bags cut out with zipper tape selected ready to sew. This afternoon I made those bags up along with another half dozen.

I now have a small stash of diagonal zippered bags. They’re perfect for that bit of jewelry you’re taking with you on a trip!

Recovered

Posted by jmn

I’ve had the fabric, and a pattern to cut out the seat, hanging around my computer room for close to two months – just couldn’t get around to actually recovering the chair.

Today.

I managed to get it done today. In the end, I used the leftover fabric I had kept in my closet from the last time I recovered it (at least 20 years ago). There was more than enough for the seat and two kneeling pads. I used leftover batting to pad the seat and pads – they’re padded enough to soften them but not so much that it’s puffy.

The whole job – unscrewing the seat and kneeling pads from the frame, removing the staples from the previous covering, serging the fabric raw edges, placing double-sided tape on the seat and kneeling boards, stapling the new cover back in place, and reattaching seat and pads back to the frame – took me about three hours (with a time out for lunch).

This job is crossed off my “to do” list; now on to the next.

I have a floral fibre piece that’s been hanging around for at least 18 months – it needs a ton of thread painting. I barely started when I began the piece up. I’d hoped to have it finished so I could show it at the Craig Gallery – I didn’t get to it. It’s now at the top of the list, along with two other fibre pieces I’ve been wanting to do for a couple of years.

Both pieces are composed of a couple of photos. I’ve set up a mock up to suggest a potential layout of each piece.

In “Fall Day at Green Bay” I intend cropping the rocks on the right and expanding the water between Deb and the rocks a bit. I want the content of the piece to end up around 15″ x 12″; framing will add to the dimensions.

In “Five Islands Lighthouse Park” I want to focus on the five islands which will mean playing with the perspective somewhat. The positioning of the large red Adirondack chairs with Joy and Dave will be determined by how that whole background shapes up. Again I’m aiming for a 15″ x 12″ pieced image, framing outside of that.

I’m still in the walking around and thinking about these two pieces phase; not quite ready to begin pulling fabric from drawers and boxes. In both projects I am going to have to paint white fabric for the sky. I’ll mix acrylic paint, dilute it, and brush it on white cotton/poly (which takes paint better than 100% cotton). I don’t have any in the house – that’s something I have to pick up in the next week.

There are a couple of potential garments also hovering in the back of my mind – I’m resisting them. I feel a need to get more art on the go.

Bits and Pieces

Posted by jmn

Finished these socks last week. Good colours, zippy patterning. They took a bit longer than usual – I didn’t knit my usual 20-30 rows each evening – maybe because I wasn’t feeling like knitting. Anyway, they’re done and added to the sock stash.

I started a new pair – can’t leave the needles empty but that knitting has been interrupted with Danish Paper Stars.

———–

I’ve been handing out Danish Stars to neighbours and friends for the past six years. Everybody knows where they come from when they find them on their door handle. Some have become so bold as to ask whether I’ll be making more this year. No way out of it – I had to make another batch of paper stars.

I started by cutting the 1/2″ strips of legal paper and began making stars. Two evenings of paper folding and I have 18 stars. I will need at least 40 (more likely 50) before I’ve finished. I’ve used up the paper I prepared; I need to cut more paper today. The knitting is suffering – I’ve had to put it aside to make time for star construction!

———–

My sister Barb called me on Sunday evening to sing me a verse to a song wondering whether I remembered it and might know where it came from. Sounded like a Disney song from something like Snow White – except it wasn’t. Two hours of searching with Google and ChatGPT returned nothing. Usually if I ask Google for lyrics using the bits I remember a song turns up. Not this time. I finally gave up.

The next evening however it dawned on my it might be a song from our childhood, one we learned in school. When I was in 5th grade (1953) the woman in charge of music for the city schools recruited a group of girls from our class to sing some songs from the songbook being used in the schools at that time:

I was one of that select group and I still have that vinyl recording! A very long time ago I managed to have the record digitized so I have the 22 song tracks on my computer. Didn’t I find the song there in the first group of four songs!

Going To The Fair

The birds are singing, the bells are ringing
There’s music in all the air, heigh ho
As altogether in golden weather we merrily go to the fair, heigh ho!

We have no money for ribbons bonny,
Our clothes are the worse for wear
But little it matters in silk or in tatters
We merrily go to the fair.

The lads and lasses, the time it passes
????????? [There’s fun to be had everywhere], heigh ho
As altogether in golden weather we merrily go to the fair, heigh ho!

———

There’s that one line I can’t make out on the recording – it has to be something like the lyrics I’ve guessed.

I called Barb to tell her I’d found the song – I still can’t find the lyrics anywhere online although I know the song must be in the “unison” High Road of Song Book One for elementary grades.

I learned that song 71 years ago! Imagine still remembering it.

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