Mending and Making

I just read about a great idea in Sweden to boost reuse.  The article is about offering tax breaks for those who seek repairs on clothes rather than just discarding them.  It's not called Make Do and Mend but it should be!  Meanwhile, I have not even paid anyone for doing my mending.  I started with hand-stitched patches to deal with the normal knee rips that every pair of little kid jeans gets.

Then I had a good reminder about how much time I spent on it---and a suggestion to get iron-on patches.  $20 later, I had what seemed like a life time supply of boring matching colors and fun kid-friendly decals.  I am going through a surprising number of these (I put a boring patch on the wrong side and a fun one on the right side) and now wish I got that tax break on the iron-on patches instead!  I've patched three pairs of pants today...and it's the second time I've done it in the last week or so.  Twins=twice the number of jeans...

Things are well underway over at the Red River Exhibition for the 4th annual Manitoba Fibre Festival.  While I've been at home, corralling twins* and preparing for my classes,  I've heard that the festival was on TV this morning and everything!!  I'm going to be teaching two classes: One on knitting styles--Explore our Diversity and a second "Spinners' Tasting: It's NOT Wool!"  I am slowly transporting loads of supplies out to my car so I will be ready.  (Office is on third floor.  Car is on ground floor.  I am getting in my exercise.)
  

I also still have a few stray copies of Fiber Gathering and Knit Green available if anyone wants a signed copy....so I am shlepping those out to the car, too. :)  No special signing table or anything, but if you are at the festival, track me down before or after my 9-10:30 class or my 1-3pm one.  I'll be happy to sign it for you.

As part of my preparations (and fruitless search for one tiny tahkli spindle....) I have tidied up a bit.  It was a reminder that this (like all years) is a good one to mend more and make more from scratch!  I sure have the materials on hand.

  If, like me, you are about to celebrate 5777, Happy New Year!  May it be a sweet, happy, healthy, productive year for you.  L'Shanah Tovah!

*This week, the Professor has been off in the US doing fieldwork and attending a conference.  It's been all me, twin five year olds and two dogs.  Thank goodness for kindergarten so I get some breaks!  We've just about made it through (He should be flying home today) but I am really looking forward to a day off (even though I am teaching, it's like a special holiday for me...) at the festival!