"The Jacket"

Some of the first pattern
pieces of 'The Jacket'

The Jacket was born in early 2011, from an instanteous thought and a quick e-mail that I thought would not travel far.

After some time, plans were made between The Jacket originator (myself) and the recipient of a light tan, sueded western style, custom-made jacket.

It was an exciting time, most certainly, full of anticipation, from choosing the perfect tan sueded fabric and matching lining, to the style, down to the right buttons. The sample jacket then arrived in the mail that I used for measurements. Soon thereafter the sueded fabric and lining arrived from the specialty store. It was so very beautiful. Just touching the fabric gave you a peaceful and serene feeling, like touching the first rose petals that have newly come forth.

Then, I became ill for several months. I needed to keep my other orders going out and did not have too much time to concentrate on 'The Jacket'. But he was always there, patiently waiting for me, beckoning me to come over and sew a few stitches.

Inside lining of a 'welt' pocket.
A light poly/cotton fabric was sewn
over the nylon lining  for extra durability.

The summer of 2011 came with full force and temperatures soared into the triple digits. I have never known heat so intense before. The highest this past summer was 116 degrees and was a day to remember. 'The Jacket' was partially started by this time, and the front 'welt' pockets just starting to appear. He ('The Jacket') was taking form, like molding out of clay.

The pockets were actually quite fun. I was afraid at first, not having the opportunity to make many 'welt' pockets. But I discovered that it was not too difficult at all. One just needs to concentrate and be patient.

All during this time, the recipient was so very patient. Periodic updates were e-mailed to inform of the progress. In mid-September, I knew he needed to be completed, since the cooler weather was arriving soon. He became my friend by this time. Greeting me in the morning with his happy tan color. I looked at the seams and how they were turning out. Everything had to be perfect.



'The Jacket' owner
Made by Rachels'
Seamstress Services

Then the final week arrived (Sept. 27th). It was time to finish up and part with my friend who saw me through many happenings since early March. He joined with me in unison to accept the final seams and the lining, which were hand-sewn in.

He looked so healthy and well and I needed to pack him up and ship him to his new owner, who was so very happy to receive him. Washing/care instructions were given and I have no doubt 'The Jacket' will be treated with respect and dignity.

Good-bye my dear friend. I had the honor and pleasure of putting you together with the utmost care and attention.

For a long a happy life,

Your Creator,

Lisa

of Rachels'

Seeking Solace, Finding Peace

For Those Who Long to Be Useful to God

Written by Quaker Jane, used with permission

I speak to thee, seeker of solace, not from a separate or superior place, but as one who has walked in similar shoes along similar paths. I sought solace, begged for peace, had faith in the possibility of happiness, as I longed for the seeingly endless heartache to stop and the healing to begin. I found peace, not comfort and ease, but peace in the midst of discomfort and dis-ease. I found compassion for myself and for others, residing in my heart, the Christ Within had kept a small hearth-fire burning, waiting in the depths of my heart for me to seek him out, waiting for me in the heart of my heart to find him, where he had been all along as I searched hither and thither and yon. Even as I outwardly rejected him, inwardly he was working on my heart, healing me, bringing me to the Truth and to peace and solace.

I speak to thee, she who desires to be useful to God, he who desires to be on the narrow path. That desire is a grace, and if followed in humility, these desires of thy soul for wholeness and healing will lead to submission to the Lord and his will for thee. Thy desires and longings will lead thee to become capable of discernment of the Lord's will for thee. The Lord has made thee capable of obedience, given thee the gift of the Light Within to illuminate thy path and brought thee the free gift of submission.

The healing has begun, child of God, infant in trust and patience. Mature thy trust, mature thy patience, and thee will see thy healing is happening in the Lord's time and in the Lord's way. That is where faith becomes powerful, where thee allows the Lord to do his work. He has set tasks before thee. Attend to those tasks, and set aside those he has not set before thee. Thee knows the difference, in thy heart. The mind is prone to confusion and dismay, but the heart is where the Truth resides, and where the Way is made clear.

Peace resides in the heart. It may be hard for thee to believe that something thee has sought with such energy in the world was available to thee the entire time, but so it is. It is within thee, and available to thee, at any time. Not just when things are going well, and not just when things are difficult. He is there, a companionable presence, a bracing presence, a loving presence, a stern presence. The Truth is all these things, each as thee needs them, each as thee requires. He will comfort, when it is time for comfort, and he will correct when it is time to correct. There is no comfort, nor correction, in the world and the world's ways to compare.

Traditional Quakers have tactics for finding the Christ Within, ways of preparing ourselves for submission and obedience to the Lord's will. The simplest and best first step to take is to set aside time each day to wait upon the Lord, to have a time of private retirement where there is no expectation for the time except that it be given to the Lord to use as he will. Pray if thee feels led. Read the Bible if thee feels led. But do not place any presumption upon the time, rather offer it to the Lord. Do not say, "I will do this" or "I will do that," rather say "I will do nothing until the Lord shows me to do it, and if he offers me nothing then I will do nothing." Remember Elijah (I Kings 19:11-13). Remember the Fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23).

It is usual for those to whom I offer this tactic to say they don't feel comfortable sitting in silence for any length of time. At which point I suggest they are not yet desperate enough, that they have not reached the end of the seeking and questing. When they are desperate enough, I say, when the world and the world's answers have left them sufficiently battered and cold and with no other option at hand, then they may finally turn to the Christ Within. Then they may find the unbearable silence a better option than despair, finally prepared and ready for his healing and warmth. Or, I offer, they could give it a go now, just to see if they are able to find him before they have actually reached the end of their rope. It is painful reaching the end of one's rope, I suggest, and they have been sufficiently rattled to seek me out. The Lord appears to be offering them an opportunity. But, I say, it is their choice. And I say to thee, it is thy choice. All the love Christ has for thee is available to thee now, if thee can only reach out for it with an open heart. My compassion goes with thee, Friend or Neighbor, whatever thy choice and wherever it leads.

---

1 Kings 19:11-13 (KJV)

And he said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the LORD. And, behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the LORD; but the LORD was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the LORD was not in the earthquake: And after the earthquake a fire; but the LORD was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice. And it was so, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle, and went out, and stood in the entering in of the cave. And, behold, there came a voice unto him, and said, What doest thou here, Elijah?

1 Kings 19:11-13 (New Jerusalem Bible) (not in original printing. Added by author of this Blog)

Then he was told, 'Go out and stand on the mountain before Yahweh.' For at that moment Yahweh was going by. A mighty hurricane split the mountains and shattered the rocks before Yahweh. But Yahweh was not in the hurricane. And after the hurricane, an earthquake. But Yahweh was not in the earthquake. And after the earthquake, fire. But Yahweh was not in the fire. And after the fire, a light murmuring sound. And when Elijah heard this, he covered his face with his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. Then a voice came to him, which said, 'What are you doing here, Elijah?'

Galatians 5:22-23 (KJV)

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

Creating a Saddle Pad

The long awaited for Saddle Pad has finally been completed! During the creation process, I have taken pictures as a reference for myself later on, and also to convey the process to you.

A Saddle Pad can be made either in a 'Western' or 'English' style. This Saddle Pad measures 36" x 33", per the request of its new owner, and is typically known as a 'Western' Saddle Pad, since it is squared shaped.

Saddle Pad-Three Layers.
Top: Corduroy fabric; Middle: batting,
Underside: felted wool
White lines on navy blue fabric is used for the quilting guidelines.

To begin, there are several layers. Personal preference can be given to the outside fabric used; however, one must keep in mind the outside fabrics need to be durable and able to withstand wear and repeated washings. For this pad, I used a medium-wale navy blue corduroy fabric, that is a polyester/cotton blend (not heard of too often for a corduroy fabric), the middle is a polyester batting, medium thickness, and the underside is a felted wool fabric.

Additionally, attention needs to be given to the fabric content of the binding. A flimsy cotton fabric is not recommended, as it would wear easily and would not stand up well to the ruggedness required. I chose for this Navy Blue Pad a tan plaid fabric with small navy blue lines, made in a very durable polyester/cotton fabric. All I had in stock were polyester/cotton fabrics with small flowers and I knew the male owner of this pad would want a 'masculine' look. To create visual appeal, I cut the four 3" strips diagonally across the fabric, as shown in the picture below.

The binding strips were made 3" wide because they are folded before being sewn onto the finished edge, thus having two layers of binding and providing extra durability.



After the binding strips are cut out and sewn together lengthwise, I then quilted all three layers, following the white guidelines.Then, the raw edges were trimmed evenly.

36" x 33" Saddle Pad, all three layers quilted together
and raw edges trimmed. Ready for the binding.

Then, the binding was sewn on by machine starting from the top of the pad. Since I folded the 3" binding in half, then stitched 1/4", the binding now measures 1 1/4 inches. It is then ironed (slightly) from the front and pinned to the underside, where I then hand-stitch the binding to the back of the pad, which is felted-wool in this instance.

The hand-stitching does take some time, but well worth it, in my opinion! By hand-stitching. more control is given to each stitch and how the binding lays on the back-side.

For this pad, I added billet straps near the front on both sides, which are 7" long each. The now owner did not need girth (top) straps, so I did not add these on.

Completed Saddle Pad - August 2011

It is always rewarding to complete a project that was so many months in planning! Hoping soon to open a Etsy Shop to sell my Saddle Pads and perhaps a few Quarter Sheets for our horse friends, (shop name yet to be decided as of this writing), who also need protection from the saddle and weather elements.

Blessings,
Lisa
of Rachels'

Taize Community in France

Bro. Roger Schutz

Brother Roger Schutz

Founder of Taizé, in France (1915-2005)

Soon after WWII, Roger Schutz, a Swiss-born Protestant pastor, founded an ecumenical monastic community on the site of an abandoned abbey in Taizé, France. From the beginning, he hoped that Taizé, which included both Catholic and Protestant brothers, would help to heal the rifts among Christians­ - a hope that achieved considerable success. Without seeking formal conversion, Brother Roger was warmly embraced by Catholic Church leaders, and he received communion several times from the hands of popes. As he noted, “I have found my own identity as a Christian by reconciling within myself the faith of my origins with the mystery of the Catholic faith, without breaking fellowship with anyone.”

At the same time, Taizé became a spiritual refuge for the youth of the world. Tens of thousands of young people flocked to Taizé each year to imbibe the spirit of prayer and spiritual renewal. They, in turn, carried the spirit of Taizé back into the world and across the globe.

Upon Brother Roger’s death on August 16, 2005, Rowan Williams, Archbishop of Canterbury, observed: “Very few people in a generation manage to change the whole climate of a religious culture, but Brother Roger did just this. He changed the image of Christianity itself for countless young people; he changed the church’s perception of the absolute priority of reconciliation…And he did this without any position of hierarchical authority.”

“For whoever knows how to love, for whoever knows how to suffer, life is filled with serene beauty.” ~Brother Roger of Taizé

For more information, please view the article here, by BBC.

Plaid & Tartan Plaid Fabric

I LOVE plaid. Now and then I would make a dress in a small, flowery print, but there is something special about plaid that has always attracted me. After researching for this article which I enjoyed very much, I now know why. Plaid is organized and will make the person wearing it feel organized and at times secure. The intricate grids and squares repeating in the design, in various colors, has a soothing effect. Lately, I have been able to purchase several plaid fabrics at thrift stores. Not sure what all of these will be made into, but I am sure over time they will be used.

With many Blessings, Lisa

Left to right: A blue striped 2 yd. fabric piece,
although not plaid, is a very organized design..
Black & White: 'House of Stewart 2.5 yd. piece.
This would be considered a 'tartan plaid'
because any way you hold the fabric
piece, the design remains the same.
Light blue, peach and green plaid.
Perfect for a young girls' dress.

Plaid has its origin as far back as 100 B.C., when it was created by ancient Celtic populations. Thus, the plaid pattern in fabric is older than Jesus, but younger than dinosaurs. Although the print had been around for centuries, it didn’t take off until the late 17th century as the apparel of Scotland. Although Scottish plaid came in the form of kilts and not trendy button-downs, plaid became a sign of rebellion against the English so much so that authorities banned it after the Scottish rebellion of 1746.

What is a Tartan Plaid?

Banks and De La Chappelle began their research into tartan six years ago after New York Times photographer Bill Cunningham, who tracks fashion on the streets of Manhattan, noticed an odd phenomenon in the days following 9/11: women were wearing a lot of plaid.

"The world was rocked and they were looking for something that they could hold onto, that they knew would not deviate, because so much had changed overnight," Banks said.

"A tartan plaid, first of all, is Scottish, as opposed to American or English. It's Scottish," De La Chappelle said.

Beautiful Burgandy/Cream plaid.
Courtesy of Gehman's Country Fabrics.

A tartan plaid pattern has to be made up of perfect squares, or it is not 'tartan'. Technically, a tartan plaid can be turned 180 degrees and is exactly the same.

A plaid, on the other hand, can have stripes that clearly run in a specific direction. In other words: all tartan is plaid, but not all plaid is tartan.

But whether authentic tartan or simply plaid, the stripes and squares seem to have a lasting and universal appeal. "It's one of the few patterns men wear, you know" Banks said. "You may find the most conservative man, if he wears a pattern, more than likely it's tartan."

Left to right: Medium green plaid with blue and cream lines.
 Planning to use as binding on a Saddle Pad.
Mauve and cream plaid with very faint cream and green lines.
Planning to make into a early 1800's Regency Short Coat.

"Plaid is very organized," De La Chappelle said. "It has grids. It's possible that these grids make you feel organized."

But tartan wasn't always a symbol of security. At the same time colonists in America were demanding their independence from England, there was trouble in Scotland as well. Scottish Highlanders caught wearing tartan to signify their clans faced arrest, or worse. "It became the symbol of rebels who were against the Crown," De La Chappelle said. "And the British were so angry that they banned the wearing of tartan for 37 years. If you were a Highlander, men in particular, you could not put on tartan without being accused of treason and banished to the colonies for six months." As is often the case, banning tartan only made it more desirable.



"When they were able to wear it again, it came back with a vengeance," De La Chappelle said. Later, it was actually English royals - the Duke of Windsor and his wife Wallis Simpson - who made tartan stylish for the international jet set.