Rebekah Harmon

Hey Jay! To your nap point, I did, thankfully, notice your post in time to line all the nap down on all three pieces.

One thing I didn't do well, Nancy, to your point, is cut straight lines into my furs. I tried to use as much of one good hide as I could, and fit pieces of another around the funky leg bits. It made for weird-angled seams through the patterned pieces. Which have them a 3D "body" that hopefully won't make it too lumpy when its finished.

I did notice, as a wonderful youtube video showed, that pieces cut with scissors also cut the fur, and looked awful, and showed the hide underneath. A razor worked much better for cutting. For reference:
https://youtu.be/EEBRY9_qkvU?si=xgnuhdZmXq7z_8gd

I used waxed thread, in black so its not visible. Against the black fur. I heard regular sewing machines can handle rabbit furs since they're so thin. But I didnt want to muck up my Bernina! (Its $200 to have it serviced! 😵) So I sewed all the patches by hand, using a double-pass whip stitch. So all the holes have a V of thread going through it. Happily, a glover's needle worked well. In buckskin projects I've done, there's so much pulling-often with pliers-that my hands ache the next day. Not with rabbit fur! It was pretty easy.

My only regret at this point is not cutting straight lines on the hide pieces. Next time, eh? Learning a lot.  

So I'm new to wet felting. But I've learned as much as a noob can without diving in. I'm using bags of stashed wooly bits that are tiny in length, or didn't get all the way clean, or came off the carder with fuzzies and clumps.

So I'm working them through my carder one time. No need for perfect fiber alignment. I'm laying it over the pattern pieces and then I'll felt the hunk. And let you know how it goes!!

So 11 pelts was just enough! I have enough scraps left over to make mittens or something.

Which brings me to a sadness and question for you: how many of you have a difficult time throwing away/composting scraps? Since I produced this textile, I have a REALLY hard time only using the best portions. Every inch took a toll on my fingers and represents ample amounts of my time.

So how do I cut off and let go of a palm-sized edge piece?? Ahhhhhhh..... silly problems.

Anyways.  Ow that the hide-processing phase is over, and fluffy tufts of salt and pepper fur are ALL OVER MY HOUSE, its time for the next phase of the project: the inner linning. I plan to use up a bunch of scraps of wool by felting a thin layer of warmth in between the outer fur and linning that will rest against my shirt.

The vest to copy:

Spurred by some research I was reading in my new nutritional coaching program, about microplastics in our gut, I am refocusing on this natural fibers quest.

I have here 11 black (with silver tips) silver fox rabbit hides. I raised all these babies (grow-outs is the term people use) on lawn and alfalfa I grew in a garden plot, just for them. I dont have enough for a full, long-sleeve shirt, so I'm gonna make a no-sleeve shirt, or vest-type piece of clothing.

Hopefully, it will look something like a cute pink vest I have, only furry.

Will it be enough? I dont really know, since I've never made anything with my rabbit hides I had to sew.

Hello, SKIP fans!

I have some sad news for you.
In light of the recent BB rejection and edge case, I'm accepting that I won't finish the Wood Badge for Food Prep and preservation.

I did the BB work, but in the absence of acceptance, I had to move on emotionally. My human spirit found a breaking point in SKIP.

But what a fight I put up, eh? Continuing through 40 rejected BBs, learning so many new skills! Working with a mentor and improving myself even when it got hard. Coping with the naysayers who arose. Being brave enough to be myself and have my own style anyway.

I'm busy now with a new orchestra program I up-started for my community; a legacy I want to grow for my tiny hometown of 600 people. We dont have a high school music program or a pep band, or a marching band anymore. Students who come through our amazing-but-tiny school dont ever have the oppotunity to develop a love of music. For years I've been sad about that, and would say that--Someday-- I would change it. Now I am.

I learned so much from BBs. My push for PEP2 drained me of motivation in this arena, unfortunately. So. After all the BBs, all the new skills, all the community built. And all the power I gave to someone else to accept my projects... I'm hanging up my hat. Yep. Just short of the goal.

I've gotta figure out how to be ok with not meeting the Otis of my dreams and not inheriting land. My current and future homestead will be much smaller than I imagined. But every single project will be as cool as I want it to be. And if I document any of them, if will just be for fun and good memories and to show off! Not for approval.

Here's to more local, organic plates ahead! Millions of calories! Greenhouse bounty and sustainable water systems. Fabulous, natural textiles! Wood creations and hundreds of good Ole natural memories. As I continue to build a Healthy, Green, and Brave life for myself and my family.

Permaculture, Rebekah style.

Hey Ash! Thank you for thoughtfully and carefully going over this BB. I appreciate your attention.

I may have another go at documenting this BB. I used paper and pencil last time. Since its been over three months since then, that paper and previous work is gone. I could start over. With a spreadsheet maybe. Number crunching is a painful expenditure of many "spoons" for me. (Spoons as in the joy factor Paul W often uses.) When I took on this BB, it was about the food for me, not the math so much. I'm not an analyst type of person, so I didn't see the requirements with the same lens as those who are reviewing these BBs for me. (Also referring to the 800 plates BB)

I'm really grateful that your edge case decision is an open-ended invitation to rewrite and try again.  Its not as tough to swallow as a flat rejection. Without the other BB necessary for this badge, I'm afraid its value is negligible. Unfortunately, I just dont have the heart to re-try 800 plates.

Thank you, Ash!

Sweat pants have been on my list for awhile! I used a pattern for yoga pants i tried making last year. And gave them a little more seam allowance.

I used bamboo fleece. I know some folks here are prejudiced against bamboo. But I'm using up a fabric in my stash, and its a step in the right direction from polyester.

My only complaint with it was rhe lack of tensile strength. So as I sewed the seams, even with a stretch stich, it lost most of the stretch the fabric had on the bolt. This made me have to unpick and adjust the top of the pants.

After achieving a workable fit for the waist (ill have  to install elastic if I lose weight!) I dyed them next. With black walnuts. The bamboo didnt take on the color very darkly. The result is a light beige. But they're not white!

So how many gardeners finished with GAMCOD totals this year?

So, guys,what happened with GAMCOD this year? My boys were hoping to hear how they did in the competition?