Monday, July 14, 2008

Adorn Yourself Accordingly


Ricci showed me this card today, and it made me laugh. The caption reads: "Know first who you are, and then adorn yourself accordingly." (Epictetus C.55-C.135)

We could go pretty deep into thought with "Know first who you are". A very empowering statement, and important question each of us needs to ask ourselves.
The picture of "adorn yourself" took me back a few years when daughter #3 was a little girl. She loved to play dress up and would come out in the most outlandish outfits. (Someday I should make a book of pictures taken of her in her" get-up's"). Back then I would be doing something very every day like washing dishes and would turn around to find her standing behind me in the most comical combinations of clothing. I would literally fall to the floor in spasms of laughter.

Today I went to Ricci's house to have her help me put together my Summer Stash quilt "sandwich". Sam (that Sam again!) built her a counter top at just the perfect height, and just the perfect length to pin quilt tops together. Of course, Ricci gave him the dimentions...but still! It has a lip on the edge of the counter to hold these cool clamps.
The counter top is also used as a space where she puts her cutting mats to cut out her quilts. Because of the nice height her back doesn't get as tired.

I think Sam got these clamps at a Building Supply type of store like Home Depot. They release easily by touching the black lever inside the handle. To close the vise, pull the two handles together firmly. They keep the layers of the quilt very taut.


Once the backing, batting and top are together, we placed pins every few inches. Ricci machine quilts a lot and suggested not leaving any space bigger than your hand.

3 comments:

Ricci said...

Gee Nedra,
The more you write good stuff about Sam and more I appreciate him. After 29 years I guess he's a pretty great guy....but you have to stop tell him....he's beginning to believe it!!
Thank you all for your kind words. Seriously I'm so very lucky to have such a wonderful room. You are all welcome to come and play with me. Give me a call first, I tend to quilt naked in the summer!!!!
Ricci

Gayle said...

Nedra - Ricci's cutting table is so awesome! My cutting table probably isn't quite as big - it's made from a door, BUT it is so covered with 'stuff' that I only have a small space about 2' x 3" open to work on. I'm such a terrible clutter-bug!

Nanette Merrill said...

My gosh that Ricci. She has everything so perfectly set up. I am simply amazed. What a great idea those clamps are. I lay out baby quilts similarly but on a board on top of my countertop. Much more ghetto than Ricci!! Time to try to upgrade. I gotta show my husband this post. Tell Sam he's going to make a lot of husbands unhappy.