Beauty! Joy! And Sewing...?

Let us rather love one another, and work and rejoice.

-Mr. Emerson to Miss Honeychurch

from A Room with a View by E. M. Forster 

Have you ever seen the beautiful Merchant Ivory film "A Room With A View"? Today I'm feeling rather like George Emerson in the scene that has him up in a tree, embracing the eternal "yes" and yelling, "Beauty! Joy!"

Because my weekend was all about Beauty.

As an Eastern Orthodox Christian I have not yet celebrated Easter, but did have an incredibly joyous weekend in spite of that fact. (Go here to read the explanation Rita Wilson - wife of Tom Hanks - gives about Orthodox Easter, "Pascha", and why it's usually celebrated on a different date than Western Easter.)

Every year on the Saturday closest to March 25, our parish women's fellowship group celebrates the Annunciation with a tea for our women and young girls.  Our ladies host tables by bringing their own dishes and teapots, and we engage a speaker to come.

This year our Annunciation Tea speaker was Krista West.  As an ecclesiastical tailor, author, and lecturer, Khouria Krista has done a staggering amount of research on the history of ancient textiles and vestments. I hope you'll take some time to visit her engaging podcast, "The Opinionated Tailor", here on Ancient Faith Radio, where you can listen along as she discusses everything from Orthodox church vesture to faith and motherhood.

I can heartily say our women were all inspired by Khouria Krista's talk on the special role the Virgin Mary plays in our lives.  She also encouraged us to intentionally use BEAUTY in our churches and homes, and gave us tips on some of the practical and spiritual ways we can do that.  I look forward to exploring more about historical liturgical garments of the Eastern Orthodox Church in her book The Garments of Salvation. 

Krista and I share a love of books.  Knowing I have a blog about children's books, she asked me for some recommendations for her website because she wants to include a list of children's books about sewing.

Looking over some past posts I've done on the subject of sewing, I found a post about Beatrix Potter's Tailor of Gloucester here; one on quilt stories here; a post about a favorite dress, an overcoat, and yarn here; and the sewing of the flag that became the Star Spangled Banner here.

I did a little research today, and  I think Kh. Krista is going to be super happy with these unique books for her website...

The first book I have to mention is Tapestries: Stories of Women in the Bible by Ruth Sanderson. (ages 5 and up)
This book is stunning, and I have it in my home library. Here are stories of twenty-two Biblical women. Some of their stories are tales of bravery and cunning; other tales make use of traditional skills such as spinning, weaving, and sewing. Their stories are illustrated with lush portraits rendered in the style of tapestries, rich and decorative cloths of great beauty.  I have featured Ruth Sanderson's books on my blog before, here and here. A gifted artist and illustrator, Ruth's website is a joy to visit, here.

Pockets by Jennifer Armstrong.  Illustrations by Mary Grand Pré.
Booklist Review says: From Armstrong and GrandPre (of Harry Potter books fame!), a lyrical tale of imagination's transformative power. The story is framed in nautical imagery and metaphor. When "a slim schooner of a woman, driven by strong winds and a broken heart," fetches up outside a prairie town, the industrious residents take her in as their tailor, on the condition that she make only practical, unornamented clothing. She agrees--but in subtle rebellion begins lining pockets with glorious embroidery of ships and fish, shells, and mementos of exotic ports of call. Soon the townsfolk are learning the names of stars, discussing poetry, dreaming of Constantinople, and, hands in pockets, scanning the far horizons. In GrandPre 's rolling, expressionistic painted scenes, the dusky purple light that falls on dreary buildings and shadowed faces is deepened and enriched by the golden visions that swirl about people's shoulders and fill the sky. In the end, heart healed, the mysterious woman sails off alone through seas of grass, having worked a profound change through hidden means. (K-3)

Brave Girl by Michelle Markel.  Illustations by Melissa Sweet.
From acclaimed author Michelle Markel and Caldecott Honor artist Melissa Sweet comes this true story of Clara Lemlich, a young Ukrainian immigrant who led the largest strike of women workers in U.S. history. This picture book biography includes a bibliography and an author's note on the garment industry. It follows the plight of immigrants in America in the early 1900s, tackling topics like activism and the U.S. garment industry, with hand stitching and fabric incorporated throughout the art.  (I found this book from Anita Silvey's Book-A-Day Almanac.  Today, March 28, marks the birthdate of Clara Lemlich, born in 1886!)  For ages 4-8.

Rumpelstiltskin, retold and illustrated by Paul O. Zelinsky. (ages 4-8)
This fairytale is about spinning straw in to gold, not sewing it, but I couldn't leave it off my list of recommendations!  It is beautifully illustrated, with oil paintings by Paul O. Zelinsky.  After a recent trip to the main branch of the NYC Public Library, my daughter told me about the library's "Picture Collection" exhibit, where she read about this book's illustrations.  The show featured an original oil painting from Rumpelstiltskin and one of the reference pictures Mr. Zelinsky used to figure out how to paint straw.

image source here

Do you have any others to add?

WHO MADE THE FLAG THAT BECAME "THE STAR SPANGLED BANNER"?

During the 19th century, Francis Scott Key's “The Star-Spangled Banner” became one of the nation’s best-loved patriotic songs, performed during both public events and more personal gatherings.  Did you know that some young teen aged girls helped make the flag that inspired the song?

Illustration by Bess Bruce Cleaveland (1925)

"In the summer of 1813, Mary Pickersgill (1776–1857) was contracted to sew two flags for Fort McHenry in Baltimore, Maryland. The one that became the "Star-Spangled Banner" was a 30 x 42–foot garrison flag; the other was a 17 x 25–foot storm flag for use in inclement weather. Pickersgill, a thirty-seven-year-old widow, was an experienced maker of ships’ colors and signal flags. She filled orders for many of the military and merchant ships that sailed into Baltimore’s busy port. 

Helping Pickersgill make the flags were her thirteen-year-old daughter Caroline; nieces Eliza Young (thirteen) and Margaret Young (fifteen); and a thirteen-year-old African American indentured servant, Grace Wisher. Pickersgill’s elderly mother, Rebecca Young, from whom she had learned flagmaking, may have helped as well. 

Pickersgill and her assistants spent about seven weeks making the two flags. They assembled the blue canton and the red and white stripes of the flag by piecing together strips of loosely woven English wool bunting that were only 12 or 18 inches wide."  {Read More...SOURCE: Smithsonian American History}

CHILDREN'S BOOKS:
The Flag Maker by Susan Campbell Bartoletti, illustrated by Claire A. Nivola.  (K-2)
This book, set in lyrical prose, is the story of the flag which came to be known as the Star-Spangled Banner.  After seeing the flag at the Smithsonian Institution, author Susan Campbell Bartoletti became curious about the hands that had sewn it. Here is her story of this flag as seen through the eyes of flag maker Mary Pickersgill's daughter, young Caroline Pickersgill. Through the story we realize how this flag initiates action and emotion, brings people together, and inspires hope and courage.

Mary Young Pickersgill: Flag Maker of the Star Spangled Banner by Sally Johnston and Pat Pilling. (Ages 10 and up).
This fascinating chapter book explains how Mary Pickersgill learned to make flags, where she obtained the four hundred yards of fabric, woven only in England, to make the flag, how she organized a small work force of young women, including a free African-American indentured servant, to sew the flags and where she found a workplace to make such large flags.

DIY STORIES: A FAVORITE DRESS, A LITTLE OVERCOAT, AND SOME EXTRA YARN

Be sure and leave a comment on my post from yesterday (click here) for a chance to win my Give-Away of Valerie Greeley's book, WHITE IS THE MOON - the winner will be chosen on Friday, April 20, 2012.  And don't miss Valerie's website, her Acornmoon blog or her Etsy Shop!

Are you an Etsy fan?
If you haven't heard of this website, Etsy.com is a huge shop full of hundreds of thousands of unique handmade and vintage items from an online community of independent sellers around the world.  Whether you're looking for a hand-knitted teapot cozy, a unique bookplate, or a plaid collar for your pet, someone has probably offered it on Etsy!

Ribbon available from guess where....Etsy!

I don't know if the DIY Etsy trend inspired these books, but crafty kids and their parents will love my picture book recommendations today: the first is about a young fashionista and her creative mom, the second is based on a Yiddish song about remaking things, and the third book involves a town, a little girl, and a ball of yarn...and they're all perfect for reading aloud.

I stumbled across this adorable book, I Had a Favorite Dress, a couple of weeks ago and snapped it up, because I know just the little fashionista who will love it.  What girl doesn't have a favorite dress? The unamed girl in this story wore hers "every Tuesday, because that was my favorite day of the week."  But there's a slight problem: little girls eventually grow - out of their favorite dresses!

Not too worry. Snip, snip! Sew, sew!  The distraught girl's Mama is ready to improvise and teach her daughter a valuable lesson: "don't make mountains out of molehills" - make a new something out of an old something!  You'll be delighted at how many times (and stylish ways) this crafty Mama transforms the dress! Julia Denos' whimsical collage style art makes Boni Ashburn's fun story jump right off the page.

As I was flipping through the pages of I Had A Favorite Dress, I kept thinking that it reminded me of another tale.  Sure enough, it's a modernized (and frilly) version of a Yiddish folktale, which was also the inspiration of Simms Taback’s Caldecott-winning book, Joseph Had a Little Overcoat.

Like the main character of "the dress book", Joseph also has a favorite piece of clothing: his overcoat - "it was old and worn".  So he makes it into a jacket, then a vest...until finally, there is nothing left. But then he makes something out of nothing.  What's the "something"?  You'll have to get the book and find out. I absolutely love Taback's mixed-media artwork, with bold and colorful die-cuts.

The last "crafty" book I recently read and fell in love with is Extra Yarn by Mac Barnett, with pictures by Jon Klassen.

Jon Klassen's understated style matches this quirky, sweetly told tale. At the very beginning, we're told: "This looks like an ordinary box full of ordinary yarn.  But it turns out it isn't."  A girl named Annabelle come across the box "filled with yarn of every color" on a cold winter day in her cold, drab town.  With the seemingly endless supply of yarn, she makes rainbow colored knitted creations for everyone (and everything) in the town - even the mailboxes and buildings.

A pompous and greedy archduke appears on the scene and tries to buy the box from Annabelle, who's not interested in selling it for anything.  He manages to have it stolen, only to find it empty. In a satisfying ending, we realize the box wants to be with someone who is generous in sharing any "extra" with others!

Feeling Crafty?
Did these books get you in the mood to do some sewing or knitting? I could't resist sharing a couple of links to some fun projects I've seen on Pinterest lately:
1. The Shirt Skirt from Sew Like My Mom

2. The Reycycled T-Shirt Ruffle Hat from Tao of Craft









3. Finger-Knitting Project for Kids from Craftzine

QUILTING STORIES

As we head toward the holiday season, I find myself thinking of family and the anticipation of our holiday gatherings...

I don't happen to have any quilters among my relatives, but I am always drawn to old quilts when I visit a flea market or antique store.  Like patches on an heirloom quilt, families have pieced-together memories of traditions, tears, laughter, struggles, celebrations, and faith.

And quilts are a great way to teach children about family, art, history, and even math!  I hope you'll enjoy sharing some of these books with your children - I've enjoyed discovering them!  Let me know if I've left out any of your favorites...


PICTURE BOOKS:

The Quilt Story by Tony Johnston, illustrations by Tomie dePaola (ages 4-8)

The Keeping Quilt by Patricia Polacco (ages 4-8)

Eight Hands Round:  A Patchwork Alphabet by Ann Whitford Paul, illustrations by Jeanette Winter (ages 4-8)

The Log Cabin Quilt by Ellen Howard (ages 6 and up)

The Patchwork Quilt by Valerie Flournoy, illustrations by Jerry Pinkney (ages 4-8)

HISTORICAL FICTION:
The Canada Geese Quilt by Natalie Kinsey-Warnock, illustrations by Leslie W. Bowman (ages 9-12)

Martha Ann's Quilt for Queen Victoria by Kyra E. Hicks, illustrations by Lee Edward Fodi (ages 9-12)

NON FICTION:
Quilting Now & Then by Julie B. Dock, Karen B. Willing; illustrations by Sarah Morse

Quilt-Block History of Pioneer Days(with Projects Kids Can Make), by Mary Cobb (grades 2 and up)

POETRY:
Baby Days:  A Quilt of Rhymes and Pictures, by Belina Downes (ages 4-8)

Pieces:  A Year in Poems and Quilts by Anna Grossnickle Hines (ages 4-8)

AND TWO MORE..
from my friend Jane Meyer's blog (fun post!)
The Quilt Maker's Journey and The Quilt Maker's Gift by Jeff Brumbeau

If you want to delve deeper into quilting, I found a great website on quilting history and with patterns for children's quilts.