a gypsy caravan

Cooling Off

Crocheted Rag Rugs by Kathryn

I have been wanting to post these photos since my visit with my grandmother in Florida last month.  I would be remiss not to share with you some of the work that she does.

Kathryn is 92 years old.  This winter she made two crocheted rag rugs.  One in bright colors and another in more muted tones.

Annie loved them!

A close up of the detail and Mary's tootsies.

Here is the muted one which she is still planning to enlarge.

These rugs are made from 100% cotton sheets.  Grandma cuts each sheet into 1 inch strips and sews the strips together end to end.  Then she folds them in half and crochets them together, being careful to tuck in the cut ends, so as not to fray.  She told me that it took several twin sized sheets to make one rug.  I am just amazed at the gumption this woman exhibits.  She also quilts every Wednesday with a dozen other ladies from church.

I find her so inspiring. 

My Sewing Project

I am not much of a seamstress.  I say that with a big smile on my face because the last time I tried to sew something, it was a bridesmaid dress in 1992.  The dress turned out two and a half sizes too large and I finished it at 3:00 am the morning of the wedding.  Really.

So, needless to say, I am a little needle shy.  However, my friend Elizabeth has inspired me to give it a go, that perhaps I can actually make something worthwhile and beautiful for my family. 

I am pleased to announce my first sewing project.  Here it is, a pair of curtains for the girls' bedroom. I made them out of a flat sheet and sewed the little ball fringe on the edge for a fun look. 

My kids don't seem to use the flat sheets that come with the sheet sets.  They end up wadded up at the foot of the bed.  This was a neat way to make a pair of curtains that matched the bedding without having to spend any extra money. 

I have quite a bit of fabric left over.  The girls have an armoire that has glassfront drawers which show all of the clothing inside.  Sometimes, because the girls change several times a day :), the drawers look sort of messy.  I was thinking of lining a piece of cardboard with the left over fabric and placing it in the drawer fronts to tie the room together.  What do you think?   

Have a wonderful Friday!

Dressing Femininely

Homeliving Helper has an interesting and helpful post entitled Choosing Clothing.  She links this site as a beautiful source of sewing patterns.  While I do not think most of the period dresses would work for me to wear on a daily basis, I can't help but admire them.  Don't they look like something straight out of Jane Austen novel?  So pretty!

Maximilian: Saint of Auschwitz

I have been reading all I can, lately, about this modern day saint.  I was pleasantly surprised to see the film Maximilian: Saint of Auschwitz for rent at our local Catholic bookstore.   Now that I have viewed it and had a couple of days to digest it, I thought I would post about it here for anyone interested in learning more about this holy and heroic man.

Leonardo Defilippis is the sole actor in the film and he portrays Kolbe masterfully.  I found it difficult to watch him also portray Satan, Adolf Hitler and various other evil characters.  Although theatrically he did a wonderful job, it is never easy to watch someone portray both good and evil.

The film begins with Kolbe's vision of Mother Mary at age ten and progresses through his discernment to the priestly vocation and his foundation of the Militia Immaculata.  We learn about the ministry of the MI, its publications and their combined affect on the country of Poland.   The film follows Kolbe during his encampment in Auschwitz and his martyr's death in a starvation bunker.

Quotes from Kolbe's writings as well as photos of Kolbe himself are interspersed throughout the film, adding a realistic touch to the dramatic presentation by Defilippis.

The film is not for young children, due to the discussion of Hitler's abortive/contraceptive mentailty towards Jews and Catholics as well as actual photos and film footage of the concentration camps and their victims.

Overall, I learned quite a bit about Kolbe and his devotion to the Blessed Virgin by watching this film.  I also  have a better understanding of the role of the Militia Immaculata during Kolbe's time as well as in modern society.   Two of Kolbe's quotes have remained in my mind after watching this film.  First, he told his fellow priests, "I do not fear death, only sin." He reminded them to always "Love the Immaculata."

More information on St. Maximilian Kolbe, the Knights of the Immaculata (Militia Immaculata) and the Consecration to Our Lady as recommended by St. Maximilian Kolbe.  Homily given by His Holiness Pope John Paul II at Canonization of Maximilian Maria Kolbe.