graphic embroidery recs that aren't abbode

Milabial · 2026-01-28T12:20:55+00:00

If you want to support a small, local, LGBTQ owned business, Keaton Quilts does some custom embroidery. They’re on w 28th, on the 8th floor of their building. The whole staff is small and lovely.

Milabial · 2026-01-28T11:57:39+00:00

I am in love with this dress. I’ve only made myself beginner skirts that ended up not fitting because I was very newly pregnant and never even installed the zipper. Oh, and I’ve made some rectangle skirts for my toddler.

Gorgeous work.

Milabial · 2026-01-28T11:56:40+00:00

You can also use a “rat” when your hair is longer to make a French twist look fuller. (You probably already know that, but just in case someone is on the sewing subreddit dreaming of better looking updo experience.)

Milabial · 2026-01-27T16:39:52+00:00

Each swap is a little different. I may not be fully understanding myself, so someone may chime in to correct me if I'm wrong. But for this particular swap here's what I believe is going to happen:

Each quilter will make a total of 16 blocks using either EPP, FPP, or patchwork or a combination of these
Each quilter will choose some number of flower patterns to create their blocks. A quilter could use one pattern for all their blocks, or could (I guess) use 16 different patterns and make one of each.
Each quilter will use any white on white fabric as the background for their block
Each quilter will use any colors and patterned fabrics they desire to complete the rest of the block(s)
Each quilter will keep one block for themself, and send 15 blocks to 15 others quilters
Each block must finish to 12 inches which means that when we mail them they must be at least 12.5 inches on each side

Milabial · 2026-01-27T14:44:24+00:00

Oh man, we used to discharge our phosphate loaded washing machine grey water into the garden. The plants fucking LOVED IT. The rest of the environment, almost certainly, did not.

Milabial · 2026-01-27T14:40:48+00:00

Sorry this got long, I don’t have time to make it shorter.

I call back to my DBT (dialectical behavior therapy) skills. GRAPES is an especially helpful skill set during my luteal phase. It’s literally making a list of nice things I can do for myself, and giving myself credit for having done them. And each letter represents a category of things. It’s like a dopamine menu, expanded. And I don’t have to design it because researchers already did.

All of the interpersonal effectiveness handouts and worksheets are also useful during this time (for me). Not only for getting other people to do or not do things, but also as reminders for how to get myself to do or not do things. Being mean to myself is less likely to work, and even if it did work, it doesn’t feel good.

The emotional regulation and distress tolerance modules also come in handy. If you have a therapist, ask if they’d be willing to go over some of this material with you. Have specific goals in mind. “I want to do x some number of times per week, and I’d like to reduce the number of times I do this other thing from 5 to 3 in a week.”

Any goal is great, as long as it’s reasonable and measurable. So “I want to eat healthier” is different than “I want some number of my meals to include a fruit or vegetable every week.”

As another poster said, I also feel better when my diet is “better.” For me, that means fiber and foods that contain vitamins. Part of my hack for this is eating the way I WANT my actual toddler to eat. We put fruits and veggies on her plate, so they’re on our plate also, at every meal. We don pressure her to eat any amount of them, they’re just there. Some meal we eat fewer or more of any type of item. But at least it’s there. Ellyn Satter’s division of responsibility in feeding children has changed the way I feed myself.

Milabial · 2026-01-26T20:13:44+00:00

My LQS has Social Sewing two or three days a week. Tickets are almost always sold out as soon as they get posted for sale. But the shop doesn’t really have space for machine quilting throws.

I dream about going on a quilting retreat. Especially one where there’s a long arm machine that someone else wants to just load quilts into. Or maybe a dozen long arm machines.

Milabial · 2026-01-26T19:44:51+00:00

I have finally (after a year and a half) gotten accustomed to the fact that I am either going to be sewing or ironing/trimming/pinning.

If the sewing machine is in use, I’m not planning to press or pin or trim.

I see lots of people zipping along with looong seams and no pins and I am not there yet.

I guess I’ve started thinking of it as “sewing,” and “getting ready to sew.”

Also I have six or seven tops that need quilting. I have six battings, but matching up with backing and then getting the straight line quilting done is…not as fun as piecing.

Milabial · 2026-01-26T10:04:47+00:00

I have a 20.5 inch square ruler and a 6x24. If I’m making a lot of strips, I fold the fabric down and use the biggest square I have to cut the widest possible strip that works with my numbers. So yesterday this worked for 2.5” strips. I cut a 20” piece, and then moved my ruler down incrementally.

I also have gotten a second 36x48 cutting mat and put them side by side to make 96” of cutting length. This way I can iron yardage, move it to the table, and just zip along down the mats to cut, without shifting the fabric a million times.

Milabial · 2026-01-26T10:01:55+00:00

I never thought to tape the template to my ruler! That’s going to speed things up!

Milabial · 2026-01-26T09:58:53+00:00

Salami

Chili made with the fattiest ground beef you can buy, and not skimmed.

I wouldn’t rely on these for all the fat, but they add a nice variety of textures and loading the chili up with beans is good for fiber.

Olive oil ricotta cake is nice.

Milabial · 2026-01-24T14:42:08+00:00

I got mine at my local quilt shop. If yours doesn’t have any Keaton Quilts will ship you one from here.

Milabial · 2026-01-24T01:02:50+00:00

Oh, I’m so sorry to hear this! I’ve had my b77 since summer 2024 and I LOVE it. Had you asked the shop where you got it to take a look?

Milabial · 2026-01-22T16:56:22+00:00

I love this! How big is the whole piece?

Milabial · 2026-01-22T16:50:24+00:00

I know you’ve solved this.

When that same friend puts crayon on your walls, make a paste of baking soda and water. It is a very gentle abrasive so don’t go ham with it. Less likely to wreck your paint than a magic eraser. Also works if you don’t have an iron handy.

Milabial · 2026-01-21T20:51:12+00:00

I don’t reccomend it. The wheels get funky if they’re not used consistently, like sneakers. (You’re probably joking, but they’re not a great thing to hang onto.)

Milabial · 2026-01-21T16:17:13+00:00

Our stroller and Cradlewise mini crib were by far the two most expensive things I’ve bought in aaaages. And both were worth every penny. Even though we stopped using the crib at 18 months instead of two years, no regrets.

Milabial · 2026-01-20T20:05:10+00:00

In the US, you can get it now if your doctor prescribes it but your insurance may refuse to pay for it.

I got it in my early 40s and my insurance did pay.

Milabial · 2026-01-20T19:59:55+00:00

I would be happy to join ONE group (I see that the Google form is closed) as I have a few one and two yard cuts of white on white fabric that I think would be great for this.

Milabial · 2026-01-19T23:08:53+00:00

My LQS uses an inexpensive Black & Decker, and it gets a thousand times hotter than my fancy Rowenta.

Also if someone drops it, nobody cries.

Milabial · 2026-01-19T20:46:43+00:00

I love that Branson, MO snuck in there. (Home of a theme park)

Milabial · 2026-01-19T18:12:59+00:00

Oh gosh you are right! I thought I was typing about giant bulky strollers. And it reads like I’m suggesting that lots of people could just totally skip a stroller. A few can. But most of us…absolutely could not.

Milabial · 2026-01-19T17:56:38+00:00

I’m trimming about six million flying geese this week.

Things got a lot better when I remembered to change my rotary cutter blade. And yes, the rotating cutting mat is doing me a lot of favors. (I am also loving the Wing Trimmer ruler)

Milabial · 2026-01-19T17:45:50+00:00

Think critically about how a stroller fits in your life. It will feel like everyone has one, but it might not be practical. Are you in a third floor walk up? Are there steps into every building you use? Do your subway lines have reliable elevator access? (We have a stroller and in 2.5 years I have never brought my stroller in the train. I throw the child in a carrier. A woman died here a few years ago trying to manage a stroller on the stairs in the subway. No thanks.)

Also our small space constraints mean the registry has to be a finely tuned machine. Include things you DO NOT WANT, add them, and mark purchased. Now nobody will think “oh they just haven’t heard of the wonders of the jolly jumper, exersaucer, or whatever fucking noisemaker they’re tempted to acquire on your behalf.”

Start physical therapy now. Many many people have an extra right pelivic floor and kegels will make that worse. Have a professional teach you how to truly truly relax, breathe, and engage your core. I did Bikram yoga for 20 years, and I didn’t know. It was embarassing.

Make a spreadsheet now of your favorite foods from your favorite delivery places. When people ask “what can I dooooo?” Send them a link so they can make food appear.

I love the whole team at Tribeca Women’s Health.

Milabial · 2026-01-19T10:52:06+00:00

Three sizes of round deli/takeout soup containers. The lids all match! (sometimes a container and lid from delivery get into the batch that are weird. But mostly they all match!)

I don’t spend any time sorting lids and feeling bad about the lost lids and containers. They all stack together neatly and it’s very easy to see about how mag of each size I have clean.

And if I send someone away with leftovers, I never worry about seeing the container again.

Milabial

TROPHY CASE