Out of my usual wheel-house

Some number of years ago, (10? 15? 20?) our friends Debra and David came for a visit. At that point, I was making pillbox-shaped kippot. I had made one using a wide embroidered border from a vintage dress as the side of the pillbox. It was gorgeous but much too wide for most human heads.

David has a larger than usual head. If he were a character in a romance novel he would be described as having a leonine head. He fell in love with that kippah and I let it take it home with him. David adored that kippah and has worn it constantly ever since. The kippah was so well-loved that the original embroidery wore away. He had the kippah "slipcovered" with another pretty piece of embroidery.

This bit of embroidery is wearing out as well.

David asked me to make him another kippah. I searched through my stash and had selected a few lovely pieces of red and spice colored upholstery fabric that had a similar feel of faded grandeur. I had even cut them to size when I remembered how much David loves blues. I had to re-think my fabric choices.

Instead of the reds and golds, I chose a piece of pin-striped blue denim and added machine embroidery, embroidered ribbons ( ignore the passive voice, this is my work), braid, and turquoise cording.

The result is this. The kippah is crowned with a piece of blue and white chenille fabric.

I even put in a pretty lining.

My construction skills are better than they were all those years ago. Which goes to show you that if you do something enough eventually you improve.

And yes, it is Shabbat tonight at our house.

We will be eating

hot and sweet chicken,

roasted tomatoes and pepper and roasted root vegetables.

My husband drove me and my main sewing machine to my repairman downtown. I took this photo downtown.

and this one closer to home.

I realize that I envy the pigeons' ability to safely gather in crowds.

Shabbat Shalom!

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Connecting with the past

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sarah in nyc

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