sarah in nyc

Yesterday I finished adding color to the Isabel’s thank you notes. Tying her tzitzit was scheduled for the late afternoon.  as delightful as this project was,I am glad to put it to bed. Isabel was really delighted with her tallit. Her father joined her for tying the tzitzit. The two shared the task with  much teasing between the two of them.   Unfortunately, I wasn’t quick enough with my camera and I missed Isabel’s jumping for joy moment. I am also working on finishing up Yoni’s tallit.   I have had to abandon some ideas that didn’t work. The text for the atara just didn’t show up on the rock pained fabric. the little green snails are of no theological importance but will make Yoni’s favorite color more dominant on the atara.   I also had a similar false start with the pinot. I still have to sew the corner pieces onto the tallit and make he eyelets. Once I trim all of the loose threads the tallit will be complete.

It was now time to tackle the atara/ neckband for Isabel's tallit.   I went back to look at my sketch. I had forgotten that I had planned to make an atara with the priestly breastplate in the center.   So I had to get to work creating it.   Last week one of the local thrift stores was selling a roll of Joe Fresh gold knit fabric. It was a really really shiny bathing suit knit. If I wanted to star in a 1980’s aerobics video I would make myself work out clothing out of this knit. It was a silly amount of fabric for a silly price.  I had made myself a slip out of some of it.   I realized that it would be perfect for the breastplate for Isabel, the girl who loves bling.   I cut a rectangle of fusible fleece, and drew the stitching lines on the fleece with a marker. I backed the fleece with the shiny fabric and stitched. I then added twelve different shiny bits as the jewels. I then tidied up the little breastplate.   ...

I suppose that when some people have several jobs on their plate at the same time they completely finish one before they move onto the next. If I try to work that way I tend to get stuck. I tend to work better having several projects going at one time.  I find that the problem solving from one piece gets my mental gears going for the other piece I have on hand. Isabel’s tallit is in many ways the polar opposite of the twins’ restrained tallitot. Their tallitot are all about self control. They are visually uncluttered and clean.   Isabel’s tallit is lush.   The other day I realized that she needed  even more gold braid, so each side of the tallit got two more rows of the gold braid. Today I made the pinot /corner pieces. Tow of the corners have the pomegranate motif, and two the bell motif. Each one is framed by the gold and blue general’s braid.   I’m now thinking about the atara/ neckband. I’m trying to decide if I should go maximalist, or b...

I’m incredibly pleased by how this tallit is progressing. This particular tallit has been all about building up each of the elements layer by layer.   Yesterday, I pieced the stripe into the dyed silk. Isabel had wanted the seams covered by the blue and gold military braid. it was a good choice. Isabel mentioned that she wanted the silk around the pomegranates left as it was. I kept telling her that I thought I might paint the background a light blue.  Isabel was right.   I may add a few more stripes of the braid both above and below the painted stripe. I have some additional painted pomegranates and bells. I will make two of the pinot out of the bells and two out of the pomegranates. I still have to make the atara/ neckband . I am beyond pleased with how this tallit is coming out.

Last Friday our dear friends came to town. We went out to lunch. I was however coming down with a cold so I crawled into bed as soon as we finished luch. I have been sick with what my friend Marla calls the yucks. The yuks tend to be accompanied with large quantities of snot.  The yuks are still with me.   But I have been working.   This challah cover bordered with African mud-cloth is now complete.   I could not be more pleased with how it turned out. Yes, I am particularly aware of the power of using an African textile in a Jewish ritual object during these particular weeks.   I love the graphic impact  the mud cloth adds to the challah cover. I purchased the mud cloth at the African Shuk on 116th street.  Each time I purchase something in one of the stalls at that shuk  the the exchange is always more than just the exchange of cash for goods.  Each purchase always ends with clasped hands and an exchange of blessin...