Needles and a Pen » Knitting, Sewing, and Nursing School

Masthead header
Needles and a Pen bio picture
  • Welcome to my blog!

    Hi! I'm Traci. I'm a Registered Nurse who loves quilting, knitting, cross stitch, and the great outdoors. In my pre-scrubs life, I owned Real Photography, and you can still see my old wedding and portrait photography site here .

    I've created a map that shows links to our camping/hiking/general family fun review posts that you can find here. It's pretty much the coolest thing on this site. Thanks, Google!

    I great big puffy heart *love* comments, so please let me know you visited! I try to always reply!

a new spring skirt

I made this about a month ago but the weather this weekend finally warranted busting it out of the closet!  It uses my twirly skirt tutorial and the pattern from Heather Ross’s Weekend Sewing book.  It’s made from one of the Denyse Schmidt Joann Fabric lines that leaves a lot to be desired in the quality department.  Since it’s a much stiffer fabric, it holds its shape differently than the other skirts I’ve made–it ends up being fuller, which is fun, even if it doesn’t feel as nice on my skin!  I wasn’t moving at all in this shot, but the skirt still holds itself out a little.

I haven’t done any sewing this month.  Ellie had pneumonia and was hospitalized for four days before coming home on oxygen (the company comes today to pick up the oxygen bottles, machine, and pulse oximeter–hurray!) and I fought what was diagnosed as bronchitis (Ellie’s pneumonia was originally diagnosed as bronchitis so I’m inclined to think that mine was misdiagnosed too–if you’re dehydrated pneumonia won’t show up in a chest xray) for four weeks.  Between Ellie’s hospital stay and my own ER visit it’s been a rough month.  But this weekend marked the turning point–we’re almost 100% healthy and back to our normal activities, visiting the park and library and church and gym and I have no doubt the sewing machine will soon follow!

Speattle - Oh, I am so sorry to hear about all the illness in your household. It is so scary to have a sick little one, esp when they end up in the hospital. I’m thankful to read that you are all feeling better. Take it easy still. The tiredness can linger for much longer than you think it will.

Someday soon you will be able to sit at the sewing machine for a little while and that will really give your spirits a boost. I was off mine for about 4 weeks following some surgery in Feb, and it felt so good to even just go run a row of edge stitching on some fabric before prewashing.

Sending prayers for continued good health for all your family!

Jessica - Glad you are all feeling better!

Jane S. - I’m so glad to hear that you’re both feeling better. How very scary to have a wee one in the hospital, they’re so fragile and big illnesses hit them so hard. Fortunately they’re also quite resilient!

Take care and get plenty of rest!

Kari - Oh man, what a bad streak. So glad you are both feeling better now. Now you can get out and show off that cute new skirt!

Audrey - I am so glad you are feeling better, and that Ellie is better, too. I know it wasn’t fun being at the hospital with her, and I know that was scary! I love how your skirt turned out! Can’t wait to see what you are sewing up now!