This post was originally published on Substack. My monthly-ish newsletter is a way to mark time, remind myself of what I’ve accomplished, reflect on my creative practice, and update loved ones and students who aren’t on social media. You can read, like, and comment on the original post here. Please consider subscribing to show your support!
April’s recap is coming to you two weeks late because I had shingles and it was ROUGH. Shingles occurs when the virus that causes chickenpox makes a reappearance after staying dormant in your spine for decades, usually in response to your immune system being suppressed (by illness, medication, stress, etc.). While the maddening itchiness and sharp nerve pain has thankfully subsided, it’s nearly a month later and I still have sores that are painful and annoying. It’s been a frustrating reminder that I am disabled and immunocompromised and that doing too much has real consequences for me, even beyond exacerbating my POTS symptoms or triggering Post-Exertional Malaise (shingles was not on my 2025 bingo card). This month’s PSA to my disabled (and chronically stressed) friends is to go get your shingles vaccine—even if you’re under 50—because it really sucks. Without further ado, here’s a recap of the apparently Too Many things I did in April.
makes
I did a bunch of sewing this month! It felt good to be sewing again but I was also frequently reminded that sewing can be really hard on my body since I don’t really have the space for an ergonomic and POTS-friendly studio setup. I made a bunch of shop samples for upcoming classes: a Buckthorn Tote for my bag and accessories class, a split-leg linen apron (tutorial coming soon), a felt sheep, a mini quilted tote, and a canvas banner. I also fixed the top from my linen Saguaro Set that has been in my mending pile for a year and a half 🥳
I participated in a fun weathergram swap with the Book Arts Guild to celebrate Earth Day. I used some paper I made by hand a few years ago that included fiber scraps from my embroidery and macrame projects.
classes
I only taught one class this month, but it was precious! Six kiddos made Artist Pencil Rolls to store their art supplies. I love to see everyone’s different styles reflected in the finished objects.
I took a workshop with Julie Beeler at Wildcraft to learn how to use mushrooms to create natural dyes and pigments. We dyed fabric using 8 different mushrooms and cut up the fabric to make beautiful swatch books. Then we used a lake process to separate out the pigment from the dye baths and combined the pigments with a binder (jelly fungus!) to produce watercolor paint and inks. I swatched the various inks on paper and then added modifiers (soda ash, citric acid, iron, copper) to shift the colors. I highly recommend Julie’s Mushroom Color Atlas website/book and her jam-packed workshops if you’re looking for detailed (and stunning) resources about natural dyes 🌈
highlights
- MY AMAZING SPOUSE DAVID GOT A NEW JOB 🥳 🥳 I’m so proud of him for being brave and moving into climate & sustainability tech and for enduring such a grueling job market the past several months.
- Volunteering for school field trips at Bird Alliance of Oregon and public tours at Hoyt Arboretum has sparked SO MUCH JOY. It’s incredible to spend time in nature with other nerdy folks sharing knowledge and enthusiasm and curiosity and delight. Is this what they mean by a sense of belonging?
- Related: I’ve already learned so much from the field course for the Oregon Naturalist program. So far we’ve learned about the geology and history of the Columbia River Gorge, spent an afternoon with three generations of Yakama gatherers who shared their knowledge about native plants, explored the tributaries of the Hood River, and learned about various efforts to support native fish (salmon, trout, and lamprey) and rehabilitate riparian habitats.
- Two days with our friends Kaz and Mere that filled our hearts this month: 1) Mere’s annual Easter/Trans Day of Visibility Tea Party bursting with queer joy and love and family, 2) a sunny springtime picnic at Crystal Springs Rhododendron Garden.
little pleasures
- Spring blooms: magnolias, dogwoods, Oregon grape, azaleas, and rhododendrons in Portland; arrowleaf balsamroot in the Gorge
- Spotting new growth on conifers: the vibrant green tips are so soft!
- Dining at XLB on their final day before they closed for good 💔
- If you need an artist date idea, here’s a bookish afternoon in downtown Portland I enjoyed: explore the newly renovated Multnomah County Central Library, then browse for your next read at three specialty bookstores: Grand Gesture Books (romance), Kinokuniya (manga and Japanese art books), and Hi Books (photobooks). Stop for coffee or tea at Case Study Coffee, Less and More Coffee, Spella Caffé, Behind the Museum Cafe, or visit the friendly robot barista at MUJI.
looking forward to
- Leading school field trips at Bird Alliance of Oregon and public tours at Hoyt Arboretum in May and June!
- Exploring oak woodlands and wildflower fields in the Columbia River Gorge with the Oregon Naturalist program.
- Spending an afternoon sewing and socializing with other Modern Domestic employees and instructors.
- Celebrating the one year anniversary of the unhinged yet endearing Parallel Worlds Romantasy Bookclub.
upcoming shows
- Missed my April shows? Here’s documentation of the Reclaim/Reclama, Shiftwork, and Always Here gallery shows.
- My Seeds/Bizr quilt will be on view at the Stitched Resistance and Unbound Voices modern quilt exhibition at the Collins Gallery (3rd floor of the Multnomah County Central Library) from May 20 through July 20. I’ll be at the opening reception on Saturday, May 31 from 1:00–3:00pm.
- I’ll have another mini quilt on display at the Portland Modern Quilt Guild’s Rainbow Quilt Show at Powell’s City of Books (!!) in June. The opening reception will be on Thursday, June 5 (details to come in next month’s recap).
upcoming classes
kid & teen sewing (8+ years)
- mini quilted tote (June 26 or July 31)
- canvas & felt banner (July 17)
- felt sheep (July 24 or August 7)
- needle book (August 14)
adult sewing (15+ years)
- noodlehead bag & accessories lab (may 15–29) LAST CHANCE TO REGISTER!
keep in touch
Thanks very much for reading! If you’d like in-person support and instruction, please sign up for my classes at Modern Domestic or reach out to schedule a private lesson. If you have any questions, feedback, or corrections regarding this post, please don’t hesitate to contact me!
further reading
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