Hello friends!
You’ve all been so kind, inquiring about me and our friend after our joint kidney donation/recipient surgeries. I’m pleased to report that we’re both doing very well.
I’m back in Madrid and feeling nearly normal, and our friend is home and feeling better every day. I can start exercising again next week, which will be wonderful now that I’m feeling up to it. And our friend is also doing very well after a couple of rough weeks. Her new kidney is functioning better than my remaining kidney–which is working just fine, thank you. She says it’s the best she’s felt in years! It’s just the anti-rejection drugs that are difficult; she got an infection immediately after starting the drugs, but now she’s finally back home and quickly improving. Isn’t that fantastic? I’m really glad I did it. I’m also glad it’s over! I think we’re all relieved about that. It was sort of fun that we were surgery neighbors and went into the operating rooms within minutes of each other. Todd got a photo of the two of us wearing our matching surgical gowns, but we have been sworn to never share it.
So thank you for all your encouraging messages and inquiries. It’s wonderful to be back home again, and today I’m sitting down to work for the first time in a month.
I hope you’re also doing well. Thank you so much for the reading links some of you sent while I was recuperating. I really enjoyed them once I was feeling well enough to take a look. And since I had lots of time to read, I have lots of weekend links for you, too.
Pinterest Picks
Isn’t this a pretty embellishment? I love how each bead and sequin is triple-stitched.
Fun DIY summer fairy light project! I love badminton birdies.
I’ve got a white linen Cinema Dress cut out and ready to sew, complete with a bodice embellished with pintucks and entredeux. I hope I can find time to sew it soon! This photo makes me even more eager to find the time.
We made these vegan fudge popsicles the other day. Delicious! I will confess to eating one for breakfast this morning.
I told you my sister and I were headed on a short visit to Marrakech just before we left for New York, right? We had a fantastic time. So many memorable adventures and people we met. I really enjoyed the museum at Yves St. Laurent’s Jardin Majorelle, which focuses on Berber culture and their wonderful costume. It’s so layered in texture and rich in detail! I especially love the jewelry and head coverings. It’s easy to see how St. Laurent was influenced in his own designs from this magnificent culture.
And speaking of head coverings and jewelry, how great is this Sikh turban? Amazing. I fear for this man’s neck, however. It must weigh a lot!
Weekend Reading
- This little astronaut photo series is just adorable and captures the wonder of childhood.
- How fun to see my friends at McCall’s featured in the New York Times this week! McCall’s produces our Lisette for Butterick sewing patterns, so I have the pleasure of working with this lovely team on a regular basis.
- At first, the idea of growing Alexander McQueen’s skin for handbags and jackets sounds really disturbing. OK, it’s still pretty gross at second thought, too. But if you know a little about the designer’s quirky sense of humor, this project is quite fitting, and I think he would have been delighted. Also, it’s amazing to consider the possibilities: lab-grown leather for shoes and handbags? I think another designer, Stella McCartney, might be totally on board with that idea.
- This made me chuckle: re-interpreted, cleaned up graffiti. With good graphic style.
- There’s a nice little profile of me in the latest issue of Sew News magazine.
- I’m generally not very interested in celebrity style, but I do love how Queen Letizia mixes high and low in her wardrobe and wears the same pieces over and over again, using creative styling to mix things up. So much better than wearing all designer all the time, or wearing a new outfit for every occasion, don’t you think? Other celebrities who do this very well: Michelle Obama and Kate Middleton. And as long as we’re on the topic, how great is it that Theresa May, Britain’s new Prime Minister, loves fashion and isn’t afraid to admit it?
- So cute: hospitalized kids get to hunt for Waldo in the construction site outside their windows every day.
- I told you I was going to see the Manus x Machina exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum while I was in New York, right? Well, it was brilliant, and here’s a nice interview with the former head of the Costume Institute who explains what makes it great (and does so much more eloquently than I can). I’m sort of wishing I had purchased the catalog, which includes beautiful photos of the details, but there was no way I could have carried it back to Spain with me on this trip. There was too much fabric in my suitcase!
Alright, it’s time for me to get back to work on the fall Liesl + Co. patterns or they’ll never be finished. They’re already very late. But I’ll try to check in again soon. Enjoy the rest of your summer!
Oh, and since you’ve made it all the way to the bottom of this post, here’s a special deal for you. This weekend (August 5-7, 2016) Craftsy is running a special 50% off their newest classes sale. There are some apparel sewing classes included. You can see details here (affiliate link).
Hi, I didn’t know about your kidney donation. I just wanted to wish you and your friend and amazing recovery. Best wishes Maisiequilts
Thanks, Dina!
Glad to hear you are doing along ok and you are very brave.
Teresa
Hi Liesl, so good to see an update from you. I’m glad you and your friend are doing well. Continued hugs and prayers.
So happy to hear that you and your friend are doing well. That was such a generous and selfless thing you did for your friend. Everyone needs friends like you.
Liesl I am so happy that you posted an update on you & your friends recovery. You both had been in my thoughts & being a worry wart I was becoming anxious. Wonderful to hear that you are both doing well. Take care of yourself & don’t overdo your exercising. Eating fudgesicles for breakfast sounds perfect to me!!
As the mother of a child with only one kidney, your donation to your friend strikes me as incredibly unselfish and life-saving! What a gift, Liesl. Of not just your kidney (which has clearly drastically improved her quality of life), but also of your time and health. May we all have friends like you!