Wahoo!!

Thankyou to everyone who had faith that I could complete this bag. You were all correct and your confidence was a big help.

One lesson to be learned from this bag is that it could be better to stick to cotton ready made clothes as wool is very hard to match. Having said that, the feel of the wool and possibly it's wear is much better than most cottons.

The fabric for the yo-yo was bought from our local quilt shop and has a shimmer woven into it. It was the only material I could find that even remotely went with the skirt. It is a Kaffe Fassett fabric by Rowan. Although it is quite fine it is a delight to hand sew with. You can see in this photo how it throws different colours. I left the side zip in, as well as the original lining and as this was not strong enough to hang a pocket on, I inserted a hidden one where the lining met the facing.Next project is a revamp of this doggy bed to make it look friendlier but also keep the wind off the doggies during winter because I'm a mean Mumma who expects the little rascals to stay outside during the day.

Today's list is ridiculous

I know it is impossible but I have made a start on it. One thing is great, yeh?
I decided to cut up that lovely old blanket so now my foot warmer will have five layers - patchwork, black wool wadding and thin old sheet quilted together for the outer layer and beautiful wool sheet covered by soft old winter pillowslip for the inside. I'm sure my tootsies won't freeze this winter.

Here is where I put my feet in. The whole shebang sits under all my blankets down the end of the bed.

Now for the next thing. I should have put sleep on the list - that would have been real easy.

My creative space

A few stitches here and there and I might just get this finished.

The trouble with more material

The trouble with being given or finding lovely old material is that it has to be washed, especially if it smells of mothballs as that can cause cot death if used for baby items, and then you have to fold it and find somewhere to put it. But am I complaining? Definitely not! It was lovely to be chosen by an older lady friend to be the recipient of her years of collecting. I was asked to come and look through her suitcases and take anything I wanted. I asked another friend to come and she found an arm load too. Unlike me, she has already put some of hers to good use by patching the front of a huge quilt cover.I'm thinking these thrifted sheets might go well for the back of her quilt as they are similar in colouring .
I haven't decided what to do with the beautiful wool blanket at the back of this photo - should I use it for warmth as it is or cut it up and use it for warmth? Just too hard a decision!

And don't you just love the chicken scratch?!
More tablecloths - but I think these will make lovely linings for bags and the one in the lower photo, whose colour is a lot nicer in real life, will make a great outside for a bag when teamed with something else.

And finally just a teeny,weeny bit of sewing. I can't progress because I haven't decided whether to cut up that blanket or not and then should I use one of my winter pillow covers for lining. O dear! I think I'll have another sleep and think some more.

Old wives tales

Here is a comment I posted a few moments ago on Simple/Green/Frugal Co-op .

I don't normally post about medicine but these simple remedies have played an important part in my families lives so I thought I would share them with you too as I still have no sewing to report. Not one lousy stitch. ;(( Comfrey and vinegar. Where would we be without them. Apparently vinegar kills weeds. I haven't tried it yet but love the idea as I have small dogs who love to nibble on grass. Just recently I've had a really itchy red scalp. Vinegar rubbed in solved that with the added benefit of giving my hair a lovely soft, shiny finish after it was washed off a day later. I know the comfrey jar (so much better if the ointment is brown than the white one!) says not to use it straight on open wounds but my family has been doing so for 30 odd years and anything (DEFINITELY NOT for burns) heals in half the time.

Vinegar makes a great astringent for teenage skin as does calendula tea. I cut myself to the bone between my fingers once whilst using seccateurs and used nothing but methylated spirits (did I scream? But of course!) to clean the cut. It healed within a week and didn't even leave a scar. I think vinegar would have done the trick also but there was none in the house.

And any woman who has heavy bleeding or blood gushing out during her period should drink really strong tea, 2 teabags preferably, maybe a little milk but no sugar if possible. My mother was told this by an old bachelor who came from a farm but lived his last years in his stationwagon so that no one would find him dead in a house and have to cleanb up after him. Apparently tea coagulates while coffee thins the blood. Old wives tale but extremely effective. Share it and see the praise you get. It should work within half an hour or so.

I forgot to add that I have also been told not to eat strawberries or raspberries during this sensitive time of the month because it apparently increase blood flow. Another old wives tale but it just might help you though I personally haven't seen any results from this one.

PS Just been over to Potty mouth mama.

You need to go there. She has the blonde joke of the century and apparently it is true! Sorry Chookie!

My creative space

This is what remains of a little foot cushion my son made for me about 8 years ago. By foot cushion, I mean a padded thingamejig that you put your feet in to keep them warm, toasty warm. I used it for years but it had sadly fallen into such a state that it was no longer comfortable. So I have unpicked (read ripped because I have lost my 2 unpickers again. Really!) all the rest off and shall remake it with lovely wool padding rather than the polyester it previously had. Just in time for the cold weather.

A huge thankyou to Sheridan from Chalet Girl who has had the mammoth task of sharing out hundreds of fat quarters of vintage sheets in her swap. Here is my lovely parcel ready to rip open. I can't wait!DD2 really wanted to be here for the big reveal but as she couldn't I thought I would photograph the event for her to enjoy on the net. (Would you believe, the net is down at her big sister's place! )

I can't belive that sheets came in such yummy designs. Not all these fabrics have a heap of wear so they will end up as a throw rug for downstairs but I sure can feel some bags coming on.

Woohoo! This pink one is too good to be true. I'm not sure I can actually cut it up. Thanks again Sheridan

Only one more to go!

So, number two on the list is done and gone. I rather enjoyed making this bag after I started. The brief was for a bag that looked like a skirt and had cut out front pockets. I used a size 10 skirt pattern from 25 years ago and just shaped my own pockets. The lining and outside were then treated as one and inserted into the waistband as seen in my previos post. Details of the front. The colours in these photos are not true to life. The real object has more colour and is a very comfortable bag for carrying goodies.The third item on my list will be made using this skirt. My friend in Queensland bought it in an op shop and commissioned me to make her a bag. I wonder what the finished project will look like? At present I have no idea. I think I will start by cutting off the material I need for straps and then go from there.
Tune in next week for the exciting finish to this series!