The genius of three heads

I have been working on my striped/ wavy quilt, that I have mentioned before (photo a few posts back)

I had presumed that the stipes would be pink and green with the odd brown addition, and that the solid would be green. But then I laid it out and it just didn't pass the audition process, much to my complete surprise. As I said, I thought it would work. I was very confident in fact! So, imagine my look when Cheryl said 'what about red?' (Red? It's a pink and green and brown quilt, where did you produce red from Cheryl?-oh, I know some of those stripes have red in them, but really- you think I should try red? I am not a big red person).

So I tried red. And we nodded. Red works. Then Carolyn surprises me - fumbling around in my fabric stash she goes 'why not be really funky and go red cord?' (blow me down with a feather because often we 'respect each others differences'- meaning, we don't like the same things. It's okay, we're cool with that). 

So I did.

(Note to self: Self, would you please get into the habit of ironing things before photographing them).

But since then I have 'cracked 'em with my stupid cord efforts because I forgot on the third 'wave' that cord has a nap (is that what it's called?), frustratingly sewed it on the wrong way, unpicked it (those who know me will know I do not unpick lightly!), the 'waves' have stretched abit and now I am grumpy with them. 

My harsh traitor-ish reaction was to ditch the quilt and cut out some pants for me. No wonder people are loyal to garment construction- I whipped myself up a great pair of navy linen pants in one evening. Hooray for sewing clothes!! I don't have a full length mirror to take one of those 'this is me standing in front of the mirror taking a photo of my fantastic new trousers' photos, so you will just have to use your imagination until I can show you them.

The girl decides to sew

No, not this girl deciding to sew, the little girl.

She's seven and on school holidays. Yesterday she made a bag (you know, folded a piece of fabric in half and hand sewed up the side seams). I thought I would reward her patience of yesterday and asked her if she would like to have a go on my (old) machine (my grandma's machine actually).

She was keen. I drew some grey lead lines and got her to sew straight lines over the top, then got her to practice straight lines without grey lead marks (is that abit boring of me?).

She did really well and then she told me "just give me a piece of fabric, mum, I know what to do, I know how to make a bag..." So we went to the stash and chose fabric, I cut a rectangle, she sewed up the sides and chose handle material (which I sewed up- attention span waivering here!). Now she is proudly sporting a new bag (well, actually she was for a few moments post completion now she is back with her nose in a book!)

I have no recollection of what crafty things I was up to when I was seven. Latch hooks rugs and making dolls clothes featured at various times. Any suggestions about basic future project ideas?

Tea towel love

As i have mentioned before, I recently participated in a tea towel swap. Oh how I love fun mail!

It's show and tell time, I thought!

Magdalena sent me this one (on the left- and she has photos of all the ones she did on her blog). Kate sent me the one on the right,

This one  (birds at the front) all the way from Canada, made by Wendy.

Leah made the butterfly (bogong moth) one in the background.

Justine sent me this (bottom one) and a special treat of the latest copy of Mixtape- hooray!

Gina made me a pair of pears, cool, huh! Pears for the Apple and Tangerine girl!

This one is from Sam. 

I think I will hang it on my craft room wall, because as well as being t for tea towel, it's T for 'Tanya'! She also sent some cool fabric for me.

Verity made this one (above) and if you go over to her blog you will see how nicely she packed them- I just ripped in and didn't stop to take a photo! They came with some lovely chai tea bags to go with my tea pot and tea cup tea towel!

And Kylie sent me this one. With a cool photo card of her op shop jewellery finds- lucky girl!

So, I am sure you will agree, I am tea towel spoilt at the moment. It was a fun swap, thanks Soozs. Sorry the photos are abit dodgy- it is way, way to hot here today to be doing any ironing.

Thanks again lovely 'swapees', I do treasure your work and appreciate your time and effort. I hope I have got all those names and links right- feel like it was a bit of a marathon!!

Happy weekend.

It's been handed in and handed in early!

From tea towel swap, to name tag swap with a pincushion waiting in the wings!
I got word from Carolyn that she has received this, so I am happy to show pictures now. Shock, horror- I sent it off earlier than the day it was due!!
This one was organised by Gypsy in honour of the upcoming crafy blog meet 'Sew it Together'
We were required to make a name tag no bigger than 9cm in any direction. There's a challenge- but look up there at the ruler, I just made it!

I have been away to the beach- should be compulsory for anyone recovering from scarlet fever if you ask me. We stayed at Tidal River on Wilsons Prom (I had never been there) and, gee, it's really breathtaking, in a great way. Sea air, the lovely sea air. It was nice to hang out as a family, really nice. Arrived back, tired- I wonder if you can tell I am having trouble stringing my sentences together! I had crafy hand projects to do of an evening and in the car, a bit a kniiting, in my own special way, and I did take instructions, crochet hook and wool- but I am far from calling the end result crochet...I am trying to be patient.

You know what's also nice about going on holidays? Coming back home.
We had a very happy reunion with Pippi the dog, and I have a renewed sense of appreciation for the 'big sky' of home, flat, wide horizon, loads of stars, big sky.
It's what I know, and even know I often think the grass may be greener where you live, I must say,  it looks nice and green here today...

Windfall x 2

 The happy windfall first. I won a prize over at Sheridan's place. What a cool prize- like a fabric lucky dip. I have plans- but nothing has eventuated just yet. I am very excited about this!

The less happy windfall.

We got 'the storm'. In fact, a week on and our phone line is still down- a week, it's a 'rural issue', we don't have the population density to 'storm Telstra' with complaints, so to speak.

Lots of hail damage, nothing like I have seen before. It meant lots of windfall fruit and lots of windfall preserving. So, I am calling this years sauce 'Windfall sauce"! It doesn't look all pretty with nice labels because there was no planning time, there was just about 18kg tomatoes to process!

Remember my energy crisis post a few weeks ago? Well, it turns out I have scarlet fever- uh, huh, nothing 'common' about me (very Jane Austin, don't you think?). If I had a little less decorum (ha!) I would post a photo of my peeling hands and feet, but it's pretty messy and you mightn't want to be my friend anymore. It's rare but pretty contagious and I suspect because of my history of chronic fatigue syndrome my immune system runs lower than it should, and I get sick more than (I reckon) I should.

I have managed to send out my tea towels though, I am glad to have them done and have sent them off with love, hoping their recipients like them, I have received a  few back, will take photos when they are all here.

 A little bit of stitching has been happening. It's good to be around nice fabric when you are sick! 

Unfortunately I hate mending (does anyone like mending?), Mr. Apple's beekeeping gloves (to protect his hands and arms) need mending...they have for a while actually. I didn't realise he planned to check the bees this morning, so needed the gloves. He got stung. Oops. They are now on top of the pile...a little too late some might say!

Should we talk about the weather?

Hello, I saw you, I know you, I knew you

I think I can remember your name...name

Hello I’m sorry, I lost myself

I think I thought you were someone else

Should we talk about the weather? (Hi...hi, hi)

Should we talk about the government? (Hi...hi, hi, hi)

It must be good if I have used italics, I tell you because I am not big on italics! Lyrics from the great REM 'Pop Song 89'.

Now, about the weather, let's refer to Echo and the Bunnymen (from 'The Game'

Everybody's
got their own good reason
why their favorite season
is their favorite season
Winter winners
and those summers sons
aren't good for everyone
aren't good for everyone
Spring has sprung
and autumns well done
so well done

I am so excited I am busting out the italics and the song lyrics to back me up. It's Autumn. (On the count of 3...1,2,3..."HOORAY FOR AUTUMN")

I agree, Auntumn is so well done. Where I live there are massive clear blue skies, leaves turning (well, I am getting ahead of myself there!), and (again, in anticipation)- it's not too hot, the light is softer, the nights cooler. 

So happy despite- the removal of this (gee, it's dirty!)

to be replaced (notice future tense) by this (gee, its nice and wide)

 

and making do with this...(gee, there are no words!!)

Added to the cheer is the receipt of Crafty Mamas mail yesterday, look what is now washed and on my clothes horse drying

 

All lovely good quality knit fabric to be made into something wonderful.

Lots of tea towel action here, slightly shy and nervous, I hope my swapees like my creations. Here's a sneak peek- I couldn't decide whether or not to say who it's going to, but I decided no- a sneak peek is enough

 

 

So that is what I am getting back to now. One child in the 'sick bay' (that is, home from school with asthma) today, so things are abit slower than hoped for!