Making Good Use

Not So Boring Now

A few months ago I found a lovely plain black cardigan at the car boot sale for 20p.  The fit was great, and I loved the fact that it had a touch of angora in the fibre which gave just a nice amount of luxury to it.  I've had a good amount of wear from the cardi these past few months (given the fact that 2007 was the 'summer that never was' in the UK).  However, being plain black meant the cardi was just a little too boring for my tastes.  I toyed with the idea of adding some sort of trim but didn't really have anything suitable and didn't want to add anything too permanent.  So I got to thinking about making some sort of corsage to liven it up a bit, and this afternoon I managed to get my act together and acutally sew something.

The fabric is a small piece of a beautifully vibrant Kaffe Fasset print from the stash I bought at Get Knitted and the backing is a gorgeous thick piece of pure wool, vegetable dyed felt which gives the whole thing a bit of 'body'.  The polka-dot button was from my trusty button box and I think was a spare from a polka-dot blouse I had perhaps 14 years ago.  This corsage livens the cardi up no end - I may have to make a few more in different colour-ways!

Trio Finito

I finished off three small projects this afternoon - sitting in the lovely warm late summer sunshine and noticing how the sun seems to be considerably lower in the sky than it was a month or so ago.  Really there is no need for the parasol any more and I should make the effort and put it away for this year, but that somehow seems so final, and a sure admittance that the sun is once more moving away from the northern hemisphere.  I don't 'do' autumn and winter very well, I'm definitely a spring and summer person.

Anyway, on to the finished projects.

There was the sewing in of ends on both the new knitted dishcloth and the third large 'stash and dash' bag.  The second knitted beanie made using this variegated blue thrifted wool only needed a felt flower and co-ordinating button added.  These were such nice, simple, portable projects, ideal for an hour or so in the sun.  I'm glad I've managed to complete these three, now they can be put away to be given as presents or, possibly, sold in the run-up to Christmas.

As if to emphasise the turning of the year one of our neighbours called today with this large bag of cooking apples from her tree. 

I know what I'll be doing tomorrow afternoon, sunshine or not, peeling, chopping, and stewing apples.

You Learn Something New Every Day

You do indeed learn something new every day.  Yesterday I learnt that the car boot sale will not be on when the Essex Country Show has taken over its usual field!!  This was a bit of a b*gger as P and I had set off as usual, not being aware that the Country Show would oust the car boot. 

However, cloud and silver lining-style, I also learnt that it was indeed a good idea for P to suggest that as we had turned the car around in the car park of the Farm Shop opposite, we might as well pop in and have a look at what was available.  This place had always intrigued us as the car park always seems to be full to bursting, and we had tried once before to have a look round but the car park was so full on that occasion that we just kept on driving and went home.  Well, what a revelation!!  I had assumed that the Farm Shop only sold sacks of potatoes, carrots, onions etc, and as we have plenty of fruit and veg in the organic box we have delivered there wouldn't be anything in there that we needed.  Little did I know that once past the aforementioned sacks of vegetables the shop would be a veritable Aladdin's cave of goodies.  There were loads of well-known brands at unbelievably low prices.  For example, two tubs of Pringles for £1, two jars of organic marmalade for £1 (absolutely delicious - I had some on my toast for breakfast), three large bottles of liquid soap for £1, two packets of wonderful quality Feta cheese for £1.  We had two large bags full to bursting with all sorts of goodies and still had change from a tenner.   So we definitely learnt that the Farm Shop is well worth a return visit in the near future, and that it is no surprise at all that the car park is always full.

Somebody who is definitely going to learn lots and lots of new things every day from now on is DN who started school today.

(Seen here a few weeks ago in a thrifted superhero-style dressing-up top I got him in a charity shop. Although, in hindsight, he does look a bit like a member of some Seventies glam rock band in it!!)

I can't believe he is such a grown-up little boy that he is now going to school, it doesn't seem five minutes ago that he was a baby.  DN I hope you had a lovely time, and that you'll really enjoy it at school.

Supplies

After my post the other day, complaining that I had had to actually purchase new zips (shock, horror), my mum came to the rescue and sent me three 12 inch new zips that she had.  Claire from Pinky and Boo also got in touch and has very kindly offered to send me some zips too.

So, along with some recently thrifted fabrics, I'm all set to make a few more large 'stash and dash' bags.  The top fabric is a vintage tablecloth with a linen-like weave to it and these really large 70's flowers.  The lower fabric is a lovely Liberty-type print which I found at the car boot last Sunday - I'll use that one for the lining.

I also managed to find a couple more balls of traditional dishcloth cotton in the charity shop this morning.

Which means that I can have a bit of a change from knitting beanie hats and can now start on doing a few more of these dishcloths.

Using my own design of a knife, fork and spoon pattern. 

I haven't knitted any of these for absolutely ages as I had run out of my previous supply of thrifted dishcloth cotton.  Again, I was tempted to buy a couple of balls of the cotton (it's not exactly expensive), but now I'm glad I hung on as it means I can 'make good use' of something thrifted instead. And I like being able to do that!!

Blogs

There are some wonderful blogs out there and, having very little else to mention today (I've spent the whole day lurking about the house doing such 'lovely' things as dusting, washing, ironing, and bread making), I thought I'd list a few of the blogs I love to read (and which haven't made it to the sidebar as yet!!)

First up is My Paper Crane which features Heidi Kenney's wild and wacky plushies.  These are like no other plushies you've ever seen, maybe not to everyone's taste but I think they are wonderful.  Heidi also manages to find the most wonderful thrifted items.

Then there is Consumption Rebellion, an Australian blog about one family's attempt to not buy anything brand new for a year.  They've just completed this challenge - what an achievement!

Next is Little Jenny Wren, another Australian blog.  Jenny writes so beautifully about her life in Tasmania and about finding joy in all things domestic.  Her photos are lovely too.

Finally, the most wonderful blog of all is Eyes of Wonder.  Jewels has 10 beautiful children, and two adorable grand-daughters.  Her writing and photos are superlative - beautiful, inspiring and so so peaceful.  She is an inspiration to everyone.

I Capitulated ....

.... and actually went out and bought two new 12 inch zips.  I really wanted to make two large 'stash and dash' bags and, despite a lot of looking, couldn't find any 12 inch zips in the local charity shops.  I'm really pleased with how the bags turned out.

This floral bag was made using part of a thrifted unused vintage tea towel which I got recently in a charity shop.  The material has a bit of a towelling feel to it making the bag ideal as a washbag or large make-up bag.  It is lined in the same material as the handle - an apple-green linen-like fabric which I found in a charity shop last year.

I'm particularly pleased with the second bag which I made from an unused vintage Irish linen tea towel I picked up at the car boot sale last week.  I'm really happy with the way I got the birds placed on the finished bag, and they've got such happy, cheeky faces.  This bag is lined in a nice piece of crisp white cotton which I got from one of my mother's friends.  This one would also be good as a large make-up bag, but would also be equally useful as a large clutch bag.

This time I didn't bother with using a contrasting top piece on either bag as I thought both the fabrics I'd used were decorative enough on their own, and I made sure that I cut the lining much larger this time so that it actually fits properly inside the bag.

For once, I'm really delighted with something I've sewn, I just wish I could have found some thrifted zips!!

Doesn't Everyone Embroider in Their Lingerie?

I came across these wonderful 1930s iron-on motif books in a charity shop this morning.  The cover shows an impossibly glamorous seamstress industriously sewing away clad only in her underwear.

To my mind this image is rather racy for the 1930s, if I didn't know what was inside the cover I would begin to wonder exactly what the sewing strumpet was up to!!

There were seven of these little booklets, each with a different set of themed motifs.  All the images, naturally, are very thirties in design.

Roses.

Rabbits.

And sailing boats are just some of the many motifs in the set.  As usual I'm not too sure what I'll do with these.  Embroidery is not really my thing, although I used to enjoy it when I was younger, I'm wondering about doing something on cards with these designs as they are so stylish.  I'll have to mull it over a bit.

It was a good morning for craft thrifting as I also came across some lovely vintage tea cosy knitting patterns.

This lot will be destined for ebay as vintage tea cosy patterns often sell very well.

I wish now I'd also bought the 1950s black and white knitting pattern for winter hats which featured a gentleman very gallantly lighting the lady's cigarette for her - my goodness, how times change!!