Making Good Use

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!! 

A Day Out By Proxy

On Bank Holiday Monday mum, DN, my sister and my brother-in-law all went to an old-fashioned traditional summer fete in the beautiful village of Kelston which lies at the start of the Cotswolds, between Bristol and Bath.  Although I wasn't able to be with them this year, I have been to this fete before and know what a lovely afternoon it is, I've been able to enjoy the afternoon by proxy thanks to the lovely photos I was sent by e-mail.  Here are a few of the highlights which were particularly enjoyed by DN.

An old-fashioned marionette show.

A display of vintage tractors.

A ride around the surrounding fields in a tractor-towed trailer.

And, of course, the perenially popular although not so traditonal, bouncy castle.

Apparently there was also a spinning demonstration, the village church was open, there were home made jams, jellies and marmalades for sale.  And, most popular with my brother-in-law, home made cream teas available.

Kelston is such a pretty village with all the buildings being constructed in the soft warm cream of Bath stone.  When I read yesterdays post over at Yarnstorm I was reminded that John Betjeman mentions Kelston in the second verse of his poem 'Bristol'.  How he, as a stranger to those parts, knew the area so well is a mystery to me but evidently he recognised the beauty of the place very quickly.

Ringers in an oil-lit belfry Bitton? Kelston? who shall say?
Smoothly practising a plain course, caverned out the dying day
As their melancholy music flooded up and ebbed away.

I can't imagine that either Bitton or Kelston's belfrys are oil-lit today, but other than that I doubt that Kelston especially has changed at all since John Betjeman wrote those words in the 1930s.

Scottie Dogs

I don't have a dog, in fact have never really had a dog.  Apart, that is, from the brief ownership of a very excitable Jack Russell called Katie when I was about nine.  She was a pain in the proverbials for my poor mother who couldn't get her to come back when she was let off the lead (once leading to my mum being stuck on the playing field for an entire afternoon), and if Katie was in the house she would break out via any means possible and start running around on the main road!  Eventually, Katie went to live with a very sensible retired lady who had all the time in the world to deal with her 'wild' ways. 

However, I do have a very soft spot for Scottie dogs - especially the black ones.  They always strike me as such intelligent and friendly little dogs.  Small enough to pick up and carry or have them sit on your lap, but fierce enough not to be described as a lap dog.  One day I would love to own one but in the meantime I content myself with collecting anything with Scottie dogs on it.  I have quite a nice collection of bits and pieces but, alas, it is all stored away in a box in the loft, waiting for the day we finally put down roots somewhere and I can have all my treasures around me again.

For the past 10 years or more I had a favourite coffee mug that had little black Scotties all over it.  It had only cost 99p in Wilkinsons in Beeston, Nottingham (we used to live there), and it had been used more or less every day ever since.  A few weeks ago it slipped out of my hand when I was washing up and BANG, that was the end of that.  So I was really delighted to find this little beauty in the local Oxfam shop yesterday.

It's a Dunoon mug with Scottie dogs in different guises all over it. 

The artist is Cherry Denman. 

Even though this was bought in Oxfam it was only 59p, which strikes me as a pretty good bargain.  I rarely go in to our local Oxfam shop as their prices are often extortionate, and they have the infuriating habit of hanging all clothes by colour rather than by size.  And, just to make matters even worse, they don't have the clothes size marked on the hanger either.  I feel life is just too short to spend ages going through racks of clothes in the vague hope that they might have something in the correct size.  I don't know why Oxfam have this policy, most other charity shops clearly mark the size of their clothes on the hanger and group them accordingly.  Much easier to deal with if you ask me!!

Last week I actually managed a bit of crafting.  This time it was two new book bags, both made using recently bought vintage fabric.

This one has large daisies in mauve and pink on a sandy-gold background and is lined in purple check gingham.

The second one has blue and green flowers on a white background and is lined with a plain pale green fabric.

Both the bags measure approx. 17 x 16 inches and have 24 inch long straps.  I've listed them both on ebay as 'buy-it-now' and I'm hoping they will appeal to school / university students about to embark on a new school year.

A Lovely Surprise

I received the most lovely surprise package in the post this morning from dear Gill at Lucy Locket.  Included was this gorgeous piece of vintage fabric.

It's a lovely buttery soft cotton with these rich red chrysanthemum-type flowers scattered all over a warm cream background.  The colours are so lively and vibrant even though I would guess the fabric is from the 1950s.  I shall be saving this to make something really special.

Then there was a copy (on video, of course) of one of my favourite films - Frankie and Johnny.

I haven't watched this film in years, so I'll really enjoy seeing it again.  In the background is the second piece of vintage fabric in the parcel.  This is a vibrant apple green wool fabric which will be just the ticket for making something for the autumn / winter.

Finally, included was this lovely card.

The message on the back said 'just a little something to brighten your day'.  It did Gill, it certainly did.  Thank you so much.

Don't Sit Under the Apple Tree With Anyone Else But Me

Yesterday P and I stopped at a little country pub on the way back from the car boot sale.

We ate our delicious carvery lunch at a wooden table in the dappled shade of a gnarled old apple tree.

Which despite its age was heavy with fruit.

The pub is a pretty building and week after week, as we have gone to and fro to the car boot sale, we have commented on how many cars are parked outside at Sunday lunchtime.  Eventually, two weeks ago, we decided to try it out for ourselves - it was great.  A real traditional English Sunday lunch with loads of roast meat and as much vegetables as you want.  The best part was the tranquil beer garden which backs on to open fields and is dotted with really ancient apple trees.  We were so impressed two weeks ago that we paid a return visit yesterday.  The weather was perfect for sitting outside and it was so nice to be sheltered from the heat of the sun by such a venerable old tree.

But the meal, lovely as it was, was only the icing on the cake of a very successful car boot foray.  Not only were there were the usual books for resale and some tops for DN, but a whole host of lovely bits and bobs for me.

There was a china terrier to add to my collection of them.

He's a little bit battered around the edges, but for 20p I'm not complaining.

An unused Irish linen tea towel with the most 1970s of birds on it.

A couple of very pretty pastel-coloured vintage glass Christmas baubles.

Some unused vintage haberdashery bits and bobs on their original cards (and a vintage Christmas cake trim).

And, finally, a beautiful handmade felt tea cosy with this exquisite embroidery of a blue tit on the front.

I'm so pleased I found this.  I don't think it has ever been used and there must have been so much work put in to it all those years ago.  The cost - 15p!!