Table mats and dish cloth

Table mats and a dish cloth are both homely items, and for the past few days I have been [intermittently] working on both.

We had only two sets of table mats, both a pair.  Lovely for just us, but when visitors arrive I end up using a table cloth, which takes up a lot of clothes-line space!  As I ran into problems with my Cats and Mice Farmer's Wife Sampler Quilt block, I needed a diversion.  Something useful was called for ... a girl can't always make excuses for not finishing something.  I can tell you that the Cats and Mice problem was corrected, and this morning I made the final stitch on the table mats binding.

 

A little piece of useless information ... I purchased this 'olive' fabric while in NZ, not knowing how or when I would utilise it.  As I searched through my box [large box] for ideas for a suitable project the olive fabric cried out to be used.  I am pleased with the result, and now when we have folks to a meal the table will not be a pot pouri of mats, as it was last night!

Dish cloths are simple little projects that take up little or no time, and can be tackled in an evening ... I truly do not like sitting just twiddling my thumbs ... a needle of some variety gives the impression of being 'usefully employed'; a habit that has enveloped me for decades. 

The dish cloth will go into the box of gifts ... the table mats are for our use.

ATC

Earlier in the week my attention was captured by a posting in Our Craft Forum pertaining to Fabric Postcards and Artist Trading Cards.  My imagination ran into overdrive, and after countless hours lost due to the flush of creative ideas, yesterday I attempted my first Artist Trading Card ... I realise they should be part of a set ... I have ideas for five companions, but at the moment not the time.

Yes, this card is far from perfect, but perfection is a state reached only after a lot of trial and error, mistakes that can be learned from, and practice, practice, practice.  Once completed I immediately noticed several mistakes ... ones that can certainly be improved upon.

Perhaps this little project would have been best not allowed to see the light of the camera ... I suppose it could be truthfully said I am not shy in coming forward!

I present my first ever Artist Trading Card ... 'the ballet', the first in a series [I hope] entitled, "Let's Dance".

These little cards measure 2½" x 3½"; quite tiny in fact.  In case you wonder what the bottom 'things' represent ... footlights!  OK, I am no artist, but the time spent building this little card was extremely rewarding.

Garage Sale Bargain

While not everyone is addicted to Garage Sales as My Other Half, and while not everyone is bitten by the bug when exposed to Garage Sales by their Significant Other, I have to confess ... He [who isn't always obeyed! ... but due thought is given] has  led me down the path of destruction!

Saturdays invariably mean at least one garage sale to attend.  We did attend one on Saturday and I found a most useful 'swinging chair' [for my computer station] for only $5.  Oh, and a little brown lidded bowl for 50cents.  Once upon a time brown never figured on my list of colours to perhaps contemplate, or buy.  Somehow it has inveigled itself into my psyche ... I blame that on the fact that the surrounding countryside in this area is brown for half the year.  There is no other explanation.

The weekend just past had another Garage Sale on the Sunday.  I prefer Sunday's to be quiet, and heading into town for an 8.00 am Garage Sale is not my preferred option.  However, I obeyed!!  Poor Significant Other ... there was nothing to interest him, though he had purchased 'man things' [tools of some variety ... you know the type that a woman could successfully use a knife or another kitchen appliance with almost the same result; except the knife might be bluntened, or the fork bent]. 

The Sunday sale was not a Garage Sale in the true sense of the word.   It correctly could be termed an 'under the verandah sale'.  There were two bikes ~ free!  Nope, not interested in bikes!  There were jigsaw puzzles for $1 each, but I have two jigsaw puzzles as yet unopened ... saving them for a rainy day!

Stacked alongside the house-wall were several cardboard boxes; all had books in them.  I am partial to bargain priced books!  I squat on my hauches [not so easy getting up from that position with an arm full of books], and found five novels that I might read one day, but at 50 cents each!  That was a bargain. 

 I shuffled, still squatting, along to the next box.  It was full of craft books!  Not magazines, but books, and oh, so cheap.  I sorted through them.  Our bookcase [the third purchased over the last three or four years is almost full, so caution was essential].  I finally chose four; brought them home, and over a cup of coffee, drooled to my heart's content.  They all had wonderful ideas, some of which I may attempt in the future ... they definitely fired the imagination, and for a paltry $6;  there are no limits to the heights the imagination soared.

Sue and Sam

The last few days have been cold and damp, and busy.  I am in a row by row swap, which is proving both fun and challenging.  The participants made their own first row, subsequent rows are to blend well with the first, which often sends the sewer down roads never travelled in colours and blocks.  This all adds up to expand our horizons.

This month the row I constructed features Sunbonnet Sue and Overall Sam, in colours as chosen by the row owner.

I had fun with this, and was very thankful a swatch of fabric was offered to help with colour selection.  I chose to use some, and hope this helps tying in the overall effect of the completed quilt.

Wonderful Opportunity to win!!

Samelia's Mum has a wonderful Giveaway ... AccuQuilt GO! Baby - Giveaway. 

Head over here:~

 http://www.sameliasmum.com/2011/06/accuquilt-go-baby-giveaway.html 

and be in with a chance to win this magnificent AccuQuilt GO! Baby.

A Crowd of Hexagons

Over the past several months I have been involved in a Hexagon Flower Swap in our Craft Forum.  While being rather lax in taking photos of those I have made, and sent to swapees, yesterday I lined up those received, along with a few I have made for myself.

At the moment I am not sure what they will be made into, but their numbers are growing ... inspiration is sure to strike shortly ... Perhaps a table centre?  Or a cushion? 

Foundation Day weekend

This weekend in Western Australia is Foundation Day weekend; Foundation Day being celebrated as when the first British settlers landed at the Swan River [Fremantle/Perth today]. 

We had a busy few days earlier in the week with a visitor, which encouraged me to have a massive tidy up of my sewing gear!  Not that it is as tidy today!  Friday afternoon saw me feeling a cushion coming on.  The inactivity of earlier in the day made me feel slightly guilty; only slightly!  I have intentions of making another quilt, this time utilising the Post and Rail block as it is quick to do, but still effective, especially if the selection of fabric is well chosen.  The cushion was completed within a short time ... I will definitely make the quilt in this block.

Whilst in New Zealand and visiting a friend whom I have known all my life from teenage years onwards I made a promise to sew her an apron.  She is interested in fairies and angels ... and while I used fabric already in my stash the angel on the bib was an additional idea.  Hope you like it Megs!  It will be in the post early this week, but not tomorrow as the Post Office is closed.

Now my plate is clear, until the next row by row journal arrives, and I can once again concentrate on my The Farmer's Wife quilt blocks.