tea towels - a source of inspiration

So, this is what happened.  We went shopping (the family including husband) and saw these 5 lovely tea towels. 

Thick cotton, pastel colours and thought they would look lovely in our newish kitchen. 

But then I realized that I hadn't much fabric for baby bunting so I used it.

Cut out the triangles,

Sewed them together

Clipped the point

Turned inside out

and ironed flat.

Managed to cut and make a total of 30 double sided triangles.

This equates to 2 lots of 3.5m bunting.

The fabric weight is fantastic.

The fabric is very washable.

The colours are just perfect for a baby's room.

So my hint today is next time you go shopping, take a look at tea towels, they are often textured, the colours can be great and they are often really really really inexpensive. 

If you have used tea towels in another way ( other than for drying dishes etc ) then please share with me.  Ideas are always welcomed.

Thanks for looking

Sara

pirates & patterns

So with one day left to go before our weekly Village Summer Craft Fair begins, ( that was a mouthful)  I have finally come up with an idea for the boys.  I have made some pirate bunting. 

 My daughter desperately wants this and she may . . . if I still have some at the end of September.

I also came up with a sort of error in my cutting out.  Novice sewers beware.  Don't forget about the pattern when cutting out even the simplest of designs.

When cutting out my triangles I realised that the pattern would be upside down for half of the flags.  I didn't buy much of my skull & crossbones fabric so I needed to use all the triangles.  Instead I have backed in a black cotton so that I could use as much fabric as possible.  Though some of my flags are upside down.

And so all novice sewers out there.  Don't forget about the pattern. 

Any hints you wish to leave me would be gratefully received.

Frogs and Hearts

Have been working a little this week, doing my usual book keeping and setting a school quiz for our parents association.  Hope the questions are not too hard and fish and chips up to their usual standard.

Anyway, sneakily popped into the backroom yesterday, put the ironing in the corner and made my first yo-yo.  Used a pretty, stripey, velvety cord which I think is too thick.  However finished it off with a button and attached the whole thing to a stuffed heart.  Quite cute I think, so then I made a few others to go on my summer craft stall.  Also quick whipped up a frog, I am short of frogs for my stall this year and could do with a few more.  Must try to make the effort to make some boyish ones though.  I stuffed this one with wheat and lavender.  It smells lovely and I am considering the eyes now.  Each frog has its own personality and people seem to like them.  Comments range from OOOOO to I had one just like that when I was little. 

I had one when I was little !

Also bought some great fabrics yesterday for some pirate bunting.  A few mums have mentioned this idea and must get going making some for the stall.  Oooooooo I am so looking forward to dressing up in a silly costume for our Wednesday 1785 day, Craft Fairs.  I look an idiot, but then so does everyone else on the village green I guess. 

If anyone is interested in the frog pattern I shall try and scan and publish.

All comments welcomed . . .

for a beach hut or not ?

A friend has asked if I could make her some bunting for her beach hut. Red white and blue. I have laid out the basic pattern with big flags and hope she likes it.

Why does the ironing always need doing when I want to sew ?

Why are weeds more noticeable when I want to blog ?

Is this sensitive eyes or just guilt ?

I decided to split my time and did a little ironing and then this cutting out. Tomorrow I should finish the ironing and then the bunting. Makes sense I think.