Way back, last summer, en route to Alberta, we spent a couple of nights with my parents in Chilliwack. My mother and I visited Winks, a store I'd heard about through Judy. So many pretty things to tempt me there. I came away with just one thing - a tea towel printed with teacups. From it I fussy-cut the cups and combined them with other fabrics to make some mug mats. They've been finished for awhile, unused, waiting for me to photograph them. Today was the day. Now I can start using them.
Where do you keep your hand sewing needles? Mine have always stayed in the paper packages until I need one, then it stays in my pin cushion. But they tend to get lost there, drifting down inside the pin cushion where I can't find them. My children will never let me forget one such occasion when I searched for a needle, all the while ranting about children who took my sewing needles and didn't replace them. I had to eat humble pie that day when I found at least 15 of them stuck down inside.
Anyway, I made a felt needle book for myself recently, and quite like knowing where all my current needles are. I like handstitching, do you?
Yesterday was one of those not-quite-right days. My tutoring student cancelled, another person failed to show up as planned for another appointment and I was left feeling blah. Knowing that a little creativity is good for my soul, I gathered some old greeting cards and made a small banner to hang over my desk. Bloom. A good word for spring.
That's what I've been making. Today is a better day - my student showed up, I have a paper I'm editing, and the sun is shining. How's your day?
You are so good at making things, Lorrie. The needle case is my favourite, probably because it's so pretty and I know my needles could use a proper home.
ReplyDeleteAs for my day, I just primed an old bookcase that could use a reincarnation. It's a pity that I'm wearing some of the primer!
-Karen
Aww such sweet needle book ..I keep my needles in my needle book too :)
ReplyDeleteHugs x
Very creative...wonderful mug rugs, sweet needlebook, and charming bloom banner. Best to try keeping busy on days that are a bit off. Yes, I do like hand stitching. I'm in the mood right now, but must replace some ancient embroidery floss that knots much too easily.
ReplyDeleteCute, cute banner, and needle holder! and the mug rugs. That must be a Canadian expression. We use "coasters" but they often stick to the bottom especially with a cold drink and then fall off causing quite a mess. Love seeing your projects. The tea towel is wonderful. We used those with our young girls to make aprons. You should feel quite satisfied with that day of creativity! Maybe you just needed it!
ReplyDeleteYour needle case is too darling. I love to make things out of felt - so relaxing. I have needle books - but right now I keep my needles in the foot of a turtle pincushion. That way they can't migrate down - the feet stick out and are thin-ish, so the needles stay put. A friend one time took apart her pincushion and found 62 needles in it. She would sit in her soft chair to hand sew, and when she had the chair reupholstered they found 220 needles in the arm of the chair. She must have spent all her time shopping for needles. She put them in a jar and made a guessing game on her blog of how many needles there were.
ReplyDeleteMy day is great - did a little puttering about the house this a.m. - now the sun is out and I'm embroidering on my day-of-the-week dish towels - just about ready to start Thursday.
I would love to visit Winks one day! I like your mug rugs, needle book and banner. I am collecting crafting ideas i can use with my older grandson when he visits...I think we could make a banner together. Thanks, Lorrie!
ReplyDeleteVery clever, those mug mats!
ReplyDeleteI made a needle case at the same time I taught a young friend to make one a couple of years ago. It was a chance for her to practice the blanket stitch and I realized I could use something like that myself. Yours is awfully cute.
Very creative. I love those tea towels.
ReplyDeleteSuch beautiful creations! I like that needlecase especially. I have a whole herd of pincushions, mostly handmade. Occasionally one will fall down too far, but I don't lose too many, LOL. Yes, I've done quite a bit of hand stitching. Not so much anymore because my eyesight is getting too poor lately.
ReplyDeleteI love your mug mats. What a great idea to cut up the tea towels to make them. I know how maddening it is to lose a needle. I lost one recently and found it laying along the the edge of my slipper (inside the slipper) as I was going to put it on about a week later. So i'd avoided injury for about a week. I was thankful to find it. Your banner is just lovely and has given me an idea for a gift for my sister's birthday. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful...your mug mats. Only you would have seen the potential in that tea towel!
ReplyDeleteI'm smiling as you describe the mystery of 'disappearing needles'. I can identify with that...as I know I can always find one in the middle of the pin cushion if no where else. Cute needle book...and banner too.
Your mug rugs..or mats...are almost too pretty to use, Lorrie! Well done! I'd give them a spritz of Scotch Guard to keep them from getting stained with tea or coffee.
ReplyDeleteGo to the auto store & buy yourself a telescoping wand with a magnetic tip. Mechanics use them for capturing fallen screws down inside a motor. Just sweep it across the area where you think you've dropped a needle or pin & it will snap onto the end. I can't tell you how many I've found with this gadget!
Hugs,
Rett