Thursday, January 15, 2015

Handwork for gray days

It's Tule fog season here in the central valley.  That means it's foggy when you go to bed at night, and foggy when you wake up. It makes for hazardous driving (in 2007 there was a 108 car pileup on the highway that runs through the valley), but is also beneficial to the fruit and nut orchards to help set their blossoms.
When there is heavy fog, everything drips.  If we're lucky the sun will come out briefly in the afternoon, like a big smile.  I usually have to force myself to do the yard work when it's like this.  Not because it's really cold, but because it's so damp and depressing outside.  It's much more pleasant inside, sewing in front of the fire.

I'm appliqueing my tulips onto their blocks.  It's been a long time since I appliqued anything, and I'm really enjoying it.  I have a quilting friend who taught me the back basting method (she does beautiful work), and always recommended using silk thread.  You need to get some. Your stitches will disappear into the fabric like magic.
The scissor keeper is from a tutorial I found here, (she made so many cute ones!) and it's pretty quick to make.  One of those objects that for me, is totally useless, but I still wanted one.  

This week I'm also trying to tame the beast that lives under my sewing table....
The Scrap bucket.  Seems like I just organized it last year yesterday. I'm sick of looking at it, digging through it and shoving it out of the way. Almost, for a second, I thought about buying another bucket and splitting up the pile. Then I found this which sounds doable. It's going to require a lot of sorting, ironing and cutting.
Then again, I might just take it out back and shoot it.

6 comments:

  1. I Bonnied my scraps and am really pleased! Anything less than 1/8 gets cut into 5", 2.5" or 2" strips and goes into separate drawers. I only keep squares in 5" squares. Now they are ready for binding, for string blocks, or for scrappy 1600" quilts

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  2. I think I like your tulips better than mine! Perfect way to cheer up a gray day.:) Silk thread doesn't work for me because it always gets caught on my less than girly rough fingers. I have to make do with DMC thread which is almost as good!

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  3. Lovely little stitches there.....just think how pleased you will be when you scraps are sorted! :) xxx

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  4. Your tulips are so wonderful Lynne, they put a smile on my face.
    Hugs,
    Meredith

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  5. Best cosy and warm on gray days! It is freezing here at present...looks a picture outside...sun and blue skies... but still freezing cold!!!
    Cute scissors keeper ! It would make a lovely gift too. I have about 5 or 6 pairs of scissors all placed in different areas of the house. I really got fed up of people using my scissors and not putting them back in my basket!!! A bright pouch like these would help to keep them located as well.
    Such neat work!!!

    keep well

    Amanda xx

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  6. You making are very nice. I've jus have a look at some older posts and It's so beautiful !!! Have a lovely gray day !!

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You guys are awesome! Thank you for the comments!