Dots Before My Eyes

I started my day in my favourite manner, tea lots of tea and blog reading. One of the ones that I started with was Lazy Daisy Jones, she wrote about a crochet cover for a wooden coat hanger. I saw that pattern and fell in love, it is so cute, then I read the pattern and realised that all those tiny shapes, all that counting and my big hands did not go together.

Time passed, Ben was walked, tea was made, sewing machine cleaning took place, Ben was walked again. I had a trip into Swansea, my mission failed and I groaned about wasted time. Then I spotted Matalan and sale signs, I am in dire need of some mid weight cardigans or sweaters. Success, 3 cardies and a sweater later ( for the very nice sum of £15) I went home smirking.

Food was prepped and eaten, washing up happened, Ben was walked, tea was made and Tiramisu was eaten, slowly, very slowly with much pleasure. The garden was sat in and sunshine was enjoyed. 

Then while my brain was on idle I had a thought, I have boring wooden coat hangers, I have a small mountain of fabric, there is no way on this Earth that I will ever crochet a cover for a coat hanger.

I nipped upstairs and found a hanger then dipped into my box of  Fuglies. These are bits of fabric that came free with something or were in the remnant bin for next to nothing, one or two were the result of Fat Quarter swaps where my partner has totally ignored the swap rules and bought the cheapest and tackiest bit of tat there was. I waste nothing, these become tiny gap fillers in my crazy patchwork or foundation squares or lining for things. 
I fished one out and found a small bit of lining , from a CS curtain and whipped this up in about 15 minutes.

It is not perfect, I did not stop to draw a pattern, just layered the fabric and lining and cut round a coat hanger. But with a bit of refinement and some batting and quilting with good fabric and some embellishment they will make good presents. It is Cerys,s birthday on the 12th I think that a set of these will be just the job.

Here it is with one of my super cheap cardies, I love Polka Dots and this is lovely and bright. It looks baggy and it is a few sizes bigger than I wear but it will go over a sweater and will be almost a jacket for Autumn.

I am going to draw up a pattern and try one with some basic quilting, once I am happy with it I will make some for Cerys, Francesca and myself, and they will be a nice Seasonal gift for my new friend Maggie.

I am claiming this as number 20 for my challenge.

 I do have 4 more of the small aprons from yesterdays post cut out, slightly longer with 2 layers of pockets, one of those is for Maggie.

Reasons to be Grateful.

1 . Lots of sunshine again.

2.  My pretty bargains from Swansea.

3.  The blackberries are finally starting to ripen.

4.  I have a dressmakers dummy on it,s way.

5.  One of my courgette plants has decided to bear fruit.

I have 2 courgette plants and usually that is enough, this year the only flowers that they produced were male. The yellow plant is not looking happy, if it does nothing this week it is gone, the other has 3 fruits and several more female flowers on it. My 3 French bean plants have flowers and I have 2 more sowings that look promising. The herbs from cuttings look good and my radishes are  continuing to grow , some I have let flower as the seed pods are brilliant in salads and stir fries.

I have been humming and hahing as to whether I really need a dressmakers dummy for ages, today I found one on E bay and got it for a very good price, it should be here mid week.

In Lincolnshire the blackberries will be nearly over, they are further forward nearer the coast here and tomorrow, weather permitting, I am off to find some ripe ones now. I want to make some jelly ready for Francesca to take back to London with her after her next visit., and I quite like it on scones.

On that thought I feel that tea is in order, I hope that you have all enjoyed your weekend.

                            TTFN                                          Pam