Sweet Potato Vine

 

I love the results of the sweet potato vines with my petunias this year.

My pots are getting old and discolored but the trailing vines covered them nicely. The bright green color contrasts well with most any other plant. I love the aroma of the petunia's flowers ( they take me back to my childhood). It is amazing how our sense of smell recalls such vivid memories.

If you have never tried the SPV consider paring one with your favorite pot plantings next year. They need quite a lot of water but are sure to please your eye all summer and into the fall.

 

 

Handy Little Pockets

This is such an easy project for a child or a beginning sewer. I have been doing these for years and have used them in the bedroom, bathroom, nursery and especially in my sewing room. They make a wonderful gift and can be personalized very easily with appliqué or embroidery. Just find a good sturdy hanger and start with a piece of fabric wide enough to cover the hanger width and long enough to make the rows of pockets you want. My finished pocket is always dictated by how much fabric I have. I have one that is only one row deep that I hang off the arm of my recliner for my cell phone and TV remote. For the one in the picture below I used a firm woven upholstery fabric left over from a remnant I used for a tote bag a few years ago.(I am trying to reduce my stash! Really!) This set of pockets is for light weight things so I did not even line it at all. I bound the edges with my quilt binder that attaches to my machine. You could just hem the edges as well. After I placed the folds for the pocket rows I just turned the bottom under and sewed the rows in place down the edges and across the pockets before finishing the edges.

You could add trim of your choice anytime during construction or after you finish. Fabric glue is an option for placing trim as well. Try one, I think you will find many uses for some extra pockets!

 

 

Another Pillow Sham Converted

A bath mat seems just right for this one. I have sewn the buttons on with my machine to save a lot of time and my hands! I dabbed the front and back of the button stitches with Fray Check to reinforce. Clear glue would work too.

All the buttons are from my collection gathered over the years. Loved remembering my Mom while I was searching through them and sorting for the exact ones. It is amazing how many of her sewing notions I still have............ I would use this for a rug beside her bed if she were still with me!

She would say " Oh! That is too pretty to put my feet on!" And I would tell her "Nothing is too pretty for your feet to step on." 

I miss her very much and I have wonderful memories that are such a comfort.

 

 

 

BTW  The lace medallions are available on our web site!

http://www.yoursmineandhers.com/sewcreative/sewing-notions

 

Shams

Just had to share something with you. I came across a couple of odd (1 of a kind) pillow shams the other day (thrift store of course) and thought there must be something I could use them for. They were barely used and were very pretty. One a lovely blue/green floral print and one a beautiful creamy yellow.
I took them home and moved them around my sewing room for a couple of weeks.
Finally decided to sew the opening closed on the floral one and use it as a changing pad on top of the quilt on my bed where I change my great grandson.
I love it! 
He has long out grown the little ones I used when he was a newborn. With all his squirming and rolling around it was just what I needed!

Well, I don't know where I like the yellow one best.... Table topper, bath mat, sewing machine cover... the choices seem endless now that I have gotten started.

Happy thrift store shopping!

My Lucky Day

My Lucky Day

Just have to share my great finds from a few days ago. I don't get to quilt these days but my love of all things quilted is alive and well. So what caught my eye the other day but two nice quilts that had just hit the thrift shop. Needed some tender loving care so I brought them home and did a couple of small repairs, washed and dried them and hugged them both a few times. I am still wondering how someone can give up a quilt, but I am so glad they did!

Jordys new fun dress

Just a quick post today. I do intend to get better and more often. One of my 16 year old grand daughters was here to visit and spend some time with me for a few days. She sure has been alot of help with the great grandsons! Swimming with Avory while the baby naps and Gram rests. Love her so much. She is so beautiful I just had to make her something. She inspires me to sew because she loves clothes and is so easy to sew for. I had a yard of the ruffled fabric from Hobby Lobby and an idea from Pinterest so look at how it turned out!.
She has white cowboy boots (at home)she is anxious to try with it.

 She looks so cute in just everything.

My Favorite Store ( www.fabricrecycles.com)

I had a few minutes today when I returned the rented carpet shampoo machine that has kept me busy this weekend. I was just down the street from a really cool store  called "Fabric Recycles" we have here in Overland Park . Website is www.fabricrecycles.com. It is owned and operated by a young lady named Page Burns.
Take your ufos and excess fabrics, notions, patterns that you have in the back of the closet,  in to the store and she will look it over for items she needs and will give you cash or store credit for your stuff.
She also has a beautiful selection of yarn.  I am so glad she is in my neighborhood! What a great shopping opportunity for those of us that operate on a tight budget. She has a lot of fabric as well. I love to check out the ufo table for quick projects that are reasonably priced.
Page also offers a good variety of classes.
All you sewers and crafters out there do your selves a favor and stop by for a lookee-see.