Fabric Things

 

 

The cloth strawberries above were made using online instructions. There are several styles of patterns, and this one is a little less than a half circle and a little wider than a triangle. I stuffed it with fiberfill from a pillow, and sprayed the stuffing with a perfume called Cotton Candy. Cotton candy is the same as fairy floss in Australia. I gave these to a neighbor for taking me so many places in her car, and she keeps them on the dashboard.

The last few days have been filled with a number of normal things like going to the grocery store, doctor visits for my mother, meal preparation, laundry, housekeeping, visiting, walks in the sunshine and church. I love everyone at the llittle church of Christ, and the preacher's wife' who is English, has been supplying me with different brands of tea to make my staying here a happy and relaxing time.

This is a dress made from the lawn fabric I bought when I first came here. I only brought one pattern with me and have not had a chance to buy another one, so I was stuck with the style. I was not sure how long it would be before I could get more patterns so I sewed the dress right away.

The scarf was made from a ladies cotton knit tee shirt, and the instructions can be found by typing in "things to make from t-shirts." This is a no-sew project.

It is interesting to twist scraps of fabric and see what can be made, such as a belt for the dress, embellished with a folded fabric rose, above.

Here is another no-sew decor idea: fringed shelf edging made by clipping white fabric. Note the fluffy little gala feather on the shelf next to the pink tin. Mother found it for me on one of her walks.

To make quick ruffled borders which hide unsightly ledges, frames and edges, I have been ripping strips of cotton fabric and then sewing a line of stitching down the middle, pushing and gathering the fabric through the presser foot as I stitch.

This old mirror that is attached in several places to the wall of the caravan, had a rather unlovely frame around it, so I hung one of those gathered garlands around it.

For a soft cushy rug I folded an old towel in half and machine stitched freely in circles from the center, finally zig-zagging the outer edges. This is such a comfortable rug, I hate to leave it here. The towelling gopt softer after sewing the layers together.

Note that my no-sew refurbishing includes sheets and towels for the couch coverings and borders that cover the legs of the furniture.

 

 

There was an unsightly hook that could not be removed, so I covered it with a fabric rose. You can see how fabric roses are made by typing in "How to make fabric roses." Youtube has some good demonstrations.

Though not very clear photos, this shows a little more progress in one room of the caravan.

 

A very patient neighbor has been taking me around in her car so that I can get pictures of fences, which for some reason I have taken a fancy to. In the area I live in the US there are not often fences between properties or houses, so I have not seen such a variety. On some streets there are fences from several different eras in history, from wrought iron to wire to stick and brush to picket.

 

 

 

 

 

There are also mailboxes that I want to photograph, because they are so unusual and even amusing out here in the country. People use old paint cans, butter churners, barrels, boxes, and anything that will hold mail.

I am hoping to go to Dandenong for tea at a tea room called Miss Marples.

 

 

 

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