Testing times

And no, this isn’t about the virus … (although now that I’ve mentioned it, perhaps I’ll just let you know that, here in sunny South Africa, we are back in Lockdown Level 3, very sadly. The number of covid-19 cases has escalated and so this Alert Level includes a curfew (all citizens are to be in their place of residence between 9.00pm and 6.00am), a total ban on the sale of alcohol, including a glass of wine or a beer with your meal in a restaurant, and a fine plus possible 6-month prison sentence for anyone in a public space without a mask. Beaches and parks are closed, just CLOSED. That last one is quite contradictory because research apparently shows that the virus does not like open spaces, sunshine and fresh air. But there it is. I have quite a few friends and acquaintances who have either had covid and recovered, or who are still in recovery. I understand that it is no fun at all, I send them lots of love, and I’m very grateful to have been spared so far).

The testing I’m actually referring to is me needing a couple of volunteers to test a digital sewing pattern and instructions for making a fabric plant hanger, like the one below.

I had the idea last night and woke up really excited about it, but I’ve come to realise that it’s not as easy as I originally thought! I’m working on taking photos as I go along and the pattern should be ready in a couple of days. So, are there two or three sewing people (I hate to use the word “sewers”) out there who would like to try this out for me and let me know of any errors or poor instructions? It takes a very small amount of fabric, a few meters of cord or string, and about an hour of cutting/sewing time. If you’re interested, please email me at jillgoldberg19@gmail.com.

Thanks in advance. And be safe out there, everyone.

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Thrifty Thursday

I love my patio. It has a retractable roof and a retractable awning, so I can either choose to get full sun or as many degrees of shade as I wish. I usually opt for shade, (a) because I prefer to avoid direct sun on my skin as much as possible, and (b) a large number of my plant babies live there. They definitely prefer some protection from the ultra violets! Despite this, after two and a half years, the old couch was looking really bad. The kelim I’d put over the back had faded, and the cushions are pap (South African slang for flat and mushy), stained and torn in places. The whole thing is faded and yucky, actually, and it may well once have been a handsome piece of furniture but 2020 is not the year for splurging on having anything professionally reupholstered, so I’ve made do with recovering the seat cushions (using hand-me-down pieces of fabric and some sample books) and ramming some scrap pieces of foam down the sides for extra padding. I gave it a good vacuum (bloody cat hair) and turned the kelim the other way round. Before and after:

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Still old and tatty, and my cushion recovering skills leave a lot to be desired, but (a) I managed all the sewing and stuffing in under three hours, (b) it cost me nothing but time and effort, (c) I can cross it off my To Do list, and (d) I’m happy enough for the time being. In my book, that’s four solid wins!

ScrapHappy October 2020

A quick make yesterday from longer lengths of scraps. The back of the cushion wasn’t technically scrappy but it was from a pile of someone else’s left-overs.

This is on my favourite chair in a corner of my bedroom, made by my grandfather in the 1930s. Choosing a bright pink when it needed reupholstering was the best idea – from now on, I’m going bright with everything!

I’ve been inspired to write this ScrapHappy post by Kate,  Tall Tales from Chiconia. On the fifteenth of every month lots of folks often publish a ScrapHappy post, do check them out:
Kate, Gun, Titti, Heléne, Eva, Sue, Nanette, Lynn, Lynda, Birthe, Turid, Susan, Cathy, Debbierose, Tracy, Claire, Jan,
Moira, Sandra, Linda, Chris, Nancy, Alys, Kerry, Claire, Jean,
Joanne, Jon, Hayley, Dawn, Gwen, Connie, Bekki, Pauline, Sue L,
Sunny and Kjerstin

ScrapHappy September 2020

I’ve been making soft pots. I have too many indoor and patio plants to be able to afford to buy a new ceramic potholder for each one, so this is my solution. I’ve fiddled with the design, and find that using stiff denim for the inside lining gives the pot perfect stability. Also, it looks great folded over. The denim was the only piece of fabric that wasn’t technically a scrap, although it was once someone else’s cushion leftovers.

Just for comparison, here are a couple of non-scrappy soft pots that will form part of my Christmas range:

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I’ve been inspired to think in a ScrapHappy way by Kate, Tall Tales from Chiconia. On the fifteenth of every month lots of folk often publish a ScrapHappy post, do check them out:

Kate, Gun, Titti, Heléne, Eva, Sue, Lynn, Lynda,
Birthe, Turid, Susan, Cathy,  Tracy, Jill, Claire, Jan,
Moira, Sandra, Linda, Chris, Nancy, Alys, Kerry, Claire, Jean,
Joanne, Jon, Hayley, Dawn, Gwen, Connie, Bekki, Pauline,
Sue L, Sunny, Kjerstin, Vera, Del and Nanette

ScrapHappy August 2020

I’ve been going to ceramic workshops on Tuesday afternoons; there are lots of old aprons available to pop on if you’re wearing something smart, but I never am so I don’t bother. I did, however, have the idea of making one for myself in patchwork, just for fun.

It’s not finished, still needs edging and ties, but I wanted to post today because it’s the 15th. The scraps are leftovers from plant hangers and cushions, and in better light the oranges, reds and greens show up much more brightly :)

    

I’m inspired to use my scraps by Kate and Gun. Here are the links for everyone who joins ScrapHappy from time to time (they may not post every time, but their blogs are still worth looking at):

Kate, Gun, Titti, Heléne, Eva, Sue, Lynn, Lynda,
Birthe, Turid, Susan, Cathy,  Tracy, Claire, Jan
Moira, Sandra, Linda, Chris, Nancy, Alys, Kerry, Claire, Jean,
Joanne, Jon, Hayley, Dawn, Gwen, Connie, Bekki, Pauline,
Sue L, Sunny, Kjerstin and Vera