Sunday 31 January 2016

In which I go dumpster diving for fabric....


....well more like rummaging in my own kitchen bin.

As the title of my blog suggests I like scraps and they can be pretty small and still useful in my book.

My darling daughter has, over the years, discovered her sewing skills and with the explosion of pretty young things making craft groovy she is motoring along and sewing a great wardrobe of simple tops and pants for her working life.

This girl of mine has simple but expensive tastes and being single, not owning a car and still living at home as a student she can afford to indulge a little.
Thus she has purchased yardage of Liberty to make a few tops, and being an awesome person passes on her left over scraps to me so I can add them to my stash.

Imagine then my surprise when I open the cupboard to ditch the soggy teabag in the bin when I espy colourful fabric scraps IN THE BIN!!!!!!!

Luckily there were no soggy tealeaves or indescribable meats thrown on top of these precious pieces, and yes I may have still dived in and washed them later.

I retrieved the fabric and later told my daughter what I had done and "why did she throw such things away nilly willy?"



She sighed.....and said, "Mum you are officially bonkers!"

Yes, yes I am! But I am hooked now on small pieces of precious fabric, the possibilities, and Liberty scraps are worth the indignity of being discovered head down, bum up scrabbling around in ones own rubbish.......are you with me? Anyone?.....No just me then?

 
 I mean anyone can see these are still usable.


 And this is the standard that determines whether or not a piece is thrown out.





 I collect them in a pretty glass dish.








 ...and this is one I prepared earlier.
A small purse made from 1/4 inch hexagons. Loved making it and I have several purse frames to make a few more.


 This scrap quilt is on a slightly larger scale, its the 365 quilt led by Audrey from her blog "Quilty Folk"


 I started on New Years Day, and this is the result for the month of January. So far so good.


 I have found this routine has focused me and given me permission to be a "creative being" Its been an adjustment but I am getting more and more relaxed as I look forward to the next phase of life.

I am seeing both my Mother and my Father In Law dealing with their advancing years, and their examples have made me more determined to finally live life on my terms. 

My Father In Law is a true example of grace and determination, he never moans but sees each step along the ageing process as a bit of a challenge. He recently had a bad fall and broke his hip and wrist, he was frail to begin with and we were very concerned as to how this would play out.
He is just getting on with it, he is almost energised by the rehabilitation, he knows he will never be the same but he does what is required with his diminished physical limits and still has a sharp and enquiring mind. A man I admire very much.
My mother on the other hand has become petty and very demanding, she is not above using guilt and manipulation to blame her ageing and ill health on others, especially her daughter.
Such a contrast!

So I will play with scraps and love what I do, I will seize my life and love deeply those who love back.....the rest can just please themselves.

Phew who knew a blog would be so cathartic?


11 comments:

  1. haha yes I can well imagine the bin diving to rescue a tiny piece of fabric!
    those purses are sooooo cute! and such a great idea for gifts.
    people deal with their advancing age is so many different ways, your FIL sounds like he is grateful for every single day he has.
    You can only deal with what's given to you in the best way you can....some only see the lemons and not what they can do with them!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Oh my! And tossing Liberty at that!! I don't know what Liberty costs there but it's about $35US here! Love, love the purse and keeping a little bowl full of the bits is very inspiring....I was wondering what to do today, I think I will go into the sewing room. I'm inspired.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Nothing better than Liberty scraps! Your circles are just lovely!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Your attitude is beautiful. Live life finding the beauty in every day. And sometimes the beauty is found in tiny pieces of Liberty. Hey, I never thought of making a circle out of pieced hexagons. Hmmm

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Linda. Life is there to loved and to love others. Also Liberty is a place of beauty and I do find fabric gets almost precious and Jewel like when cut smaller and smaller. I would love to see your circle of pieced hexagons!

      Delete
  5. Your little hexie bag is beautiful! Wowsers, they are so small.:) Love your cheerful circles!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Lovely lovely!! Beautiful work!!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Raising my hand that I have dived (dove?) into the trash to retrieve scraps--that I myself threw away. Your Liberty scraps are worth it! Your Quilty 365 circles look amazing. Sorry about your father-in-law's fall, but he seems to have a wonderful can-do attitude toward his rehabilitation. All the best!

    ReplyDelete
  8. I know what you mean about how we each age in different ways! Ageing sucks but we all have to travel towards and through the process. ( fingers crossed!)
    I wonder if the circles are like a mantra?
    Though Ive not done them daily, they have a calming and centering effect on me too - its not unlike ( I imagine ) meditating!

    ReplyDelete
  9. What you wrote about aging concerns me too. In my family I can watch how different it can be. A wonderful 97 old great-grandma with an open mind and heart and a 90 years old great-grandma who jealously counts the hours and minutes her daughter spends with her. Nothing but complaining. I hope it is in my power to have the choice.
    For me too making my circles in the evening has some meditativ touch. And your wonderful rescued fabric has found a new place in the world.

    ReplyDelete