Look what I found!

Hello Everyone do come in and make yourself at home.  I feel as if we haven't spoken for absolutely ages.  I'll just pop the kettle on - do have some cake.  It has been a full and tiring week so far with lots to do and very little time.  This seems to be a constant theme with me so I am really sorry Folks as you must get exasperated with me!  I certainly do.  I started off the weekend planning lots of posts and making time to do loads of crafty things.  I have been inspired by all the wonderful posts I have read this week - I usually do my reading either very early in the morning before work or late at night when everything is finished for the day.  Either way your fabulous blogs keep me going - I hope you have all had a wondrous week so far.

 

My first piece of news is about the print making course which I had recently started.  Fate seems to have dealt a hand here Everyone as changes in my work schedule means that I have had to postpone the course until next year sometime.  I felt quite sad about it even though I was bemoaning the fact that I felt inadequate doing it, maybe someone somewhere is trying to tell me something.  Any how this is on hold for a little while so onwards and upwards.  Unfortunately it doesn't leave me any more time to be doing what I love doing - making things so on that front everything is the same.

 

Well to work - today one of my favourite magazines dropped through the letter box on my way to work - couldn't wait to get home tonight to have a quick look - have you got yours yet?  Mollie Makes always fills me with glee as it is so bright and brimming with lots of ideas. 

 

 

I love this lampshade and cushion by the wonderful Jane Foster.  I was dreaming of creating something like this in print making but am sad to say that I am a long way off this just yet.

 

 

 

I loved this idea of creating a little garden in a cup - what a super little gift it would make this Christmas.

 

 

When I got home this evening my husband asked me to go into the loft to find some papers - he cannot get up there anymore so I have to climb up.  It is a very risky place to me as there are various standing points and I am always terrified of falling through a ceiling.  However needs must so I hauled myself very unglamorously Folks into it.  He said that the papers were in a box at the far end - usually a place I don't venture into very often.  I managed to creep into the corner and found the box - yippee I haven't fallen through anything.  As I was about to make my way back I noticed a large old bag that I used to store things in years ago.  I had forgotten all about it and it must have been up here for eternity.  I dragged it out and had a quick look inside but all I could see what other packages.  Best to get out of here I thought and dragged the bag out with me.  Once on firm ground again I sat down on the floor and unpacked it.  Well Folks it was a real blast from the past and proved to me how long I have been trying to learn to sew.

 

First of all I unwrapped a parcel from Scotland - you lovely Scottish Folks might know where this shop is.  I have had a quick look on the internet tonight but couldn't find it.  I can remember speaking to a lovely lady called Margaret when I ordered these treasures but can't recall how I found the shop - it must have been in a magazine somewhere. 

 

 

 

Here is the date on the parcel - look at it.  Where has the time gone?

 

 

The lovely Margaret had put a little note in the parcel for me.  I wish I still had the catalogue she mentions.  She had also kindly put in some extras for me.  I wonder where Margaret is now, I would feel a little embarrassed to say that all the lovely hexagons she had taken time to cut were still waiting to be made into something.

 

 

Here they all are Folks, all 500 plus more of them.  Some of them are parts of packs which I bought from Laura Ashley - these came in small packs of either squares or hexagons.  I was mad about Laura Ashley at the time and had a few of her flowery dresses, I loved them.  I couldn't really afford them at the time so would save up and get one for my birthday and one for Christmas.  Fortunately there are no photographs of me in one of them as I am sure I would be quite a picture and not a pretty one!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Below are the plastic templates I used which I bought from Margaret as well, together with some of the papers to be stitched inside each one.  All these belong to another place in time, another me.  I longed to be able to sew at the time but didn't have a sewing machine and had no idea of how to use one anyway so hand sewing seemed to be the answer.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Inside another bag there were more wonders.  Firstly this little patchwork book which I can remember buying in a shop in North Wales.  It had some lovely things in it but I can remember that I was desperate to get going and chose one of the biggest projects in the book.  Always been biting off more than I can chew lovely Folks - as you can see I haven't changed much.

This was my chosen project - just a couple of nights work - or so I thought - nearly 20 years on!

 

 

In another bag here are the pieces I had made - not much to show though.  These are all the Laura Ashley pieces which would be called vintage now.

 

 

 

 

 

Well lovely Folks what do you think?  Some of them look a little grubby and need a good wash.  I lived in a different place then in an old cottage which had coal fires and a coal burning Aga - a real old one from the late 1940s which I loved but which smoked like mad.  I would sit on the rocking chair next to the Aga and sew these little wonders - what a lovely picture................

 

Another little find in the bag were these two old magazines.  I must have bought them as I know I was interested in trying to knit up patterns from the 1940s.  Some of the articles are really amusing now but what a difference between these and our magazines now.  We must remember though that it was at the start of World War 2 and so there were paper shortages.  No Kindle or iPads then.

 

 

 

Now I know where I have been going wrong with my dieting - I should have been taking bile beans - anyone got any to spare?

 

 

The fashions are just fab especially when I remember that clothes were rationed and people had to really make do and mend then.  Up- cycling then was not a fad or fashion but a way of life.  

 

 

These pretty dresses would suit the modern girls of today.  Just lovely - look at the price of the pattern which is the old 9p which is less than the 5p we have today.

 

 

Every era has their Agony Aunt - mothers had a lot more control over their daughters then!

 

 

Well lovely Folks that is all for tonight.  I am thinking about how I am going to use the lovely finds from the loft.  It was worth the hike up there and I am a firm believer in kismet - I was meant to find them now.  I have been toying with the idea of making a lap quilt so maybe this is my time to do it.  What do you think?  I also wanted to ask if any of you know where I can get a very basic pattern for some little nighties for my lovelies?  They hate wearing pyjamas and insist on nightgowns so I would love having a go at making some.  If you have any ideas I would be so grateful.

 

Well I have to love you all and leave you now as I have a little preparation for do for tomorrow.  I had hoped to do some sewing tonight but again time has run out.  I hope you are all well and happy.  I do love talking with you all and hope you can leave a message as I love to read your comments.  I am thinking seriously about a camera as I am getting more and more unhappy with the photographs I am taking.  I hope to speak to you all very soon.  Have a wonderful day or night tomorrow depending on where you all are in our beautiful world.  Lots of love as always, Dorothy :-)xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx