Pastels are for big girls too!

New towel: present for a new baby girl. Pink broderie anglaise applique.



New patchwork tote. Old and New fabrics called Big girls like pastels too. I considered selling it before it was made, but when Kate loved it too, I realised we had to have it. It will be mother - daughter shared.



Salvaged wooden rings from an op shop. Bias trim is brand new.



Corduroy sides and handles -my recycled cord jeans that I wore to bits. I love it that I can still wear it.



Old and new - salvaged embroidery, contemporary floral prints, plains from my stash and a gorgeous vintage "midcentury" pastel plastered tablecloth.



Kate plans to use it as an overnighter (It's big) and it will be perfect for work and play for me ;).

Vintage barkcloth salvaged for modern living

One of my favourite fabrics - vintage barkcloth rescued from an op shop - all torn up ready for rags. This Kokeshi bag has been reinforced with firm interfacing and lined with a repurposed calico curtain.

I love these vintage buttons as well. Probably older than the fabric itself! You can see the texture of the barkcloth from the cloe up photo below. How could someone dreamed of using it for cleaning!

I already own a Marbella (hobo style) bag made from this fabric, but I am glad I still have a few salvaged pieces left - it makes such a vibrant tote.

Discovered this beautiful gaudy barkcloth pillowcase this week. In such good condition......
I am not sure I can part with it. Perhaps I will pop in a pillow and just admire it for a while, and consider which style of bag to use.

I wonder what year it was created?

I am tickled that I found it in an opshop all forlorn. Much more fun and less pricey, as it's vibrancy would have snapped up by a dealer.

Words of Beauty

Besides sewing, I love to read. This one is not about vintage fabric....instead a book recommendation.

I am so pleased I have had this book on the go. I picked up the first book Odd Thomas in an op shop, just after having seen a glowing review in the Good Reads magazine. Written by Dean Koontz, I normally would have left it alone- I have barely launched into magical and mystical loving Harry, His Dark Materials and Eragon (so I knew my eldest son's choices) and was not after the supernatural. Read I did. To my delight I discovered there were more Odd books, I completed Odd Hours last night. Sometimes, Koontz's words and Odd's learnings are so beautiful it makes me stop:

  "Grief can destroy you - or focus you. You can decide a relationship was all for nothing if it had to end in death, and you alone. Or you can realize that every moment of it had more meaning than you dared to recognize at the time, so much meaning it scared you, so you just lived, just took for granted the love and laughter of each day, and didn't allow yourself to consider the sacredness of it. But when it is over and you're alone, you begin to see it wasn't just a movie and dinner together, not just watching sunsets together, not just scrubbing a floor or washing dishes together or worrying over a high electric bill. It was everything, it was the why of life, every event and every precious moment of it." (Dean Koontz, Odd Hours, in Chapter 32)

I just read today that Koontz has plans for 7 Odd books. I will look forwards to reading the next one- it helps me appreciate the moments of "grace" in my own world.