Perfectly Unmatched

Hello!  I'm very happy to be able to say I have returned to the blogosphere after a long absence, during which time computer woes kept me from "speaking".  Finally things are sorted (fingers crossed) and I can return. Just an advance warning that this will be a very picture heavy post though.

This week we came back from another marvellous Art Deco Weekend in Napier, and of course yet again I must declare that it was the best ever.  We met some very interesting new friends and had a wonderful break, and declared that next year there will be more advance attention paid to the creation of new costumes so as not to leave things to the last minute and/or have nothing new to wear.    Actually we were very good in our prepping this time, and didn't leave packing to the last minute, which was very helpful as it prevented Mr Shoestring and me from crashing into one another and cursing under our breath as we tried to locate all our choicest bits and pieces.  Or in Mr Shoestring's case, his favourite hats and ties, which always seem to go missing somehow.  (He is also known as Captain Peacock by his nearest and dearest friends.  You get the picture.) In the last year we have been to a wonderful millinery course with The Dancing Queen and now feel inspired to make our own headware, but needless to say we have not actually made anything yet.  We are much more confident about steaming hats back into shape after the inevitable ravages of travel though.  Mr Shoestring in particular is a master of the art and made the hats I took appear as new.  This year we only took what we actually needed, so we weren't so laden down with unnecessary things and it was a much better approach.  The Southern Belles had an inspiring array of new costumes and some wonderful suggestions about things to try as far as creating dresses and accessories for next year.  They had a nautical theme for their beach pyjamas and even had the cutest little motifs such as anchors on their sailor tops and had made rafia handbags!  Mrs Raglan was sporting a very fetching new beach pyjama ensemble also, in rusty shades, complete with matching orange headscarf tied on the side.

I think I have already posted photos of the last quilt I was trying to finish and I'm happy to say it is just needing to be tied now.  Here is  a part of it, in all its cheerfully coloured glory.

Since there are so many other projects on the go and limited years left in my lifespan to complete them all I've decided not to quilt it heavily but just to tie it to prevent the batting from shifting about.  The little teacups in the centre of the medallions were the inspiration for the quilt and because the fabric also had a border print I eventually used this as a border for the quilt rather than waste it.  Of course I had not enough fabric to use just one of the two borders, so it has pink roses at the top and bottom,

 and yellow at the side.

 Also I didn't have quite enough turn under to go all the way around and make a border at the back, so I had to create extra medallions on the black chintz background to go in the four corners at the back. I never go out and purchase an exact amount of fabric with a quilt in mind, just buy random things which call to me, "Take me home, take me away from all this", so just have to make the most of what I have.  And since I have vowed not to buy more fabric it's a question of making the most of what is in the capacious storage cupboards in the sewing room

I tell myself that this only adds to the charm of the quilt but I was a bit perplexed when I had put aside four medallions ready to finish the corners and then lost them, and had to make four more.  Some quilts are just more problematical than others but I'm very pleased with the end result of this one, unlike the last one I finished which I was so heartily sick of that I could barely look at it for a few months.  (I do like it once more now though, fortunately.)  The backing fabric was a great op shop find.  It is a French cotton duvet cover (obviously from the eighties, to my eye at least) which is beautiful quality and suits the quilt really well.  It cost me $2.50 and I still have another piece left to back another quilt.

Sadly the remaining piece is only pink and green, but I'm sure it will come in handy for something.  I could even make a fifties style dress out of it, if all else fails.  Some of the blocks I particularly liked and others were just a bit bleh, but they all work in nicely together.  It always surprises me when somebody looks at a quilt and picks out as a favourite one block which I personally feel is somewhat mediocre and lacking in charm.  I loved this fabric (birdies of course)

 and this one, a cheerful small floral.

Some blocks I used all over florals and others were bordered with a stripe or other fabric to frame the teacups.  Sometimes I used the main fabric to outline the teacups, like the first one below.

This clever paving stone effect particularly appealed to me, but not to anybody else I know.  

I am very fond of the black chintz fabric which is used as the setting hexagons and around the sides.  I have used it in other projects and I'm gradually coming to the end of it now.  For a long time I would save my favourite pieces of fabric but I'm finally coming to learn that this is not the way to go!

I decided I needed a break from my hexagon hand pieced obsession, so have returned to the love of my life, crazy quilting.  I already have a red themed (named second hand rose), and a doyleys and old linen crazy quilt on the go but I have long wanted to do one in pansy colours so made two blocks.  Just for an experiment, you understand.  It will not distract me from day to day chores.  Very much. Like a true pansy, each block is going to have a bit of black like the "eye" in the centre, and after that it's a free for all of bright colours.  As well as silk remnants there is the usual collection of old silk ties and op shop cut up blouses and what not.  What a mess this made in my sewing room though, now the hard part begins in trying to force everything back from whence it came.  

Because of the frugal approach at Shoestring we have ended up with some very unusual arrangements.  My sister gave me some beautiful crockery for Christmas and it is now jumbled in with the other favourites because I can't afford an entire collection of chintz crockery but it fits in well with what other pieces I have scavenged or been given.  I am actually coming to appreciate this more than if I did have all of one sort.  The same goes for the serving dishes and all the pretty old glasses; together they make a nice jumble and I like having different combinations of glasses, serving dishes and plates.

Very taken with these spotty glasses and the ones with pretty flowers painted on them.  Luckily the dishwasher has broken blown up, so hand washing isn't an issue; rather a necessity.  Otherwise the paint would probably wash off.  Always look on the bright side. 

After the great success with the pink wall (which is still receiving additions of plates, but we cannot add any more at present as we cannot reach high enough without scaffolding), Mr Shoestring went mad with his pink paint and now the garden furniture is all pink too.  Even the sun lounger kindly donated by my dear sister is pink, which looks very fetching with the green squabs.  And as for the details on the table and chairs, he has picked out the flowers in a brighter pink and added green leaves.  What a paragon of virtue he is, endlessly toiling away with his paint brush.    

It has been a very hot, long and dry summer but the garden is coping admirably.  The pink and purple theme is coming along by leaps and bounds and have started potting up things such as canna lilies into large pots so that they can be kept under better control and I can remove their offensive orange or bright yellow flowers before they begin to bloom.  I have put in Nahema, a most beautifully fragrant rose, along with Ebb Tide and some others which have miraculously all survived and are looking happy.  Purple ground covers are surprisingly easy to find and friends have been very kind and donated various bits and pieces.  Lord Ringloes gave me a bit of the most vibrant purple ground cover when we were at Art Deco weekend and if it survives I will be very happy.  

The mandevillea vine has made an amazing display, having been in flower since November, and now its pods are dropping seeds which are germinating, much to my pleasure.  I am potting them up and pressing them onto anybody who will take them.  They have climbed all through the old plum tree and the best thing is that when the flowers fall onto the earth they stay pure white and look like lovely big white stars on the grass.

Success even in shade with the purple foliaged and flowered plants!

We had a problem with the fish pond, which sprang a nasty leak.  Eventually Mr Shoestring drained it and resealed it, and it now is stocked with five pretty fish again.  There is one which tortures me by drifting about in a very lethargic fashion and I spend much time watching it anxiously and declaring to myself that it is not long for this world.  However it must be just one very lazy fish, because nothing ever seems to eventuate and every week it is still there, floating langourously and causing me grief.

Mr Shoestring got carried away with enthusiasm and bought some water plants, so the fishes have vegetation to swim around in, plus there is always the interesting pink, plate bedecked wall for them to look up at if they so desire.  I must say, they are masters of disguise and it is very unusual that I can count them all at once.  Another bothersome thing about them, but they are so pretty to watch and it's very soothing on a hot afternoon to see them in all their colourful glory.  Not that we have much time for such frivolous pursuits, though.  Too many weeds to do battle with, too much to be done in the sewing room and garden!

Hoping that is well with you and yours, and the world is spinning along nicely on it axis wherever you may be.

The Great Plate Wall - Onwards and Upwards

We have been away from Shoestring Cottage for the last couple of weekends for family parties and a flying visit to Sydney.  (Sydney wasvery exciting, and surprisingly good op shops, you will be pleased to learn.  I found three hats to wear to next Art Deco weekend at a fabulous Vinnies, and a duvet cover to use to back a quilt.  The harbour and museum, botanic garden, Hyde Park, all were beautiful.  I think the fact that the weather was brilliantly warm and sunny made a big difference.) But it was wonderful to be back again this weekend and see definite signs of spring.  Today was a perfect day for a spot of spring cleaning, but of course good to get out into the garden for a bit too.  

 The spring bulbs are all putting on a good show and the violets, white purple and pink ones, are finally playing their part and rewarding us with a good crop of flowers. 

While roaming around poking at things I was pleased to find an old bird's nest which was entirely composed of the coconut fibres from my hanging baskets.  I used to be very cross when I saw the birds pulling the basket liners to pieces but now I'm happy to see that they put them to a constructive use at least, and weren't just ripping them apart for the pleasure of it.  

I was so fired up with enthusiasm following the completion of the last "quilt as you go" quilt that I decided to finish this one also, which uses the same technique and which I also foolishly decided at the last minute to make into a reversible one, pink and yellow on one side and pink and blue on the other.  Originally it was going to be only pink and blue but it seemed like a good way of using up a lot of left over yellow fabrics.  These things always seem like a good idea at the time, but then as the project drags on and you would like to be turning your attention to other things, you tend to wonder what possessed you to embrace that idea.  Anyway, I am enjoying making this one and it is taking shape quickly.  It's a bit of a pleasant change after the more sombre terra cotta and green shades of the last one.  

Also I am determined to finish this grandmother's garden type of quilt which I must have started a good 15 years ago.  I took it to Australia with me but of course was stopped by customs, who for some reason always take exception to my scissors.  Last time I went away they found an enormous pair of kitchen scissors in the side pocket of my suitcase which I had forgotten were there.  This time I though I had outfoxed them by packing only a pair of blunt nosed children's scissors, but somehow I had left two small sharp bladded embroidery scissors in there also.  One day I will get it right.  I think I am in their books as a repeat offender because sometimes when they get to my luggage they go off somewhere else for a few minutes, probably to confer as to whether I really have terrorist intentions or are just a bit dim.  Not the sharpest pair of scissors in the embroidery shop.  Anyway, once we got past the difficulties with border control I made huge progress on this one, so it was well worth the angst, even though Customs may not agree.

While scratching through my sewing room looking for the bits and pieces I needed to carry on with these quilts I was pleased to unearth this  rather odd looking piece of grey felt which I was covering with spidery embroideries, to use up old cottons.  Whenever I come across it, it makes me smile with its cheerful random jumble of colours and I really must get past the quilts one day soon and move onto finishing off some of the embroideries I have kicking about.  I think it would make a useful bag, perhaps to carry other embroidery projects about in.  I tend to leave them lying in the bottom of Mr Shoestrings car and they would be a lot better if they were contained tidily; then I wouldn't spend the first five minutes of each journey cursing and muttering to myself while I try to locate yet another pair of scissors.  (Where do they all go, I wonder?  I hate to think how many I have bought in my life so far.  Sometimes they turn up at the bottom of sofas but more often they just seem to dematerialise.  I am particularly partial to the ones which look like a stork bird, and I probably keep the people who make those ones gainfully employed, single handedly.)

 After a drought on the flower front it was good to finally be able to have a well filled vase instead of the rather paltry arrangements of recent months.  I am liking this jug because of its cheerful mix of colour and of course the fact that the flower pattern is made up from a cross stitch design makes it all the more fetching. I have to confess though that I have resorted to using that horrible veiny leaf to flesh things out because flowers still aren't that abundant.  So funny that I always try to eradicate it from the garden but in the end I have had to just give in and try to think of a use for it. 

Mr Shoestring has been very obliging this weekend and put up another 15 plates on the back wall.  He stood back in satisfaction and told me there must be 15 new ones up there, because he had counted out 15 hooks before he started.  I think he was crestfallen when he realised that there were a whole lot he had overlooked, and that his task is not yet complete.  I am still having a lot of difficulty in finding larger, dinner sized plates to put up, because they are always more expensive, but  the thrill of the chase is as wonderful as ever and my dear friends and sister have been very generous with donations too. 

Success At Last With The Birds

Mr Shoestring couldn't wait to see whether the birds had finally relented and started to eat all, or any, of his offerings this weekend.  He was overjoyed to see that the wax eyes had finally twigged to the delights on offer, and were eagerly partaking of the feast.  Mind you, it wasn't all plain sailing.  He had to move (yet again) the logs of bird food, the support and the feeder because for some reason they were suspicious and didn't like the spot he had placed them in.  This meant quite a lot of activity in the garden but finally they are happy, and so is Mr Shoestring.  The strange thing is that they will even enter the pagoda-like bird house to feed, which they never would before.  When we recently had a national back garden bird survey one of the findings was that though tuis are more plentiful, for some reason wax eyes (pihiphi) are waning, so it's particularly pleasing to see them flocking to the bird feeder and Mr Shoestring spent a good part of the weekend gazing adoringly at his avian darlings.

Mind you, he didn't spend the entire weekend on the birds.  He has had this fabulous old fan heater for a long time but of course it wasn't in working order.  He is very pleased with the results of his labours and it does throw out a good blast of warm air, still necessary sadly, though it is nowhere near as cold as it was a few weekends ago.

When we were at winter art deco weekend I was thrilled to spy a "For Home And Country" badge in an op shop; I think it fits in nicely with the For Home And Country teaspoons and the Queen's visit memorabilia.  I also found four more of the sherry glasses commemorating the royal visit, so soon I will be able to have a little sherry party.  I shall wear my For Home And Country badge along with the little fold out book commemorating the visit of Her Royal Highness and the medal also.  In for a penny, in for a pound; no point in doing things half heartedly, after all.

This weekend, after the triumph of having finished a quilt last weekend, I decided to give myself a break from quilts.  Mainly because my right index finger was bleeding after all the labours last weekend, it must be said.  I decided to make some dolls using old wooden pegs I had lying around and it was rather fun, but the results for facial features and hair are quite variable.  Some of them look perplexed and some of them look cross, but I am comforting myself with the thought that when they have some clothing to cover their poor little wooden bodies they will be a lot happier, especially in this weather.  I can't wait to start making them some clothes and jewellery, hats and what not, that will be the fun part.

While I was fossicking around looking for supplies (most of which I never did unearth), I found a lot of old bits and pieces of broken jewellery, so I had a go at putting it to use again

and made a couple of big brooches and rosettes to decorate winter coats. 

Then I found some labels for quilts and resolved that I must label the four I have finished in the last couple of years.  (Lordy lordy, it gives me a thrill to be able to say that I have finished four, not that I like to boast you understand.)  I can never remember when I start or finish my projects so it seems like a good idea to put labels on them, though I usually forget.  So I will put these to good use

Especially the pansy ones, of course.  

Next weekend though it would be better to confine myself to just one project, instead of getting distracted and trying to do so many different things.  Definitely would achieve more that way, though possibly it wouldn't be quite so much fun!