Helping When We Can.........

 We never plan to do too much on a bank holiday weekend as often the traffic is really bad, the venue is crowded and the weather can be bad too. So we were around for Doggy Day Care, Friday into the evening, Saturday morning and Monday afternoon while Daughter and O are being Tudors, R had her theatre group performing for the first time (I read a great review) and M was teaching. 

Hubby watched the Ipswich Town v Huddersfield football game. The Ipswich win gave them promotion to the Premier League and after waiting 20+ years the crowd went wild, in fact Ipswich wildly celebrated all weekend. 

Sunday morning Son called in, we haven't seen him since our holiday. While we were chatting I asked how his fitness and sponsorship were going for the Scafell Pike charity hike he's about to do (less than three weeks time), he said the fund could do with another push so I posted it again on my Facebook page and two of my friends donated, which was so kind of them. Jake, the founder, is fiancé's nephew. 

Monday morning we had coffee morning in the garden for the first time this year. It was warm enough most of the time, chilly a little of the time and trying to rain a couple of times. It was nice though not to be so many in our dining room as it gets so noisy. It did rain for some of the afternoon so we definitely were lucky. 

NeighbourA brought over her husband's jumper that he had splashed with bleach to ask if there was a way I could repair it. I do have fabric paints but told her they didn't seem to do well over bleach. She said she'd try to sew over the stains with a dark grey thread. 

Tuesday morning I pulled out all my old kit to see what I still had. You might think it odd that I needed to check but I had been a Tri-Chem sales demonstrator/teacher in 1983! It was run as party plan so I worked evenings after Hubby got home from work. I did really well and during my four years with them I rose to their second level manager and recruited quite a few into my team. As a craft person I was doing a job I really enjoyed. 

I popped over to friendA's who had already tried stitching it all but as that wasn't successful I said I'd give it a go. 

It took me quite a while to unpick her tiny tiny stitches. As well as embroidery scissors and tweezers I needed to double up my specs and use the magnifying stand with the spot light on. I managed to get the tips out of old paint tubes (they should work like ball point pens but don't anymore)  and had to mix two to get a reasonable colour match. 

I'm quite pleased with the result. Now it will be a wait and see how it survives being washed. 

I hope you've had the really good weather we have had as the rest of our week had been a lot of garden, Hubby gardening (needing two tip runs) and me mostly wandering round, fish watching by the pond, and generally relaxing.

Strawberries and cream anyone?

.

The Red Jeans Challenge........

I think I've said this before but just to remind you, one day a month a large group of us get together and have a craft day. Our venue is within a residential community supporting adults with learning disabilities and more severe problems.

The charity were donated hundreds of these brand new capri length hipster ladies jeans in various sizes but all bright red. They have tried selling to anyone and everyone they know,  in their local charity shop, in bulk on ebay and singly on ebay, only asking £1 a pair but the huge pile is going down very very slowly.

I mentioned some time ago that for such a small cost it was worth buying for the fabric as so many upcycle ideas for denim are possible. So now T(our beloved leader and devoted fundraiser for the charity) has decided to run a competition on the lines of The Great British Sewing Bee invention test to make items to donate back to the charity for them to sell. I've bought six pairs (one of each size) to play with (I did try a pair on but think they are too red for me).

First item I made was this bag (see how I managed to use up a few ties which are still hanging about too).

Next I tackled a wallet which turned out to be a lot trickier than I thought it would so plenty of sewing, unpicking and resewing. I'd seen a picture of something similar but no pattern or instructions. Those ties came in handy again as I used the inner stiffening to give the wallet structure. I'm sure when I make the next one it will be easier.

Also using the little jean zip I made a little coin purse 

An apron came next with ties for tying. 

Here's a pot for putting stuff in or plants etc. Inside two small plastic bottles so watering a plant isn't a problem, you could also use empty milk containers or cans so even less going out with the rubbish. 

Another little cross body bag

And a plastic lined bag to carry your water bottles

Small pouch for headphones or charger cables or whatever

For the Christmas rag-wreaths we are making for the charity to sell I've made three poinsettia flowers to tie on

And even small scraps and belt loops get used, bows with clips on the back so they can be broaches or hair ornaments

Just from the discarded seams a fabric statement necklace

Plus a bit of forward planning for Valentine's day 

It now turns out that the sewing bee challenge never actually got going with anyone else so my makes will be for sale on the handicraft stall at their Christmas Fair.......and I've still got three pairs of jeans I've not cut into yet. 

.