Kestrel of Kestrel finds and Makes came up with the idea of a Summer Sewing Swap. As it is Winter here with knobs on, the name to me doesn't relate so much to the season as the sunny joy of giving and receiving lovely crafty things. A ray of sunshine in a cold winter. :)
I had never seen the blog of my swap partner,
Sian Lile, so I promptly tracked down her blog and got reading. Sian lives in Cardiff, Wales, and has an amazing life! So different from mine and yet I spot a kindred spirit on many ways :) I love her quilts, her view of life, her values and her creations. It is always SUCH a delight to discover a new friend. :)
ANYWAY Sian was WAY more onto it than me and I got her parcel before she got mine. I left it so late (agonising over what to send) I was lucky she got it within the deadline, which I think is this Sunday.
So, without further ado, here are the treasures that just kept tumbling out of the tantalisingly plain envelope (brown paper packages tied up with string)!
Fabric, little haberdashery treasures and a vintage crafting mag. Squee!!!
A beautiful cotton tablecloth in olive green with cream flowers, and a length of cotton in a purples art deco fan print. Sian noticed my love of purple, isn't she clever! I love how the more you look at it, the more patterns show up.
Issue 1 of Craft Weekly, 1976. I actually REMEMBER this magazine, and I even remember this issue. I was 11 when this came out and was very into craft activities, so I fell on these mags every week. These mags and Golden Hands remind me of when my passion for making things began, back then in the golden haze of the 70's. My photos even managed to capture a bit of that haze due to the bad light in my living room! ;-)
All sorts of little treasures - fish eye buttons, a Welsh sew on badge, Indian decals, a cable needle, a stitch counter and a sweet little wooden button. I suspect the lovely sunflower buttons came from the other giveaway I received a couple of weeks earlier (to be blogged about) Talk about your first world problems, trying to keep track of what came with what international parcel!!
I am blown away by the lovely, special things. My favourite thing, if I have one, is the Indian decals. I love these kinds of details and I am pondering whether to add them to my favourite jeans or to save them for a future project. OR maybe both - jeans first then move them. Decisions!
Thank you Sian for this package of possibilities all the way from Wales. :)
hello! what a sweet post! i love that you remember the magazine!! i bought myself some of those indian patches too...
ReplyDeletehurray to new blog friends(thanks to kestrel)!
How cool, we can wear the same patches, like a crafty gang, of two, half a world apart! hehehe.
DeleteWhat a sweet package! And I love that you and Sian are new blog friends :)
ReplyDeleteThank YOU for thinking of it, such an inspiration!
DeleteReceiving a package from the other side of the world is great. :-) Those are some pretty things! I love that fan print!
ReplyDeleteI am having a big think about what to use it for :)
DeleteThat's nice x
ReplyDeleteDid you join in the swap? :)
DeleteThat's so funny that you remember that magazine, and I just LOVE those prints you received. Just gorgeous - especially the purple. I can't wait to see what you do with all the decals!
ReplyDeleteCrazy eh. But I remember things from that time much better than what I did yesterday. :)
Deletehello there :)
ReplyDeleteso nice to meet you yesterday, and thanks for visiting my blog! this is lovely- i'll be sure to return. (and to your magical shop too...)
Yay! I feel the start of a beautiful collaboration!
DeleteAw, brilliant stuff!
ReplyDeleteAm I lucky or what!
DeleteI love the art deco fabric thats just asking to be used with a vintage pattern. It would be great for a blouse.
ReplyDeleteYes it would, only I don't dress like that, so am thinking of other possible uses. I quite fancy it as lining on the burgundy frock coat I'm making (well,strictly speaking, not making, not right now anyway!) It would show on the collar and cuffs....mmm.. :)
DeleteThere's an interesting thought for a blog post.
Delete'What is your style?'
I know mine is both vintage and historically inspired. I like elements of the past but don't go for the 'pin up' aspect.
Ooh, fancy lining. When I finally get my dress done hoping to start on a jacket for sewing contest on sewing pattern review. Debating about using a fancy lining myself.