The Sewing Dilettante

A Thanksgiving Day postcard from 1913, from Wikimedia Commons.  xx Tina

Since my last post, I've managed to make this: This picture doesn't capture the colours, but I was having fun messing around on picmonkey! One measly little lavendar sachet, featuring another log cabin, this one inspired by last month's scrap buster quarter log cabin block for Bee Blessed. (I say inspired because, of course, I didn't have a chance to make any of those said Bee Blessed blocks). When did I have the opportunity to get this little project finished, I hear you ask? Well, I got myself a babysitter last week and headed out to a weekly sewing night hosted by  the Mid-Western Branch of the Irish Patchwork Society . You see, one of the first people I met when I moved here is the new branch chairperson.  Naturally, she invited me along to the next branch meeting, which happened to be the following week. I was a little bit hesitant at first, not knowing what to expect, but, keen to meet some like-minded folk and get a night out of the house, I went along. I...

There's a fabulous weekend market here in Limerick, the Milk Market. It's much like St. George's Market in Belfast or the English Market in Cork - lots of local and artisan cheesemongers, bakers, chocolatiers, butchers, and other specialty food stalls sitting alongside textile traders selling beautiful buttons, handmade quilts, and bright knitted hats and mittens. Hubby, baby G, and I have made it a bit of a habit to wander down there late on a Saturday morning to pick up lunch and indulge in a bit of people watching in the upstairs seating area.  While we were there a couple of weeks ago, I bought a big bag of locally grown lavender, with the idea that I'd make a few lavender sachets to freshen up the various closets and chests of drawers in the house. (One of the things I hate about moving into a new rental house is the stale, unfamiliar smell. It's pretty much gone at this stage, but a few lavender sachets are always welcome.) Typically, I didn...