Common Threads

 Ringing in the new year seemed perfect this year. 

  It was one of those days that will be fun to pull out of my memory and think back on, in future years.  There was plenty of good food, laughter and interesting banter going back and forth between my husband and I.   

It turns out that several weeks ago, the Bernina Sewing Shop had donated some cute doggie and kitty fabrics to the local animal shelter.   




My nephew's wife is the coordinator for volunteers and fundraising at the shelter.   On Christmas Eve, she brought over the material, saying that we could do whatever we wanted with it.  Until yesterday, the fabric just sat in the bags.  We pulled it out last night and started planning and pinning. 

We headed for bed in the wee small hours in the morning, only to jump up to sew away today.   We completed 4 quilts.   We figure there is enough fabric to make 7 more quilts, but that is enough for today.  

We are sleepy!  

Goodnight and Happy New Year! 

Travel Organizers

     A Place for Everything, and Everything in its Place - that is a great rule for not wasting time, right?   Nothing is more frustrating than frantically looking for an essential item - all the while knowing you will probably be late, because of that item being lost. 
    Often used items, such as scissors, pencils, eyeglasses and lipstick are worth buying extras of and keeping them in various locations.

    This is my quite old and much used organizer I keep in my car.  

It is an absorbent terrycloth roll that stays in my glove box, for "just in case".    It usually holds toothbrush and paste, sunglasses, emery boards and lip gloss.        When it looks a little dingy, I take out my items and just toss it in the washing machine,  along with the rest of my laundry.  Then I think for a minute if I need to add or subtract anything before replacing my items and putting it back in my car.    

These would be nice for a college dorm room, sleepovers, camping or to throw in a your suitcase for your next business trip or vacation.  

Toiletries are one use but they are also fun for tools or sewing kits.  It could also keep an MP3 player, cords, a charger, headphones and phone all in one place.

Would Make A Lovely Gift

    So almost everyone has a heating pad, right?  They come in really handy for occasional aches and pains. Sometimes I even wrap mine around my feet when I have Popsicle toes.   They are also  handy to put under the covers when you are cold and your partner is not! 

  The problem is that they have an ugly cover.  One side is really not too bad usually being plain blue but the other side has got little ugly writing all over it, which is hard to read and can't bring anyone any joy.  

  So I have been making cute covers - a kind of little pillowcase out of fabric that makes it fun to keep your heating pad out  in the open instead of stashing the ugly thing behind a cushion.   It is nice to slip the cover off and throw it in the wash every week or two.

    To the left, is a picture of the first one I made.  My sweet husband made it a point to "eww" and "ahhh" over it, which made me want to give it to him the next week when he got a muscle spasm in his back.  It sits like a pillow on his chair in our bedroom.  Since the colors go with our bedspread, it looks like it fits there.

Then my Dad became sick with pneumonia so I needed to make him one, too.  I hope it sends a message of love and caring when it arrives and he opens it. 

Then my savvy girlfriend called from back East and asked what I was up to.   She suggested they would sell well on ETSY.com.  I promptly made three of them out of the pre-quilted fabric below. They worked up really fast.   I opened up my little online store and much to my surprise, one promptly sold!

The next one is King Size and uses more fabric.  It was made for my husband's boss and his adorable wife.  It is also a thank you present for all the times they have invited us over for delicious dinner parties.  They like the out of doors, and have snow mobiles and a 4-wheeler.   It is also  out of a flannel material.    I hope they like it this winter, especially when they take their motor home out camping.