patchwork shower curtain

this project had been on my mind for a while.  A few times during the winter this year I found myself cutting squares on a whim but that was about all.  So when it came time to sew everything together ideas were flying.  Which, obviously, is the best time to get something done.  I broke out some blue jean and pieces of a flag, shotgun shells bags and even some old fabric with hunting dogs on it.  I simply made tabs on the top to hang it.  Nothing fancy.  But it's up there and I love it. 

Seriously!  Whohas a cell phone holder handy whilst you use the john?  I do... that's who.

Reckon I need to go back over with the scissors.

There is patchwork something in almost every room of our home.  And it is things I have made.  Bed spread (and here)bedroom curtains for both bedrooms, shower curtain... and soon to be bath mat :)

blue jean patchwork queen

Sometimes, a combination of things just comes together.  A need and a want.  Well.. .really a want and a want to in this case.  I love the blue jean patchwork couch in Justina Blakeney's book The New Bohemian.  She also has a tutorial on making a blue jean, patchwork pouf.  Both of these items are hand sewn patchwork where the stitching shows and it is imperfect yet so perfect at the same time.

So, my "want" is generally and always for a new bath mat that I never seem to buy for myself.  Gross but true... I have two or three in the laundry room right now with cat puke on them.  I really like ones that I can just throw in the washing machine.  Are you following my lead here?  Minus the cat puke?

This bath mat from Walmart Plus blue jean scraps, which I have a ton of, is going to happen.

Maybe one day I will continue to blog and show you a picture.  In the mean time... I'm headed to Walmart :)

guest bedroom curtains

this is the second post this morning that I am writing and having trouble getting started on.  I have been on internet lock down and have gotten out of practice.  maybe it's too early in the morning to find my words.  i added a bit of cinnamon to my coffee because as i sit here on the porch it is ever apparent to me that fall is coming.  the tulip poplar trees are beginning to yellow already.  i hear plenty of bird voices from the woods but the summer birds have flown the coop for the most part.  the tanagers and the hummers are the last to go it seems although i haven't heard the tanagers lately.  i know it will be months before their beautiful songs grace my ears once again.  my soul takes comfort in the voices that do stick around.  despite the heat of summer still lingering and the lack of rain the temperatures will soon change and bonfires will be our hang out.  some folks love it... the fall weather and i do admit the break from humidity will be nice but i remain a summer girl. 

i recently found the urge to make some curtains for our spare bedroom.  i had sewn a good set from old fabric scraps for our bedroom last winter and decided it was time to give our guests some privacy as well.  I didn't have enough of the colored scraps to make a set so I decided to stick with whites and creams.  I cut up old feed sacks, a Martha Washington bedspread (that I also swiped the fringe from) and a dishtowel here and there, bridge cloths and old quilting squares.  They are very makeshift and homey which I like.  I don't like shopping for shit like that... home décor... and spending unnecessary money.  what I come up with works just find.  I managed to get two sets made for the windows and have had problems finding the time to finish them.  I came home from work after a twelve hour day with all intentions of slapping the final two panels together.  when I sewed six squares together instead on five I ripped the sixth square off and tossed it aside.  that was three weeks ago.  maybe i will finish them today.  it is easier to do inside projects when the summer creek is not calling my name and you have no choice but to stay inside and find something to do. 

my old computer here has taken the liberty of sucking our gigs of internet like booze through a straw and I have had to stay off except for quick peeks at my crappy emails or facebook.  i have a new plug in modem thing now and we got some more gb whatever that is.  at least it may allow my hobby of blogging to stay afloat.

 

 

 

they turned out quite nice although one or two is longer than the others.  i really don't care.  I'm not much of a perfectionist. 

Around Here

This post could partially fall into the Around Here category because it involves what has been happening around here but also Image Inspiration because my decision and confidence came from pictures found on the internet.  So, here's the scoop.

When we built our home five years ago we chose not to install blinds on our windows.  We have no neighbors and if anybody is out there peeping in chances are we heard them get here or the dog soon will alert us.  I quite enjoy the openness.  But... sometimes I find myself wanting to shut out the light and take a nap and sometimes I get a little edgy when the mood is right that there are open windows right there knowing there are lights on in here and none out there which means at night you can clearly see in here.  You get the picture.  So I finally decided to put some curtains up in our bedroom.  I didn't want to go drilling holes in the wall for something big and fancy... that's just not me.  But I wanted something more than sheers.  After finding a lovely picture on the internet of patchwork curtains made from vintage hankies I knew what my project would consist of.

Last summer, my sister Mary Evelyn and I ventured to an estate sale in which I came home with many items.  Such items included an old charcoal grill in which we proceeded that evening to have what I called an "Old Fashioned Charcoal Grill Out Party" with my sister and her husband, and a big box of vintage fabric.  I do own several old handkerchiefs but not near enough for what I needed.  When I started pulling the old fabrics out and ironing them I got pretty excited.  When I began sewing them together I got even more excited and as of today I have one more to finish and our lovely curtains are done.  Oh, and I chose tension rods to hang them by.  I like the price of the rods (at $2.47 each and WalMart) and I like that if I get tired of the curtains I can easily take them down.  And I like that I didn't drill holes in the walls and buy big rods and hangers and all that.   I did use one hankie per curtain and I wound up cutting out seventy something, thirteen inch squares.  On the up side I have plenty of practice when I go to making my quilt this year.  I just miht need to hit up another estate sale for more vintage fabric!

Here's the picture of the inspiration curtain.

Mine is not sewn near as perfect looking as these... but I am not a perfect girl and care nothing about perfection.  Here they are.

I do like the fact that light can still come through.  The hankies were a bit tough because they were different sizes that the pieces that I cut.  I hemmed the sides and bottom of each curtain and simply made an inch and a half loop and sewed it also at the top for the rod to go through.  

P.S. Sorry about Juanita's appearance.  I had just turned her and watered her so she wasn't much into smiling.