Block 5 of The Sewing Room, and usefulness...

 

I think this is the first time I have shared this year's block of the month pattern on the first day of the month! Normally I share it a day early. ;-)

For May we're focusing on PINS, because what sewing room is without pins? How can we create from fabrics if we have no pins? I don't know what your favourite type of pins are but I mostly use tiny glass head ones that can be ironed over, and are so fine that they slide in and out of multiple layers with ease. 

Dp you remember this little rhyme...

I do not believe in luck, but always trust in the providence of God. However, the little rhyme in the photo above is not actually about luck at all. It is about thrift, and not overlooking the usefulness of small things. 

In fact there was saying back in the 17th century, with a smiliar meaning -

"He that will not stoop for a pin, will never be worth a pound." 

When I reflect on growing up with Nana and Pop, nothing was wasted, not even a pin. Not a button, and most certainly not food. They saved worn out clothing to use for patches, yarn to mend the hand knitted socks, balaclavas, beanies and scarves, and even things like broken shoe laces. I'm sure you have many other examples from your own childhood...the things is, they valued what they had, and were very savvy about how to make use of things which we today mostly throw away. 

So now you know my inspiration for choosing PINS as my theme for this month's free The Sewing Room block. I even stuck one of my old glass head pins in the pincushion, between the embroidered ones. 

Use the link below to download the free May block

DOWNLOAD Block 5 of The Sewing Room

I think that during the month of May I shall focus on mending, because learning about the story behind those little pin rhymes has inspired me to look at what I already have in my possession, the things that have broken or are worn out, and consider how to make use of them. I have ideas about using scraps of fabric or worn out clothes to create new items I can wear, and of course my new love for Japanese Boro stitching/mending will definitely impact that journey. 

Over the past week I pulled out a cheap white cotton dress which has not been worn for about four years, and looked at it with new eyes. There was a frill along the bottom edge, which I did not like at all, but the fabric itself is sturdy and soft...so...I cut off the frill, pressed it, and along with some scraps of light grey linen, I began to re-create the dress as a Boro inspired, patched top. 

It's a work in progress because I still need to sew lines of running stitch across the patches, but so far I am loving it! 

In the book I borrowed from the library, the author takes you through her process of bringing old alive with boro, and she does things like sewing patches longer than the hem line, and using different shapes. So I did similar...

The more patches I added, the more I thought of adding running stitch leaves, which gave the top my own signature stamp. 

This will keep me busy for a while, as I am still deciding 'what next' for patch placement, and considering dying the top a denim blue so that the different fabrics and the running stitch threads take on different hues. I also need to work on the back of the top. But it is so pleasing to try a new technique and see the value it will have long term...and I do admit that I LOVE running stitch, and always have, which is why it features on many of my designs, and hand quilting. Probably another reason I enjoy sashiko so much. 

The Yumiko Higuchi embroidery design I am currently working on from a new book I was gifted, is coming along nicely, and yesterday I stitched the lizard - the main reason I wanted to embroider this particular pattern from the book first. 

Blossom asked me what I wanted for Mothers Day, as these days we always ask family members to be specific with what they'd like to receive, especially those of us on a budget. :-) My choice was sashiko threads in variants of blue. Up until now I've used Perle 12 threads for sashiko, and its been great while I learn and practice, but I am excited to use the proper threads for a larger project (using squares of recycled linen from the scraps box).

My current read from the library is Moonflower Murders, the sequel to Magpie Murders. I admit to really enjoying these books, and find that my 3pm cuppa on the cosy couch by the window is the perfect place to sip tea, nibble on cake, and read a chapter before taking the washing off the line, folding and putting it away, and then watering the garden. As a creature of habit, this relatively new afternoon tea ritual, has quickly become my new normal. 

At night I read something different, and currently that is On the Banks of Plum Creek by Laura Ingalls Wilder. Now it doesn't bother me one bit that this is a children's book, because it has so much goodness and life lessons from the 1800's that I am always learning new things, and many of them lead me back into my Bible. I find that I learn more from those who went before us than I learn from those who are around us now. Perseverance, faith, ingenuity, thriftiness, humility, hard work, contentment, grief, joy and enthusiasm, being just a few life traits from LIW's books which inspire me in my own life as a Christian wife, mother, grandmother and homemaker - though I am still, and always will be, learning to live this way.

This is Kelly, on our cosy couch under the window. He watches my husband drive off to work in the morning like this, and then he is right back there when he hears the car return in the evening, though in the evening his tail wags like crazy because he's so excited that 'dad' is home again. :-)

We had a surprise today, just an hour after hubby left for work. He called to say that he had lost his job. I do not think we were really surprised. This late in life career change to real estate wasn't all that it was thought to be (or hoped to be), and as he had chosen to stay true to God and just be himself, he was let go. 

But God, eh? He is faithful always. Just two hours later, my beloved man was employed by a different company, back selling cars (his previous occupation). He has always had a wonderful reputation as an honest car salesman, and those in the business did not forget that, so were quick to open their door to him. 

The moral of all this? Be who God called you to be. Trust God to teach you through life experiences, and grow from them. A good reputation is worth gold. Never lose hope. xx

May God bless you always, and bring His Word alive in your heart each and every day, so that you grow in His ways, lean on Him in times of trouble, and praise Him no matter what you're facing. 

Love and prayers, 

You will find my design account on Instagram HERE @jennyofelefantz

And my other Instagram account, just for homemaking, HERE @elefantzhome

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