The Tailor of Gloucester by Beatrix Potter

Frontispiece: The Tailor Mouse
Helen Beatrix Potter, 1902 © Tate

I've always enjoyed the stories and illustrations of Beatrix Potter.
Especially these from the book The Tailor of Gloucester.

I'm sharing a few of my favourites with you today.
Her detail of the embroidery is so wonderful!

The Mice at Work: Threading the Needle
Helen Beatrix Potter, 1902 © Tate

The Mice Stitching Button-Holes
Helen Beatrix Potter, 1902 © Tate

‘No More Twist’
Helen Beatrix Potter, 1902 © Tate

And my favourite song the mice sing, while working...

"Mew! Mew!" interrupted Simpkin, and he scratched at the door. But the key was under the tailor's pillow, he could not get in.

The little mice only laughed, and tried another tune—

"Three little mice sat down to spin,

Pussy passed by and she peeped in.

What are you at, my fine little men?

Making coats for gentlemen.

Shall I come in and cut off your threads?

Oh, no, Miss Pussy, you'd bite off our heads!"

You can see all of the illustrations from this book here.

You can read the book online here.

Happy Stitching!

Making Quilts as Gifts

It's so true...
I often have fond thoughts and remember moments & memories, as I work on a quilt for someone.
It's like adding love with every stitch!
I have a meme that says that, too. :)

After you gift the quilt, to be sure the receiver takes the proper care of it, so they can treasure it for years, I have a free printable Quilt Care Instructions you can request from the highlighted link & give it along with the quilt.

And of course, finishing of your gift by adding a quilt label on the back, with the special information you'll want them to remember - for generations to come!

I'm so pleased I'm able to offer these fabric quilt labels, which makes adding one to your quilt so easy!

I like to tell my recipients, that wrapping the quilt around them is like getting a big hug from me...

Happy Gift Stitching!

A Thread Catcher Idea

I've been using this idea for quite a while now...
To catch the thread bits that I clip or pick off my patches, as I sew by my sewing machine, I used to keep a small piece of scrap cotton batting... But this had to be pinned to the rubber mat that sits under my machine, which would poke me or scratch the desk.
Then I came across a large covered button in my stash and this idea came to me!

I removed the shank on the back, cut a circle of cotton batting, and put this thread catcher together.

Having a sticky felt circle the right size for the back, I added it to finish it off.
Note: Through the years, I've replace the batting a few times, and have even used flannel with the same effect.

Now it sits in front of my sewing machine, and 'magically' holds the threads until I'm ready to move the batch accumulated...

...into a large tin, which which is kept handy for my tiniest scraps of fabric, batting and threads.
When this tin is full I dump it into a pretty older pillowcase, and when the pillowcase is full I sew the end closed. It makes another great cushion for my kitties to use.
Tip: If you don't have a pet to give this cushion to, local pet shelters are always looking for bedding for their dogs and cats.

'Sew' Useful!

Sew Relaxing!

Sit on a cushion and sew a fine seam.
Lovely Mary Engelbreit needle card.

Wishing for You some Relaxing Stitching!

Don't You Love When That Happens?

I scheduled some time this weekend to get the August Television Block,
of my 'A Novel Idea' free Block of the Month online.

I gave myself the time to make the block, process the photographs for the tutorial and even write the tutorial.
But what I didn't have time for was a big search for the right buttons to add to the block as the television knobs.

What's keeping me extra busy right now, is preparing for the 2018 Online Quilters Meet & Greet, that I'm hosting, beginning September 4th.
And this past week my new Fabric Quilt Labels arrived, and I had a bunch of packages to get in the mail, for those who pre-ordered.

I know where my button boxes are - one for each colour of button.
Yes, my button collection is that big...and fun...and I'll share some pictures of it some time.
But, of course, the black button box is on the bottom of a big stack, with lots of boxes stacked in front, because I live in this small house. I really didn't relish the idea of spending my precious time moving so much, just to get to the box.
I then spotted two jars under the bed (been there for ages), full of buttons that had not been 'sorted' into my collection.
I grabbed one of them, washed the dust off of it, and dumped it into a tray, hoping & hoping that there was a pair of black shank buttons that would be the right size for television knobs....please....

At first I was frustrated to notice that most of the buttons in the jar were not black, and of those very few had a matching pair.

And then I found them!

I couldn't have picked better buttons, if I had gotten to my black button box!!
Don't you agree that these are perfect?

I love when that happens! :)

Enjoy looking through your buttons...

Sunday Sew Art

Vintage Sewing Machine 

Beautiful artwork by Alf Caruana

Happy Sunday Stitching!