Saturday, May 30, 2009

Bright As a Button.







Yesterday I bought a few new buttons....now that is something I haven't done in years. Yes, I do have a button jar but it did not contain buttons in the colour I desired for my aprons. It is a jar of everyday buttons ( many cut off garments being put to rest ); much depleted by children both at home for games and in the classroom where sets of them ended up on maths tables and for games counters.( my collection does not have the sparkle and treasure quality my Nana's Queen Anne chocolate box of buttons held when I was a wee girl - ahhh... ) The ones I bought had to be cheap, flat and in the colours I wanted as the aprons will be washed so fancy ones would be a hassle. 4 aprons now.....they look quite colourful hanging on the door. The green one is partly made of calico and the pieced border I had made for something else and I have yards of it to use, so that one didn't cost much and will be fine on our sales table. I have now decided they all will wash and iron better if completely top stitched as close to the edge as possible, so that's done. Now to sew the top flap down and secure with a button.
I haven't had much sewing time really just evenings as the week has been a busy and varied one. ( GST; car warrant; the whole long garden border weeded; leaves mown up ( lots more to come ) and the worse job digging out some plants that have to be moved to repair and extend the deck at the front of the house. How could they have got so big? First I did 3 treasured Hostas that are currently dormant. I found places for them all even after dividing them up, but then came a small flowered maroon colour orchid. It ended up being 7 clumps! Some things had a ride to the front gate in the wheel barrow. That may all sound straight forward but it wasn't as the plants were all entangled in the large roots of a cut down Gleditsia tree. It will take me many more sessions to clear it all.
Why do I like gardening? ( sometimes I don't ! ) It ruins my hands and nails, makes my digging muscles ache, scratches my skin and make me sweaty and tired.
Today I have to prepare finger food to take to a 50th Birthday dinner ...aren't we lucky to have a friend who is so young and invites us.

7 comments:

carles Comella said...

Interesant blog.

molly said...

Aha! We are already planning our second annual quilt show at the Botanical Gardens for November and this time we're having a gift shop. Each of us will be making items to sell there to raise fundsfor the guild. Your aprons would be perfect! I'll be awaiting the promised tutorial!

Jennifer said...

Those aprons are great and I'm sure will be popular - practical and pretty, what more could one ask for?

meggie said...

Laughing at your last comment.
Oh to be so young again!
Your aprons look very cute. Well done.

Joyce said...

Beautiful aprons. I never thought of using quilt blocks for that style of apron. I have started gardening here too. Trying to dig grass out of my flower bed. yuk.

loulee said...

I inherited two button tins. I love to play in button tins even now.

Unknown said...

It is so rewarding when you finish some job in the garden, you look at it and enjoy :)