Worth Doing.

Today, it's been wet so  we have both spent quite awhile taking photos of valuable items. ( these aren't but I wear them anyway )

 Why?
 Last Friday at P and Q one of my special quilting friends who turns 80 at Christmas time made me promise to go home and take photos of all my jewellery and valuable items. Last week she was robbed of hers and didn't have photos of them so has found it difficult trying to remember them all and describe them all for police. Some had more sentimental value than monetary but she was of course quite upset that someone had been in her home! So my plea to all my bloggy friends think about doing the same ( if you haven't already )
                                               ***********
 At 4pm the rain stopped so I went for a walk in the fresh air with the camera.

4 cherries on the driveway.

 Awanui up close.

 

Golden elm flowers.

Rain on kingianum orchids.

There are lots perched on this old ponga trunk outside the dining room door.

****

 Now would you like a laugh on me?

 What are these?

 If you can't guess I will tell you in the next post. There were about 120 and we ate them.

The Good the Bad and the Frustrating.

Firstly. Good Morning Everyone.
Here are some camellia flowers to bring you a little pleasure Meg.

 Camellia japonica  "Jean Clere" an Aspasia macarther sport first found and propagated in NZ.

 Twilight.

  All the camellias are flowering well after a wet Winter.

******

 I think I mentioned on Monday that our kiwfruit had been taken out of the Controlled Atmosphere coolstore where it had been since picking time in May and got packed into trays and boxes ready for export. We are very pleased to find that we got our 3rd biggest packout ( out of the 30 times we have grown for export ) and the fruit size was 31 ( which is big ) so that was a good result. They did find some soft fruit in the line but it can't have been too many and after all that time some softs or rots can usually be expected.

 We have started the next ( weekly ) round of checking our vines for psa disease and still no sign of it ( fingers crossed. ) so that is a second good thing.

 But now I want to rant.

 This morning I went to the phone to transfer some money from one account to another...something I have been doing successfully for at least 10 years or longer. But in it's wisdom our bank, one of the largest ones in this country has made some changes. Yes ,we did get a letter saying changes would be happening but not what the changes would be. It seems because our main working account of our orchard business is set up that both of us have to sign cheques ( a security measure when we set it up many years ago ) we can no longer use phone banking. So now we have to both go into the city next week and change how our accounts are set up as I wish to be able to continue to use phone banking which I find really convenient.  We will have to change to just one signature. How can that be more secure for us? ( it wasn't broken so don't fix it ).  I could however transfer money between some other accounts ...but that is where i wanted to put the money........I do get the feeling banks manipulate us to do what they wish not the other way around.

 rant over back out to the garden before the rain arrives.

Iridescent.

I was out taking a photo of these lovely polyanthus  ( primroses ) when I spied this little helper.

 An iridescent blue ladybird. Apparently it's proper name is steel blue ( halmus chalybeus ). It was eating little aphids - not scale as it is supposed to eat if on citrus trees. There were in fact 2.  Perhaps I will have a family of pretty little garden helpers soon.

 I was wrong about the wind not getting us. Yesterday was a shocker. The wind swept short blasts of  heavy rain again and again. In between the sun tried to emerge. Today is very chilly....I know they got snow in the South - I hope your animals are okay Nicky.

 We couldn't really work for any length of time out side yesterday so made a quick dash to the city to do a few chores and while there remembered to go and buy a shredder... Recently when doing lots of cleaning out of documents I decided having a shredder might be a good way of on the spot recycling of personal / orchard documents.

 This is what results. I am going to mix it with the garden rubbish and put as mulch under the avocado trees.I think it will need heavier green waste on the top so it doesn't blow around. A bit of experimenting will tell if it is worth doing. It is however a slow process - taking staples out and feeding the thing. Maybe once I have got rid of the back log it can become an every few days job. Paper does build up around here. We recycle newspaper and crap mail at the recycling depot. This is more for A4 size and old accounts. Looking at it I think it could be used as packaging too. Maybe I should have a  worm farm as well as compost bins.They like eating paper. Thinking, thinking. 

 ****

 See how tidy my herb garden is looking. if your eye sight is good you might see lots of mint at the back, newly emerging radish and carrots, thyme and sage and in the front strawberries and parsley.( lots of moss to get rid of in the little paths )

 The sun is out so back to the garden effort straight after lunch.

Spring Progress.

The weather hasn't been wonderful but Spring is all around. Some parts of the garden are very bright. Both  Rhododendron Rubicon are  just out on the driveway.

The climbing blue pea on the woodshed trellis is just opening.

 Viburnum tinus Eve price has heads of bloom of tiny, tiny flowers. It doesn't have as much perfume as some of my Viburnums.

 I made progress too.

 Another apron finished for the sales table. This fabric has a quilting theme.

The pink mug rug got finished too. Not totally happy with some of the mitred corners on the binding.  Does anyone  have some tips? My corners seem sharper on the back then the front....I wonder if there is a better way?. Making mug rugs there are a lot of corner per unit size wise - in fact they seem to be all corners. I am much better on the corners of these coasters. Here this shows the steps involved in making them

 Top left and Mid top are just pinned ready. Top right is half pinned.

 Bottom left is hand hemmed. Bottom right is just positioned ready.

 They all get machine quilted next to make them really strong.( all NZ fabrics with a blue theme.)

******

 When it was pleasant outside over the weekend I did lots more gardening too. My thumb ( a bit cracked ) has to be plastered before I start now - that's a sure sign I have had it in the dirt too much.  Lots of weeding; cutting back plants / shrubs; replenishing soil in my herb garden with compost and other goodies. Planting more radish and carrots.

***

 We got a phone call at 4.30 last evening ( Sunday) from the pack house to say they had just started packing out our Kiwifruit ( which have been in Controlled Atmosphere cool store for 4 months since it was harvested.) We were a bit surprised as there was no fore warning.We didn't even know the coolstore room had been opened. It has about 5 growers fruit in it. R went for a quick trip over there this morning and said it is going okay. Quite a few  soft fruit but also quite a  low packing reject rate. So by the end of the day we may have some packout figures. ( who know how many more crops we will have to harvest with PSA spreading fast all around us. ) This was the 30th crop we have had packed. I hope they market the soft fruit locally as it is very sweet. ( but they will probably dump it or use it for cattle feed. )

*****

 It's a cloudy day today - we luckily didn't get battered too much by the wind like other areas of NZ  over the last few days

******

* Thank you Meg I will try dental floss - good idea. Hope you like the flowers here today.

 * Nicky I am glad someone else keeps well stocked. I hate special trips out for just one or 2 items. I try to plan best use of a trip and do as much as I can each time the car goes out.

* Jennifer, thanks but I think that might be too much work...especially as things get sold so cheaply.

Another Finish.

I put the finishing touches to this bright apron this morning. The fabric has Tuis ( NZ native bird ) on Pohutukawa flowers. I am back to sewing items for the sales table at our Exhibition which is now only 2 weeks away. 3 years ago we had a sales table of only aprons and the sold very fast. I can't remember how much we charged for them but  it was cheap ( as most sales table items seem to have to be.)  I have another mug rug (pink ) ready to sew the binding down tonight. Yesterday I spent time trying to find a way to package the mugs and rugs for the sales table. I tried cellophane, it curled the mats and plastic bags looked awful so it has come down to sewing the mug handle  to the rug and price tagwith thick cotton. They could easily get broken so I will have to cover a box for them or something  I think. ( any bright suggestions anyone ?)

Here they are laid out - some already successfully matched with their mug. I learnt when buying these mugs  -do it the other way round. First buy the mug them match fabrics to it. ( the sets of coasters are much easier to package.

 *******

You know it's a windy day when thick bath towel on the clothesline are dry by lunchtime.

 I have been out gardening ( no kiwifruit work today)  I have just planted in 2 small spaces some snap peas . R grows the main crop ones a bit later ( usually greenfeast ) but I wanted to try something different. The packet says they can be eaten small, pods and all. I now have 3 small areas of vege/herb garden to look after and grow different things to R in the main garden. Last year my beans were by far the best - mainly I think because of the open exposed to the sun and wind spot they were growing in. They grew slower but stronger and didn't get any damping off. Although I still love my flower garden I seem to want to plant more food crops. R even think he might dig up a new patch of paddock down by the bell for the potato crop this year. It will be a fight with the pukekos all the way I think. But a new area is always good and less chance of disease. Maybe this urge to grow more food is because we both read an article in the Coast and Country paper that gets put in our mailbox; an article by Dan Fraser, stating that world wide there is at the moment only 3 days of food for the world's population.( probably 3 months in this household  if you count deep freezers and store cupboards. ) He states there is a looming food crisis, which will have devastating economic and social affects the world over.

 

So you all better get on with the gardening. I better get back to work as my tea break is well and truly over.  

Finished in Time.

It has binding. It has a label. You know what that means. Phew, it is ready with time to spare. Although I don't like the brown particularly I think the backing fabric makes the quilt interesting on both sides. Vegetable just might be something wee kids in the Philippines would recognise and know the names of. This little quilt to be donated to the Ruel Foundation after it has been part of a samll display  of Charity quilts & balls at out upcoming Exhibition.

 It was a surprise when this Daff opened in the middle of all the yellow trumpets. It came with the bulbs I bought loose for 20cents each from the daffodil garden that is being turned into sections...(such a shame.)

 These I planted.

 These I got for free. I let both a parsley and a coriander go to seed and have seedling now of both. Far more parsley than I need but surplus just  get pulled out. I potted some earlier and they are looking strong. I gave a couple away. I love to be able to do that.

 We are walking the rows of kiwifruit vines checking carefully for any signs of PSA disease. None found so far here; BUT it is spreading to many other areas ( Waikato and  Coromandel now )

Embroidery and Chocolates and Discoveries.

I'll start with the discoveries. Threaten your PC and tell it it is about to be usurped by a laptop. Then give it the tune up of it's life. Even get out it's manual ( HP -  PC troubleshooting and maintenance Guide ) and do all the maintenance jobs it can possibly do. Dump the shortcut icon for blogger on the desk top and get into Blogger via the internet search engine and replace it with a new icon.
 Spend the whole evening on the couch with the laptop and do research. Read everything on Bloggers Help. Read everything on Picasa's sites. Realise that everything that happens with Picasa , be it buying more storage or deleting photos on your blog  takes 24 hours to take effect.
So today by deleting many photos and some entire blogs from 2006 and 2007 yesterday  I seem to have freed up some storage space! Yippee. Yes, Pam  thanks I am now only uploading small ( resized ) photos. ( I do have a photo programme that will crop and resize to 2 smaller sizes ) ( I wish I had known about the storage limit way back when I started out - I am not sure photos were being stored on Picasa then? A lot has changed on Blogger since 2006 ) I feel a little better informed - it is always good to know more ( especially if you are me - a need to know person. )

See that yummy photo at the top. It is a Thank you gift from the Pack house - for being so obliging about the audits! Ha ha. It is a lovely gift and was so beautifully  packaged ( all recyclable ). In it's own little black paper carry bag with red tissue paper spilling out the top with  wrappers and information. A local NZ product I didn't know about.  Yum yum yum. ( that's for you Isabelle ) It was made at Chocolate Brown in Warkworth. Ours was the praline selection.( all good so far - just starting the second layer - only 16 chocs all up )

 Now back to the embroidery from last week. Christine Knowles and several other had made these fabric pieces where bits are burnt away.

 Laurie has some photos of what she liked on her blog.

 This box was my favourite - by the same person

.

 Faye's Poppies were very modern using tinfoil over sewn.

 Finally what about this quilt. ( not really my colour but the story behind it is mind boggling.)

 I like how it was displayed. It is a bears paw pattern made by hand by Florence Mainwaring between 1994 and 2012. It is entirely hand pieced made using paper stencils and scissors ( no rotary cutter ) and is all hand quilted. For her grand daughter Joanne. That is dedication in this day and age but she love stitching so I understand her delight in making it. ( time must be a factor )

  The first day of Spring here in BOP New Zealand is superb. I must get back out there!

I hope you  have a happy weekend!

*******

* Something which has been making me laugh on the blogs that still require verification is the way spell checker pops up and underlines the garbled letters with a red line as a spelling mistake!

Blogger is not Playing Fair.

I am having trouble with blogger. At the moment I am using my laptop, which will let me type and upload photos . I have  been back through and deleted lots of photos and even some entire posts. All the photos I took yesterday at the Embroiderer's Guild Exhibition are on my PC which will no longer even sign me in to blogger. What is going on?
 It has to be a problem with that computer which is stranger still, cause I haven't changed anything on it This afternoon a wasp decided to sting me which has made my even more annoyed.
 I'll get back to normal blogging when I can.

Gardening and Sewing.

A whole weekend without rain!

Here R is taking my wool packs full of weeds away to be put as mulch under the avocado trees. I toiled for 4 hours  both afternoons and got a lot done. I have never seen such vigorous Winter weeds ( from all that rain ). Shivery grass was the worst - it's roots had formed a white layer across the surface of the soil so it had to in some cases be removed in a layer. I can see where I have been but there is always more to do around here. We also sprayed out the shell paths and edges and over the banks both mornings. We just couldn't waste 2 full fine days. Today is dull and rain is expected but as yet it remains fine.

 My favourite photo from the weekend is the lichen on the viburnum tree outside our bedroom window. The branches on the northern side ( shadiest ) have the most.

 This same tree is getting it's new leaves and flower buds. I love how they unwrap!

Things I have been thinking about. 

*Along with Chooky blue and some others I have to say how I hate wasting time trying to get the word verification correct on the comments section of some of the blogs I like to read. If I try twice and it's not correct I dump my comment and leave. Some are just so hard to decipher.
 * I read with some dismay in the NZ Listener ( page 45 )  that many hand cleaners, soaps toothpastes have a chemical in them called triclosan. A study has found it interferes with muscle activity    by inhibiting the flow of calcium ions.  I went and looked and sure enough we have some liquid soap with it listed as an ingredient. Worse still our 2 toothpastes don't list the ingredients!
 Anyone else know anything about this?
 * Finally I have a quilting question. 

 I have been stitching in the ditch on the horizontal and vertical lines of my quilt. I have pressed the rows in opposite directions so they sit snuggly into each other. When I am going along the ditch ( on the downhill side - less layers ) am I supposed to jump the ditch at each intersection to stay on the downside or just continue on the same side of the ditch? What do you do please?

 if the intersection isn't 100% perfect the problem is tricky.

It's Been One of THOSE Days.

Charles Raffill Magnolia.

The sun shone all day and it was fine right up till 7.29 this evening, ( when the heavens opened again )but it's been one of those days where every little thing that can go wrong does go wrong. Nothing major, just little annoying stuff.( I will spare you most of that detail ) except for the most annoying of all. We use free range eggs and I usually have a self imposed rule because of past experience, that I break all eggs into a cup just in case. Tonight I decided I would just make quiche for our dinner as it was getting late ; one with veges, cheese etc. I broke my own rule and was breaking the eggs straight into a large bowl ready to beat. the 4th egg was rotten......absolutely putrid and of course my reaction was a tad slow and a wee bit dribble out on top of the 3 good eggs.  That wasted 4 eggs down the toilet. ( the smell quite put me off my dinner and I love eggs. ) The use by date on the pack is 29th August.
       On the brighter side,we have been seeing some sun the last few days and we got our crucial spray on the kiwifruit blocks D and N ( thanks for your phone call -  you are so kind ). The tractor made big ruts in the ground as it was so water logged but he didn't actually get stuck. Today we had our GAP audit and the auditor had an auditor auditing them....how silly is that all getting .......so when the sun was shining we are stuck inside doing paper shuffling. Never mind we passed.( we have to do these audits to be allowed to export avocados. )( there is a kiwifruit one too! )
 Yesterday I got some lettuce seedling planted and the day before put in carrot and radish seed - no need to water. The days have been lovely when the shine does shine.... it is just that the rain is winning. Every time the sun dries things out the rain replenishes it.

    Some days I have fitted some quilting in . My little quilt top is slowly being quilted and is going very well so far. I  think I will have it ready in time. Let's hope tomorrow is a more productive and satisfactory day.
   Last night I finished a book I enjoyed." Pliny's Warning, " by Anne Maria Nicholson. It is a fictional story of Vulcanologists and has historical information in it, right back to Mt Vesuvius erupting in 70 AD. It even mentions White island in NZ..... which is kind of spooky as our volcanoes in NZ have been grumbling as I was reading this book. 
* Janice our kiwifruit should have Zespri stickers on them. Some of the fruit is class 2 and will have other stickers. if you see any write them down and tell me. You would have to see a whole tray full or box full to get our grower number.

Colours Look Better in the Sunlight.

Be they flowers or fabric a little bit of natural light ( from the sun! YES ! ) lifts the colour to another level.
 The fact that I saw the sun this morning led me to risk putting a huge load of bath towels on the clothes line...they might get dry but clouds are building. I also went around the garden seeing what was opening in the sunlight.

Bees from hives stored across the road from us ( I suppose ) were in my herb garden pushing each other out of the way to get at the flowers on Mizuma that had been left and is going to seed. I counted 23. ( that's great we do so need their help )

 While I was there I searched for a caterpillar I knew must be hiding. Last evening when I went for mint for the potatoes I found a very chewed stalk and knew that someone else was enjoying the fresh new Spring growth. It was getting dark so I didn't search then but remembered this morning to hunt for the culprit. Sure enough I found a big fat green caterpillar. I put him on the lawn and applied my foot. Mrs. Blackbird or Thrush will find it later and say, "Thanks very much".......that's how it happens around here ( sorry Isabelle ) But that too is part of the cycle of life.

 Although Kangaroo paw are Australian ( and I therefore thought they liked it dry )  they seem to be thriving with all the wet.

 Now this is just a simple single flowered geranium in a pot but I love it's delicate simplicity.....My favourite colour for geraniums, but I also like crimson red ones . ( less so orangey red or cerise ) I noticed lovely potted ones at the turn around point in the walking race at the Olympics.. They seem to be a favourite plant to grow in the UK.( and do well there )

Also looking pure except for splatters of soil on the leaves was this clump of 3 white hyacinths.

Lemon and yellow and mauve freesias are now flowering but it is too early for my really perfumed cream Burtoni .

 This lemon one is growing up through white flower carpet rose bush and the stem is 18inches long!

*****

 The photo at the top shows I have been sewing together the strips of half square triangle for my little charity quilt. It is now going to be 12 rows wide ) Yesterday afternoon I detoured into the city to buy some really thin batting for it.  As the quilt is going to a very hot country it needs to be as light and easily washable as possible - so needs very thin batting.

 I got some reduced price backing for it too and some other fabric for making sales table aprons if I get around to it. While there I met  3 other ladies from my P and Q group ( funny that that we are all drawn to the same shop when they have things reduced in price. ) they were mostly buying stuffing for the clutch balls they took home to finish. Yeah It worked. There are now ladies making some charity items that never offered before. That pleases me and shares the workload.

 ****

 Jennifer have you seen the Saffron Craig fabric line called Wombat Wonderland? I am sure you will need some of that.

Colourful.

They aren't all finished yet but here are some of the colourful clutch balls for Ruel Foundation that the ladies stitched on Friday. A dozen almost complete and more in the pipeline.All the precut packs I had made and the ones D and I cut last week got snatched up....so our cunning plan worked. Supply all the parts and the stuffing and a little instruction and to work they went.

 It is very wet here today ( 4 inches over night and still raining ) so I am glad I got some sun on Friday on my way home from P and Q group. 

The Carmichael Reserve is at Bethlehem and not out of my way. I can hurry around the walk in 20 minutes ( plus photo time. ) Yesterday was also fine but I knew rain was on it's way so I worked feverishly all afternoon in the garden. By 5 pm my back said," hey I'm tired, better stop now." So I did just a little more and finished the job feeling very pleased with my effort.

 Today I have all the half square triangles I have been working on spread across the floor to decide on placement. I may decide to do one more row. I will piece all the strips together before I decide. It may end up looking too long and not wide enough. I have added enough brights that the few uglies are hardly noticed. I am rushing through this little quilt because someone( at P and Q )  decided we wanted a small display of our charity work at our coming up Exhibition and we have already distributed all the finished charity quilts..... so guess who is making another one.

Mainly Work.

Firstly Thanks Sooziii for your concern over our safety. Apart from what we saw on the TV News and on line and on web cams we wouldn't have known Mt. Tongariro was erupting. An interesting little happening for most of us but very disruptive and work producing for those close by, who have to clean thick ash of roofs and vehicles and garden. Rain probably washed the pasture clean. ( or will do in time ) Also work for DOC who have to check all the tracks and huts. Some damage was done that will need repair.

 Here this week we have had this big beast mulching up all the shelter trimmings.

 It was too dangerous and  difficult to get close while it was working. It has done a great job.

 Today I finished working in block 3 kiwifruit, so came home a bit early. There was some sunshine too which I lapped up as there hasn't been a lot here lately.

 When it was wet we both went into the shed and completed shelling all the walnuts I collected and dried early. This is the final bag full. We store them in the freezer where they remain fresh and free flow for ages.

Quilting. I needed some stuffing for 6 clutch balls, I cut out the fabric parts for and  ladies are going to make tomorrow, so I unpicked and un stuffed/de stuffed ( is there a correct term?)( reverse stuffing perhaps ) a fabric Christmas tree I made a couple of years ago and never liked much. It had a surprising amount in it. ( recycling)

 I have also been into the parts department and sorted some left over half square triangles and cut and and sewn quite a few more to make a worthwhile number... to start  making my next Charity quilt. Some of the fabric in the left over lot were very uninteresting colours and designs so I have pulled some light brights to give it a lift. Photos when I have really  accomplished  something.

 Olympics.    There is still plenty to watch. There were some unexpected medals and some of our competitors  who must be really disappointed. (I don't think the media should predict wins before they happen.)  My Aussie friends your medal table result has really improved, that must make you happy.

 Last night we also saw some good results for the Canadians -  D and N are you watching?

 We are proud to hear that NZ has now, over many years, earned 100 Olympic medals although the first 3 ever were won as part of an Australasian team. So we will celebrate when we get to 103 as well!

Celebrating Kiwi !

Oh what a great weekend to be a Kiwi!

So much winning, all at once is quite amazing. With just a population of 4.5 million people, and not large amounts of funding our team at the Olympics has exceeded all my expectations.( and I think there might be more to come ) We are sitting well up the medal table.

 To top it off the BOP/ Waikato Chiefs won the super rugby final against the South African Sharks 37 - 6. ( a good result eh Dale? ) I spent a lot of time over the weekend watching our Olympic competitors and those from other countries and loved it. I think UK has done very well too, with so many spectators cheering them on. Thanks for cheering for us when you din't have any of your own competing at the time. Unfortunately there was a down side to the weekend with 2 Kiwi soldiers being killed in Afghanistan.

 I have been sewing things kiwi.   I finished quilting my first set ( I think there will be more ) of coasters featuring NZ fabrics.

 From the top left they feature a Kea;  Stitchbirds;  NZ flax; NZ Kiwifruit; Kiwi and a Kaka.

                                                *******

 The rain has gone for now, so back to work.

* Thanks Carole I now understand what a Zine is.

* Thanks for your email Janice. Yes, you are right we don't get hard frost like you get and that is why we are able to grow sub tropicals like avocado.

* Isabelle I hope you are coping, my thoughts are with you.

Small Projects.

5 mug rugs finished for our sales table at our Exhibition which is in September .

Firstly Thank you to Katney and Jennifer for your comments. Since I last posted I have been back into past years of my blog and removed photos that were not crucial to the meaning of the blog. I am now compressing all photo to take up less space - it does compromise the quality but that's what has to happen if I am to continue putting photos on my blog ( every post needs I photo I think) I won't be putting up many video clips either. If I run out of allotted space again I will do the same again. I wish I had realised this was likely to happen much sooner, but then it is always easy to be wise after the event.

 The weather here has been wet, wet, wet. Only occasional kiwifruit work has been happening during fine spells. Lots of small sewing / quilting projects have been happening.

I am now starting to put together sets of coasters using heatproof insul - bright batting, and featuring New Zealand fabrics.These will be some of my hand sewing  ( and pinning ) while watching the Olympics.

 Last night was great viewing. Well done to those 2 young South Island Kiwis - Nathan Cohen and Joseph Sullivan who won GOLD in the double sculls.  In NZ many of us are sports crazy....I was interested to read in a list in the Listener that before the current games started NZ ranked 10th in the world for numbers of Olympic medals won per head of population.

Yesterday my friend D who is recovering from her cancer treatment really well, needed some company and so arrived out here with her sewing and fabric and had me cutting out parts for clutch balls, all afternoon. We are making them into kits to handout at meetings to get members to sew and stuff . There is more chance they will make them if we present them with everything they will need to make a ball.  Ruel Foundation can take as many as we can make. I still have lots of cut around ( from fussy cutting eye spy quilts ) childrens' fabrics  that I am donating to the cause. Each ball takes quite a bit of fabric because it is not flat but many sided  - has depth where little fingers can clutch - hence the name.

 D also had with her a little dress she had made . She belongs to a group of ex Girl Guides and they are all making pillow case dresses for a project called dressagirlaroundtheworld.com/     Dress a girl Around the World. The website has patterns and videos if you are interested. The idea of using a pillow case was to save cost I presume - but it does not necessarily make a  pretty dress - unless it is a pretty patterned pillowcase. A small length of print fabric works just as well.