Friday, February 07, 2014

Appliqué Preparation.

We needed some rain so I wasn't too upset when I got rained off after just one hour kiwifruit thinning. I allowed myself time to do some preparation for my next appliqué flower block. Firstly I cut the remaining flowers out that I have yet to make and ironed them flat.
 So they keep reasonably flat I hang them on skirt/ trouser hangers. Inside my sewing cupboard I have some hooks which are useful for this as it hides them away, keeps them clean and unfaded.
 The flower parts are traced onto freezer paperand then cut out and ironed onto fabrics that I decide to use.
 Placing them on top of the pattern where they are going to be sewn helps me to see if the fabrics work well together and have enough contrast.
 The completed blocks are also hung on another hanger in the cupboard.

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New Zealand readers.....Is it time to start boycotting Countdown supermarkets? As an exporter I find it very worrying that some Australian supermarkets are taking our products off their shelves and not renewing agreements/ contracts  to stock NZ made or grown. So what does this mean for us? Our kiwifruit and avocados are exported to Australia. ( Are they now going to go just to Asia? )
 I did notice the last time I was in Countdown the amount of shelf space they had given to oils from Australia. Countdown  also stock far more fruit and veges imported from USA. I will do more research, but am prepared to take my custom 5 kms further down the road to New World that does have nicer meat and loads of NZ fruit and vegetables and some other products I buy that the opposition does not stock. ( if enough of us took this action it might make a small difference.)

2 comments:

Nicky said...

I had no idea about Countdowns recent changes, though I can think of several products they don't stock that I too get from New World. The hangers are a great way to store the applique blocks, thanks for showing how it's done.
Have a lovely weekend Ali...

loulee said...

I shall bear that in mind when I go grocery shopping! 5 Days until I head your way. :-)