Treasures and Repurposing

Louie and I went junkin' this weekend, and here are some of my treasures! I saw this round jar, and I decided I loved it, and needed to bring it home. Now, believe me, it did not look clean and sparkly when I bought it, but I washed it with nice hot soap and water, then added my Bottom Line thread, and I love it. More eye candy!I found two more Queen size pillow shams. I need a 12 step program, I swear. 'Hi, my name is Michelle, and I am a pillow sham junkie! I know I will figure out lots of neat things to do with them, but in the meantime, I'll just keep collecting them! I also found an accessory box, which I will probably put, well, accessories in, and some Maxi-Lock thread. Now, don't gasp in horror, because I know some of you would NEVER dream of piecing with serger thread, but now the secret it out. I have used serger thread to piece ever since I moved up from the regular size 'spool's of thread, to the big honkin' cones. I actually had another hunter green and teal colored cone of thread, but I shared them with my sisterinlaw Polly. The teal case is a credit card/wallet thinky, and I don't know why, but I had to buy it. I think it was because I liked the color, AND, I know it is VHS, but I have always loved the movie 'Baby Boom', and I think I only have it on a recorded VHS tape, so for 88cents, I bought that too.Oh, look! I found some more pillow shams! These are standard size, but very very thick and heavy. They will turn into great 'something or others' someday, I just know it! I also found a couple of sheets for quilt backs.Ok, here goes my imagination. A couple of months ago, I was looking for plate holders for some plates I had bought. I couldn't find what I was looking for, so I went to Hobby Lobby and bought three individual ones. Of course, a few weeks later, I found this one. It has been leaning up against the wall of the garage for several months now. Then, one day, just out of the blue, I thought, 'Oh yeah, I know what I can do with that plate holder...I'll set quilt books on it!' Ok, so now there are a few screw holes through the wood on the ends of my bookcase, but if I can't enjoy it, then what good it life? Life is for living and holes can be filled with wood putty, right?Sew, remember the Queen size pillow shams I told you about up at the top of this post? Can you see how they match the standard size pillow sham I got awhile back?(there is one covering the machine sitting on the shelf to the right of this machine). Well, I decided to make a sewing machine cover for my new Janome. Ok, I know you all think I am strange....admit it! I didn't like how the cover just drooped, especially since the machine is recessed in the cabinet, so I was thinking of a way I could get it to be more 'boxy' and sit more rigid over the machine. Sew guess what I did? I went up to my office and got out a few of my unsharpened pencils. I shoved one up and across the inside of the over right next to the seam line I sewed to box the ends up, but I wanted to make sure the pencils stayed in place, so I got out my trusty ice pick, and poked three holes per end though all the layers of fabric, then put a thin ribbon through the eye of the biggest needle I had, and tied the ribbon very tightly around the pencil through the fabric, then tied little bows. I did that on both ends. Then, on the needle end of the machine, I wanted to make the bottom of the cover 'square', so I put a pencil inside the hem I turned up to make the cover short enough to be the right length from top to bottom, and I poked more holes, and tied more knots. So, what do you think? Look out world! I have more pillow shams!SOS

Where can I store more fabric?

My sewing room shelves are crammed!

There's no more space beneath my bed

And the guest room closet is jammed.

I have a friend with an attic

Who would let me store some there,

But such separation from my treasures

Would be more than I could bear.

Meanwhile there are three bags full

From the big sale I went to today

And I can't think where to put them --

Or what my dear husband will say!
Jacquie Scuitto