Lessons from the river

On our final leg along the Murrumbidgee River, as well as learning from the Red Gum forests, the River itself has many lessons to teach. These are some of them:

The course of life is never straight, but it moves us on from the past towards a future

 we cannot see.

Every bend on the journey brings something new.

There is always hope when life seems dark, if we take the time to look outwards for it.

Sometimes the old needs to make way for the new.

Remnants of the past will remain, despite the new.

After times of trauma, debris will remain.

The "islands" on our journey can be places of respite and the beginning of new growth.

Nurturing brings new life.

We can try to own our lives, but we can never totally control the journey.

Too much of a good thing may kill parts of us, but beauty of character results.

Just as erosion is needed for beaches to form, so erosion from parts of our lives allows new aspects to form.

Remember: Have faith in your journey. everything had to happen exactly as it did to get you where you're going next! Mandy Hale

Saving our planet: making reusable bags for bread rolls

I have used this bag (and previously, produce bags) at Bakeries, when buying bread rolls for our lunches when we are travelling, and have always had a positive reaction from staff (it saves their overhead costs too).

To make the bag I used unbleached calico, and fabric remnants from other projects for the appliqued letters (a good way to use up small scraps). My bag is 13" (33 cms) wide and 18" (46 cms) long, and I took these dimensions from a plastic bag containing 6 large bread rolls, that I had previously purchased at a Bakery.

Cutting the fabric

Cut two pieces of bag fabric, each 13" (33 cms) x 18" (46 cms)

Completing the applique

Find some alphabet letters to use. I used some from a pattern I already had, which was "I know my ABCs" by Kids Quilts, but I found this alphabet on an internet search:

http://www.shinyhappyworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/shiny-happy-words.pdf

Trace the letters in reverse onto vliesofix (a double sided glue backed with paper).

Choose the fabric you would like to use for each letter and iron the vliesofix onto the fabric, with the paper side next to the iron sole plate.

Cut out the letter with sharp scissors and use a pin to help with peeling the paper from the fabric, leaving the layer of glue attached to the fabric.

Measure up 7" (18 cm) from the bottom of the front bag piece and place the letters evenly there (I used a ruler to assist with lining their bases up) and then iron the letters down (it helps to do the placing and measuring on the ironing board, so you don't have to move the piece and risk dislodging the letters; this is the voice of experience!).

Blanket stitch around each letter. I used ordinary sewing thread in a matching colour, but you could use embroidery thread and/ or black thread.

A tutorial on doing blanket stitch can be found here (scroll down to the instructions for Sewing in from the edge): 

http://www.holiday-crafts-and-creations.com/how-to-do-blanket-stitch.html

Sewing the bag

Sew down both sides of the bag and across the bottom, with right sides together, and then neaten with an over locker or zig-zag stitch.

Turn the bag right side out and measure across the width of the bag. Then cut  two pieces of fabric 2" (5 cms) wide and the length of the width of the bag plus 1" (2.5 cms) for the cord casing. It is nice to cut this from contrasting fabric that blends with the letters. Iron in the ends of each piece 1/2" (1.25 cms) and then iron the whole piece in half along its length.

Matching the beginnings and ends with the seams on the bag, sew the casing around the top of the bag, and over lock it to neaten. Using a tapestry needle, darn in the end of the over lock thread. Then iron the casing upwards.

Completing the bag

Cut two lengths of cord long enough to go right around the top of the bag, with added length for tying a knot, and thread each of these through from opposite sides of the bag (going right around the bag each time). A large safety pin is useful to use as a bodkin, and don't forget to tie the cord ends into knots after they have been threaded through.

Remember: Yesterday I was clever, so I wanted to change the world. Today I'm wise, so I'm changing myself. Rumi

Lessons from the Red-gum Forests

Three years ago we began to follow the Murrumbidgee River, from its source way up in alpine country behind Kiandra, to where it joined the Murray River 1,500 river kilometres later. It took us four separate  journeys as there were lots of side tracks to follow.

We have just completed the final journey (from Narrandera to Delinquent and into Victoria), and this is the land of the lovely Red-gum Forests, which edge the River in Reserves and National Parks. And it is in exploring this land that  I learnt many lessons that remind me of the challenges of daily life and living in general.
These are the lessons I learned:

Just as no two trees are alike, we are all unique and individuals ...

... but together we make a forest of talents, skills and ways of being.

Hugs are good: we all need contact with others.

Time can heal wounds and wounds can help us to grow new characteristics .

It takes effort to break through.

We need to find ways around blockages.

New life is always possible, no matter how bad things seem.

Scars from the past may remain ...

... but we can cling on with the last of our strength and ability.

Too much of a good thing can kill us.

We can all reach for the sky and look upwards and outwards.

Remember: Being happy doesn't mean that everything is perfect, it's just you've decided to see life beyond the imperfections. Gratitude App.

Saving our planet: making a bag for rags

I recently decluttered my broom cupboard and needed to do something with my collection of rags. I went google searching for patterns for "rag bags" and found this only turned up patchwork with frayed raw edges, so then I tried "bags for rags" and had the same result. There were a couple of patterns based on having coat hangers on the top, but I needed a bag that would hang from a group of hooks, leaving room for other bags.

In the end I designed my own bag based on Leesa Chandler's Pinwheel base bag, as demonstrated on Quilters Companion Issue 52 DVD (Handbag Workshop with Leesa Chandler). She also demonstrates how to draft the pattern for this bag (to whatever size is desired).

I used this pattern and these dimensions for my bag: Draw a rectangle 7 3/4 inches (20 cms) wide and 16 inches (41 cms) long (I extended the sides on the one in the photo below). Then add a triangle to the bottom, with sides 5 1/2 inches (14 cms) long and making 45 degree angles where it meets the rectangle (and a 90 degree angle at the base).

Step one

Cut out 4 sides, making one an extra 1-2 inches (2.5 - 5 cms) longer on the side. I used two fat quarters of complementary fabrics.

Then cut the longer piece into 2 pieces, 6 1/2 inches (17 cms) from the top.

Repeat with same process with the lining pieces (I like to use old sheets for linings) and wadding ( I used iron-on pellon as I had some to use up, but in future would choose cotton or bamboo wadding rather than this polyester choice).

 Attach the wadding to the outer bag pieces.

Sew narrow hems on the cut edges of the extra long sides of both the outer bag and lining pieces.

Step two

Sew the base of the bag: Right sides together, join two contrasting pieces together along the bottom slope; repeat with other two pieces. Then sew a seam right across the two joined pieces, making sure that they are aligned to alternate fabrics.

Step three

Join the sides of the bag together: Pin the side with the hemmed split so that the two finished edges are against each other, pinning all this to the adjoining side.

Then work your way around the bag, sewing adjoining sides together.

Make the lining the same way, but leave a gap  near the base of one of the side seams (for turning later).

Step four

Make a cord sleeve: measure around the top of the bag (mine was 28 inches), halve this amount (mine was 14 inches) and add 1 inch to this measurement (mine became 15 inches). Cut two pieces of one of the outer bag fabrics, each measuring 2 inches (5 cms) wide and your final length long (i.e. 15 inches for me). Fold the ends of each length of fabric over 1/2 inch and iron down, then fold each strip in half and iron.

Step five

Joining everything together: insert outer bag into the lining, right sides together (the outer bag will be right side out and the lining inside out). Then line up the seams of the outer bag and the lining, and insert the cord sleeves between the outer bag and the lining, starting in the middle of the fabric that does not have the gap in it. The ends of each sleeve will meet in the middles of this fabric. Sew all the way around the top of the bag.

Turn the bag out through the gap in the lining, and then sew the gap closed.

Step six

Threading the cord through the cord sleeve: Cut two pieces of cord long enough to go all the way around the top of the bag, with extra for tying together into a knot. Thread each through the cord sleeve all the way around the top (I attach the cord to a safety pin for this job), with each cord starting on an alternate side of the bag. Tie the ends together in a knot when the cord is through. Now it is easy to pull the cord up if you pull from each side simultaneously. 

Step seven

Finishing the gap: Turn the bag inside out and pin the lining to the bag at the gap and then hand-sew the two edges together on both sides of the gap.

Remember: When you recover or discover something that nourishes your soul and brings you joy, care enough about yourself to make room for it in your life. Jean Shinoda Bolen