Handmade Aussie Place Mats -My most recent endeavor…
Thanksgiving Traditions
I celebrated Thanksgiving with my husband and his parents. My in-laws are great! My father-in-law is a native Australian. My mother-in-law is from Yorkshire, England. The four of us have a great time together. It became tradition back home in America to make a Christmas Decoration on Thanksgiving. Every year a different ornament would be chosen and all of the Aunts, Moms, daughters, nieces, cousins, and sisters, would make one together. Always putting the year on it somewhere.
Mum came up with the Christmas ornament to make this year. Yes, I call her, “Mum”. We decorated simple Styrofoam balls with sequins, glitter, and ribbon.
Perhaps, you could start this tradition this year with your family.
Tutorials
Make a halter top from a crew neck t-shirt:
I’m making my own halter top from one of my husband’s old crew neck t-shirts and contrasting with one of his old polo shirts. In fact, I’m making it by hand…that’s correct…not using a sewing machine. It is turning out to be quite simple. If you make one, please post a picture of yours.
- Make pants from a t-shirt
- Make skirt from old pants:
from 
to 
- Learn to make a tissue holder
Recent/Ongoing Projects
Thanksgiving Tablecloth and Place setting -For Thanksgiving 2007, my first Thanksgiving as a wife, I made my own tablecloth, napkins, place mats, and name cards. In fact, I made them all by hand. My sewing machine is still in Michigan. A friend of my mother-in-law’s gifted me her scrap material after my arrival here in Australia. Such a Wonderful gift! Thank You! It has been a great delight to have fabric to sew with. If you notice, I trimmed the tablecloth with some of my husband’s old ties….really making a colorful border to the Autumn brown. I love the whimsical pockets on the place mats…perfect for silverware. The napkin rings were a gift to me from my sister-in-law. For the napkins, I picked out some colorful Fall colors and hemmed the edges with black thread. For the name cards, I cut out maple leaf shapes and used four of my colorful plastic clothespins to hold each leaf. I even spooned out apples to be tea light candle holders. These are all packed away for next year!
Quilting - Bridal shower and wedding guests signed quilt squares instead of a guest book. I am stitching over the names to ensure they will not fade with time and washing. Next, will come the piecing together before the final quilting. Should keep my hands busy for quite some time.
Pot Holders - Soon after I arrived in Australia to set up house with my wonderful new husband, a friend of my mother-in-law dropped by with a big bag full of material and sewing notions. She had heard that I love to sew and had not brought a thing with me to my new home. With the material she so generously gave, I have been making quilted pot holders. Hand sewing them because I have not yet gotten a new sewing machine. I chose pot holders because they are quick and easy to do by hand. As I complete more of them, I will post pictures of my handiwork.
Knitting - I have taken up knitting again. I found a simple pattern for a blanket. I have chosen blue & brown…the colors for my new home.
Please share your crafting ideas and projects!
Free Craft Patterns/Sites
Hey lady. Nice blog
Love ya
Mandy
What a good idea about the halter top made from a t-shirt. I think I’ll try it!
Very cute ideas. I have some on my blog as well for those who aren’t big into sewing.
Blessings,
Debbie aka The Real World Martha
http://realworldmartha.wordpress.com
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