This is Sophie’s meadow. She likes to hang out there and seems to be the queen of this space since I rarely see other female cats there. Or maybe she is more confident out in the open because she has the best camouflage in the neighborhood. I just had to take her picture as she stood in the cut daisies (yellow), hedge parsley (white), and Indian blankets (red and orange).
I dug out an old bias tape maker from my sewing box and put it to use making fabric ties for cloth masks. I’m honestly not sure whether this particular well-made piece came from one of my grandmothers, or from a bundle of goodies from a garage sale. There are no makers marks, and definitely no remaining packaging.
This tool makes 3/4” single fold bias tape. For garments, bias tape is cut on the … wait for it … bias. Which means at a 45 degree angle to the fabric grain. It makes a tape that is more flexible than those cut along the grain. But I am making fabric ties from scrap fabric, so I can get more by cutting with the grain. (Here is a great blog post about bias tape, if you want to know more from a quilter’s perspective.)
To make the ties, I fold the single fold bias tape in half to make double fold bias tape (it is nice when nomenclature makes sense). I then sew along the edge to finish the tie. I do tuck in the ends so they are neat. The mask pattern I’m using has a pocket for the ties (or elastic if you have it), which I really like because it means I can have ties that slide and can be changed out for different ties.
I have baby basil and potential strawberries! Hurray!
Awhile ago I switched to wool dryer balls in the dryer instead of dryer sheets. For the most part they work well (I do still use the sheet if I have a fuzzy blanket because the static is too much for the wool balls). I’ve been keeping the balls hanging next to the dryer in the nice cotton drawstring bag that they came in. Except getting the balls out of a drawstring bag when it is hanging is irritating. I thought about using a simple basket, but there is no where near the dryer to set a basket where it won’t fall off. It finally got to a point that the irritation was more than I could bear (honestly, it doesn’t take much right now). So I crocheted a hanging mesh bag with a wire rim so it was easy to get the balls in and out.
I started with coated steel wire from my wire stash. I used some variegated cotton, also from my stash (yeah, I haven’t been to a craft store in two months, <twitch>). I formed the wire into a loop with a handle, then did a single crochet around the wire to cover it. I crocheted the mesh (2 double crochet, chain 5, repeat, for those that want to know), from the top down and then decreased to close the bag. It functions! Hurray! It is also kind if fun to throw the balls at the bag to get them in.
I think this cute chubby tree frog is guarding the rain gauge. Ot maybe making commentary on the lack of water. Or maybe mistook the stand for a tree. Anyway, he makes an adorable guardian.
Critters and Craft 