Saturday 16 November 2013

I get by with a little help...


Where would we be without friends?


Without a friend, I wouldn’t have made these placemats. I thought these were so cute, and I wanted to make them for my family as one of my very first sewing projects.

But can you spot the difference between the photo and my mats?


My centre panel of linen didn’t match the photo, and my mat fronts weren’t the same size as the backs. I followed the instructions so carefully, I measured, measured again, cut, sewed, measured again...then I rang my sewing guru Jooles in a panic, about to throw out the lot and call it quits.

Well, my friend came to my rescue and helped me realize that the pattern was to blame, not my new sewing skills. There was an error in the measurements of the centre panel (it’s supposed to be 12-½” square, not a 12-½” x 10” rectangle, for any of you with this book!), and she encouraged me to find a solution to this problem, rather than giving up! So we played with fabric scraps, and I decided a side panel would do nicely, picking up a featured fabric in the patches.


(I actually like mine better...!)

Without a friend, I wouldn’t have tried my hand at quince jelly this year.


She kindly handed over another batch of the beautifully floral-scented little fruits last week...


So now I have more delectable jelly to give away as Christmas gifts. About a year ago this friend also gifted me a pretty pink orchid, for helping out during a hectic week. It has since flowered twice more, with greater numbers of blossom each time.


I just had to share this beauty with you – I’ve lost count with the blossoms, both sides of the stem are laden with incredible orchid flowers! A true gift that keeps on giving...



Without a friend, I wouldn’t have finished this pretty cross-stitch posy:


And thus a new craft interest is born! This cherished friend also has taught me to knit (and promises to re-teach me once Little Flower is at primary school!).

Without a friend, I wouldn’t have ever contemplated making a quilt.


But you all know how that one turned out!

And without my blog friends, I wouldn’t be anywhere near as creative, inspired or productive as I am today! Your comments, emails and your own blog posts have offered me such pleasure and have enriched my life – even if it’s simply sharing our craft ideas for making a house a home. These little things have big meaning, offering a constant source of comfort and symbols of love for our families.

This week I passed the 100 posts mark, since starting in April this year. I wanted to share my appreciation for my friends, with my friends. You all know who you are, the ones in my daily life and the ones in my “blog life”. I appreciate you very, very much!


 Chrissie x


31 comments:

  1. This is a beautiful post Chrissie <3
    Happy weekend,
    Sarah xox

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  2. Friends definitely make the world go round. ♥
    Kate x

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  3. Ah a warm post to read before I head out to a craft fair today to be on a table by my friend selling great stuff too. Jo x

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  4. How wonderful to have such wonderful friends! You have made some beautiful things Chrissie, and I prefer your placemats!! Congratulations on your 100 beautiful posts. xx

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  5. Such a warming post, it is amazing what you can achieve with the encouragement and inspiration from friends. Your orchids are beautiful and your placemats look much nicer than the ones in the book!

    You have made lots of wonderful things!x

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  6. What a lovely post. So grateful to my Real-life and Bloggy friends too...have a happy weekend

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  7. This is a lovely post. Friends in real life and bloggy ones are absolute gold and from your beautiful pictures have helped enrich your life. I feel exactly the same as I shudder to think how things would be without my friends.

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  8. A beautiful post Chrissie and written from the heart. Firstly you're super lucky to have the very talented Jooles as a friend to help when you need to but so are we lucky to have you. Thanks for your support and interest and isn't it just wonderful how much we can get from this bloggy community, we live in a changing time, but I often think its all a good change. We are all blessed. Enjoy your weekend. Ps I'm going to teach myself how to knit next year, I reckon train trip and cuppa needs to be organised!! Xxxx

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  9. What a lovely post!
    I love those sweet placemats, and yours with the extra band of pretty fabric are far nicer than the book ones - well done you!
    Gill xx

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  10. your placemats are beautiful!

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  11. Well done you old friend you! Jane x

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  12. Hi Chrissie, I love your placemats even better then the books. Plus they have your own touch and creativity!! Love the orchid too, I have 9 orchids and for some reason they do well!
    xoRobin

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  13. Your placemats came out beautifully! Clever you, I love the way you made up for the error in the pattern. Your orchid is stunning. I've never had one because I am afraid I'd kill it but I really love them. I agree, friends are wonderful and blogging friends are an important part of my life. :)

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  14. What a lovely post ... congratulations on reaching 100 ... Bee xx

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  15. 'Make new friends but keep the old, one is silver and the other gold'! It's a lovely little ditty from long ago isn't it, and just came up in my head again as I read your gorgeous post which is very touching; I agree wholeheartedly with your sentiments Chrissie and take this opportunity to thank you for being such a good, kind, encouraging and inspiring bloggy friend! Congrats too on 100 wonderful posts, and on your gorgeous makes over that time - you (and Jooles) did a great job in overcoming the problem with the pattern and I love your placemats. Warm hugs, Joy xo

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  16. Friends are truly the best, friends in person and friends in blog land. Love your placements,

    Hugs,
    Meredith

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  17. Oh Chrissie, what a lovely post - makes me feel all warm inside and I can also completely agree - friends are everything xx

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  18. Anonymous9:41 am GMT

    Friends make everything worthwhile don't they, lovely post Chrissie - a reminder that we need to cherish our friends.

    ukcitycrafter@live.co.uk

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  19. A gorgeous post Chrissie. Friends are the best..bloggy and real life ones! Your placemats are lovely and yay for 100 great posts.
    Marianne x

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  20. What a beautiful post, and what wonderful friends you have. Definitely love your placemats more, couldn't see what was wrong with them until you said. Woo hoo for 100 posts and thank you for being my bloggy friend :) xx

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  21. I think your table mats are an improvement on the ones in the book! I have only made one thing from that book, but her next one - Zakka Style is chock full of errors.

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  22. Hi Chrissie, the place mats are lovely, i like the material and the stamping, really nice. One day i will make placemats!! also your quilt is beautiful, Heather x

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  23. Aw lovely title and lovely post! Your placemats are stunning really great. xx

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  24. I prefer your mats to the ones in the book. So pretty and cheery. You inspire me to craft more and I hope to finally be able to join in with CAL this week x

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  25. Beautiful post Chrissie! The place mats came out perfect even though the pattern was a mess. Your orchid is so beautiful and full of flowers! There is something so wonderful about the blogging community. Blogging friends real enrich our lives with support and inspiration.

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  26. I have that book so thanks for the tip-off about the incorrect pattern! The mats came out beautifully in the end though didn't they? Such a lovely post Chrissie XX

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  27. Where would we be without friends! Love your quilt, just wonderful! (It's so annoying when there's mistakes in patterns....drives me bonkers!) :) x

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  28. What a lovely post! I think your place mats are gorgeous. How very, very annoying that there is an error in the pattern. That happened to me recently and it drove me mad. I agree, friends - both "real" and bloggy ones - are the best. xx

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  29. yes indeed, your post gave me a warm fuzzy feeling as I thought of all the things me friends do for me. Your blog continues to be an inspiration.........I love the place mats and that extra strip improves the pattern, Ali

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  30. What a fantastic post to mark your centenary! You have some wonderful crafting friends - lucky you! Those place-mats are fab. So glad you're part of this wonderful, inspirational craft blog-community too. X

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  31. What a beautiful post, Chrissie. I'm so happy to have you as one of my lovely bloggy friends! All of your projects are so pretty, and I like your placemats better too! xo

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