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!
