Wednesday, October 19, 2011

A Bunting We Will Go

I signed up for my first Blog swap. Squiggly Rainbow's Bunting Swap.  Awesome I thought, I love bunting.


Before I started making my bunting I began seeing pictures of peoples bunting creations on their blogs, and I felt daunted.  You see, I'm more of a wannabe crafter than a proper crafter, and I didn't really think about who I'd be swapping with. Serious expert, whip up anything in a minute crafters, crafters who write books about crafting.  There were some seriously awesome bunting creations being made, not just your basic triangle.

I put off the task at hand until the last possible moment. Then pulled out my cheap and nasty eBay sewing machine, chopped up an old tea towel and did a practice run. The machine groaned and I had trouble with the tension (both mine and its), cotton snapped, the light didn't work, but eventually I got there, in a far from perfect way. I cheated a bit with zig zag scissors. My favourite moment was sitting in the sunshine sewing on doily bits and buttons.
I hope no one is disappointed!



The two year old designed this one, lion bunting.


Then the middle one started adding touches. The kids were interested in seeing me crafting and gave their opinions. My eldest said she would like to know how to use a sewing machine. Hmmm, so would I.

Finally 8 triangles were posted out a little late,Tuesday, here is my accompanying letter: 

Bunting from Bowerbird Blue.  Sorry about the sewing.  I haven’t pulled the machine out for years, it was being very temperamental and the light didn’t work.  The operator’s skills may also be to blame. The fabric came from a retro skirt for a tall skinny person and old doily and button from kids craft draw. I got to sew bits on in the sunshine while playing dominoes with my little one. Bird calls filled the sweet spring air.  It was great to remind myself how much I like crafting.

I have received 4 beautiful flags so far, 4 to come, so exciting going to the letter box at the moment.  I would do it all again for this joy alone! And I think I've found my crafting mojo, if I can just get that machine to behave. If it wasn't buy nothing new month I'd be tempted to go looking.....maybe Christmas. I might try to give the cheap and nasty sewing machine some love first, or maybe that Singer that's missing a pedal and power cord can be fixed.

Don't forget to enter my giveaway, especially if you like birds.


5 comments:

  1. Hi, Wow your bunting looks great and the kids were interested too, bonus! Love the colors and can imagine it hanging in between trees blowing in the wind, actually i think you have inspired me to drag out my sewing machine and cut up that huge pile of table cloths stashed in a box.

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  2. I think it looks beautiful! And it sounds like everyone had lots of fun!

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  3. What a lovely job! You know I had not heard of a bunting before. There are always plenty of craft supplies over here if you need any :-)

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  4. Andrea, yes I think it is meant to fly in the breeze. Those table cloths sound exciting, hard to make the first chop.

    Thanks Sparklee, we had fun and I was happy how they looked if not too closely examined.

    Aw thanks Kimbamel. Would be fun to have a crafternoon with you and Lisa, you could teach me a few things. Maybe we should ask Kath too!

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  5. You could bunt all the way to london with your fabric hoard, good to see you made a start on the stash! Looks lovely x

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In the spring, at the end of the day, you should smell like dirt.
Margaret Atwood

“She turned to the sunlight
And shook her yellow head,
And whispered to her neighbour:
"Winter is dead.”
― A.A. Milne, When We Were Very Young