Friday, April 09, 2010

Making Do ~

Wool, linen, cotton...
...tin, porcelain, glass.
I love making Make-Do's !

I have been collecting odd-things to use as bases,
just the right vintage & worn fabrics for the pinkeeps.
rusty steel straight pins,
bent & dull safety-pins
and
shell, bone & mother of pearl buttons
for adornments...

tiny bake-lite rings to sew on and use as thread-keepers,
worn velvet covers the tops of broken pearl hat-pins....
{...be still my heart!!}
I'm also making tiny little child or doll-sized
sewing rolls ~
and scissor-pockets
...made with assorted repro & vintage fabrics and old velvet ribbons...

I collect Make-Do pincushions & sewing needfuls, old & made-to-look-old.
I love their wonkiness, character and impression of a simpler way of life...
...come to think of it,
my entire farmhouse is filled with 'make-do's'...

...the old wingback chairs in the keeping room have been patched with cotton fabric,
where kitty-claws have lovingly (or-not-so) left their mark...

...the small, favorite soup pot in the kitchen that has a replacement handle
(one made from an old garage-door handle!)

2 of my old linen tablecloths, patched with love & brought out every holiday...
the braided rugs in my dining-room that I continue to stitch back together...
...old with the new,
new with the old.
...blending and melding and useful once again ~

XXXXxxxxxXXXXXxxxxXXXX

Blessings from the Farm,
Lori

9 comments:

Riverwood Primitives said...

Oh how cute! I love pincushions.

Gail said...

They use to sew sand in the pincushions to sharpens the pins and needles.

I love repurposing things. Good job.

William Bezek said...

Sadly, the term "make do" has been so over-used and diluted by crafters that I actually saw a styrofoam ball with glitter glued to a scrunched up crocheted pot holder called thus. Your pieces are too full of history (or herstory in your case) to lump with all those things!

Nan ~ Threadwork Primitives said...

I collect make do's too and this new one is so wonderful and prim. What a creative mind you have :)
Wishing you a beautiful spring weekend on the farm.
~Nan

The Cinnamon Stick said...

I love your make-do pincushion...My house too is filled with make-do's - hand me downs that we started our marriage with (43 years the 22nd of April)..I never upgraded as I love the uniqueness of what I have - they all tell a story!! I have sold much better than I own but I just can't give up the memories. A chicken nester was my daughter's bureau and an old oak ice box (insides taken out and a shelf added) was my son's...(just to let you know that you are not alone in realizing what a make-do really is)!!! I love the pictures of your home. Judy

primitivebettys said...

I admire your use of found & loved items. I too have a collection of 'junque' scattered throughout the house to make 'somethings' with... my only problem is that I can't keep my mess organized. However, I did just pick up 3 really KEWL wooden crates at a garage sale. Hmmmm... maybe a start of organized chaos! lol

Love you make~do!

Smiles,
Betty

HomeSpunPrims said...

I love how you "make-do" in your old farm house Lori! I also love your make-do pincushion out of found bits and pieces. Your work always tugs at my heartstrings and makes me smile.

Robin said...

Love the pin cushion, missed you at the auction tonight...found some treasures! Talk later.
xxoo(millstonemercantile)

Lori Ann Corelis said...

It's wonderful Lori!
I too love creating from what has been cast aside . . or joining the new and old!
I'm planning on patching one of our wing backs with old wool also . . . . Why by a new chair ? I'd rather buy the wool and "old" stuff to preserve and create with ! ha .
;-)
Lori Ann