~ Late January Diversions ~

 I choose to call them 'diversions'

...instead of 'distractions'.

to me, a diversion is a good thing, 

while a distraction can be

well, not-so-much.

in the midst of purging/cleaning out every room of this old farmhouse,

I'm re-visiting lots {LOTS} of magazines, books, patterns & things that I've forgotten about.

like these!:

Molly Makes is a good one for vintage & color-loving folk,while Granny Chic is just plain FUN....the others are books on crochet techniques, which I am perusing once again due to my recent re-fascination with artisan yarns.

 Joan & I each purchased this pattern for a sweet little apron-like top to wear with our jeans ~

we bought them last Summer with the best-intentions of making a slew of them

to wear to shows & events.

I have pulled it out, picked out my fabrics and will be sewing up my first one in the evenings...

I'm excited to share my {good or bad} progress with you!

February 1st's edition of Early Work Mercantile will be here in just a few short days ~

I'm working on another humble-embroidered heart {my fav. thing to make lately} 

and also a hooked chair pad...

the 'dusty' colors of pale blue, peach, sage greens and light violet of this cotton fabric

are the perfect match to the dark chocolate brown I chose for the prairie-cloth backing of this heart

 pretty, huh?

I have always disliked polyfil or other synthetic stuffing material.

I don't like how it seeps through the fabric and shows tiny little filaments...

~ plus it's too soft & smooshy for me.

I prefer to use saved scraps from previous projects to stuff with...

makes for a nice heavy old 'feel'.

and, again...

that yarn.

it all started a few weeks ago, 

~ when for Christmas I received a gift card to Joann's.

there was a sale on yarn and I was looking at how beautiful it all was ~ so very colorful & textural.

And I decided to get my crochet hooks out and work up an infinity scarf for myself....

progress below ~

 

Yes, please excuse the cat hair in any/all of my photos.

Mr. Iggy is always present when I work, 

so there is a little bit of him in everything I do.

 

My Schedule for today:

Blog {check}.

Process/ship orders. {yay!}

Laundry {ugh}.

Start working on Taxes {double-ugh}.

Walk in our deep woods a bit, before getting back to my needle & thread ~

Count my Blessings {yes}.

Wishing you all a Monday filled with sweet diversions!

 

Blessings from the Farm ~

 Lori

{ ...diversions... }

 

sometimes I just like to make things...

no plans, just make something.

 

while I was in Joann's the other day, I saw one of my favorite magazines,

'Mollie Makes'

so i had to buy it.

 

it just so happened to include a free kit

(as most every issue includes a free kit of some sort)

this one was for a little oil coth purse.

how cute...

 

 

 

sweet, but I didn't want to use the oil cloth included....

(i'm crazy like that)

 



pretty, but I wanted something 'different'....

so....

 

I opened the little kit package and took out the supplies:

purse clasp

oil cloth

paper twine

 

 



 

I was thinking of something more like this...

using some of my beautiful, nubby, washed silk matka in a beautiful shade of mushroom....

 

so I sewed it up...

 

then I turned to my trusty threads...

...these are my Gutermann threads in my favorite colors ~

 

 



turned the little purse rights sides out ~

(a little wonky-looking, but hey....)

 

 



grabbed my scissors,

cut out some organic shapes from tiny scraps of wool

...and began freestylin' :)

 

 



I like to change out the colors of my threads to clash/compliment my wools

and I use a variety of simple stitches...

colonial knot

stem stitch

whip stitch

straight stitch

 

 



 

after a bit of staining, then attaching the purse clasp to the top,

...it is finished.

 

 



 

I'm happy with it...

plop in a few coins and save for a rainy day.

 

~ have a beautiful weekend my Friends!

 

Lori from

Notforgotten Farm

In between the Hustle-Bustle...

between the baking of cookies, shopping & decorating ~

writing christmas cards and shipping...

I rely on my needlework to keep me sane!

(& I'm pretty sure i'm in thee best of company)

Have you all had the pleasure of perusing this new magazine?

it hails form the UK, and I found mine at our Barnes & Noble Booksellers yesterday...

it is simply charming.

it is fresh, clean & has a kind of quiet-refinement that my overworked brain craves this time of year...if you get a chance, check it out...it makes me happy!

and

of course, so does this:

my SEWING basket!

oh I have it all stocked-up alrighty...

pins, needles...pencils, punches,,,

scissors, threaders & even my little AMAZING-ly bright mini OTT Light

I keep these things right where I need them...next to my comfy stitching/reading chair...

for those quiet moments (that aren't too abundant as-of-late), but cherished nonetheless :)

I'm working on charting the Feeding the Reindeer & Merry Yule patterns,

along with some new designs for (yikes!) Valentines Day & Easter

(say it isn't' so!)

BUT, please bear with me as I master yet another obstacle:

a brand new software program for designing my crass stitch patterns on this MAC!

Hoping you all have a creative day my Friends!

blessings from the farm,

Lori

P.S.

some have emailed asking where I purchased my sewing basket ~Walmart is the answer!