I found the perfect gift for Mom this year. Since she moved to the nursing
home, she's done a lot more handwork than quilting. Quilting takes up too much
space in her living quarters, so she just moved to one of her other pastimes.
She's gone back to crocheting for now, but she also does other handwork.
Anyway, I didn't want to make anything that would take up too much space, so
I decided to make an armchair caddy for her. It's perfect to hold her tools, or even
a little treat while she sits in her favorite chair making something wonderful.
I used two of Lillalotta's beautiful twill tapes...one to adorn each pocket.
They say exactly what I want, reminding her that her daughter in Florida
loves her. (She tells anyone who asks that she has five children - not four - and
one of them lives 1500 miles away. Me!) The tapes also coordinate perfectly
with the fabrics. (I used a few "Dandelion Girl" fabrics from my stash.)
I used crushed walnut shells to stuff the pincushion. They add weight for stability
and keep pins sharp at the same time. This is a really great pattern, too. I made
this gift in two hours - start to finish (including hand sewing the binding)! I just
may have to make a few more of these as gifts, or to sell in my Etsy shop, or our
guild quilt show boutique in Febuary. Do you think they'd be "good sellers"?
I'm working on a few hand stitched pieces right now. They're also on
my list. I'll show you those photos tomorrow. Gotta run. Lots to do!
