The hunt for the unexpected

My daughter had an extra long piano lesson today and so my boys and I got to really take our time at the thrifts this afternoon.  I found some good weekly reader books and a great little ottoman covered in yellow/gold naugahyde.  Then I found this piece of upholstery fabric.

It is enough to recover the ottoman but I am not sure that I can bear to put this into harms way (of feet and such).
This was sewn and then hand trimmed it looks like.  Can you see how great it is?!

The wildlife is leaping about

You know it is the monsoon season when the ground is thick with creatures.

And now for something completely different.

Here is the before shot--an ultrasuede jacket from the 50 cent rack.
Ta daa!  My new purse for traveling.  I really like it but I wish I did not always have to carry so much stuff (I am secretly a boy scout and must be prepared for everything).  
Those front slits are actually the pockets from the jacket--I am thinking of putting buttons on them so stuff won't fall out.  What do you think?
The inside has lots of pockets and one is perfectly sized for a Moleskine.
Now I have to clean my house but I am thinking that wardrobe inspiration might be too strong to resist.  

Patterns

I found many vintage patterns at a thrift store for a song and bought them all up.  Then I got them home and wondered why I bought them.  I read the blog A Dress A Day and think I just got on the bandwagon for old patterns.  Anyways I decided to put them on Etsy and sent a link to Erin over at Dress a Day.  Then all the lovely readers came and began buying the patterns--I love that they are going to a good home.  (The two patterns pictured are still in my shop.)
I wish I could get some of that red and white print for me--are they llamas?

Moving along

Here is my pile of 5" squares--I figure there are about 500 of them which means I can make a king size quilt.  I am thinking that I will have this professionally quilted.

There is a rough layout--I have put the colors in groups of four with the browns surrounding.  I am not sure the design shows but I think it doesn't matter.  I have to put some more strips together so I can see it a bit bigger.
Now I have to figure out a backing fabric--of course it will have to be thrifted or something that I already have.

I have been dreaming of a linen quilt.

Pile of washed linen clothes from the 50 cent rack at the thrift store.  About $8 worth of clothing--mostly 100% linen but some are linen/cotton blends.  (that shiny grey there is a lining)

Buttons, zippers, labels and cut up linen fabric.

Close up of the lovely pile that will be a quilt.  I am going to do 5" squares in a random pattern.  after I have cut up all of this I am considering adding a few embroidered squares from my hankie/handtowel stash.

I am cutting up the squares now and will be posting the results soon!

What do you think of this?

So I made this out of a felted sweater.  It was gorgeous yarn and probably very expensive sweater but I got it for 99 cents and threw it in the wash.  It shrank up really small and sturdy so I threw it in a  pile for a few months and then pulled it out and made this basket.   I folded the edge down and put some strapping band  inside to make it hold it's shape and sewed it all together with wool yarn.  Is it good or too lumpy?

More desert flowers

When you live in the desert you have to pay close attention to things in order to see truly beautiful things.  This is some sort of weedy vine in my weed patch that I love because it is green.  Sometimes I think I should more carefully arrange the plants and cultivate orderly blooms but I am not much of a gardener in  a more moderate clime, and working in the yard here involves heatstroke, so, you know....   
I have been busy with the kids in swimteam and I joined the gym and have been going for a month now (yay me!).  I think that I am starting to see windows of opportunity for crafting/sewing/studio time.  That is good because this summer is going by fast (summer starts here in May with the hotness and all).