Finally my sewing machine returned home from the repair shop. Old friend, it seems like you've been gone for ages. Thankfully the repair was simple and (relatively) cheap with only a blown fuse to replace. (And it's a relief my clumsy sewing didn't cause a catastrophic problem. Phew!)
And how best to celebrate its return - sew bunting!
I got started with a
tutorial, then made a few changes and additions. Unfortunately while I was finishing the project, I realized a couple of stupid mistakes I made along the way. Oh well, craft and learn. (And I'm probably the only one who will notice the oopsies anyway. I beg you - don't look closely at the photos!)
True to form, I had to make it a bit more complicated than the tutorial by stitching around all the triangles (30!) with a complementary pinkish thread, but I think the extra work makes them more stable - especially since they'll be outdoors - and neatly finished.
The tutorial shows loops at the end to hang them on the wall. Instead I sewed on an extra length on each end to make a handy tie. Then I figured I should make some matching fabric ties. Again, more work. Thankfully I picked up yards and yards of bias tape in
a great New York trim shop to skip the tedious step of making my own.
Finally it was time to hang the bunting today!
So sweet, I think. The pinks and flowers are perfect for summer. (I am a bit worried my neighbours will think the single girl has really gone off her rocker.)
I must admit I had to take a break from this post to take it all down and adjust it for reasons that will really make me sound crazy. But now it's just right.
A tip of the hat to another crafter . . . my dad made the lovely wooden planters at the front of my house. I can't believe how much the plants have grown. Another lesson - buy less plants than you think you'll need. Some of them disappeared under the petunias.
