- a heart with heart -

During 2010 I was continually inspired by so many bloggers... I have always had a thing for second hand shops and saving the planet and just trying to do my part. Always seeing the potential handbag where you might see a tea cozy. A crochet rug where you see plastic bags, a dress where you might see a bunch of old stinky ties... Well, after stumbling upon Heidi&Seek last year, Hayley(thinker maker) made me realize that I was well on the right track and that I could be even more environmentally conscious in my creating. So then I started thinking not only of what type of materials I use but also where it came from. That's when I started going to charity shops, not for my usual "item-to-be-transformed" but for items which fabric could used to make something totally new. My Gran turned 80 last year October and had received a beautiful American-themed-quilt from my uncle the month before...     

So I went to our local HOSPICE with the picture painted in my mind's eye and I found some old (all cotton) stuff :)

1. I made my pattern from old newspaper and cut The front basis and the buttoned back out of the red blouse.
2. Here I did the same, making smaller heart patterns and cutting one out of each of the other shirts, pinning them in place, I went to my sewing machine to applique one layer on top of the other.
3. For the finishing touch, I made a crochet flower from postal string, worked it off. I cut a small circle from the off-cuts of the red blouse, placed it inside the flower, positioned it on my front piece and sewed it on with a button. Some more buttons were sewn on just because I love buttons.
4. Using crochet thread, I out-lined some of the heart layers with zig-zag and cross-stitch embroidery stitches. Pinning my front and back panels together, facing each other, I sewed them together with my machine. I then used my buttoned back to turn inside out. 

 ...And there you have a pretty, cozy, American themed heart cushy...

 ... these buttons used to unbutton a shirt not long ago.

 A cushy like this one you just wanna squeeze!

Happy 80th Birthday, Ouma Oriel!

(standing next to my Gran, is my cousin Christa, from Honduras)

What a memorable day<3