From Prayer Flags to Vintage Buttons

What's that old saying? "The devil is in the details". I posted minutes before midnight and it added onto the day before rather than for Wednesday's post. I really thought it was later than it was. April Fool.

The Constellations quilt project is put away, and I pulled out the April Prayer Flag project. My machine is really chugging its last, and an email came saying the new one is delayed. Of course they cannot tell me when it will ship so now I wait.

I am using some fabric given to me from a friend in Australia that is an aborigine print. Looking like it is stamped, it is quite unusual. The print repeats every 6" which is the width requirement, however, it is only 9" long and so a 3" piece needed to go onto the back for a sleeve effect. The fabric color is interesting too. Its not really a red or pink but is in the red family with the stamping color a blue of sorts.

I usually stitch ties on mine so they can be hung by themselves. I strung a rope between two trees in back and can see them out my studio window. With this swap, there hasn't been feedback so I am not sure what the recipients do with theirs. I've already hung my own for this month outside on the rope hanging between two trees in the West. 

The theme is to realize and take action when opportunity appears. 

I applied the Kilz sealant over the red on the walls in my entry, and while the can says it dries in 30 minutes, I gave it a bit more time before applying the darker blue. Of course, other rooms accommodate what was on shelves in there and it has gotten a well-needed deep cleaning. Tomorrow, the final coat of blue goes on.

And then a surprise package came from Madison. Rex has been on the lookout for buttons. Our mutual friend Beckie had quite the stash and sent a huge package of them for me. These are vintage buttons when you could buy a card full for $.30-.50! They aren't really collector items for really old buttons, but amazing non-the-less. The back of the card says they are made in Japan, and I am wondering if it was a pre-WWII era. I haven't heard the story how Beckie came by them, but Rex said someone in Beckie's family worked at a button factory. 

I remember being given a jar of buttons to play with as a child and still find it quite soothing to sort through them. I have no ideas how to use them but will be thinking.