Sunday 24 October 2010

Weekend of Odds and Ends

No this is not my bathroom. Sad as it sounds the highlight of my weekend was buying a craft book published in 1972 at a charity stall. Full instructions are given for the pretty toilet seat and cistern covers below and they are not for the novice crafter so I won't be tempted to try this craft. I've heard the '70s was the decade taste forgot so that could be right. The same book has the pattern for this pretty poodle bottle cover, perhaps to hide the fact you have already drunk the contents or to hide the contents from the drinkers, who knows?


And why not make a cover for that ugly old fry pan, if the neighbours drop in and you did not wash it after last nights fry up, well pop the cover on and all is hidden.

Please email me if you feel you must have the pattern for these retro treasures. Patterns free to the first 250 emailers. Lots more very interesting items in the book I might show at a later date.


From a much earlier decade when women felt obliged to stitch a cover for just about everything these are from my linen collection. Three bag holders for string, in the 2 on the left the string is placed in the bag with the end coming out of the mouth.

A bag for gloves and on the left a holder for matches and on the right a holder for a note book all hand embroidered.



No need to explain the ones below as the have their uses embroidered on them so no mistakes can be made. For example the shoe polish won't be mixed up with the dusters or stockings.



Another match holder, two doyley holders a pot holder cover with embroidered pot holders inside and a pocket for matches at the top. Also two book covers, one with a matching bookmark.


And then we come to my craft. I am making great progress with "The Kiss" so it is unlikely to end up as a UF.O. I need to get it finished as William and Kate could announce their engagemant at any time and the Queen's Diamond Jubilee is getting closer so I must be ready to stitch Royal samplers again.

I hope that in years to come no one will mock my stitching (apologies to the toilet seat cover) and wonder why I didn't spend my time in more noble pursuits. Perhaps learning a second language, studying the Greek classics, learning to play a musical instrument or even how to change the oil in my car, this list could go on but then I wouldn't have time to cross stitch and I don't want to get oil on my hands.



Visit Gattina at Writer's Cramps for "What Did You Do This Weekend?"








9 comments:

  1. The poodle bottle cover is fabulous. That would definitely be a talking point at any dinner party!

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  2. HAHAHA! Oh you brought a good laugh for me this morning! I totally remember us having a poodle bottle cover ~ I actually have a picture of it (which I just looked for and verified) as I was taking a picture of my sweet kitty I used to have when I was young and there right beside him is the poodle bottle cover!!! LOL! That's a good one!

    What a fun book to look through! Thanks for starting my Sunday off with a smile and a chuckle!
    xo Catherine

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  3. I remember my parents had a poodle bottle cover, everyone had one those days !
    I love the cross stitch work you're making, I think it's very time-consuming !
    Really enjoyed reading this post,
    Have a nice week,
    Sylvia

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  4. Thanks for posting these pictures. It brought back memories of younger days when everything had to be handsewn and personalised as it couldn't be bought then. Now where did I put those little handsewn hankerchiefs which I used almost 50 years ago?

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  5. Ooh, scary and funny!

    I don't think germs had been discovered in the 70s. That toilet seat cover must be harbouring loads of nasties, the anti-bacterial wash police of today would be horrified! And where is the flush button, hidden in amongst all the frilly pink perhaps?

    And why did everything have to have a cover? Even frying pans, amazing! Thanks goodness we can now buy endless plastic containers with lids to hide everything and anything.

    Very funny post, thanks for taking us time travelling.

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  6. And when I think we liked all this, lol ! This toilet outfit is hilarious !

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  7. Oh I remember seeing some of these things at my Grandma home. I even have a few of them in mine. The Toilet seat cover are great. I try to use them hear, however hubby keep taking them off,lol. Well the days of old aren't well enjoyed by some,lol.

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  8. Ohhhhhhhhh my goodness! ROFL! What TREASURES you have! I'm just sitting here thinking how I probably should be stitching a cover for my canned air, and maybe a nice slipcover for my unsightly laptop! Oh, and let's not forget the printer! And frankly... I'm ashamed to admit that my toilet seats are... naked. WAAAAAH!

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  9. What a wonderful post, Sylvia! Ditto to all the above comments from me!
    I have a small collection of calico/cotton bags for dusters, dirty socks, shaving gear, pyjamas, etc, and I really enjoyed seeing yours.

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