Bits and Pieces

Not much sewing going on in the run-up to Christmas, but I did finish up these simple bookmarks from some odds and ends lying about. The two on the left were fabric trimmed off during a square-up and had Decor-Bond on the back. A little fused applique (leftovers from playing with the fabric postcard moon motifs), a little stitching with a heretofore untried pre-programed decorative stitch, a scrap of fabric fused to the back and some satin stitching around the edge turns throwaways into something usable. On the right are two essentially the same, one turned to the back, one to the front. I had narrow strips of Decor-Bond in a basket, a rectangle of black fabric I'd applied Shiva paintstik to by rubbing over a commercial rubbing plate - a test that was informative but left me wondering what I might do with the result. I remembered this wonderful border print (of which I have a lot) and there was a rectangle of it about the same size as the what-can-I-use-this-for fabric. The rectangles were big enough to get two bookmarks the width of the strip of Decor Bond. All I needed to do was satin stitch around the outside. I always feel so virtuous making use of these bits and pieces, especially since it is so hard for me to throw anything away and the bits and pieces just keep stacking up!