Pockets, a pouch and reusing old curtains

It’s been a while since I updated you on my most recent Adult Learning class where I immersed myself in making bags - in the loosest sense for me, as my aim was always to make pouches rather than bags. I missed the final week of the course for our trip to the Gargano Peninsular, but left with really clear guidance on how to finish my piece.

Of course life happened, and what with one thing and another, and one of those being that in my mind it was way more complicated than I’d imagined, my unfinished pouch kept get putting to one side (spoiler: it wasn’t as hard as I thought, who knew?!)

But the unfinished pouch has been nagging me, and so I finally made time to finish it off.

And didn’t it turn out well?

I’m so pleased with how it turned out, but also at how ‘put together’ the materials and notions look. They all came from my stash, but what impressed me was that I’d pulled material from it randomly, and so was pleased to discover that these two pieces complemented each other, and I think the contrasting zip is a genius touch - even if I do say so myself!

I’m not sure what I’ll use it for yet, but I’m pretty sure it’ll come in handy before I know it - and I bet it won’t be long before I make more!

But there was more. I did make a bag, the rest of the class chose to make more of a handbag, but instead I opted for a bucket bag - and I used some old curtains for it. They came from my house before our previous house (if you follow) - a house I bought back in the early 90s which needed a lot of work, and more than a lick of paint - oh if I’d have been blogging then!

But I loved these curtains, and there was a lot of them. There was a large square bay window in this old Edwardian house, which meant a lot of curtains, lovingly made by mum (though I’m not sure she has the same memory of them!).

Clearly I’d kept the curtains for many years, I think I’d used them in our previous house as a stop-gap solution in our bedroom when we first moved in in 2002, but they’d been safely stored since then, making the move with us last summer. They probably could be classed as vintage, or close to anyway.

Though now part of them is a bag!

It looks like it’ll be a useful sized bag too, ably held up here by MOH. Taking a picture and holding this one just wasn’t going to happen. I also particularly like the leopard print webbing I bought for the handles, they’re a nod to my inner Bet Lynch but also to some of the large sofa cushions I had in the same room (and which I also still have and use!)

One of the things I was keen to get more practice and know-how for was zips, which I’d successfully avoided for many years. But no more, I’ve learnt they are way easier to insert with a zipper foot (yeah, obvious hey?!) and not as scary as you’d imagine.

At the course I practiced making some pockets for inside bags - or pouches - that’s why the surround material (and future lining) is large, they’re ready for when I need them. Whenever that might be.

This blue criss cross pocket (remember that from my sunglasses case?) was my first attempt, but without realising it I’d put in the zip facing the wrong way - doh!

The blue criss cross material was supposed to be the lining for the pocket, but after a bit of head scratching (in the intervening week, not at the class) I realised that if I added some lining to be the pocket back, I’d have a very pretty pocket indeed.

Pocket solved!

Not wanting to be beaten though I decided to have another go - giving myself homework!

Out came the Christmas pincushion fabric again, this time for a bigger starring role - and an inserted blue criss cross pocket.

I did need to make another tweak though as I was running short of the blue criss cross fabric, so added a strip of the Christmas fabric for an added touch of resourcefulness - and a two toned pocket.

New skills most definitely unlocked!

Herbs by the back door

A while back I bought some herbs at one of the local plant fairs thinking that I’d pot them on and that would be that. Well, it wasn’t - for ages they were just nestled in one of the grey oblong planters that we brought from our old house, and which previously edged our greenhouse. The weather did nothing for my inclination to garden, and even if I’d planted them where I’d left them, I wasn’t sure that was the best place for them, so indifference won.

I knew I needed to do something about them as when I tried to move them I realised they’d rooted through the pots and were making themselves at home, and then inspiration struck - herbs are most useful when they’re close to where you want to use them. Having them close to the kitchen bi-folds didn’t work, but I did have a spot, that got the sun, right by the back door.

And so a plan was formed.

The herbs were detached from the home they’d made for themselves and left to soak in a trug of water, and the planter was cleaned up and moved into place. It’s a heavy old thing, and I’d emptied some of the earth from the three of them before we moved, partly to make it easier for the removal team but also so that my pots of tulips could easily nestle below the top and the pots could still be stacked without damaging them.

It wasn’t long before the soil levels were topped up, the plants were planted and small gravel was added to the top - to finish it off, and as a mulch to prevent weeds and encourage water retention, well that was the plan anyway!

I’d also spotted some pretty ceramic plant labels on Etsy by the Florentine Cottage - aren’t they fab?

They also help MOH identify which herb is which - though I realised that I had two mints in my planter, and I had no label for coriander, which although I had no plant yet, it’s a herb we regularly use.

The rosemary remained in a separate pot, as I’ve a feeling this one will grow much larger.

I also realised I had a separate pot of thyme which I moved close by, but which also didn’t have a label.

The labels were so good, I ordered more - for the missing coriander and thyme, with extra labels for thyme and basil which I’m likely to have more than one pot of, and ‘more mint’ for the second mint in my main herb planter.

I’m not sure of the varieties of the mint I have, but now they’re mint and more mint!

And today, the herb planter is thriving. I’ve even squeezed in some coriander, it’s a brilliant place for our herbs and reusing the grey planter couldn’t have worked out better. I’ve plans for the other two too, but that’s for another day!

My garden in June

The lupins which did so gloriously in May are finished, and have been found by the whole neighbourhood’s snail community - it’s obvious to see how much they enjoyed them! Thankfully though the plants were able to set seed before their demise, so hopefully next year I’ll be able to grow more lupins from those.

This month it’s been about roses, with much dead heading and some new roses too. At the start of the month it was this peachy-yellowy beauty that took centre stage; positioned just outside the gate, every time we came in or out there seemed to be another head of flowers, which was perfectly fine by me.

The never ending weeding of the gravel continued, but it did throw up a surprise with this tiny poppy flower. There’s been a few others since, but none have made quite the impact that this first one did.

When I said it was a month of roses, there were also new roses. This Gertrude Jekyll arrived for my birthday, a present from MOH - isn’t it gorgeous? As you know we had one of these in our previous garden and had to leave it there, that one he’d bought me as a wedding anniversary present and so it was a lovely surprise to receive this one unexpectedly.

The weather was good enough to start some proper gardening and as well as the rose to pot up - I’m not sure where I want it yet - there were some plants to plant out. The hellebore which we brought from my FIL’s garden was ripe for potting out, it wasn’t until I got it out of the pot that I realised just how much. It hadn’t done much this winter, and the amount of roots to soil might have contributed to that. It’s not just along from the pale green hellebore in our border which had done so well, let’s hope this one takes the hint.

Only two of my sunflowers survived on their own while we were away in May, but they have gone from strength to strength and to help them further I decided to pot those out too. Usually you wait until they’re about 30cm high, and these were still a bit off that, but thankfully they’ve done well and there’s still the two of them. And they are so much bigger, almost reaching the top of the boundary wall to date, and I’m sure they’ve more to grow yet.

I’ve also had my first peony flower. I potted two of our peonies to bring with us, and they have managed well - they haven’t quite thrived but each of them have produced a single bloom, which is way more than I expected. They are likely to have a little longer in their pot, as our new garden plans are starting to form but will take a while longer to implement.

Among the other plants I’ve finally planted out are these wallflowers - these are the Chelsea Jacket type and have multicoloured pastel flowers. The planter is one we brought with us, and which had edged our greenhouse in the old garden. I was pleased though to discover it’s made for this spot on the corner of the garage, nestling in among the oak upright and just along from the garden tap.

The rosemary bush which suffered last summer and then recovered again is still alive and well still alive is probably as good a description for it. It’s a fighter that’s for sure, and to reward its effort this is another plant that’s been potted out, this one’s in our external borders in a much more sheltered spot. So if it was the wind it objected too, it should do ok where it is now.

Ah yes, then another rose arrived.

I’d spotted this new rose in a magazine, it’s named after the National Trust’s Mottisfont in Hampshire which is famous for its roses. It’s a great place to visit too - we’ve only been a couple of times, but I love it there.

So then there were two new roses.

MOH could hardly say no don’t get this lovely magenta Mottisfont rose as I’ve ordered one for your birthday, could he? But what a happy result - though I did have to scramble around a bit to find two pots large enough for each of these. Thankfully the obliging ox eye daisies made way and were happy enough to take up life in a new pot, so happy in fact they’re still flowering.

Our pink jasmine, which also travelled from our previous garden also flowered. It’s not in its most favourable spot, and I know that, but I am appreciating it doing its best.

As well as roses, there’s been the lavender. And that has been glorious.

We have at least six large bushes which took many hours to prune at the end of last summer, but in the sun they are so worth it, and I know in a month of two I’ll be changing my mind again! Though it’s a great way marker to say to people ‘our house is the one with the lavender’ as it’s quite obvious which it is!

We have a lot of dark leafed and purple plants - some that were here, and others which we brought with us - one of the most striking is this hebe, which again really enjoys the sunshine (but then again don’t we all).

I brought some hardy succulents back from Gardeners’ World Live this year - the first time we’ve brought plants at the show, and I couldn’t resist some of the redder leaved varieties as well as the bright, fresh greens. I’m hoping that these are as promiscuous as my aloe vera plants…

On a trip to the garden centre for lunch, I left with two small tomato plants. They’ve a while to go yet, but hopefully we’ll be eating our own home grown tomatoes this summer - it seems so strange that I haven’t grown anything for a good couple of years, mostly because we’ve been moving house.

The Mottisfont rose flowered, and it’s another beauty…

At the other end of the garden the little crab apple tree continues to do its thing - it’s plumped out so much these last few months with each of the branches looking laden with fruits again. This year I will make use of them, whether it’s jam or jelly, or even a wreath. Well, that’s the plan anyway!