Just as Northern Hemisphere blog writers are pleased with the signs of Spring, I am pleased with the indications of Autumn! We had some rain yesterday and it is cool outside. The frog chorus is rowdy tonight. So my thoughts are directed at making, cooking and growing. I am enjoying doing things around the house.
MAKING a CUTLERY ROLL Often when we are travelling we eat breakfast and lunch and then something light in the room for dinner. These hotel room picnics can consist of bought ready-made salads, cheese, bread, fruit or cold meats. I saved these bamboo knives, forks and spoons and carry them for our picnics.
There is a plethora of instructions online for making cutlery rolls, but I wanted something light, quick and easy. This one took half an hour if you don’t include the washing and drying of the fabric. This actually is a hemmed rectangle with one end folded up and stitched into three slots and finally rolled and held in place with ribbon. Too easy!
I washed and ironed a remnant piece of fabric and then cut a rectangle to make the cutlery roll. My piece of fabric measured 50cm x 25cm (about 20″ x 9″) including seam allowances.
After I’d sewn down one side and across the bottom, I snipped the corner, turned the rectangle back to the right side and ironed it, making sure the raw edge at the top was folded over into the middle so I could sew it closed.
After I’d stitched the raw edge, I placed the cutlery on the rectangle so I could fold the end up to create the pouches to the right height to hold it (your chosen cutlery will determine the size of the folded piece) then stitched it to make three slots or pouches. I just guessed the measurements.
I hand stitched a length of grosgrain ribbon in the middle on the back, to tie the roll, after folding each third to make the roll.
Fold, tie and all done!
Light, quick and very useful, my super easy cutlery roll.
GROWING Went to an Open Garden afternoon with Sophie Thompson, a columnist, national public speaker,TEDx presenter, author, broadcaster, horticulturalist and weekly presenter on Gardening Australia on ABCtv. She focuses on sustainable gardening and promotes water wise and climate compatible gardening. Sophie spoke about the natural ways to control pests. Extremely well informed and funny, it was a great afternoon held in a wonderful garden. Very motivational
There are still some flowers in the garden. My Amaryllis Belladonna Lily (Naked Lady Bulb) thrives in our hot climate, grows in full sun and blooms late in summer when other flowers are finished.
This Abraham Darby is a lovely fragrant rose which sprawls out of its pot.
I collected seeds from this hippiastrum late last year and have five small plants. It has beautiful flowers several times during the year.