NANNY CHAT Archives - Page 13 of 19

Nanny Squared!

October 9, 2013 by Nanny 2 Comments

I am a Chronic Pain sufferer!! This seems to fascinate some as they wonder how I do the things I do – the answer is easy – with great difficulty and a lot of frustration!!

Over the years I have had to come to terms with my losses – for example, gone are the days when I could decide to whip up a long dress to wear to the cabaret ball the next night – the sheer frustration of not being able to do things the way I always had, meant that I just stopped doing them for many years. I say many years as I have ‘celebrated’ my silver anniversary with chronic pain – I no longer remember what pain free is like.

Anyway, I needed to find something I could do, that didn’t require much brain power. Fibromyalgia which came along in later years , holding hands with Chronic Fatigue, means a lot of brain ‘fog’ and there are days when I can barely function – those days I have learnt to stay away from my sewing or be prepared to unpick everything the next day!!

One of my ‘strategies’ for managing my pain, is to not give it any extra power….. so, against all odds, when my pain levels increase, I still try to do something – something where I feel I am contributing to society and am not just a blob on it.

I saw a group on FB asking for squares to make into rugs for the ill and elderly and I thought what a great way to use up some of that wool – I swear, I have no idea where it all comes from!!

I decided on Granny Squares!! I had learnt to crochet many years ago but had never made a Granny Square – that’s how I was – straight to the doiley for me!! Now I am happy to have found the Granny Square – I can make one without thinking much, I only have to be able to count to 4 and like all crochet, it is extremely easy to pull undone when you make a mistake. I also decided, eventhough there are many lovely Granny Squares, mine would be the one colour – keep it simple remember.

So I gathered some wool, grabbed a hook and got started…

One round:

Two rounds:

Then 3:

Square all done 6″ x 6″

They look OK don’t they!!

I used to worry that I couldn’t do enough – that was until I realised that ‘enough’ isn’t measured in squares!!

So now I carry my squares with me when we go in the motorhome – travelling is not good for pain, but the friendship and adventure I enjoy make me feel victorious!! AND I get to make more squares!!!

I’ll get these packaged ready for the Post Office!

Until next time

Nanny xx

Sew Along – Delivery Clarification

October 8, 2013 by Nanny 2 Comments

I have had a question re donating the pillowcases to local hospitals. I contacted Pillowcases for Oncology Kids and received this reply:

“We often have requests about delivery to local hospitals and unfortunately the answer has to be the same each time.

Due to the fact that POK is aimed at children undergoing treatment in our Paediatric Oncology wards, at inception, due diligence was carried out with regard the number and location of childrens’ oncology wards Australia wide.

In Queensland we only have 2 wards dedicated to Childhood cancer patients, both of these are currently located at the Royal Childrens Hospital in Brisbane. These two wards service not only the South East corner of Queensland but the entire state, the Northern Territory and New Guinea. According to Queensland Health at the time over ninety nine percentile of all children diagnosed in these areas would be initially treated in these wards. In accordance with this information we deliver to The Childrens Health Foundation based at RCH, Brisbane for on forwarding to the kids. It took quite some time to enable the protocols required for us to provide the children with the pillowcases.

Whilst we appreciate the additional cost involved with sending the cases to the state representatives we must request that this process be followed. For auditing reasons and to add weight to our application to the government for Deductible Gift Recipient status we need to be able to keep track of all cases donated to POK.”

So I therefore ask you to please forward all washed and ironed pillowcases to the addresses supplied:

SE Qld: PO BOx 250

Maleny Qld 4552

NSW : 22 Lacebark Grove

Worrigee NSW

SA: Teresa Lane

27 Bywaters Ave,

Willaston SA 5118,

where we can trust that POK will get them to where they are needed most.

Thanks so much

Oh and I had another question about embellishments – anything is OK but just be mindful of comfort – so if you want to pretty it up just make sure the back is plain so if needed they can flip it over!

Until next time
Nanny xx

Stitch Along Challenge

October 7, 2013 by Nanny Leave a Comment

Blogtoberfest

I am really trying to do some things for ‘me’ at present, so when I chanced upon this Stitch Along Challenge,that is being hosted by Ruth at Arbee Designs and Jen at Quilts by Jen, I was hooked! or should that be ‘stitched up’??

I checked out some past challenges and saw that it was an opportunity to combine my two loves of Art and Quilting, to produce a mini quilt.

Each week Ruth will post the instructions for us and we then add our interpretation and see what happens. I love the mystery of the challenge and the individuality of the outcomes. There is no right or wrong!

This month, the first weeks instructions were to select 3 fabrics to represent each season and to cut them into 7″,5″ and 3″ squares. Then we are to select a thread to go with each season as well.

I have challenged myself to ‘use my stash’ for any projects I do, so these are my choices:

Spring:

Summer:

Autumn:

Winter:

Looks like being a great year!

I can’t wait to see what we have to do with them!!
Why don’t you come and join us – I’m sure it will be fun!! I will keep you posted as the month progresses.

Until next time
Nanny xx

Sew Along – Make a Standard Pillowcase

October 6, 2013 by Nanny 6 Comments

Now that the Quilt Along for Charity has finished I decided to contact Pillowcases for Oncology Kids to ask how we could best help them. I was delighted to receive a reply from both Brittany and Neil (Brittany’s grandfather) and the response was a positive one for the suggestion of Christmas pillowcases. Brittany also suggested that they were in need of some that were suitable for teenage boys.

I’m sure we will be able to help out! I can’t make promises about how many we can make, but Neil told me about a lady who has supported them from the start. Just before I phoned Neil, this wonderful lady had dropped off 374 pillowcases!!!! Individually, the same lady has made a total of over 800 since Brittany started!!!!

So let’s see how many we can make over the next month – let me know when you finish one so we can add it to the overall tally – and happy sewing!!

What is Pillowcases for Oncology Kids?

“Set up by 17 year old Brittany, we create and donate pillowcases to oncology kids in

hospitals around Australia.

Brittany was 6 months old when she was diagnosed with a rare GERM CELL tumour; she had treatment for 3 years, and was given a 0.01% survival rate. She is now a gorgeous 17 year old who still has a long way to go, but has decided to help put a smile on someone else’s face by creating “PILLOWCASES FOR ONCOLOGY KIDS”.

She knows how hard it is, and that sometimes you have a long road to travel. She also hopes that one day no one will have to go through what she has to.

Brittany used to have a particular pillow/pillowcase that she took to hospital all the time she was receiving treatment, hers was navy blue with tiny red cherries on it.

What started out as a small pillowcase drive to collect/create handmade pillowcases

that she could donate to Oncology Kids in Hospital, (she was able to donate approx.

120 pillowcases to Westmead just after her 15th birthday in September 2011) has now escalated to something she wishes to continue 365 days a year and donate pillowcases not only to Westmead Childrens Hospital, where she received and continues to receive her treatment, but to hospitals all around Australia and overseas.

We have delivered over 10,000 pillowcases to date.”

What sort of fabric do I use?

The pillowcases are to be made from 100% cotton.

Neil explained that when the pillowcases need washing, the 100% cotton ones can be washed at the extremely high temperatures required. They also become lovely and soft with use.

Is there a ‘theme’ for the pillowcases?

Any pillowcases are gratefully received but:

We will be concentrating mainly on Christmas themed pillowcases – let’s help make sure that all the children receive a pillowcase this Xmas!! and

I would also like to gather some pillowcases for teenage boys. Speaking with Neil earlier today, he suggested “anything macabre – skulls, coffins, real Halloween sort of stuff – that seems to be what they are ‘in to’!!”

What if I can’t sew or don’t have the time to sew – how can I help?

You can still help by donating 1m of 100% cotton fabric (1m will make 1 pillowcase) and someone else will make it up for you. I have already had offers of both fabric and sewing so thank you!! If you would like to help, please message me at Nannycraft4u or email me at nannycraft4u@gmail.com

Where do we send the pillowcases?

Please forward your washed, ironed pillowcases to:

SE Qld: PO BOx 250

Maleny Qld 4552

NSW : 22 Lacebark Grove

Worrigee NSW

SA: Teresa Lane

27 Bywaters Ave,

Willaston SA 5118,

__________________________________________________

So Let’s Sew!

We will start with the Standard pillowcase!

Note the Boo Designs pattern makes a pillowcase a bit larger than the required size so I have put the measurements suggested by Pillowcases for Oncology Kids.

1. Cut out 2 rectangles – one 50cm x 75cm and the other 50 cm x 94cm. Now is your fabric directional? Does it have a picture or writing that only has a right way up? Mine does –

so put the larger piece (the back) face down on the table making sure that the writing or picture is the right way up.

Place the smaller piece (the front) on top, making sure the writing is still the right way up.

2. Fold over 1cm on this short side of each piece and press. I just pressed it with my fingers – it doesn’t have to be exact!!

3. Fold again and sew close to the edge.

4. Now turn the back piece over,right side up, keeping pictures up the right way, putting the hem to the left. Matching the raw ends, place the front on top, up the right way and face down so they are right side to right side.

5. You are now going to fold the back OVER the front until it reaches the hem on the front.

6. Now sew around the 3 raw sides, starting and ending with some back stitches.

7. Finish the seam with an overlocker/serger or a zigzag and trim.

I told you it was easy!! You have now made a beautiful pillowcase that will delight a child spending Xmas in hospital – thank you!!

Make sure you give it a good press and please take a photograph to share with us.

If you are only able to make one pillowcase, that is wonderful, and it will be just as gratefully received as any other but, if you are able to continue helping out, that would be wonderful too!

We will look at some different ‘styles’ as we go to help use up the off-cuts.

Until next time

Nanny xx

Daylight Saving Soak

October 6, 2013 by Nanny Leave a Comment

Daylight Saving is back with us in NSW!

A lot of people I know don’t like it, and of course we have all heard the stories of the:

curtains fading more
cows not giving as much milk
increased risk of skin cancers etc etc :/

but , now that we don’t have any children at home (I do agree it’s hard to get the littlies to bed when it is still daylight!!) I choose to appreciate this time of year and go with the flow.

OK I know we are lucky and each and every day is much the same for the retired, but don’t fight it!! There are no rules for us – we can eat when we want and sleep when we want, no matter what the time says!

So, to cheer you up (if you in fact need cheering) or just to share with you some nice things if you are already cheered – if you get up at the same time (by the clock), you will have an ‘extra’ hour every day to enjoy your surroundings.

Some of my favourite things to enjoy at this time of the year:

The bottlebrush out in bloom at the back door …