Fourth of July Birthday Garland

Broken Arm Update: I had my evaluation for physical therapy. I have progressed from about 20% range of motion to about 60% range of motion which is terrific! But not terrific enough to graduate from physical therapy. We scheduled another four weeks. 

Last year we welcomed our very own firecracker! 

My youngest grandson, Louis, was born during our city's Fourth of July parade. He and his mommy were able to watch the fireworks from the top floor of the hospital. He looks very impressed. 

Mom wanted a Fourth of July fabric garland to put behind Louis for his first birthday pictures.  Since I can't go shopping, I went to the fabric closet. This was quite the experience because I have more fabric than a fabric store and it is piled on shelves from floor to ceiling. I considered the pulling, shifting, piling, falling and re-piling of fabric to be my physical therapy for the day. It did take one day just to corral all my fabric. Day two began with ironing (even though it doesn't look like there was any pressing in this photo), folding and cutting with my rotary cutter. I had search several pinterest pages looking for suggested measurements. I ended up going with 12" long and between 1 1/2 inches and 3 inches wide. 

Something I did learn on Pinterest was to tie my clothesline between two chairs so I could sit on the couch and tie them together. I was so happy to finally part with the red checked fabric. It was from my mother's stash and now I feel like she is with Louis for his birthday. 

My daughter wanted a vintage Fourth of July baseball theme and these are just some of the fabrics I had in that color family. To knot the strips, I just made a loop in the middle and pull both ends through. It only took me an afternoon to make the 7 foot garland. 

This is the "teaser" from Louis's birthday session! I think it came out pretty darn good. 

Mom isn't sure if Louis is actually hosting a birthday party for the Fourth of July. The original plan was a pool party and picnic at their house! Instead of the primitive colors, she wanted to go with more primary red, white and blue. As long as I did not have grandchildren to babysit and since I had the rotary cutter and mat on the table, I set to work on a garland for the party. 

More tying on to a clothesline.  I decided not to use the red stripe. I have the white high chair that was mine as a baby. It does not have a strap to belt in a child (so they can slide out under the tray. The tray lifts up to release the child or for the child to flip and throw food around the room. But it does look nice in pictures. 

For the party I will staple the garland to the high chair. I am trying to decide if the chair needs a good cleaning or I should try to repaint it. 

I ended up cutting enough of both color families to make at least one more garland from each.  I haven't decided if I am keeping them all or giving them away. The photographer and my daughters and daughter in laws have all expressed interest.  As my daughter told our photographer, only my mom would have a closet full of fabric in just the right colors to make a last minute garland. 

Summer Wreath

Broken Arm Update: Physical Therapy is kicking me in the rear. I am back to sleeping in my recliner. I was up most of the night and my plan was to sleep all day until I was woken by a 5 year old. His dad had a curbside pickup at a home improvement store in the next town and there is no room in the pickup for a booster seat. I do have a greater range of motion and am starting to actually accomplish a few things. 

Earlier this spring, there was a great wreath going around social media having something to do with a bicycle. I lost the inspiration photo, but I did order some plastic bicycles from Ebay that arrived about three months later from China. 

We are, of course, social distancing and, of course, our local craft stores are not requiring masks. I had to make due with what I had. 

It took six spools of 9 yard ribbon with a slight wire edge.

Searched the internet and anywhere with curb side pickup for these. Thought I would have to use an old grapevine wreath and then found two in my sewing closet. (Two pictured)

Took another day to find a spool of floral wire, then I cut the ribbon and wound wire around the loops. 

I then wired the loops to the frame using some kind of pattern that I lost track of. I am not sure this was the easiest method of doing this. 

But it looks better from the front. Kinda

Then I wired my Chinese plastic bike to the front. 

Unfortunately the colors don't really pop on the door. The bicycle was totally lost in the door color, so I ended up backing it with a white foam paper plate for now.  I have two bicycles left and one more frame, so I may offer this to my daughter who has a white front door and try to come up with some ribbon colors that contrast more with the door. I think if I fill in the middle with a contrasting color of ribbon loops, the bicycle will still show. 

But now I have to move on to the next project with a six day deadline. My youngest grandson will turn one year old on the Fourth of July and mom needs a red, white and blue fabric banner for his one year photo shoot. Fortunately I had practically a shelf of fabric in these colors in the sewing closet so off to fabric cutting I go!