Wednesday, August 6, 2008

The First of the Pears

These pears are so fun to make. I highly recommend them. You can find the tutorial here. I love projects like this, where the fabric choices are fun and the sewing is quick and satisfying. I love the shape of these--they really do look so pear-like.
The pears are actually little sachets filled with lavendar. Not totally filled with lavendar, of course. I weighted the bottoms with lentils and lavendar, then finished the tops with polyfil stuffing. I bought this lavendar from farmer's market on Sunday. It was a little overpriced, I think, but it was there, and local, and organic. Mostly, I just wanted to get on with the pears and I honestly don't know another source for lavendar. Ideally we could grow and dry our own, but I really wasn't willing to wait for that! These will be Christmas gifts--not technically consumable, but even if the pear is not your taste you can put it in the back of your drawer to scent things. Or just breathe in the relaxing aroma of lavendar with your eyes closed!
And these real pears? More fruit from our yard. (We have a lot of fruit trees). They don't soften on the tree. Last year I had good luck ripening them in paper bags on the counter. This year it's taking so long--hopefully they'll still ripen. I love them so.

We're off to outpatient surgery with Rainer this morning very early. He's doing well--no real news to report--just that we're taking him to all his treatments and just loving him up, of course. Oh, Faith's party went great, but I stupidly didn't take any pictures (darn it).

14 comments:

Anonymous said...

Love the pears, so cute. They'd make great gifts for christmas
(note to self):o)

Good luck to Rainer today, much love ClareX

Jessica said...

I'm thinking of making some of those pears today and filling them with cloves! I'll have to report back on my successes (or failures!). I am so green with envy about all the fruit trees you have in your yard!!! Best of luck with Ranier's surgery-I'll keep you all in my thoughts!

Suzanne said...

Those pears are cute. Try Mountain Rose Herbs, I get alot of my herbal supplies there. All the best with your son today:-)

ames said...

Those sachets are adorable! We just discovered a pear tree in our yard, with adorable little pears that are only 3 inches tall. We plucked a few of them and I'll try your paper bag ripening technique to see what we can get.

Hope everything goes well with Rainer! I'll be sending good thoughts your way :)

Angel Funk said...

Good luck Rainer! Wishing you all the best today.

Mary Beth how long did it take you to make the pears? I am hosting a baby shower this weekend and need to make favors for everyone, and I have all the supplies I need to make these!

Maymomvt said...

I love the pears. I will remember this idea!

I'll have Rainer in my thoughts today. I, too, had a critically ill child so you are especially in my thoughts.

Amy said...

I have seen these pears several times, and I love them more and more I see them! They look great and I will bet they smell even better!

Meg said...

I LOVE the pears! I want to make them now!

Rachel said...

Those pears are lovely, fab idea to put lavender in them too. I think they will have to go on my "to do" list too! Glad to hear Rainer is doing well. :)

Di said...

I love those pears! So great!! Hope Rainer's clinic visit went ok!

Mary Beth said...

Hi MamaAngel--they are really fast, maybe 20 minutes? They are totally doable in bulk, I think. Good luck!

Laura said...

So pleased to hear that all went well with Rainer's outpatient surgery yesterday.
And I keep waiting for you to open your etsy shop....:) The pears are adorable!

Blogger said...

I am a big lover of pears...and trying to dip my toes into crafting, so this is a perfect project for me....thanks!

So nice to meet you :)

Bella

Anonymous said...

that is a D'Anjou pear you have there. they are grown commercially where I'm from. You have to pick them green and they ripen later. You can put as many as you can in your refrigerator and pull out a few at a time to ripen on you counter...paper bag works great. they're good!

like your fabric pears too!