I have a number of pieces of antique furniture, as much out of obligation as desire. These belonged to my grandparents, great-grandparents, and in one case to my great-great-grandmother. One of them contains Great Aunt Bess’s “Fizzle Drawer”.
Granny once commented on it, saying that whenever her sister, Bess, had a sewing project that “fizzled”, the project went into that drawer. I’m not sure what happened after that. This would have been in the early part of the 20th Century, but I don’t even know whether the “fizzle” items were clothing or something else. By the time I inherited the furniture they were long gone!
I think some of my UFOs probably should go in the “fizzle drawer”, but I don’t know when to quit, so I keep working on them. This next one was a class I did not especially enjoy, but I’ve converted it to 4 large blocks to be combined into a donation quilt.
This next one is not a fizzle, it’s a set of place mats I made for a quick holiday class to teach this fall. I developed this pattern YEARS ago for McCall’s Quick Quilts and have made many versions of it since. Place mats are a nice hostess gift to have on hand.
We went to the “apple barn” this weekend and got some apples–must be fall! Here is the view from the apple barn, looking across some trees heavy with red apples to the mountains beyond. It doesn’t get any better than that!
How was your week?
Zippy Quilts 
Loved the Frizzle Drawer story. I think I would need more space than a drawer.
Ha! Good point. I think a good part of my studio could just be called the “fizzle space”, judging from the number of UFOs 😄
You certainly live in a beautiful part of the country! Yes, “fizzle” is a good word for those things, whether the plan fizzled out or my enthusiasm did. I love the placemats. I can imagine those made in a lot of different fabric combinations.
Thanks, Melanie 🙂
I agree that a large space for fizzles is needed!
Your apple barn weekend gives me hope that fall is around the corner.
Yes, though fall can be hot even here.
I love the idea, not only of the fizzle drawer, but of “Great-Aunt Bess’s Fizzle Drawer.” It sounds so much more authoritative that way. “I have to have one, Great Aunt Bess said so!”
Also I really love those place mats!
Thanks 😄 I expect we would enjoy the contents of the Fizzle Drawer if they had been saved. I suspect they were fancy work rather than clothing based what I know about the family at that time.
Great Aunt Bess gave you a great gift – that of ‘permission’ to tuck away all those fizzles and leave them be for awhile. I suspect once she/you went/go back to them, the fizzy part of the fizzles will have disappeared and lead you to know what further to do with them…
Fun!
Yes, one of the best things to do with a fizzle is to put is aside for a while. Which is good if I don’t accumulate too many!
I like “Fizzled” It says it all so easily.
Good point 😉