Sewing small projects...

 

Working on some small projects by request. My daughter wanted some pretties for her kitchen, in various colors and patterns so she could change things around when she felt like it.  She bought two fat quarter bundles (5 fabrics) and this is what I came up with.

 

The Southwest fabrics. A variation of the 10 minute tablerunner. Bowl cozies and potholders, too!

This green and pink bundle is to match her Jadeite and LaCrueset pieces. I sewed the squares in the tablerunner together, not realizing that I got 3 rows backwards! I had to take most of it apart and re-do the sewing. GRRRR! I had the brilliant idea to make round potholders...forgetting that I abhor curves. Yeah, those potholders got taken apart, too. At least the bowl cozies went together fast. 

Stashbusting:

1 partial spool of pink thread

1 full spool of white thread

1/2 yard of navy backing fabric

1/2 yard of green batik

1-1/2 yards of leftover batting

Starting The New Year Right...

As always, when the New Year rolls around, I think of all my unfinished projects and make resolutions to complete them all. Despite my best intentions, I never actually do complete everything. And this month, I've been sick for several weeks, so nothing got done.

I did give away three large bags of scraps from the last clean-out.

But today, I made some double flannel washcloths for someone with sensitive skin. YAY, me!

Stashbusting:

2 yards of flannel (12 washcloths)

Bibs for the grand-niece...

I made some bibs for the grand-niece.

 

Stashbusting:

1/2 yard of flannel scraps

1/2 yard of terrycloth scraps

partial spool of thread

A little project...

My niece asked if I could make some more burp cloths for her baby, my grand-niece.  Sure!  Found some leftover flannel, bought a couple inexpensive towels, and viola! New burp cloths! She did ask me not to make the "notch" for the shoulder that I'd done for the other burp cloths I made her. So both sides are straight.

Stashbusting:

1 and 1/2 yards of fabric

1 spool of leftover thread

Seven Tote Bags...

My sister asked if I could make her some tote bags to use as gifts.  I had great fun searching the web for various free patterns.  Each bag is different, I tried several patterns and I also altered every one of them to suit what she asked for - outside AND inside pockets. 

Each of the wide bands across the front are pockets - but there is a matching band on the back, with more pockets! Some don't have inside pockets because they have several outside pockets.

4 outside pockets.

6 outside pockets and 1 inside pocket.

4 outside pockets.

4 outside pockets, 1 inside pocket.

6 outside pockets.

4 outside pockets.

6 outside pockets, 2 inside pockets.

StashBusting:

About 6 yards of fabric

2 yards of lining fabric

4 yards of fleece

2 spools of thread

From Chef's apron to more...

So I made my sister a chef's apron a few year ago, and she asked me to cut it down to a half-apron.  I did so, then I used the leftover fabric to make her a microwave bowl cozy, and a small table runner.  To make the table runner more absorbent, I used an old microfiber towel as batting. 

 

The "new" apron, a microwave bowl cozy and a tablerunner.

Stashbusting:

1 yard of assorted scrap fabrics

1 microfiber towel as batting.

And even more baby sewing!

Still sewing things for the baby.  The baby's room is camo and pink.  The bed set is regular camo with pink accents.  It came without a crib skirt, so I made one to match. Due to miscommunication, I had thought the baby's room was done in pink camo, so I'd bought fleece and flannel in pink camo! The parents thought it was great, and like the idea of mixing and matching the camos. So I went ahead with the sewing.

The top row is flannel washcloths, I was experimenting with flannel backed with flannel and flannel backed with terrycloth. The green ones are flannel/flannel, the pink camo ones are flannel/terrycloth.  I cut a 10 inch square and just sewed the right sides together, left an opening, turned and sewed around the edges on the outside. 

 

The middle of the crib bed skirt will not be seen. The dimensions are 53"  X 29" and the skirt drop is 14 inches, including the 1 inch pink trim.

Stashbusting:

1 spool of black thread

53" X 29" cotton fabric from an old curtain

More Baby Sewing...

I've been doing more baby sewing using my Featherweight.

The breast pads and washcloths are from the previous sewing session, but I made more.  I am experimenting with baby washcloths - 2 sides of flannel, OR one side flannel/one side terrycloth.  The burp cloths are one side flannel and one side terrycloth.

Stashbusting:

about a yard of flannel

about a yard of terrycloth

various colors of thread on old bobbins

New sewing for babies...

Making more breast pads and some washcloths.

The breast pads are 3 layers of flannel and one layer of fleece.  The fleece faces out when in use. 

The washcloths are 2 ply - flannel and terrycloth, then topstitched.  I alternated machines by sewing with my Kenmore 19000 and the Singer Featherweight.

Stashbusting:

Multiple bobbins of various threads

About a yard of flannel

About a 1/2 yard of terrycloth

I've actually been sewing...just not posting!

Mostly clothing repairs as needed  - hemming up pants, repairing assorted items, a small amount of altered clothing (I don't know how to do much, but I can take in some things), repairing some quilts, and so on.

Oh, and my parents happened to be at an auction and got me this. I have coveted one since I first began quilting 25 or so years ago. For those of you who do not know, this is the holy grail of quilters...

A SINGER FEATHERWEIGHT SEWING MACHINE!!!!!

Her group of machines was commissioned to be created on August 19, 1947 in Elizabeth, New Jersey, she weighs 11 pounds, is 11 inches long, has all 6 of her original feet, her original manual and obviously, her original can of oil (39 cents!). Plus her carrying case and a bunch of extra goodies that go with her.Needless to say, I am thrilled.

I also made a couple more kitchen sets like the one pictured in the December 2014 post. 

I've been making a few other things, too.  I have nieces who are expecting babies, so I made breast pads because they will be breastfeeding, and burp cloths. 

 

Breast pads

 

A stack of burp cloths made on my new Featherweight!

I will be making more things for the babies, too.  

*****

Stashbusting:

Several spools of thread

About 2 yards of various leftover flannels & yardsale receiving blankets. 

More Christmas gifts...

The red kitchen set for one of my kids. 

Triangle potholders, dishmat, potato bag, microwave cozies, hot mat, 9 patch potholders, and prairie point towels.

Stashbusting:

1 yard polka dot fabric

1 yard striped fabric

assorted small pieces of batting seamed together

Small gifts...

In the past few days, I've mostly been doing clothing repair:

3 pairs of pants hemmed

1 shirt collar remade for better fit

1 pair pants cut into shorts and holes repaired

1 pair of pants repaired hole

I took some old flour sack towels, cut them into 4ths, and made cloth "paper" towels for kitchen use to cut down on the waste of paper towels. 

Then I made 2 of these clothespin bags for gifts.  The hole is a bit larger than I thought, so I re-worked the pattern I created for future use. I bought the fabric specifically for the project, as well as the child's hangers. 

Stashbusting:

About a yard of binding tape

1/2 spool of thread

Around age 16, I got into making things with a needle, learning to do embroidery, crewel, bargello, burlap weaving, etc.  I couldn't afford to buy kits, so I made do with what I had.  I did a lot of embroidery on denim pants, jackets, and muslin squares that were later made into quilts.  At one point, I made myself a wall-hanging with the Serenity Prayer.  

My sister saw my wall-hanging and mentioned she'd love to have something like that.  So here it is - a replica of the one that hangs in my kitchen.  I drew it  freehand with a #2 pencil, and then embroidered with a straight stitch. It is lined, has binding and a sleeve on the back to hang it from a rod if she chooses.   

I also cut made one of her shirts into a short sleeve shirt, and repaired a quilt for her. 

StashBusting:

About 1/2 yard of muslin

Leftover blue binding from another project

Assorted leftover embroidery floss

More Small Gifts...

I've been working on Christmas items - I can't mention what they are because they're gifts for someone who reads my blog.  However, I have made 8 "things" and intend to make 10 "things" for each person who will receive the "things." for Christmas.

 

This is leaving me with scraps of fabric that are odd sizes.  So I decided to try a little project I found on a blog that was written in Spanish.  I didn't translate the blog, but followed the photo tutorial...changing the centimeters to inches, too. 

 

Here is a little pocket tissue holder:

 

 

Stashbusting:

 

About 4 yards of various fabric remnants for the "things"

160 inches of various remnant trims

2 partial spools of thread

 

Making Kitchen Things...

I've been making kitchen things! Gifts for a friend...

 

 

 

Microwave bowl cozies, square patchwork potholders, Prairie point embellished towels, Hexegon potholders, Large hot pad, Dishmat, Potato bag

 

Stashbusting:

 

1 yard of assorted scrap fabrics

1 yard scrap batting

1 spool thread

 

 

Clothing Hanger Dust Cover with Accessories Pocket

When you live on a dirt road, dust gets everywhere, including in closets.  It often settles across the shoulders of hanging clothing.  Oftentimes, I can just brush it off. But when it settles on clothes I don't wear much, rather than brushing it off, I have to actually wash the clothing because the dust/dirt has settled into the fibers. 

 

I searched the net to find a pattern for dust covers, and in so doing, discovered another item called a "clothing safe." It is a clothes hanger covered in fabric in which there is a pocket to hide valuables.  You hang your clothes OVER the fabric, thus hiding your goodies. It didn't suit my purpose - I wanted to hang my clothes UNDER the fabric, to protect from dust.  

 

However, a lightbulb went off in my head.  (Stop laughing).  Why not combine the two, and make a dust cover AND a clothing safe, or even better, use the pocket for accessories? How many of us have belts, or a brooch, or a scarf, or special jewelry that only goes with one outfit?  And how many of us can lay our hands on all those accessories at a moment's notice?  And what about packing?  Wouldn't it be great to simply take an article of clothing along with it's accessories and pack it all at once? 

 

I figured someone had already made a dust cover with an accessories pouch, so I searched to the ends of the Internet (well, it seemed like it) for a pattern.  Nothing.  Nothing at all.  Apparently, if someone else has thought of it, they've not acted on the impulse. So I had to think on it for a few days and figure out a pattern all by myself (which can be a daunting task!). And by the way, one of the main reasons I hate sewing clothes is because I can never put a zipper in right! So, I had to consider putting a zipper on the pouch (because you don't want anything falling out), too.  I decided I was up to the task.  I wouldn't let a teensy bit of 18 inch cloth and teeth stop me! 

So after I spent a few days thinking on how to do it, I set to work.  Amazingly, I finished it within an hour!  Even the zipper part!

I will be making these as Christmas presents for a few people who travel extensively.  They can not only protect their clothing at home in the closet, but can pack their accessories with the garments they take!

 

So here it is - my dust cover with a zippered accessories pouch.

 

 

The dust cover, embellished with a little lace.

 

 

A scarf hanging out of the zippered pouch.

 

 

Dust cover doing it's job on one of my outfits, and another scarf, hanging out of the zippered pouch. 

 

StashBusting:

 

1/2 yard of leftover fabric

18 inches of leftover lace

 

 

 

A Little Project...

Since the foyer wall cabinet was built and installed two years ago, I've needed to create a small cover for the bench seat between the bookcases.  Temporarily, I was simply folding a blanket and putting it on the seat, but it tended to slip and slide. 

 

So, I finally decided last night, when I threw the blanket in the wash, that I really needed to make something. I didn't want a cushion, just something I can toss in the wash when it got dirty.  I also wanted it to be fairly neutral colors.

 

I found these hand-dyed fabrics I bought some 20 years ago for a project I never did...and so, my bench seat cover was born. 

 

 

 

I cut a foundation piece, fliped and stitched the strips, added batting and a back, sewed all around, turned it right side out, and stitched all the way around the edges. I also stitched down the center seam.  I may quilt it later...we'll see. :)

 

 

This is the back - a piece of batik fabric I bought at a yardsale - 2 1/2 yards for $2.00!

 

 

 

Here's a photo of the complete unit, with bench seat in the middle.

 

Stashbusting:

 

Half a yard of various fabrics

Half a yard of scrap batting

Half a yard backing

TableRunners, Coasters and a Quilt

I've been working on the stash, still doing some Christmas fabric things, but also playing with some other fabrics I found, too.  So, I made a couple more tablerunners and some matching coasters. 

 

 

The left one is an old Hoffman Japanese fabric, chrysanthamums lined with a faint gold line.  The right one is grapes and grape leaves, also lined with a thin gold line. Stashbusting stats at the bottom of the post. 

 

I then decided to do something with some scrap fabric I found in the drawer. It is leftover fabric from the quilt I made my grand-niece, and because some was already cut in 3 inch strips, I decided to do a jelly roll race quilt. Here's a link to the You Tube video on how to do one:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2bEJLnaZQOU

 

I also had trouble doing the mitered corners, I got about half backwards, so I finally gave up and just sewed the strips together in straight lines! Then, I set the quilt aside to go get a drink and came back to this:

 

 

Emmy the cat cops a nap on the unfinished quilt. So I waited a while and finally, she left.  I went to the kitchen to get  a drink before I started quilting and I came back to this:

 

 

Dinah cops a nap on the unfinished quilt.  She stayed on it all evening, so I decided I'd work on the quilt the next morning. I ate breakfast, got a drink, came into the room to work on the quilt and there he was...

 

 

Christian, settling in for a nap on the quilt!!! Eventually, he moved on, so I was able to finish it. The finished quilt is 46 X 67 inches, a good size for a toddler.

 

The polyester batting I used slipped and I didn't discover it until AFTER I'd stitched-in-the-ditch quilted it! I ironed the offending part towards the very edge, and then put a binding over the wrinkles. It looks a tiny bit wonky on that edge, but a baby won't notice.

 

Stashbusting:

 

Tablerunners & Coasters: 1 yard or so of various fabrics

 

Quilt: 1 1/2 yards of various fabrics

1 1/2 yards of polyester batting

1 1/2 yards flannel backing

1/2 spool of thread

Two more tablerunners and sets of coasters.  I ran out of the blue binding fabric and will have to find some more, there are only 2 coasters in that set (I generally make 8 coasters per set). 

 

 

Stashbusting:

 

2 yards of fabric

I've been gone for a while...

We've been especially busy since the last time I posted in November.  We went to Germany for 2 weeks, came home and had Christmas with the family, and then we left home to spend a few months helping one of the kids pack up and move to a new place.  We helped declutter, packed, moved, and unpacked everything!  It was fun to be there, but now I'm back home and have my own hobbies and and a whole list of things to do!

 

Today I decided to spend an hour sewing each day to get rid of this stash!  So...I looked at what fabric I had, and then found Renae Allen's 10 minute tablerunner tutorial:  http://www.rgadesignquilts.blogspot.com/p/patterns-projects.html. There are two tutorials - one is a pdf you can download, the other is a video tutorial. 

 

I also made Penny Pennington's coasters out of the leftover fabrics.  http://www.equilters.com/library/projectshare/coasterspatt.html

 

 

You want to know how old some of this fabric is?  I bought the Christmas green background fabric and the middle tablerunner's poinsettia fabric when I worked at a fabric store...in 1997. Seventeen years ago!!! YIKES! I'm pretty sure I bought the pansy fabric in the same timeframe.

 

I think I will buy some white kitchen towels and will sew the leftover fabrics on them to match.  I'm hoping to sell these tablerunner sets at the next Swap & Shop down the road.

 

 

Stashbusting:

 

3 2/3 yards of fabric

Miscellaneous pieces of batting