Handbag from New Handmade book

Kay finished a handbag from the New Handmade book.

I really like the bright colors of turquise and pink. Very nice combination.

Creative juices are flowing in my sewing room.

Wine and grapes... finished and framed

Jess finished her wine and grapes designs. We matted and framed it last night.

Designs were done in "dirty" aida 16 count and DMC floss.

Bags, bags, bags....

Still “rolling around” in those bags. With the girls living at home, everyday is a new adventure in “bags”.

I purchased a book from Amazon.com entitled the NEW HANDMADE. We received it over the weekend and it inspired the girls so much that they went out to JoAnn’s fabrics the next day to buy fabric. Guess who ended up cutting and sewing. It’s OK… as long as they keep me company… but the minute they “take off” to do other stuff… production stops.

Jess bought solid colors of hot pink and dark blue. The hot pink had a linen feel to it while the dark blue was a little more thicker. I’ll have to go with her next time so she can tell me what kind of fabrics these are.

Kaitlyn’s was primarily cotton prints and corduroy. The zipper I was working with was an invisible zipper. Doesn’t quite give the effect I like and is hard to close and open. I’m sure there are “purse” type zippers out there.

For grocery bags or bags with handles that should be waterproof, the book mentions oilcloth. This is the first time I’ve ever heard of vinyl being called oilcloth. Apparently, it comes in many colors… here’s a seller from ETSY
http://www.etsy.com/shop/oilclothaddict

ETSY: It’s a really cool place for supplies of all kinds… even patterns such as this….
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?ref=vl_other_2&listing_id=41220360

Quilt Labels

I've pieced together 8 quilts last year (2009) and finally "sandwiched" and quilted three of them in December/January 2010. After all three were done, Jess says, "how come you never label your quilts?". Ha! Don't know. Didn't think I had to. Yet another inspriational thing to think about.
Options for Label types:

1. PRINTED LABELS: Find a label (or frame) on-line, copy and paste it into word
   or graphics editor... custom enter your info... then print on fabric (using
   Colorfast printer fabric sheets). I'm assuming it should be printed on an inkjet
   printer. Looks like this... http://www.amazon.com/June-Tailor-Colorfast-Inkjet-Fabric/dp/B000K2GXT0


2. IRON ON TRANSFERS: write in info using PIGMA pens. Don't know if this is
   washable.... might want to attempt on a wall hanging. Something like this
   maybe... http://www.amazon.com/American-School-Transfers-Labels-AS-4188/dp/B001K69GHQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1266869215&sr=1-1


3. PRE-PRINTED Labels : Labels preprinted on fabric, color in using brush-tip
   dye pens. More info here... http://www.softexpressions.com/software/notions/labels.htm


4. Embroidery a label using HV 3D embroidery software.

For the three quilts I finished, I chose option #3. using a couple of designs that came pre-packaged with the software. Of course, it took FOREVER to do this right... BUT, in the long run... it's 100% washable.

I got the Leisure Arts 50 Nifty Iron-on Quilt Labels but then I realized that this version is like option #3. I have to color it in with fabric markers. Hmm... more investment in fabric color markers if I go this route.

APPLYING THE LABEL

1. Sew the label to the BACK of the quilt before it's quilted. Quilt through
   the label.


2. Use double-sided fusible interfacing to iron on to the back of the quilt,
   then hand-sew around the edges.

Burntwater Rug : Cross stitch by machine

This design is called Burntwater from NP Designs.

Sample in cross stitch by machine

--Size : 60 stitches x 100 stitches - 110mm x 190mm - approx. 7-1/2" x 4-1/2"
-- 2.0mm - 6 threads - 13 count

The design took about 1/2 an hour to digitize and transfer onto the sewing machine.

--Top thread : 40wt Anton Robison embroidery cotton (no sheen).
-- Bottom thread : is 60WT white.


Regular stabilizer used was not tear away or water soluble. Fabric used was very thin muslin.


It went well with the black and white.. the coverage was impressive and tight....but the green was a bit much for the machine... the first sign of trouble was when the machine went off by one stitch on the left... the second sign was when the machine started sounding like it was working hard than it did in the beginning... it was time to stop and inspect the bottom.



... and sure enough... it started to bunch up at the bottom. It corrected itself after I changed the bobbin thread. I continued the design until it was done with the green. Gold and red were next but I decided the machine had enough stress for one sitting. It had been working straight for about 2 hours.

I wouldn't try this again on a design that does full coverage. These kinds of designs are best worked by hand but what is interesting about this design is that it's geometric nature can easily be adapted into a quilt design. I've done blocks in a row but never working from the center out... which is what this design entails. I think I'll try that next. Hmm... creative juices are starting to flow.

Works in progress for February

Jessica and Aiden have been visiting from Arizona since the last week of January. Really fun crafting buddy… got a chance to reorganize my room even more. Doing some serious categorizing.


:::: JOSI :::::


Rosewood Manor : Quaker Diamonds : calls for Valdani floss, however, I’m using Weeks Dye works and Gentle Arts threads. In comparison, Gentle Arts is a thicker thread that covers 25 ct (2 over 2) very nicely. Weeks Dye works thread has a more delicate look… not as subtle



Machine Embroidery Cross Stitch: ... finally figured out how to program my sewing machine to do cross stitch designs.

I found a design I liked from the Prairie Schooler : A Prairie Garden, charted it with the 3D Embroidery software, then transferred it to my USB stick to the machine. I couldn’t find a conversion chart that converts DMC to SULKY, so I used my imagination. The thistle’s came out quite pretty. I did three versions.

• 1.9mm – 4 thrds 13 ct
• 1.4mm – 2 thrds 18 ct.
• 1 mm – 2 thrds 28 ct.

Practiced with a heart design, using variegated threads.

Two versions:

• 13 count : 2mm : 4 threads (double) - This size looks like the most common size I use for regular cross stitch. 28 count, 2 over 2 threads.
• 15 count : 1.7mm : 2 threads (single) - Delicate look, can kind of see "white" between the threads. Might be a better idea to use double threads to make it look more subtle.

Altoid Tins

The objective for the smaller designs are for the Altoid Tins… which I have at least 20 of. The tin designs should measure 85mm x 50mm.

The thistle is cross stitch 28 count. I used 40wt thread on top and 60wt thread on the bottom. The design kind of looked bunched up. I found some 60wt thread in colors and will try when the threads come in.

It's kind of a challenge to find small designs that will fit on this tin. What I should do is attempt to resize the design to 50mm x 85mm and use the 60 wt thead to see if it makes a difference.

Using muslin for these samples. Have some marbled fabric in different colors that may give it a different look.

Design 165 french quaker : This design was from a book called Repertoire des FRISES by Valerie Lejeune. I mistakenly purchased 2 yards of evenweave fabric that was not quite even and I don’t think was meant for regular cross stitch. After machine stitching the design on this fabric, it looks like it was hand stitched. After construction, I stuffed it with walnut shells.

Note… going forward there were some things that need be considered.

• After working the first color, snip off all the "trailing" threads before working the next color. When I started snipping after the design was complete, it was difficult to pull out the trailing threads.
• Use water soluble stabilizer. Stabilizer must complete be taken off after stitching is complete or else it will be hard to stick pins into cushion through stabilizer.
• Stuffing : don't use kittly litter... if it gets wet, it will clump. Don't use buckwheat hulls... attracts bugs. Alternatives are polyester fiberfill, sterilized sand, crushed walnut shells, emery.
  
  
  
  Long Dog Samplers : Bienvenue. This is a birth sampler for Aiden.

I don't quite like the fabric I chose... considering doing over on 32 count lugana.

• Sulky Blendables Size 12 (Periwinkles : 4056)
• 1 thread over 2
• 32 count Lambswool Linen from Wichelt

:::: JESSICA ::::

Wine and grapes designs : Using 16 count natural Aida. The design was free from Club-point-de-croix.com. What is nice about these designs is that it does not require backstitching. It features 4 different images. Jessica has already completed two.