Slow Stitching - all the little birds

I have finally finished up my little birds that I started quite a while ago.  I have been working on them off and on and in the last couple of weeks have applied myself more diligently as the repetitiveness has gotten to me and I needed them all finished.  They are half circles of fabric with hand cut hearts for wings.  I hand stitched the beaks and tails and legs before I stitched the bird in place.  Generally, with little stitches all the way around the edge and then a variety of stitches to fill in the body.  I did the same for the wings - all the way around and then filler stitches.  They will be part of a quilt at some time in the future.  Until then, they await in their little ziploc.  

Therese

 

Sewing - potholders with washable removable covers designed as a flip top pouches

I created a rectangle of fabric (22 3/4" x 8 1/2") to create the flip top pouch which will  hold the "inside" of my potholder.  This piece now measures 21 1/4" x 8 1/2" with a doubled over quarter seam folded edge on the right hand side and a half inch double folded seam on the folded edge on the left hand side. My "inside" measures 7.5" square and consists of 4 layers of flannel stitched with a cross and square to keep them all together.  I have folded this piece to fit around it.  I figured out where the folds had to be by simply wrapping this piece around the "inside" and marking the folds.  

You need to fold the left hand side over the middle section.  This piece will be the front of the pot holder and will create a pocket for your hand when using the potholder.  Then fold the right hand side to the center over the left hand side.  It will be the inside of the pocket.  It will come up to about a 1/4" short of the left hand side.  

To finish it you simply sew a seam (1/4") on both top and bottom.  To reveal the pocket for the "insides" you turn this inside out.  Insert the "insides"(below) and then flip the top side over and it encased the "insides" and creates the pocket on the front.  

After working this out and taking the insides out several times I expect that most people will not be willing to remove the cover for washing and put it back on.  The two might very well become separated if the cover spends too much time in the laundry basket.   The construction would have to be very consistent so that any "inside" fits in any cover.  

I think I will reformat the size into a cover for a hot pad instead with a smaller flip top or some other kind of closure.  I would then make the cover different on each side  - one fall and the other Christmas or spring and Easter, etc.  or just two different fabrics.  I will do some research and see what size would be best and make a prototype!!  Watch here for it!!  Therese

 

All occasion card featuring a colour washed card front, decorative paper collage background and a sunflower

I had fun making up this background.  I started by colour washing my card front as it was just a bit too "pumpkin".  I trimmed several scraps to 1" wide and laid them on my card.  I added a strip of paper pierced green cardstock to fill the gap between them. I had a little baggie of  inchies that I had made up for these cards in March.  I filled in the gaps with coordinating inches and it worked out so well.  The sunflower (TC) is from my stash and I watercoloured it to coordinate with the background.  I added paper piercing (pattern tracing wheel) and then layered it over a piece of green cardstock.  I added a lighter layer diagonally across the rectangle and then border punched the right hand side.  I adhered the sunflower to the green layer and mounted it to my card front using 3D foam tape.  

Therese
 

All occasion card featuring napkin daisy background, a daisy flower with a tied ribbon

 I love this daisy background!!!  I snagged a spare napkin at a function I was at in June - they were so beautiful!!  I stripped the top layer, trimmed a piece of cardstock and glued a portion of the paper to the front of the panel and then wrapped the edges to the back and glued them in place.  I found this cute little daisy (?) in my stash and it went so well with the background.  I added a bit of length to the stem with a fine tip permanent Sharpie so I could tie on the ribbon and still have it showing below.  I watecoloured the daisy, distressed the edge and layered it onto a rectangle of green cardstock.  I added a length of yellow ribbon across the stem adhering the ends to the back with double sided tape.  I tied another piece to the one on the front and flipped the knot over so the back of it would be showing.  I trimmed the two ends to finish off this element.  I mounted it over my background using 3D foam tape.  I love it!!!  

Therese

It's a Wrap - my collection of merchandise for the show on Saturday

 I took a photo of all the items I made for my "It's a Wrap" campaign for the Climate Change Fashion Show tomorrow.  Bookmarks, mug rugs, CD card holders, card wallets and bag tags!!!  I hope a few people will embrace the concept!!  

Therese

GA - It's a Wrap - bag tags for all the bags you own

I made up some bag tags for the "It's a Wrap" collection I put together for the fashion show tomorrow!!! An environmentally friendly way to wrap a gift card which means you can give a gift in a gift!!!  Nothing to throw out at after the gift opening!!!  I did some research on line and combined several features to make mine.  I started with two pieces about 8.5" x 3.5" and stitched them good sides together leaving an opening on each end.  Handy for turning it inside out and also where the loop will be inserted.  I made the loop from a strip about 1.5" x 12" which I folded into quarters - both sides to the middle and then in half.  I stitched down both sides.  I inserted each end of this strip into the openings on each end of the main piece of the tag and top stitched all the way around.  This secures the loop to the body.  I had to be careful to not twist my strip when I was putting it in the openings.  Next, I folded the body of the tag in half and top stitched down both sides which creates the pocket for the gift card.  I also added a little bit of cording to one side of the loop which can be used to tie the two sides of the loop together and secure the contents.  This tag when attached to any bag - purse, backpack, briefcase, carry on, etc makes it very easily identifiable as yours and will also store business cards, sticky notes or a few cards you would like to have immediately at hand.  Would be really handy for business cards at a show or event - or when you meet someone at a venue and want to pass on a business card!!  Therese 

 

All occasion card featuring embellished bubble background, coloured transparency tulip and punched border

Another card created for upcoming occasions!!!  I started with a large green card.  I started with the tulip in a pot (?) which was printed on transparency so I coloured it on the back using makers and pens.  I border punched a piece of white cardstock, trimmed it to size and added my coloured image using little staples.  It needed a bit of bling so I added some little flower embellishments.  I layered this element onto a rectangle of pink with distressed edges.  I found this blue bubble background which I made quite a while back and thought I would use it for this card but it needed a bit of tweaking to work with the flower - I stamped several greens, then turquoise and then some pink and that worked quite well.  I added a paper pierced strip of blue (used a pattern tracing wheel) to the background and adhered this large element to my card front.  I added my tulip element with 3D foam tape.  I did add paper piercing to my background as well.  Therese
 

GA - It's a Wrap!! - card wallets which will easily wrap a gift card

 

I created these card wallets as part of my It's a Wrap collection - a way to wrap a gift in a gift - which provides no waste packaging!!!  They will be available at the Climate Change Fashion Show on September 6th.  

These are created with two large circles (11.75") which are sewn together, turned inside out and then top stitched.  This double sided circle is then folded in half and a line stitched 4"-4.5" from the folded line.  The two flaps on the outside of the circle are opened up and the stitched  middle line is aligned with the center line fold of the circle and ironed flat.  Next, this whole piece is flipped over and the bottom flipped up to the top creating the three pockets.   To secure the pockets two lines of stitching are added on each outside edge with the top of the stitching starting aligned with the V of the petals to the bottom folded edge.  I added metal snaps to the two outside pouches and then slow stitched a decorative circle over the stitches on the outside flap of  the outer pouches.  The inner pouch lies in between the two outer pockets.  Lots of room for cards of every king - credit cards, loyalty card, membership cards, etc!!  The outside pockets are secure so they could also be used for cash or coins.  The middle pocket would be perfect for post it notes!!!  

So to package a gift card it is a simple matter of adding a card to any of the pockets!!!  A cute and very fun way to package a gift card and no waste!!!  Great for any occasion!!  Therese

All occasion card featuring a cool bicycle, pieced background, bubble paper layer with ribbon flags

 I have had this bicycle in my stash for a while and today it just came together with this paper and I made this card!!  I chose a dark neutral for my large card and cut my background into four pieces before adhering them to my card.  I watercoloured the bicycle and added clear glitter to the chrome pieces like the spokes and rims, etc.  I added four lines of paper piercing ( pattern tracing wheel) and mounted it to a piece of blue bubble paper which matched perfectly.  I added four little fabric ribbon flags to this focal element before mounting it to my card front using 3D foam tape.  Totally fun to be making cards again!!

Therese

GA - It's a Wrap - card holders in which you can insert a gift card

 These are very fun gifts!!! They are created with circles of cotton and batting which cover a CD.  They are basted all the way around by hand and when the strong thread is pulled it tightens the fabric around the CD and is then tied off securely.  Two of these are the front and backs of these card holders and buttons are sewn on each side through the middle (hole in the CD) which holds both together and provides the friction necessary to keep the playing cards in place and yet allows them to be easily removed and replaced as the game goes on.  Really handy for those with sore or small hands which have a hard time holding a gad of playing cards all a one time!!  

 They are perfect for packaging a gift card!!  Simply place the gift card between two playing cards and insert into the holder. A gift in a gift with no waste!!!   It's a Wrap!!!  Therese

GA - It's a Wrap - mug rugs with a pocket to hold a gift card

 I made up these mug rugs with some of my supply of fabric scraps collected over the years!!! Some were scraps from a quilting group and had some sewn pieces - the little squares on the top left, the half square triangles on the top and bottom right and the bottom left.  It was fun to play and come up with coordinating pieces to finish these up.  I added a pocket on the left hand side where a gift card can be inserted to make this a "gift in a gift".  After inserting the gift card you would simply roll it up and tie with a ribbon or cording and your packaging would be done and look beautiful.  No waste!!  The pocket can then be used to store tea bags, sweetener or inspirational quotes!!! These are a bit on the larger size as mug rug go - about 6" x 11" but they would keep your desk area clean of crumbs, etc and easily washable if they get dirty.  Therese

GA merchandise - a strip pieced table runner in coordinating ivory and maroon fabric scraps

I created this table runner with the pieced backing I was working on for the other table runner.  I had no plan other than wanting diagonal lines.  I trimmed some of my scraps to 2.5".  The thinner strips I added to each side of the red square and then started adding strips to each side - piecing if needed to make the length I needed.  I had cut 3 large squares and 2 little ones but found that adding that many interspersed would make the table runner too long so I did the large red square and two smaller red squares added to the 2.5" strips.  I added some strips at both ends that go perpendicular to the strips.  I like the way they work together and it was easy enough to add what I needed to finish the ends square.  I added polyester batting and a cotton backing in an ivory colour.  I laid the pieces over each other and stitched all the way around leaving a gap so I could turn it inside out.  I hand stitched the opening, top stitched around the edge and then followed the stitching lines (stitch in the ditch) to add quilting to the runner.  It finished at 45" x 11".  I will bring it to the church when I go to town next.  

Therese
 

GA merchandise - table runner

I took this table runner flimsy home after the fabric sale and just this week decided to get it finished.  I had previously pulled fabrics which I thought would work well for the back.  I did not  have enough of any to make the whole back so I thought I would piece one.  As I worked with the fabrics it occurred to me that the quilting on the front would not compliment the back so I abandoned the idea and found cotton fabric in my stash to back this one.  I added polyester batting and stitched all the way around leaving an opening so I could turn it inside out.  Worked out really well!!  I hand stitched the opening, top stitched all the way around and then added lines of quilting that followed the outline of the squares.  It finished 11" x 42" to the tips of the points.  Glad to have it finished.  I will return it to the bin when I am in town next time.  It has been very nice to be sewing again.  

Therese

 

A red, white and blue plaid tote bag

Another tote bag I created on the weekend.  I had some scraps of the plaid fabric which were quite triangular so I sewed them together to make a square for the front of the bag.  I covered the diagonal seams with dark blue strips of denim which I sewed on raw edged with decorative stitching.   I added strips of red fabric all the way around to finish this side and then stitched on a loop which I created using scraps of denim and red.  For the others side I used the larger triangles and covered the diagonal seams with strips of red fabric again raw edged with decorative stitching.  I used a  scrap of fabric to make the pocket including a jeans zipper near the top. I folded over the edges and topstitched it in place.  I used red and plaid to make the handles.  This one measures 17.5" wide, 16" tall and has 2.5" bottom and 24" handles.  Therese

 

All occasion card featuring a beautiful decorative paper background and a gold embossed butterfly

A card for my sister who lost her husband a few weeks ago.  It is always hard to lose a loved one!!! 

I found this beautiful decorative paper in my stash and thought it was perfect for the card I was making for her.  I trimmed it to fit on my large blue card, paper pierced the four sides and then added a tiny strip of the same cardstock just below the butterfly.  I gold embossed the butterfly, fussy cut it and then painted the edges with gold watercolour to remove the white edge.  I watercoloured it to coordinate with the background!!  I love the way it turned out!!!

Therese
 

All occasion card featuring a gold embossed fussy cut butterfly over grosgrain ribbon with brads

 A card for a family who has lost their Dad.  It is always hard to lose a loved one!!!

I started with a large dark brown card and then trimmed the leafy background.  I added a piece of coordinating grosgrain ribbon with double sided tape to it and then added the three copper brads on the left hand side.  I adhered this large element to the card front and then added the focal element with 3D foam tape.  The focal element is a gold embossed butterfly (Magenta) which I fussy cut and then painted the edges with gold watercolour to remove any white edge.  I watercoloured the different areas to coordinate with the background.    Therese

Think of you cards featuring beautiful butterfly paper, embossed strips and layered oval greetings

I spent a few hours this afternoon making up the last 14 cards I have committed to making for IWIN for the fall.   I found this wonderful butterfly decorative paper in my stash a few months ago I thought it would make such great cards for this program.  I had printed the oval greetings a while back so I punched them out with the oval punch (SU).  I trimmed the paper so I made the best use of the butterflies and allowed some to be prominent though it was fairly easy and there was very little waste!! I chose to have some be landscape and others portrait but in the end some pieces that worked both ways.   I chose cardstock which highlighted the largest butterflies, then picked colours for the strips which I embossed to reflect other colours in the paper.  Finally, I punched out the scallop ovals (SU) to coordinate with all the elements.  I did a bit of paper piercing with my pattern tracing tool, punched holes in some of the scallops, used my clear gel pen to highlight some areas and generally just had a calm and relaxed afternoon making cards.  I appreciate being able to make cards for this program which is so instrumental in helping people who are vulnerable find their way forward in the world.  

Therese

 

GA - It's a Wrap!!! - Gift wrap bookmarks for gift cards

We are having a Climate Change Fashion Show with the GrammaLink  group at Sunnybrook United in Red Deer and I am preparing some environmentally friendly merchandise to sell there!!  

These are little fabric bookmarks I made recently which are also a way of packaging a gift card that leaves no waste!!!!  I am calling the concept "It's a Wrap".  I have several other ideas that will with work as gifts and will also gift wrap a gift card.  

As you can see above the gift card tucks very neatly into the pocket on the bookmark!!!  It could be placed inside a previously read book and presented to a book lover for any occasion with a gift card to their favorite book store.  With a little hanger of crochet thread it could be hung on the tree for Christmas!!! ( I will likely add those).  The brochure can be turned over and used as a tag and then recycled.  It leaves no waste!!!         

It was totally wonderful to be sewing again and I expect I will make a few more of these.  I have been using scraps which have been sent my way during the sorting for our fabric sale.  I made a rectangle about 16" to 18" long about 2.75" wide and flipped the top down and the bottom up after I hemmed the edge.  I stitched a slot for a piece of cardstock to be slipped in the inside before I flipped up the bottom and stitched it down. I did add some little strips of fusible webbing to the edges so they would be less likely to fray.  I stitched across at about 3.25" or so to create the pocket for the gift card.  Some of these are headed to my grandchildren when we see our daughter tomorrow.  The others will be available at the Climate Change Fashion Show.       Therese

 

Climate Change Fashion Show

You are all invited to join us for a very different fashion show created by a member of the Calgary Grandmothers group with the emphasis being on Climate Change!!  We will have some fun and the opportunity talking about how we can all participate in the process of reducing our impact on climate change.  

There will be environmentally friendly merchandise for sale and we will all enjoy refreshments as well.  

Hope to see you there!!!

Therese

 

Denim tote bag with a raw edge applique of triangles embellished with vintage metal buttons

My second bag for the weekend!!! Another one created with old blue jeans.  I created the border by sewing the triangles to the rust rectangle with straight stitch really close to the raw edge.  I then stitched this piece to a dark piece of denim.  I then added this dark piece to several pieces of patchwork denim to create the outside of the bag.  I used yellow thread to do my decorative stitching on the bag and the handles.  The back of the bag features a piece of denim with a pocket still intact and makes a great pocket for the outside of the bag.  I created a rust and brown pocket for the inside of the bag.  I added a little piece of rust fabric with two triangles to the back near the pocket.  I stitched the vintage metal buttons with yellow thread before I sewed in the lining which is a striped fabric.  Easier to find "stuff" when the inside is light.  The bag is 17.5" wide by 15" tall with a 3" bottom.  Therese

Denim tote bag with a patchwork border

I had a great sewing weekend and worked on this this denim tote for my grand daughter.  They are headed to university this fall and I have made several bags for them to embellish and hopefully sell to her fellow students over the course of the year.  They are taking Art and Design along with Business Management.  I have started using up my stash of denim for this purpose.  I started with the little strip of decorative fabrics and then worked everything else around it though it did not end quite where I had planned - it should have been a bit higher up to allow for more place to embellish.   I added decorative stitching to my seams and on the back I sewed together a few of the pieces with raw edges just using several rows of stitching to keep the pieces together.  I used red thread for most of the decorative stitching and added a red pocket to the back before adding the lining.  I added a double loop next to the pocket which is a good place to keep your keys safe but still very available.

  I found a very cute little pin which I added to the top loop. This side is made up of quite a few more pieces but it makes the patchwork more interesting!!  I added a seam to the middle of the pocket to help keep things organized.  The inside is fun and funky floral fabric and I added a pocket there too!!!  It is 19' wide by 15" tall including a  3" bottom with 23" handles.   Therese

 

All occasion card featuring double embossed vellum, mettalic cardstock and watercoloured flowers

I am back at working on getting cards ready for my upcoming family special occasions.  

For this card I started with a large lilac card and I chose the polka dot decorative paper for the background.  I found the floral image in stash which I fussy cut.  I then decided to frame it with silver metallic paper strips and then decided on double embossed triangular corner pieces.  I laid my strips on my background, moved them a little and drew a very light pencil line.  I positioned my vellum scrap with a square corner in place and trimmed it to the line.  I did the same for the other three corners.  I embossed them with a flourish embossing folder, brushed the high areas with a purple ink and embossed them with a pearl embossing powder.  They turned out great!!!!  I adhered them to my background with double sided tape and then added the silver metallic strips with double sided tape as well.  I trimmed the strips to the edge of the background and then adhered this large element to my card front.  I watercoloured the flowers to coordinate and added it in the middle using 3D foam tape.   Therese

All occasion card featuring a watercoloured daisy, embossed strip and decorative paper background

Another one for my stash!!!!!!  I started with a large blue card, added the decorative paper background and the coordinating strip of embossed cardstock.  I coloured the flower )?) to coordinate, added four lines of paper piercing,  layered  with green cardstock and mounted it to the front of my card using 3D foam tape.   Therese
 

Another attempt at fire starters

I have decided to give fire starters another try!! I have coated some toilet paper rolls with wax and have set them aside.  In the meantime I have been experimenting with how to best add some combustible materials to the inside before I wrap them in paper.  

With a bit of experimenting in the fire pit I have come up with a plan.  The wrapping paper needs to be not wrapped too tight so I think just overlapping with a staple in each end should work fine.  The inside needs to have a space for the air to travel in so I have made up some waxed rectangles of corrugated cardboard t

that just fit on the inside in the middle.  I will stuff a little bit of newspaper in the other side.  With both ends lit up the air can quickly start going through and will keep the flames burning until the kindling has started burning.  I will post photos of the finished fire starters once I have a few made up.    Therese
 

All occasion card featuring inchies, decorative paper strips and faux stitching

I was inspired to make this card after using inchies in one of my cards which will be showing up later.  I trimmed a piece of decorative paper to length for my large card and then trimmed it into three - all different widths.  Magically, the space that was left was just the perfect size for housing inchies.  I dug them from the little baggie and chose the ones that worked best with this colour scheme.  After gluing them all into place the rest of the card needed "something" so after a bit of brainstorming I decided to add some faux stitching with a dark brown pen.  I started added faux stitching all the way around each of the rectangles.  Next, I added one line from the middle left to the bottom right hand corner staying within the borders.  I was using a steel ruler so I did the other side as well.  I moved the ruler around and kept adding stitches.  After adding two lines closer together I decided it was finished!!  I like it!!!  This one is going into my card stash.  Therese
 

A new line of prayer flags are now up!!

I have been working on a new set of prayer flags for more than a year now as they other set was losing pieces as they faded with the sun and wind.  I had some black fabric that was not stable so I decided to sew small scraps to each side to make some colourful flags!!  I stitched a strip of scraps to one side and flipped the rectangle of black fabric over and stitched another line of scraps over the first seam.  I moved up the flag and added another two rows and repeated this process until I had covered both sides of the black fabric.  That was one flag.  I made forty of them.  They are substantially heavier than the last set but very colourful!!!  I did add fabric strips on both ends.  

As previous I left about 5 feet at the leading edge at the house and then overlapped the top edge over the paracord and stitched each one into place with a wavy line leaving about 6" between them.  I used line green polyester embroidery thread.  The ones from 2021 were still well attached at the top though the covering on the paracord was completely gone leaving only the strands inside.  They were still holding very well.  

We put the new set up yesterday.  They were pretty well as long as the last set. 

We set out the new set, undid the old set at the house and I climbed the neighbour's tree (I did get permission) and cut down the old set.   I was surprised that the tree had started growing over part of the cord in the four years since we put up the last set.  After cutting the cord I removed as much as I could so the tree could go on growing as it needed to.  So this time we secured the new set using a tie down straps with grommets on both ends instead of tying it directly to the tree.  That will allow the tree to grow and still secure the flags sufficiently!!

The final adjustment was made on the house end setting the flags high enough not to be in the way and still with some slack so they would move nicely with the wind.  

Love them!!!    Therese