Sunday, March 17, 2024

Sewing - zippered pouches with Japanese cat fabric and coordinating colours

 


I made up a couple of zippered pouches while I was at it.  I used upcycled zippers and coordinating fabric.  I made the red one first and found that the end pieces were too bulky looking especially with the contrasting thread.  The other one looks neater.  Again I  put the zippers in first and then bound the edges in seam binding to finish them off neatly.  I did add a seam all the way around to help give the pouch a bit of structure.   On the red pouch you can see that there is a cat being caught up by an octopus tentacle in the upper left hand corner.  I hope there will be some people who will like this fabric as much as I do!!!  Therese

Saturday, March 16, 2024

Sewing - book marks with the fun Japanese cat fabric

I had a few scraps sitting on my cutting table and thought they would be great for making book marks.  I simply trimmed plain fabric to the same size and stitched all the way around and then a bit of an all over design inside the book mark.  I added a little ribbon/twill tape flag at the top while I was sewing the outer seam.  I raveled the cat fabric to create a bit of a fringe.  I had hoped to do the same to the back fabrics but the red and blue were so tightly woven they resisted raveling but the yellow one was similar in weave so it raveled nicely.  Therese
 

Friday, March 15, 2024

Sewing - composition book cover with a journaling book mark




I decided to try something new - I made up a cover for a composition book using two layers of fabric with a rectangle flannel in the center where the book will be!!  I am very pleased with out it worked out so I will be coming up with scrappy tops which I can layer with solid fabrics for the inside.  I stitched my flannel piece to the inside piece, layered on my top and stitched all the way around leaving an opening to turn the whole thing inside out.  After that stitched all the way around to secure the pieces and close up the opening.  I then added lines of stitching to quilt the layers to each other. I   laid my composition book in the middle of the finished cover and figured out where to fold it to make the it the right height and then folded in the both sides to create the flaps that the composition book covers tuck into.  I removed the book and pressed the cover really well so I could mark where I had to sew the flaps to keep everything together.  Four little seams and flipped it back around and my book fits in really well.  You have to leave a bit of give when you sew your seams to allow for the thickness of the fabric cover.  Sew it too close and it is too tight to easily insert the book covers.   
  
I created a journaling bookmark to go with my composition book journal. This bookmark has room for two writing instruments in its front pocket which means you will always have something to write with when you are ready to journal.  It measures just over a 1.5" wide and 7.5" long and the pocket comes up to about 5.75".  I used two layers for the back - bright yellow for the front and a plain yellow for the back.  I created the pocket using a scraps of yellow and green.  I added red binding to the top and bottom which was just what I had on my sewing table.  The elastic is foldable soft elastic and I cut it to 11" to work with the journal.  You layer your pieces and sew all the way around leaving a gap so you can turn it inside out.  Press it really well and then add stitching all the way around to secure the pieces to each other and close up the opening.  I think these are really neat and would be really handy for any journal.  

You can see below the inside and back side of my journal cover.  I am looking forward to using this technique to create some really fun and colourful journal covers in the future.  These are reusable - simply replace the filled composition book with a new one and you are good to go!!!  Therese



 

Thursday, March 14, 2024

Sewing - mug rugs from leaf fabric


 I have had this fabric for a while and ran across it again recently and set it aside for mug rugs.  I trimmed four of the images, added two layers of flannel for batting and a deep purple for the backing.  Sewed them together leaving an opening so I turn them inside out.  Pressed everything neatly and then ran a line of stitching all the way around to secure the layers and close up the opening.  I added stitching on the lines in between the leaf designs to quilt them all the layers together.   Therese

Wednesday, March 13, 2024

Sewing - a cute red flower embellishment for my cat bag

I thought my cat bag needed a bit of something so I went looking for inspiration on line hoping to find maybe a cute little fabric fish I could make up to add to it.  No such luck!  I did find a fabric flower that I found acceptable so I went ahead with that the other morning.  I found a tutorial at Notches Sewing on You Tube that worked very well.  

It starts off with a pentagon shape that fits in a 6" circle.  I gave it a try and was not precise enough that my measurements were not exact so I just found a petagon on line and placed it in a 6" circle in Corel Draw and printed it out.  Success!!  The sides are all 3.5"!!!  I trimmed out the pentagon and then cut two pieces of red cotton fabric using this pattern and placed them right sides together and stitched a 1/4"  seam all the way around leaving a gap of about 1.25".  I turned this shape inside out and then pressed it neatly to get a nice flat pentagon.   I then stitched all the way around about 1/8" from the edge which secured everything and closed up the opening.  What you see on the front will be the front of the flower.   Next, I followed the instructions in the video  - measured and marked the center of all the sides, measured two inch towards the middle on each point, drew a curved arch between the points next to the center of the side, through the 2" mark and the back down to the just next the center mark on the next side.  Repeat until you have five arched lines.  I used a removeable ink pen - first time - and it worked well. The lines are where the gathering happens so it may not be too serious if you draw in some light pencil lines.   Next, you sew quarter inch stitches on the arches using a 20" of double heavyweight thread (needs to be sturdy and that long) knotted on the end so it will not pull through.  You start stitching from the back (important) and follow the arches always coming to the edge with your needle to the front (important).  Once you get back to where you started you pull on your threads to gather each petal and then tie off with double knots.  The points of the pentagon create the petals.  Works really well and makes a nice sturdy flower.  You can then add it to your project, add a clip or barrette, add a brooch pin - whatever you want.   I used the threads at the back to stitch it to my cat bag!!!!  It was just what I was looking for - a very 3D fabric embellishment.  I would have preferred something more related to the cat theme but this will do purrfectly!!!!!!  Therese

 

Sewing - pet bowl mats for cats


It seemed appropriate to make some cat themed pet bowl mats this week as I had made some dog themed ones last week.  I used the Japanese cat fabric on the back and a strip on the front of this first mat.  I used the colours in the fabric - yellow, blue and red to make up a couple of strips to frame the cat fabric on the front.  I used toweling as batting and sewed the strips on QAYG to add the front to the batting and backing.  I used the backing to self bind the mat which worked really well.  

For my second mat I started with one of my cat squares which I made quite a while back and still have a good supply of.  I added strips all the way around (QAYG) until I had the height I needed for the mat. I added two more pieces to the left to make it the size I needed (12" x 17").  I cut a piece of  Japanese cat fabric for the bac, added two layers of flannel for batting and then bound the edges with a bright blue fabric.  I added stitching through out the mat to secure all the layers together.  Fun!!!  Therese



 

Tuesday, March 12, 2024

All occasion card featuring a spring bird mounted over a collage background of blues and greens


 Another family card!!  This one also features a collage background.  I used scraps of blue and green decorative paper to make a serendipity background.  Says spring to me!!  Once it was dry I trimmed it to fit on my large ivory card and adhered it in place.  I added a green strip of cardstock embossed with polka dots which has a flagged end.  The digital bird (Clipartix) was laser printed and watercoloured.  I added paper pierced lines on all four sides before mounting it to a green cardstock.  I used a border punch (SU) on the green piece and then embossed two lines using my score tool.  Mounted the image to my card using 3D foam tape.  It will be on its way shortly.  Therese

Sewing - tote with cute cat fabric with a cute fabric embellishment

I was into my stash a few weeks ago looking for something and rediscovered this fun cat fabric - cats on the ocean waves with large fish and surf boards!!!!!!!!  The fabric is printed in Japan and I really liked the design.  I decided to make up a tote bag with some of it!!  I worked out the layers for this bag - navy blue for the top and bottom and cat fabric in between.  I used some of my fun aqua floral fabric for the inside - a light fabric helps you see what is inside.  I trimmed the inside fabric and laid out the fabrics and sewed them into place one at a time QAYG fashion.  I was careful to keep everything well aligned and it worked out well.  I added wavy lines to quilt the outer fabric to the lining.  I made up  handles and inserted them at the top between the navy and lining fabric.  I sewed them to the lining and then folded over both fabrics and stitched them together from the outside.   To finish off the bag neatly I used a technique where you lay the wrong sides together and sew a small seam.  Then you flip the wrong sides out and stitch again using a wider seams which incorporates the previous seam allowance inside the seam.  Makes for a neat finish inside the bag.  I boxed the bottom corners at 3" which gives the bag some structure without too much width.  It would be perfect as a library book bag or general tote for the car when you are just buying a few things.  It worked out really well!!!  NOTE:  I have added a little red 3D fabric embellishment to my bag and you can check it out here.  Therese


Monday, March 11, 2024

Sewing - Two aprons - large and medium with a safari fabric


 I made these aprons this past week.  I was homebound due to having tested positive for Covid and not being really ill - coughing and runny nose - so I decided to take some time for sewing.  I have had this fabric for a little bit and could not find inspiration to make anything else other than aprons so I just made them up.  We are needing adult and child size matching aprons for our merchandise inventory for Gramma Link Africa so I made a set.  The fabric was not quite wide enough for both so I added black strips on the side where they will not interfere with the look of the safari fabric but give the needed coverage.  I added them with felled seams so there would be no raw edges.  I have used this pattern from Instructables before and I was fortunate that it gave measurements for two sizes.  I had to create the casing for the small one and then I was on my way.  These sew up quickly and then I added light blue ties made from fabric from my stash.    Therese