Sewing - table runners with coffee themed squares cut from panels

I made two table runners as well with the coffee themed squares I trimmed out of panels.  I framed three of them using a diamond fabric in medium brown.  It finished at about 12.5" x 27.5".  I added two layers of flannel as batting and used a red coffee fabric as backing.  I used a wavy pattern all the way round the square to add some quilting as well as around the edges of the brown frames.  It is sort of Christmasy in its colour scheme so would serve well for every day as well as the holidays when used on the other side.  

 For my second one I used images trimmed from the other set of panels which were more subtle in their theme with only a bit of red in some of the squares.  Again I used the diamond medium brown fabric to space them off from each other and then added a subtle Christmas fabric as a backer.  I used diagonal lines to quilt this piece as well as adding stitching around the squares and inside where I could.  I used 2 layers of flannel as batting.  This one finished at about 32" x 12.5".  Therese

Sewing - Christmas - Winter themed potholders

 These potholders feature my very first made from scratch quilt squares from an idea I found on line.  I chose the fabrics and cut the pieces and sewed them up!!!  I added two layers of flannel and one of terry cloth for batting and a blue fabric for the backing.  They turned out very well!!  I added cord hangers because I think they are cute enough to be hung as art when they are not being used.  Theres

Sewing - coffee themed potholders from panel images

I brought these coffee panels home earlier this year from our fabric sorting and they have been patiently waiting to be transformed into merchandise.  I ironed and cut apart all the individual images.  Some had duplicates, some coordinated and others were singles.  I set them out into pairs and started sewing potholders.  I used coordinating fabric for the backs and made up four sets.  I really love the images!!!  I used two layers of flannel and one layer of terry cloth for the batting and brought the backers to the front for binding them   The last set has red coffee fabric on the back.   Added cording for hangers - I think these will want to be hung as home decor when they are not being used!!!!!!  Therese

 

Sewing - made some Christmas potholders with the beautiful holly fabric

 I made two sets of Christmas potholders for our upcoming Gramma Africa sales in the next month.  Sales were very brisk at our Chili for a Cause event in October and some item sold out  I used a very subtle Holly fabric for the backs which framed them very well.  The red star fabric matched the holly berries well.  I did 4" squares and then some HST for the second set.  I added a cording hanger which allows them to be hung like art.  Easily cut off if a person does not need a  hanger.  I used two layers of flannel and one layer of terry cloth.  Made a very good thickness.  Therese

Slow Stitching - trivet featuring green leaves on black felted wool

For this trivet I started with scraps of black felted woolen coat.  I pieced the first side which created a diamond shape of gray.  I butt the two pieces together and whip stitched them together nice and tight with coordinating cotton embroidery thread.  I stitched a wool sage leaf die cut within the diamond shape using coordinating cotton embroidery thread using a fine blanket stitch and added details in the leaf using running stitch.  For the other side I added a line of chain stitching on the left and a small wool leaf die cut in the same sage colour in the opposite corner using blanket stitch.  I added details in running stitch on this one as well.  I used two rows of running stitch one over the other to get a solid line of stitching using black embroidery thread.  I added a hanger of black cotton cording to finish it off.  I have several cut and will keep working on those.  Therese

 

Slow stitching - wool trivet with flowers on each side

Another trivet!!  For this one I cut two 6" squares - one from light blue felted sweater and the other from a warm dark blue felted woven wool fabric.  I added a die cut flower on each piece - dark blue (felted) on the light blue and a red (light weight) on the dark blue.  Added yellow cotton below the center of each of them and stitched them into place then stab stitched the outer edge and then added longer stitches to each petal to add texture.  I used yellow embroidery thread to stitch them together using a line of wonky stab stitches.  I added a hanger made from black cotton cording to finish it off.  It can be hung as art and then also used to protect a surface from heat (pie or tea pot) or from wear from a vase of flowers, a candle or piece of sculpture.  Therese

 

Slow Stitching - wool trivet with a die cut flower and leaf

Another 8" wool trivet!!  This one has a green wool which was not heavily felted and therefore light weight.  I did add another layer below it to ensure enough protection when the trivet was in use.  I hand stitched the flower's center (cotton) with little stab stitches and yellow embroidery thread to secure the cotton to the flower and then used stab stitches using red thread to secure the flower to the dark green wool layers.  I stitched a gray maple leaf  die cut to the felted black square using stab stitches with coordinating embroidery thread.  I round the corners and whip stitched the outside edge using green embroidery thread.  I had planned to add anther row to create a bit of a cross pattern but made so many errors that I removed the stitches and added tiny stitches about 3/4" from the outside edge that did not penetrate to the other side instead which worked quite well.  I added a cotton cording hanger - in and out with a knot on the other side.  I will allow this trivet to be hung as art when I is not engaged for its other purpose of protecting a surface from a casserole or tea pot. I would work just as well under a vase, candle or sculpture.  Therese

 

September Card Club - Card #3 - quick and easy image with ribbons over scrapbook paper backgrounds

 I always make our last one a quick and easy one!!  This one fits the bill perfectly.  A printed image to colour, layer onto a precut cardstock layer, add some little snippets of ribbon and mount to your card which has a scrapbook background.  We had a wonderful evening with lots of connecting and sharing!!!

Therese

September Card Club - Card #2 - arty mosaic leaves over printed backgrounds

 This card took us the longest time because I had printed open leaves with only a few internal lines  - colouring book pages.  We used black fine tipped Sharpies to fill in our leaves with a fun mosaic pattern of our chosing.  Once we finished our doodling we coloured in the little pieces - some used watercolour others used pencil crayons which allowed more control in the tiny spaces.  We added a raffia tie on the leave and mounted it with 3D foam tape over our backgrounds which were adhered to coordinating backgrounds.  I did not realize I had chosen the same background and leaf for my second card.  There will be more coming later.  Therese

September Card Club - Card #1 - faux shutter with serendipity elements

 It was great to see my friends again after a busy summer and we had a new person join us which made it all the better!!

For our first card we made faux shutter cards.  The shutter is a square with the corners cut out and then the flaps trimmed into triangles.  The flaps are folded down to create the faux shutter.  For the first one I left the flaps on the outside on the second I tucked them in.  Everyone decided which one they liked best and made it that way. We put 3D foam tape under the largest part to give the shutter dimension.  Our central elements were serendipity elements which I found in my stash.  They worked very well!  We embossed our neutral backgrounds added some paper piercing and mounted them on coordinating cardstock.  It was nice to be doing a new to us technique.  Therese 

Sewing - back pack zipper repair

My back pack has been in the sewing room for quite awhile waiting for a new zipper!!  I had repaired the teeth several times but after a few repairs the teeth were too thick for the mechansim to go over them and it did not allow the zipper to close at the top.  Not effective!! So today I dug out the bin of zippers to see if I had one that could replace it.  I found several with double zipper and I choose this one with silver tabs.  I decided not to try to undo the zipper - the fabric is very thin and I expected it would be difficult to get the new one in with precision.  So I decided to see if I could remove the teeth of the zipper without damaging the fabric of the zipper.  I had stitched the teeth back into place previously so I concluded that there would be some sort of stitching that attached the teeth to the fabric.  Yes, there was and so  I used a blade and remove the teeth from the fabric of the zipper by gently cutting a few stitches at a time all the way along both sides.  Once the stitching was cut I was able to pull on the teeth to remove them.  You can see the "teeth" above - just a long length of very strong plastic which formed the teeth.  The other photo shows the intact fabric on each side of the zipper still in place.  I simply placed the new zipper inside and started stitching as I spread the fabric of the old zipper apart to accommodate the new one.  I did have to do a bit of hand stitching in both ends to secure the new zipper to the fabric of the old one but that was easy and now the backpack is back to being secure with a double zipper!!  We bought them from Lee Valley many years ago and I have used this one a lot so I will now be able to use it again when I go walking, kayaking, etc.  I have been "borrowing" Brian since mine was in need of repair.  Therese

 

Cardmaking - a fun girl card

 My youngest grand daughter is having a birthday and she loves to dress up so I made her this fun card with shoes and flowers!!!  I trimmed the shoe paper into four pieces, added paper piercing with my PT wheel and them adhered them to my large pink card.  I stamped the birthday greeting in the center of a stamped floral frame and silver embossed it.  I coloured the flowers (SU) to coordinate with the papers.  I layered it with some pink papers - one of them is shimmery!!  Perfect!!  Therese

Slow Stitching - wool trivet with a maple leaf and a diamond design

Another wool trivet - part of a project which I have been working on for a while.  This one combined and brown felted wool square (7") to which I slow stitched a orang maple leaf die cut.  I used small stab stitched around the outer edge using coordinating cotton embroidery floss and then added some running stitch inside the leaf to simulate the veins.  For the other side I used felted wool which I had to join.  I stitched the two pieces together butted cut edge to cut edge and then added a strip of camel light weight wool with turned over edges with running stitch to cover the butt joint I had stitched.  I stitched down both ends as well to prevent any fraying.  I laid these back to back and ran a double row of running stitch all the way round filling in the gaps on my second go around.  I added a cotton cording hanger to allow it to be hung as art while it is in the wings waiting to protect a surface from the heat of a hot dish or tea pot OR from a vase, candle or sculpture.  Therese

 

Cardmaking - handmade paper, die cut hearts in red and white layered on gold with a little knot

 I started with the layered heart which I found in my stash.  I embossed a white background and added a coordinating wide grosgrain ribbon which I adhered on the back using double sided tape.  I layered this onto gold.  I trimmed a coordinating piece of handmade paper (my own), tore it into two strips and adhered them to a red card.  I added my large focal element and then used glue dots to add a little knot made from gauzy gold ribbon.  Therese