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Re: Art, Craft and Needlework, July, 2010
Posted: Sat Jul 24, 2010 3:05 pm
by BookSaver
Lynlee, I used to love to crochet granny squares but yes the joining part is tedious. Maybe Nancy has figured out a better way?
Re: Art, Craft and Needlework, July, 2010
Posted: Sat Jul 24, 2010 6:32 pm
by Harriet
BookSaver, about the scallops, you're going to roll your eyes at this just like I did. Are you ready? I actually had to admit lately (because I found my grandmother's homemade aprons while decluttering at my parents') that the facing turn-back method was how she was making scalloped hems back in the 50s. I thought I was coming up with something new when I was trying to figure out scallop ideas but there it was on aprons she made during my childhood - a sort of wide facing to the scallops, turned back and sewn down by machine. She had done it 2 ways - both as a same-fabric facing to the back AND as a contrasting fabric turned to the front. It makes me assume some pattern of the day must have shown it done that way, although she kept no patterns. She would have gotten the idea from sisters or friends who bought them to learn. But I had not thought of using a lighter weight fabric for the lining/facing to make the turning neater - that would give you more confidence and reduce the bulk.
About the rickrack, yes I'd love to see a pic of that - once I know I saw (tv) Eleanor Burns sew rickrack onto a drawn curve onto the inner edge of a border strip (for quilt), then trim away that seam allowance and turn the rickrack backward tightly and press, then line the border up, sew down with stitches right against the rickrack. But when I went to look at the workbook that was supposed to go along with the series, it was not shown. So I'm a little iffy on how to do the corners of a thing that way, except to just construct the whole corner at once.
Anyway, all this makes me wish for more sewing!
Good time to repost the free apron patterns linkthat mamapiano and bittersweet found for us.
Re: Art, Craft and Needlework, July, 2010
Posted: Sun Jul 25, 2010 10:21 pm
by Harriet
Here is a photo BookSaver had asked if I could post - the new-to-me vintage apron found lately. I've enjoyed it over a similarly colored cotton dress in this hot weather. (Although I will definitely wear an apron with jeans, too.)
ApronRedRuffleSmall.JPG
Red, white and lime green veggies in a stylized 1950s print on a peacock blue background, with red bias tape and rick-rack, bib style.
The overwhelmingly important thing when considering a vintage apron is to make sure that waist measurement is wide enough (not for a teenager!) and this one is reasonable. Ask questions! A lot of the nicer looking vintage aprons out there are in good shape, unfortunately, because they were so small no one could ever wear them! Buyer beware!
I don't think this would be hard to make, or hard to figure out a pattern for just by "eyeing" it. Good pocket top-shape matches the neckline shape with rickrack around, but I'd make the pocket a tad bigger. The 2-inch ruffle might be the only hard thing. It is just joined by narrow bias tape, but had to be gathered first. (nowadays you could use ready-made ruffle though, couldn't you) It's edged with rickrack, making it a very cute finished look. Anyway, this is one style of apron I find very good around the house. Practical enough, but the important thing is that it is fun and encouraging to wear. Dstepgd liked it. She is my apron-hugger.
Re: Art, Craft and Needlework, July, 2010
Posted: Mon Jul 26, 2010 10:30 am
by Nancy
Lovely photo of the apron Harriet!
I started knitting a red scarf last night did not have any knitting going.
had to take a break from projects to dig out the kitchen.
Re: Art, Craft and Needlework, July, 2010
Posted: Mon Jul 26, 2010 11:16 am
by BookSaver
What a pretty apron! Wow, how many yards of rickrack were needed to go around all the edges and the ruffle?
I'm still not finding a good photo of sewing the easy rickrack edge, but your description of Eleanor Burns technique sounds the same. Sew the rickrack on the right side of the fabric (1 seam down the middle of the rickrack), turn it back so it looks like a pointed edge, and topstitch.
So when you were figuring out the faced scallops, your subconscious was remembering your grandma sewing them? That's cool.
Re: Art, Craft and Needlework, July, 2010
Posted: Wed Jul 28, 2010 11:26 pm
by Sunny
Cute apron,
Harriet!I finally got the third and final border on dgd's quilt. We laid it out on my bed and it looks so nice. Now, I think, the hard part is next: attaching the back and batting and quilting. Dgd hovered over me while I sewed and she pressed the seams when the sewing was done. I have some material left over, so I may do some little projects with that. Dgd wants a small blanket for her "build a bear", so I may do that, or maybe make a small pillow to match for her bed. Dgs asked me yesterday when I was going to start his quilt.......
. That probably will have to wait till Sept to start that.
I have a box of small granny squares I crocheted a long time ago. I found the box a few days ago, so I'd like to put them together for a blanket or pillow, or both if there's enough squares.
Booksaver, the rickrack edging sounds nice and easy to do.
Re: Art, Craft and Needlework, July, 2010
Posted: Thu Jul 29, 2010 11:12 am
by Nancy
I use a harringbone sp? stitch to join granny squares together.
I finished up a child size prayer shawl yesterday in
crochet boom stick stitch with shell edging yesterday evening
a great way to rest are regroup after doing errands.
It was great to try out this stitch some thing I'd been wanting to do for eons.
Not my favorite but interesting to work up none the less!
Re: Art, Craft and Needlework, July, 2010
Posted: Fri Jul 30, 2010 11:56 pm
by Harriet
I'm glad you got to work up a shawl in the new stitch you were wanting to try, Nancy.
That's smart to do a mock-up Lynlee. The black does sound striking.
Sunny, it is always so much fun to make a tiny "doll" or "bear" quilt. Nice you found a boxed-up UFO treasure.
All of BookSaver's sewing projects mentioned in PWYC sound so smart. I've never made a hat. An aunt used to make bonnets and sell them at farmer's market.
The rickrack on that apron is only around the ruffle and pocket. The other red trim you are seeing is thin bias joining the parts or edging.
I guess I was somehow aware of my grandmother's aprons in memory. When I found them I recognized them, but before opening the old box I would never have been able to say they existed! The mind does play tricks! I know I was always following her around as a child to see what she was doing. Because she did these all by machine, they don't look too hard. The one with contrasting fabric turned to the front is especially cute.
Today we finished up the pincushion. I'm trying to decide if this is something we'd like to marathon/assembly-line for gifts. Maybe I can get a photo and also give the link to the instructions.
Somebody here had suggested to me that I get dd11 one of the "yoyo" maker thingies and we did use that for a decoration. It was a good idea.
Re: Art, Craft and Needlework, July, 2010
Posted: Sat Jul 31, 2010 11:12 am
by Nancy
I took all then yarn projects that I was not currently working on out
of the living room! Wow what a difference that made! I was feeling over whelmed
and could not make a decision on the next projects. Just having the one I"m
doing in a basket is very freeing!
Sort of kicking myself for not getting a book at the thrift shop to help the dgds
with learning their crochet stitches. It was an over sized book and in color.
But I had my hands full at the time.