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Re: Art, Craft and Needlework, January 2011
Posted: Thu Jan 20, 2011 12:05 pm
by Nancy
I have a long crochet project {163 stitches} and it hurts my shoulder so instead of
giving up on it I put in stitch markers at 1/4 and 1/2 also 3/4ths of the way across this
and I take a pause to rest my shoulder glad I thought of that instead of giving up on it!
yea for good ideas!
Re: Art, Craft and Needlework, January 2011
Posted: Fri Jan 21, 2011 1:04 am
by Harriet
Such a pleasant sewing day today. I finished the book cover and it actually did work to layer (lining-sleeves-handles-top), stitch, and turn it inside out. (Lots of pinning, but it wasn't too tedious.) It was a surprisingly fun moment to watch the right side emerge with everything in the correct places. Whew! I would recommend making book covers, although it is one of those things that you are probably an expert on AFTER you have made several. I spent a lot of extra time triple-checking measurements and trying to wrap my brain around the layering.
I had found a book of the same height here and so was able to satisfy myself about the fit enough to go ahead and top-stitch all the way around to finish. I'm very glad I used batting because it seems sturdier.
The placement of the handles worried me enough to send me back to find another tutorial, and I wanted to recommend this one for understanding how the layering works. She includes a tie to hold the two sides together, which I didn't do. Also I didn't put in a bookmark, because I figure dd30 knows what kind of bookmarks she likes.
I didn't like any handles how-to anywhere so I just tried to make these like my Vera Bradley pocketbook's handles are made. These are made about like the tutorial above shows, but with 2" wide batting inside instead, and an extra line of stitching down the middle of the handles, which makes them curve better.
I will take a photo, but I won't post until after dd gets the present, I guess, on the chance she might sometime check in here.
Tomorrow I'll put away everything that has to do with this project, although I might print out parts of the tutorials and make some notes. Then it's back to the Houses quilt.
Thanks BookSaver for the report on your group sewing Monday.
I had been wondering, too, if Lisa's has had time for sewing table runners.
Dd12 has been loving making lanyards, bracelets and keyfobs out of "gimp" or plastic lacing strips. She and some other girls at school trade knowledge about how to do different patterns. My advice to her has been contrast in her colors so that the pattern shows up. Otherwise I have no idea how she's doing it. She sits and weaves it along and looks like a person who is crocheting or knitting.A new-to-me notion I think would be helpful - Clover Soft Touch "Thread Pic". It sure would be nice to have something that would pull threads to the inside quickly. Assuming it works as well as they say. Anyone ever used one or heard anything about it? This little thing might actually get me to make an order from Keepsake Quilting, which I haven't done in years.
Re: Art, Craft and Needlework, January 2011
Posted: Sat Jan 22, 2011 10:41 pm
by Harmony
Harriet, the thread pic looks suspiciously like a very tiny crochet hook. I've used those to fix a pull in a knit sweater. How would it be different?
Re: Art, Craft and Needlework, January 2011
Posted: Sun Jan 23, 2011 11:10 am
by Lisa B.
Well done Harriet on the book cover.
Here's what I have been sewing: I signed up for an exchange on another group I belong to and decided to sew up a couple of blocks myself to get comfortable with the pattern for a mosaic block:
Re: Art, Craft and Needlework, January 2011
Posted: Sun Jan 23, 2011 11:11 am
by Lisa B.
The second block:
Re: Art, Craft and Needlework, January 2011
Posted: Sun Jan 23, 2011 11:13 am
by Lisa B.
Both blocks side by side.
Busy cutting and stitching a third block.
Re: Art, Craft and Needlework, January 2011
Posted: Mon Jan 24, 2011 1:20 pm
by Nancy
Love those pics. Lisa.
I finished up a knitted prayer shawl yesterday.
Yea for progress!
Re: Art, Craft and Needlework, January 2011
Posted: Mon Jan 31, 2011 7:54 pm
by Harriet
Lisa, those colors are beautiful together! I know you are having fun with this project.
Yea for progress, Nancy! In the bookstore I saw a book about prayer shawls.
Hnmmm ... ... Harmony, you are right it does look like a teeny tiny crochet hook. Since then I've seen the same in the Clotilde sewing catalog (usually cheaper) but it was at the same price. So I assume this is simply Clover's expected retail price and the item is for the purpose they say. But I can't help but wonder if the smallest size crochet hook would be as good, and don't really have a way to see them side-by-side.
Today I enjoyed making another house quilt block. 
I intended to use a spiral design fabric for the roof but it felt as if the manufacturer had left so much sizing on it - stiff and smooth. This was from our local Hancocks store, from their precut fat quarters that are already labeled for sale (I think before they come into the store). Not sure if those are manufactured by the same co that makes their regular quilters' cottons. So I prewashed and pressed it. But while it was in the wash, I was planning the next block, looking through fabrics, and happened to see a geometric that I thought would work better for a roof-look, so I changed my mind. I'm just as happy to move away from a stiff fabric for a toddler, anyway!