Winter Woolies

Winter is really settling in and the temperatures sinking faster than a pattern weight in a tub of bath water (I was trying for a sewing reference hers, but there isn't much liquid associated with sewing).
Although, we have been spared the lake effect snowfall that piled up just a half hour drive north of us.

SO, I decided it was time to stop sewing on brightly colored ruffly skirts and summer weight bags and totes and get into something more seasonal.  Back in August I had made a custom order from my little stash of wool.

The order came about because I had challenged Peter of Male Pattern Boldness that I would give him something else to perk up his apartment if he went ahead and made those drapes he was hesitant about. Well, he made them and they were great and then I had to come through with the pillows I promised him.  You can see them HERE. No, the pillows were not wool. BUT, when his partner, Michael,  saw them he went to my Etsy shop and liked the zippered bags and asked for one made in more masculine fabrics and colors. I came up with this.

The photos stink because I just wanted a quick record of what i had made rather than a spending time setting up a better shot for Etsy. I had only sent Michael this and a promise.

                                                      Thankfully he really likes it.

That little project only ate up a small portion of the expensive half-yard of gray wool so I returned to it and came up with this nice wintery bag.

The little side pockets are from some felted wool I got from RubyMountainDyeWorks on Etsy.
Most of their wool is very small pieces but yummy. Above the pockets is some of the same faux leather I used on Michael's bag.

I split the piece to have a simple gray cotton on the lower concealed part because I didn't have enough and it also made it way easier to sew through the layers. You can see where my pattern came from. This is the second one I have made.

              Cutting this felted wool is so great. It fives a great smooth edge and doesn't fray.

              But, it molds beautifully.  The tailor's ham came out for one of its rare appearances

Here is a bad photo of the lining.  I love the look of this shiny dot cotton which I have used in other projects.  There is an inside pocket, a dangly clip on a ribbon for keys or you can attach this:

The solid overlaps the houndstooth and it is simply simply stitched down with two rows of topstitching.  The lining is the same shiny dot fabric.











When I ordered the houndstooth wool, I also bought a  pack of blue in six shades and that got put together this week, too.

Here are the two sides of the
little bag made of small leftovers.

You can see these in my Etsy shop at CherylThimbleFingers



                                           This may be the basis for the next little project.

          Are you sewing for winter or are you like the fashion industry and working seasons ahead?

A Piping Tip + More Mid Century Mod

I'm posting early this week as I have something to show you.  While meandering through lots of sewing stuff on Pinterest I came upon a tutorial on how to add piping or cording to a pillow or anything for that matter.  I'm always in the market for helpful hints so I checked it out.  Well, I am hear to tell you I suddenly felt the need to post my own version.  I don't want to disparage the nice person's offering but...

This is the way my mother showed me and she was a real pro.  She did upholstery and slip covers as well as anything else with a needle and thread.
Here is her  simple and nearly invisible way to make the beginning and end of cording on a pillow meet up.

 Leave some fabric at the beginning of your piping unstitched when you make it. Then start pinning it down on your project's edge at the point where inserted piping begins. Pin all the way around.

 When you get back to the beginning point cut your cording and fabric at the end to exactly meet up with the start. They to leave no gap or bump. Then fold over that fabric so no raw edge will show.

 Pin it down.    Now sew down the piping all the way around with your zipper foot. I always sew this down securely before I attach the back side of the pillow.  Sewing all those layers at once is too hard and will not save you time in the long run when it all goes awry.  

 ALERT! I was noticing how close my fingers got to the needle while using this zipper foot.  BE CAREFUL.  I have never sewn my finger...yet! This is the foot from an old Elna (Mom's) that finally had to put to rest.  I resurrected it for my new Janome because the zipper foot that came with the machine doesn't let me get as close to the piping "bump" even when I move the needle position

Notice the difference?

Here's another thing that caused me to wince but not like a sewn finger.  That screw on the right goes up and down with the needle and I have gotten my knuckle rapped a few times.

                                     Here is the nice neat finish.  CAN you see it?

Fronts

 And here is the project I was working on.

I got into the mid-century modern mode when I offered to make pillows for Peter at Male Pattern Boldness.  See them here or in my previous post.

They were so much fun to do that I decided to get with the trend and make some for my Etsy shop where these are now listed.

Hoping other people like them as much as Peter

Detail

and Michael do because I'm going to make more in different colors and patterns.

Backs - The zippers are hidden under the center stripe.

Piping is the finishing touch that makes a pillow go pro.  I have made pillows without but they are never as satisfying.  

Peter's Pillows or Friends = Inspiration + Exhaustion

This week has been a rush...time wise and as a feeling.

I rarely do any crafts/artsy live events yesterday  was one of them in nearby Seville, Ohio. They are becoming quite an antique center. I never feel like I have enough stuff or the right stuff so I stitched up some last minute items.

Doesn't look like I'm killing myself here but the set-up and take down is exhausting and I did it in the driveway the day before to be practiced and ready. I love the brick wall background, but the trash cans kind of kill the ambience.  You'll notice this is a walk-thru booth. Some people walked in the street so as not to disturb me, which I found disturbing.

Didn't feel like I sold much , but when I got home and counted the cash it was okay.



THEN

Peter of the Male Pattern Boldness blog switched up his sewing and instead of making some of his superbly sewn garments, he made drapes.  I, who prefer non-garment sewing, challenged him that if he completed them, I would reward him with some new pillows for the sofa for more decor spiffiness.
Well, of course, he completed them in record time so I set to work immediately.  I didn't want to disappoint a friend.

If you are a blogger or a blog reader you know about these kinds of friends that the non-bloggers think you have made up.  But, when you find people with your interests who write entertaining and informative blogs you can become very attached. I hope this doesn't sound creepy. I am not a stalker and know the boundaries.

SO

I wanted something to complement the colors in the apartment and the style so I went out of my comfort zone and searched Pinterest for Mid-Century Modern inspiration.

These were my inspiration for the designs.

I planned it out on paper

Made little pattern pieces with Kraft paper then traced them onto Heat n Bond Lite which allows you to stick your appliqués to the fabric without pins.  You'll see that I had to get those lines laid down first before stitching down the fabric pieces which had to be applied in the correct order.

After this point I was too into the project to even think about taking pictures.  After completing the appliqué, I used a fusible batting and machine quilted in whatever way the design "told" me.

Here they are completed.  They look pretty good on the brown chaise lounge but the main color is a very lightly patterned gray.  I love that the lighter orange has a silvery dot and that darker crosshatch pattern has a sewing reference. If you will look closely there a actually needles in the design.

                           When attempting the closeup my grandson photo-bombed the picture.

       The backs are pretty nice, too IMHO.  The zippers are hidden under the orange and blue stripe.

And here they are in their new home in New York City on Peter's sofa.
Stop by for a visit at Male Pattern Boldness. You will need to scroll down a way to after the wacky patterned shirt.











Since my mention and thank you on Peter's blog,  I have received a huge number of folks visiting my Etsy shop.  If they were looking for these pillow they were disappointed. These exact pillows will never be repeated , but I'm definitely going to make some more in the Mid-Century mode very soon.