Slow Stitching - No. 020 - Desert Island Stitching

Here is my piece for Week 20 of the slow stitching challenge hosted by Kathryn at K3N Cloth Tales.
This week we took a trip to a special place on a magic carpet.  We could only take 8 things with us so we had to choose wisely.

I did choose my pieces before I watched the rest of the video so it was interesting how things went.

Check the picture below for my items.

I did iron my fabric before I boarded the carpet. 

I was able to tear several pieces to create layers.

I chose 4 different stitches on the solid green fabric, a set for each corner.

I chose 

• 1) foundation cotton layer
• 2) scissors
• 3) a lipstick pin cushion with 3 applique pins and one needle to fit the baggage limits.
• 4) a skein of purple thread
• 5) yellow printed fabric
• 6) solid purple fabric
• 70 solid green fabric
• 8) patterned purple fabric

You can see my eight pieces on the right.

On hindsight I would have appreciated a bit of darker thread for contrast.

I am glad I bought my scissors.

Slow Stitching - Set Up

 

Here's my set up for the upcoming slow stitch projects.  I have a large project and a few challenges.

1. Embroidery Thread - regular and pearl cotton

2. I have a small hoop - Not sure I will need it

3. Small scissors and sharpener - These are small enough to fit in the bag to be put away and the sharpener improved the scissors quite a bit.

4. Needles - I did my first piece with tapestry needles which was not ideal.  When I was out to see my sister she dipped into her stash and gave me 3 or 4 finer needles. Some with bigger eyes and smaller, some longer which has helped. The green zigzag tabs was a gift from my neice quite a few years ago and it holds all my needles so they are easy to find.

5. Pin Cushion - I used a vintage small shot glass wit a green bottom.  Wadded up a small bunch of fiberfill and topped it with a striped green fabric and stuffed it into the glass. Works great.  I only have 12 needles so that I can account for them at the end of the day. I don't need them in my flesh anywhere thank you.

6. Basting Thread - this is just sewing machine thread.  I generally use cones on the sewing machine these days so I am pulling the small spools to use up that thread.

7. Heat and Bond Hemming - a roll of this adhesive to hold things together without head pins.  I see some of the you tubers on line are using applique pins which are much smaller.  I will see how I get on.

8. Base Fabric - I ripped 4 inch squares for the challenges I will be undertaking this year.  I think I will jump around to find challenges that interest me.

Sewing Project - Thread Catcher & Mini Pin Cushion

I made a thread catcher bag and a custom fit mini pin cushion for my grand niece.  She is a sewer and she is joining the tradition of the women of our family.  We all have sewing machines and make projects.  Mom and several of her girls quilt. Another makes wedding dresses. Some just do mending and the like.

I chose bright and punchy colors for this bag.  Multicolored plaid print in cotton and a bright green cotton twill for the liner.

You can check this post for the detailed instructions for the Thread Catcher Bag.

I used a scrap of the left over print fabric to make a mini pin cushion which lives at the machine. I placed a piece of cardboard in a piece of plastic packaging to ensure the pins don't damage the sewing machine.  I sewed a sleeve, turned it good side out, placed the card board, added batting to fill then sewed the ends of the elastic into the side seams. 

Voila!