Sewing Project - Fabric Vase Wrap - Green Fern

This wrap started with the fern embroidery which is machine stitched and was acquired as a left over from someone else project.  I chose a moss green linen for the base fabric and some green flannel as the middle layer.  I pinned the embroidery until I was happy but there was not much choice because I did not want the braid in the side seam.  I sewed the fern pieces on to the linen & flannel then placed it right side together with the lining fabric which is a leaf pattern polyester fabric. Stitched all the way around leave a gap to turn the piece right side out. I trimmed the 4 corners then turned it. I pressed it then sewed my curvy top stitching all the way around.  I then wrapped it around the bottle I had chosen and determined where the side seam would be.  Sewed the side seam creating the flap which in this case are the same size. This makes it identical either way it is placed on the vase/bottle. 

The bottle I used for this wrap is a bit shorter then the others and a bit bigger in circumference.

The fabric layers were cut 7" T x 12" W to give me a finished piece which is 6.5"T x 11.5" W using .25 inch seams.

Sewing Project - Book Sleeve - Blue Mottled

 
I made another book sleeve but with a different process - where we make the outer layer and the lining layer and then insert one into the other. I chose light grey thread for this project.

I cut my blue outer fabric, the flannel padding then the grey lining fabric all the same size - 12 inches wide and 19 inches tall. 

I quilted the padding to the wrong side of the outer blue fabric with a pretty stitch.  This one though is too thread intensive and very slow. 

I prepare my handles which measured 12 inches long and 3 inches wide and I folded in the edges then ironed it in half and sewed both edges.

I then sewed the side seams on the outer blue fabric. I decided to add a tiny pocket on the inside for a pen so I prepared that piece then pinned it into the seam and sewed the side seams of the lining fabric. I made sure that it stood the right side up this time.

I then tacked my handles in place on the outer fabric along with the small elastic just to give me a last chance to make sure they are not twisted. 

I inserted one into the other with right sides together and pinned it very well. I sewed them together leaving a small opening to turn them inside out. I then turned them right side out, ironed them, and pushed the lining into the bag. I top stitched the edge very close to the edge all the way around closing the gap in the same process.

I chose a button which matched very well.  This process is working well. It fits my large paper back book which is my guide.

For information on the "My Bag" Line

Sewing Project - Pojagi Fabric Bags

I added to the piece of Pojagi fabric I made the other day.  I added some on the length and width.

I then had enough fabric to make 2 reusable bags. They both measure about 12x12 square.  I added handles from scrap fabric. 

For this bag I added handles in grey polycotton blend fabric which will wear well.  It came in the box of fabric I was given so bonus. The strip was cut 2 inches resulting in approximately 5/8 inch wide strip.

I sewed the handles right to the bottom to distribute the weight in the bag along a better distance. In this case I sewed the strip and then turned it inside out which was a challenge being so narrow.

Top stitched it on both sides of the strip on both handles on both sides of the bag.

This one again measures approximately 12x12 inches square.

For this bag I decided to cut down on the work.  I ironed the 40 inch handle strip of navy microfiber in half then ironed in both edges then just stitched it from the top. Folded in the raw edges at both ends before I sewed the seam. 

Then I just used a decorative stitch on my sewing machine to sew the handles all the way down the front and back of the bag. Back stitched where the handle meets the top of the bag and at the bottom of the bag.

This took much less time.

These are being donated.

Sewing Project - Creating Blocks

I started creating blocks from my slow stitching pieces.  I needed a way to finish these so I can put them into some sort of project when they are complete I will have 52 at the end of the year.

I decided to buy a neutral fabric and headed to the thrift store. See picture below.

I was going to just zigzag them onto the cotton and overnight I came up with a better idea.  What if I used ribbon to finish off the edges? Dipped into my stash of ribbon to see what I had.  I had some gold and ivory organza - too stiff and too see through. Keep looking.  Then I remembered a roll of navy seam binding.  Yeah that will work.

I decided to buy some 100% cotton fabric in the form of the king sized flat sheet. I choose a light grey with some texture in the fabric. I had a cone of thread to match. Wonderful.

I took a bit to figure out how to use the seam binding.  In the end I just folded it in half.  By running the fold along the edge of the sewing machine I could get it to stay folded.  I did enough to get around the slow stitch piece and got started.  

The roll of seam binding I see is viscose which means it is pretty old. Viscose is a natural fabric so that is good as well.

I have owned these roll for about 10 years and you can see that I paid $2 at a thrift store somewhere along the way.  I have used it for card making in those years and there is plenty to finish this project as well.

Very happy I was able to shop my stash.

The edges of the slow stitch pieces are not crisp in most cases so I decided on a decorative stitch with a zag in it to ensure I captured the full edge of the piece. I left an open end before I started stitching and then aligned the folded edge of the seam binding on the outer edge with the open edge toward the middle of the piece. After a little practice I was able to created 90 degree corner folds with decent precision with an applique pin. Once I returned to where I started I cut the incoming end short enough to fit into the end I had left when I started.  Folded the edge over on one of them and pulled them taut and sewed over the overlap. A bit of back stitching done!

I have done the 8 complete slow stitching pieces.

Just thinking they could be used as an accent on a bag or some other sewing project.