Sewing Project - Fabric Vase Wrap - Butterscotch Yellow

Another stretcky and sparkly vase wrap from the fabric given to me by my sister.

I dyed this one with Rangers Alcohol ink in Butterscotch color. Beautiful warm yellow. 

The fabric measured 12" x 10" and again was folded in half on the width to ensure solid color for the full height.

I chose to put a flap on this one because the doing the side seam was much easier.  I did put a seam through across from the side seam after which would have been much easier before.

To finish the edge of the flap I cut it with pinking shears. This fabric will not unravel.

I added some French Knots in a random pattern on each of the layers of the flap then just added some stitches in yellow to keep it from opening.

Sewing Project - Fabric Vase Wrap - Hot Pink Sparkly

During my visit at my sister's on the weekend we sorted through fabric scraps.  We found a piece of stretchy white sparkly fabric which was no doubt part of a fancy evening dress at one point in its life.

I had been thinking of making adjustable vase wraps and this fabric was the ticket!  I brought it home.

I wanted to change the color so I checked the fabric dye I had and it indicated it would not dye polyester fabric.  So I headed into my paper dye inks.  I chose Ranger Alcohol Ink because that is sticks to shiny surfaces.

Into a yogurt container with tap hot water and several drops of Plum alcohol ink and I set the timer for 20 minutes.  My hopes were not high.

Well, once I pulled it out it was dyed!  It was pretty bright and I added some blue to change the color but it was not alcohol ink and did nothing at all to change the color.  I rinsed it thoroughly and dried it.  It is what it is!

I wanted clean edges so I decided to overlap the raw edges (which don't ravel) over each other flat against the glass. I pinned it well. Now, I needed something to over the one raw edge visible. I chose a piece of white double edged lace. I was not sure I could sew it with the machine because of the small diameter of the wrap. After at lot of hemming and hawing, I just took action.  It went better when I turned it inside out.  I chose a curvy stitch on my machine which is not really a stretch stitch but it's all I have. The stress will be horizontal so it should be okay.  

The embellishments could not be placed horizontally on the wrap because that would limit its ability to expand to larger sizes.  I added French Knots in the open spaces of the lace to repeat the color in the flower.

The fabric measured 12" tall and 9.75" wide.  I realized that I would have to double up the fabric with the join in the middle to have nice smooth edges on the top and bottom.  With about 3/8 inch overlap the final wrap measured 4.5" across folded in half.  It measures 5.75" tall.

Fabric Flower Bouquet - 03

I combined the organza flower and the green fern vase wrap into a bouquet.

I cut a bamboo skewer as tall as the inside of the bottle.  

I cut a circle of warm blue fabric and put a small hole in the center.  

I put a hole in the center of the metal lid with a nail and hammer.

I then pushed the stem wire through the fabric circle, then through the metal lid and then wrapped it tightly around the skewer.

Then I dropped the skewer/wire into the bottle and screwed on the lid to the bottle.

I placed the wrap onto the bottle from the bottom ensuring the flower was where I wanted it.  

I tucked the blue "water" fabric circle between the jar and the wrap.

And I have another bouquet ready to go.

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.

Fabric Flower Bouquet - O2

I chose to make a yellow flower for this fabric vase wrap because I like the color combo and one of the strips of fabric had yellow in it.  That helps marry the 2 pieces together. 

I wanted to cover the inner parts in the bottle so cut a 5 inch circle of teal fabric. I placed a hole in the center of the water circle and passed the wire stem through it then the stem also through the hole in the metal lid.  It will sit on the lid the bottle.  Then I wrapped the wire stem around a wooden skewer which is cut to the height of the bottle and now provides stability to the flower. The skewer is then placed inside the bottle and the lid is screwed onto the bottle.  

The wrap is then placed onto the bottle from the bottom and the water circle is tucked into the vase wrap.

The fabric flower can be removed and real flowers can be placed in the bottle vase.

Fabric Flower Bouquet - 01

After weeks of working on this idea I finally have something I am happy with.

It has brought together a Fabric Collage Vase Wrap which uses scraps of fabric into something pretty, an empty sauce bottle that was headed to the recycle bin, and scrap fabric to make the Fabric Flower on bendable wire stem.

The challenges were:

1. Make the flower proportional to the vase.

2. Make a stem strong enough to hold the flower.

3. Will I build adjustability into the wrap?  I decide in the end no.

4. Will I have a strip extend from the body? Yes, this makes sewing the flat piece into a tube much easier.

5. How deep will I make the strip? Do I want to make it a feature?  If it is a feature then you need to put a piece of fabric on the lining side or chose your lining fabric carefully.

6. How do I hide the jar lid?  Put a piece of blue fabric to represent water.

I plan on make some of these bouquet for the gift shop at the Art Gallery.  They will all be unique which will make a perfect gift for a special person.

The fabric flower can be removed and real flowers placed in the bottle vase.

Sewing Project - Fabric Vase Wrap -The Blues

On this vase wrap I used blue printed fabric scraps.  For a change I sewed them on the diagonal to my flannel foundation fabric using the Quilt As You Go method.  This takes more fabric so I had to find longer strips of fabric. 

I trimmed the piece to 8.5" T x 11"W to allow more of a flap extending from the body of the wrap.  I added a teal cotton poly fabric as the lining which is visible behind the lace.  I sewed the collage piece and the lining right sides together leaving an opening, trimmed the corners and turned it right side out. I then used a curvy decorative stitch to top stitch all around the edge closing the opening at the same time.

Then, it was time to consider how to embellish this piece. I stitched a piece of lace on the lining edge folding the ends top and bottom and used the same curvy decorative stitch.  I then place the wrap around the bottle vase, pinned it and then stitched it closed.

Sewing Project - Fabric Collage Vase Cover/Wrap

My sister and I discovered vase wraps back in early February.  I was intrigued so I decided to give it a go.

I started with a piece of flannel 9" x 9" square to allow me to trim it after I had quilted it.

I then used Mom's Quilt as you Go method to sew strips of curated fabric and lace along the length of the flannel. I used 8 strips in varying widths.

There are many ways to finish it into a tube to go over the vase/bottle.

I decided that I wanted a flap to extend from the body of the wrap.  So, I added a strip of turquoise fabric to the lining piece so it would be exposed when I sewed the wrap closed.

I trimmed the fabric collage piece to 8.5" tall and extended it to 9.5" wide with my final piece on the collage. I trimmed my piece of lining to the same size.  I then placed right sides together and stitched all the way around leaving a gap in order to turn it right side out.  Once turned right side out I pressed it well and top stitched all the way around very near the edge with a decorative stitch. 

Then, I wrapped it around the bottle I was going to use as a vase and played with where the seam would be placed.  The option was a bit, none, or lots of turquoise showing. Once, I decided I pinned it as tight as I could and removed the bottle. I sewed the seam along the very edge of the pattern fabric edge. 

The beauty of the wrap is that it folds flat and stores away when not being used.

The bottle I chose is a sauce jar that measures 7.75" Tall, 2.25" in diameter and about 8" in circumference.

You can adjust this design any size bottle you have one hand.

Sylvia's Simple Shots

It has been unseasonably warm the last few days and nature is responding.  

These black poplar buds are starting to emerge but it is only February in this northern climate so there is more cold to come.  I hope it does not destroy the new growth.

I found these on my morning walk which I am enjoying again with the better temperatures.

I had the fan out and the windows open because it was so nice out.

It is a very nice reprieve from the cold of Christmas.

I hope to get out an visit family while I can.

On the last day of my visit with my sister we came upon this idea of fabric vase covers.

I am very interested in this idea.

I am going to approach the idea with the slow stitching focus. 

The organic ones I find very appealing.

Some are made adjustable with buttons, velcro or elastic.

Many are machine embroidered.

I am inclined to make them for a glass bottle.  I have bent myself into a pretzel in the past trying to make a product super versatile and I am not sure most customers get it.

I have a couple of bottles in mind.

We shall see where this inspiration takes me.

I had my aunt over for coffee this week.

The Olympics were on so that kept her husband and many others close to the TV.

Our weekly coffee time has seen lower attendance due to the games.

I installed a small battery operated light above the printer so that I can see the page guides in the back.

Generally, natural light is enough but with dark evenings it was not.

Not good if you leave it on and forget about it for a few hours.  I need to replace the batteries.

Maybe a new strategy will need to be entertained.

West with the Night by Beryl Markham is a book I recently read.  It came from the small library in our building.

It is a memoir and features a series of stories from the author's life born 1902.  Early life living in the UK then moving to Kenya in Africa as a child. Growing up with many friends, playing with the neighbour boys, living a rough and tumble life.

When at eighteen, her father leaves Africa she decides to stay and train horses.  She reconnects with her childhood friend.  

One day she meets a pilot, Tom and her life changes.  She learns to fly a plane. She then provides air cargo services in East Africa for many years. Tom returns to the UK and she is scouting elephant herds for safaris.  A dangerous adventure.

She was an aviatrix―she became the first person to fly nonstop from Europe to America, and the first woman to fly solo east to west across the Atlantic. First published in 1942.