sewing – Page 29 – the long thread

April 12, 2010April 12, 2010

Reversible Table Runner

make-it-monday

Here’s a quick project as you get ready for warmer weather. A linen runner made from two different fabrics for a reversible effect. I used a die-cut linen that I found locally, but you could create this textured look with lace, eyelet, an old tablecloth, sheer embroidered linen, or a single gauze cotton. This runner would be perfect for a summer dinner party and would also make a nice Mother’s Day gift. The finished size is 16″ x 60″, but you will have enough fabric to make the center pieces larger to suit your needs.

And look at that, my mother’s irises finally bloomed in our yard after coming up with no blooms for five years.

Here are the instructions:

Supplies:
Linen, 2 yards (1 yard each of two colors)
Matching thread

Seam allowance: 1/2″

1. CUT FABRIC: Cut fabric according to the dimensions shown below.

2. SEW PIECES TOGETHER: Sew the two opposite shorter pieces to each long piece, right sides together. See below for fabric layout. Trim the excess fabric and press the seams flat. If you are concerned about your fabric fraying, finish the raw edges with an overcasting stitch.

3. SEW RUNNER TOGETHER: Place pieced sides right sides together and pin them in place, being sure to align the seams. Sew around all sides, leaving a 6″ opening to turn the fabric right sides out, as shown below. Trim the excess fabric and sew an overcasting stitch, if desired. Turn right sides out and poke out the corners with a blunt tool. Sew the opening closed by hand.

April 1, 2010April 1, 2011

Husband Cozy

husband-cozy

Tired of your husband sitting around gathering dust? Make a cozy for him! This is a great project to use up those fabric scraps and try your hand at patchwork.

Supplies:

Spouse (husband, significant other, girlfriend, partner)
Crazy glue
Extra sharp scissors
Chewing gum

To get the head measurements just right, have your spouse lie down directly on the fabric while you cut around his head with a pair of large, sharp scissors. Careful around the ears! Next, keeping the spouse’s head inside the fabric, take it to your sewing machine and sew around the head for a snug fit. Cut any loose hairs that peek through the seam.

And finally, put your new cozy on display! You can put him on the shelf or have him out for the kids to view. This would also make a fun papier-mâché project; just be sure to add air holes.

Happy April Fool’s Day! No husbands were harmed in the making of this cozy.

March 12, 2010March 12, 2010

The Metric System

Did that exciting post title get your attention? Well, it’s been consuming my attention for the past several days. As you may know, I am working on a sewing book for Chronicle Books and am actually nearing completion — hurray! Anyway, there’s been some discussion about how/if to include metric conversions. Yes, I apologize for our vastly inferior standard of measurement in the U.S., but we have given it our name and it’s ours. The customary units are quaint and familiar — it would indeed be difficult for me to hand over the yard stick.

Anyway, if you use the metric system and you sew, I need your opinion. If you don’t live in the U.S., Liberia or Myanmar, then I’m talking to you! Do you ever sew from patterns using U.S. measurements? If so, how do you make the conversions? Do you go online, use a tape measure, or actually do math? Have you ever had a pattern come out wrong due to the conversion?

Would you like to see conversions in a U.S. sewing book? Would you mind flipping to the back of the book or do you want the measurements right there on the page? Do you need all the measurements or can you figure some out on your own? My concern is that having too many measurements on the page might make you more likely to misread a number and make a mistake. But of course I don’t want to be a solipsistic American, so let me know what you think.

Pictured above: Linen Measuring Tape Ribbon from Cotton Blue.

February 24, 2010February 24, 2010

Kidcraft

pillow

My seven-year-old made this pillow for her doll bed over the weekend. I was impressed by the fact that she made this herself from start to finish including cutting the fabric, sewing the stitches and stuffing. I did help her pin it closed for the final stitches after the stuffing. But seriously, she hid behind a chair to surprise us. I think she did a great job. The doll is from Project Grab Bag (looks like her shop is temporarily closed, but you can find the dolls here). The blanket on the bed is a patchwork scrap from a project I was working on a few weeks ago.

February 22, 2010March 8, 2010

Spring Pieced Coasters

make-it-monday

spring-pieced-coasters

I know it’s not spring yet, just wishful thinking. I happen to have a large number of scraps in my sewing room at the moment in these lovely beach-inspired colors. And I just received a review copy of Alabama Studio Style, which has a lot of string-pieced projects (more on that later in the week).

So here’s a quick tutorial for string-pieced coasters. It seems that I do a lot of coaster tutorials here, but I’m a fan of quick, easy and useful things. And this is a great project for fabric scraps.

spring-pieced-coasters-3

Supplies (for 4 coasters):

Fabric scraps: min. 24″ length
Backing fabric: 5 1/2″ x 22″
Quilt batting: 5 1/2″ x 22″
Matching thread

Cut fabric scraps with minimum 24″ length. Cuts should not be straight.
Sew right sides together until you have a width of 6″ or more.
Press.
Cut off sides and top to form a rectangle 5 1/2″ x 22.
Cut out tops, batting and backing fabric in 5 1/2″ squares.
Sew around, leaving an opening to turn right sides out. Opening should be on a side with one continuous piece. Clip off the corners.
Turn right sides out, press and hand stitch the opening closed.

spring-pieced-coasters2