Fabric bookmark corners

Still using scraps and these took me down memory lane. My mum once showed me how to fold paper to make a corner bookmark. I really do not like books that have had their corners turned down or creased so bookmarks are needed. Saying that I use a variety of things for bookmarks. Usually the nearest flat thin object. Receipts, membership cards, paper money, coasters, pierces of yarn....... I’m sure you get the idea. So I used 3 4 inch squares to make some corner bookmarks from fabric. 

Square one was interfaced on one half by a half triangle shape and folded over and pressed into a triangle itself. This was placed on a corner of an interfaced square facing right side up and covered by a third square right side down. 

Sew all round leaving a turning gap, clip corners and turn through and press after poking corners out. Press again and top stitch close to edge closing the open edge 

So now I have 3 bookmarks for around the house. Pretty ones at that. 

 Tutorial came from Pinterest and on craftystaci.com. Got to admit I’m having a blast with quick and easy projects at the moment. Need to find more projects to keep me amused in my time I get to myself in the evenings. 


What do you do? Fold the corners or use a bookmark of some description? 

Scrappy book cover

At the start of the month I celebrated my birthday in lockdown. Claire from Beautiful things HQ ( youtube and Facebook is where you can find her groups and pages) held a zoom class for a book cover using scraps. I believe it is now or soon will be a online class on her website to. So I booked myself into the class and joined in and made a book cover. No photos here sorry. Today I got sent to get some time to myself to sew or something. First thing that came to mind was all the wonderful scrap pieces from making the wonderful peg bag and making a new notebook cover. I love it. 

It started well and looked pretty even before the sewing started. Claire’s style of teaching really left me with no doubts on my second go at this and whizzed through it no problem. Only thing I had to watch out for was by making sure my bobbin was full when I started. 

The other side is just as pretty and very individual. I have a thing about notebooks and love buying new ones. 

The inside flaps that hold the cover on are bright and cheerful. Im having so much fun with these books and scraps. I’m already on another project to use some more of the scraps up. 

My other thought was how many projects can I get out of this fat quarter pack I’ve been using. Will have to keep all the bits together and see I think. 

Fat Quarter sunshine AKA adventures in sewing Part 1

OK, maybe not sunshine as such but that's what these Dresden blades pieced together remind me of. Almost like a child has drawn a sun. I remembered earlier I had bought a Dresden blade quilt ruler a while ago. I knew I wanted to sew today but didn't want anything to difficult or big to do, but something new to.  Like any sewer I have a very interesting little collection of Fat Quarters. I am still hooked on these from my quilting days almost 16 years ago. Such prettiness to admire and dream of using one day in the perfect project. Does that perfect project ever arrive I wonder?

I chose just 2 Fat Quarters for the front of the cushion and cut out 10 blades of red and 10 of blue. It's hard to see in this light but they have little bits of glitter in this fabric. Glitter that doesn't spill everywhere like the half sequins I am still finding everywhere!

Very simply I sewed one of each colour together in pairs, with a 1/4 inch seam allowance then pressed the seams towards the blue side as it was darker..

Then sewed each pair to another pair, pressing in the same way. I carried on until I had all 2o forming a ring with a hole in the middle.

To cover the hole I cut out 2 pieces of material bigger that the hole in circles and sewed them right sides together.

Carefully making sure I had only one side of the circle I cut a slit.Turned the circle right sides out and pressed.

And I even impressed myself it still looks like a circle. Simply needed to pin the circle over the hole and chose a buttonhole type stitch on my machine and machine appliqued carefully around the edge of the circle attaching the circle over the hole. It took a bit of concentration and slow going in places but it did go on in the end.  Thankfully without the need of a stitch ripper.

As you can see I used red thread to highlight it a bit.

Not having another 2 of these FQ I struggled to find a contrasting 2 that I liked, so after auditioning a lot of fabric I decided to back the cushion in black needle cord fabric, logic was it probably is going to get a fair bit of use with children sitting on it on the floor or even in the garden so may as well have one hard wearing side.

How it has been left is smoothed out and pinned right sides together ready for my next hour I can sneak in to finish it, and while I consider the best way to finish this. Will update you in next day or two on how I finish the cushion off.

So until I can sneak off and sew again

Take care

Jules x

Summer is here!

I lost so much weight last year and sewed so many lovely clothes then put most of the weight back on. So, as a result when the heat started again I had no summer clothes that fitted. Which meant shock and horror I had to start sewing again! I know, such a hard life right? 

I came across this cotton fabric in a small fabric in Felixstowe in May. It's not my usual style but something about it called out to me and I came home with 2 meters of it and memories of a lovely weekend. As I was pondering on summer wear I thought back to the Gretta top on https://www.seamwork.com/catalog/gretta and decided this would be perfect. These are PDF patterns so I sat down with a pair of scissors and sticky tape and had 80's tunes playing as I put it together one day.  The next I got on with cutting fabric and the actual sewing. This is a sideways picture, don't you love those summer colours?

Another view. I use wonderclips to hold my fabric in half straight when I am lining up my fabric on a cutting surface. 

When I sew I tend to listen to audio books. I am currently listening to the new book in the St Marys Chronicles so I know exactly how long it took to sew up.  This pattern is really easy.  It has facings, but no fastenings apart from the tie up strap details.  Making this a quick sew at 2 hours and 29 minutes according to how long I listened to the audio book app. I didn't rush as the weather made everything to hot. I look so bleached out and tired in this picture but I was a lot happier than I look honest.

Here is a closer view of the tied shoulders. They do as promised tie up and untie to your preference. The length comes down at bottom of the hip at the side with a curved hem at front and back which covers all the bulky areas.  Easy to shorten or lengthen though. 

This fabric has really changed my view o me wearing brighter colours and prints. So has opened my view on what fabric is suitable for me.

If you haven't heard of Seamwork before it is well worth a look into if you like PDF patterns. Seamwork patterns are through the pattern company Colette and costs $6 ( American) for 2 credits once a month.  You can use one credit for any one pattern on the seamwork site or 3 credits for a Colette pattern I think it is. If you do decide to subscribe I have a referral link just below if you would be so kind.  

https://www.seamwork.com/membership?ref=julie11295

But for now I am going to try and cool down a little and plain an alien dance costume for my granddaughter that she wants to feature a sparkly purple tutu. Nice fun project to dive into.

Take care

Jules 

Bandana bibs

We have all been ill, one after each other and at same times at times.  Then last week I got hit by Vertigo. Believe me I was really getting withdrawal from cooking and crafting.  Last night I said enough was enough.  I had in my mind for a while the idea of making a few bandana bibs. Who with babies doesn't need bibs? These are my first goes. I used a lovely bright cotton lion print for the front.

The inner side is a soft elephant flannel/brushed cotton.  To be honest you can use whichever side you please.  I have used poppers as a fastening but think velcro may be a better option if I make more.

And here's a view of both together but showing one side each.  A lovely little project that after a bit of tinkering I did a while back with drawing up a pattern I am pretty pleased with the outcome.

Hoping to get a few more bits done today for gifts so cannot really post those on here in case they get seen and surprise spoiled for the people receiving them. For now 

Take care 

Jules x