A Splash of Colour

The very first sewing I did after 2 months of silence consisted of little things to lift the spirit.

My friend is currently on a medley of medication that leaves her unable to take Tylenol or Advil.

I know, right?
I just blinked at her for a moment.
Then I blurted "Well, you need some rice bags," and my friend said "What are rice bags?"

So I consider these not so much a teeny gift as an educational opportunity, with colour involved.

 

By the way, still using this awesome tutorial, thank you, Sew, Mama, Sew!

Then there were some business-related birthdays that needed addressing.
So. I addressed them.

I had this idea in my head that making zippy bags was tremendously time consuming, and that surely, surely, using velcro would be quicker. I constructed two sides of a bag by sewing 2 rectangles together - plus a layer of sew-in interfacing for a little firmness - and turned them right side out. I closed the "turning place" by hand, and machine sewed a length of velcro to each side. Then I top-stitched through everything, with neat little triangle pocket-top finishes, so the stitches wouldn't be ripped out every time the bag was opened, an advantage in a sewn object, I believe.

Was it quicker to make than a zippy bag? Ha ha. Not even a bit.
Maybe a bit easier. Less stressful. Fewer machine needles destroyed. (Remember this?)

Disclaimer: Makeup props totally not mine. Totally borrowed from kids.

The bags are prettily lined, a detail you can't see in these pictures, and are big enough for passports, makeup, some jewellery or an emergency chocolate stash.

I don't think that it's a coincidence that as I was recovering from my No-Sew Illness, the first things I made were little colourful gifts. I get the greatest joy sewing when I am making something in a hurry for someone else. Less time to surf the net in search of perfection in design and materials, more time to think about others, and just get the fabric moving.

 

A Totally Selfless Fabric Purchase

So, yeah, I bought some fabric, but it was for a HIGHER CAUSE. So it's not like regular fabric shopping At All.

We have lovely neighbours, and a huge window by our dining room table that affords them no privacy whatsoever. You might think it affords us no privacy whatsoever, too. But my neighbours are fine upstanding human beings who would never peer into somebody's living room, whereas their garden and pathway to the front door are just part of our view. We view it, unintentionally, all day long.

Because I am really stupid, it took till about last week to have the light-bulb moment that would have been a duh moment for the rest of the universe: we really should hang up some curtains.

Hence the Good Neighbour Fabric Purchase.

AND.

When I went shopping last night, I discovered a sale on fabric.com that made my heart sing.

I got 5 yards of this Ty Pennington home decor fabric (54" wide!) for $28, with free shipping to Mom and Dad in the US.

Oh, la-de-da :)

I chose the fabric because it was a) attractive and b) neutral. It's not really what I wanted, which was something large and bold, but I didn't have the time to think about what KIND of large and bold I was thinking of. For me and my types - indecisive perfectionists - that decision could become something truly epic. We haven't put so much effort into interior design round these parts (ha ha ha ha! enjoy the understatement!) so I went neutral.

Don't watch this space. You know the speed I move at. But still. Had to share the moment.

Where did I go?

It's been two months since I last wrote, and I can't quite account for it.
Except that my brain was on vacation, apparently.

I would come look at my embarrassingly huge lovely stash every morning and every evening, and pat my sewing machine hello, and then, incomprehensibly, Turn My Back On Them. I had nothing to say in fabric. I didn't sew; the muse left me.

Glad to say she returned :) and I'm now back in the thick of things. I am working again on my Summersville quilt. I had a vision for a house, so I made one - with fussy cut windows! squeal! - but she is really too big at 16" square. It's fun to play, though...

I STILL have to finish my sister's challah cover, which needs exactly 30 minutes of sewing and ironing to add the lining - what is with me? I have two options for lining - not sure which way to go... Sister mine, if you have an opinion - which you surely will! - speak now, or forever hold your peace!

 

I also NEEDED a lunch bag. I worked for the last 2 years in a school, and I got to eat the delicious-in-a-gross-kind-of-way lunch every day (as evidenced by my waistline). Now that I have a new job, I'm brown bagging it every day, with little plastic and glass containers of food, and ugh, I've been carrying them in a shopping bag.

Check THIS out!

I made up the pattern. I am a genius that way.

1. Sew 2 rectangles together along 3 sides. Sew 2 MORE rectangles together along 3 sides.

2. Do that thing where you sew across the seams of a flat bag and make it miraculously dimensional. (Ahem, this is apparently called "boxing the corners".)

3. Say "Thank you!" in a breathy and wondrous voice to the Higher Power of your choice when it works, and you didn't even lose any fingers in the process.

4. Turn one of these pockets right side out, and smush the other one -still right side IN - inside it. This comprises 99% of your new bag-to-be. Congratulations. You are nearly a new bag owner.

5. Straight stitch around the top of the bag just to give you some (false) sense of control, and trim the edge above the stitching line a bit to make it neat.

6. Use pre-fab bias tape for the top and at the spot where they overlap, Don't Turn Under The Edges. Go wild! Let a little raw edge into your life!

7. Sew 2 rectangles into straps and top stitch 'em down. Do the same with a teeny bit of velcro on the inside.

Behold! The Lunch Bag Cometh!

Sometime in the next 6 months, I have a quilt to make for someone's special birthday and 2 small gifts for my parents (don't tell!) Also, I have a cunning plan up my sleeve for a bear's paw quilt, but I cannot reveal it yet...

Linking up with Quilt Story and Live a Colorful Life and Confessions of a Fabric Addict!

Little Gifts Made to Order

Some special people I am closely related to by birth were offered the chance to pick out a fabric - ANY fabric - and chose a small item to be made for them. They recognised this for the unique opportunity it was, as I typically have quite a - how shall I say this? - hands-off approach to my fabric :)

Our budding chef asked for a pot-holder from lemon fabric with asparagus on the back, which I bound with blueberries. If we get hungry enough waiting for the food to be ready, I reckon we can eat the pot-holder...

Someone was totally swayed by this gorgeous fabric and wanted a slim scarf, to which I added a rose pin...

And a pencil case out of the perfect fabric for someone who loves art AND the environment. Plus some ribbon detailing too!

It feels good to start and finish projects the same week - not usual for me at all! Here's to a fruitful week ahead!

Linking up with Fabric Tuesday , Confessions of a Fabric Addict and Live a Colorful Life!

Bringing Light

The season of Chanukah lasts a week and a day, and marks the victory of the weak over the strong, the few over the many, the light of faith over the darkness of tyranny.

Today is the last day of Chanukah. I would like to extend my prayers that the light of our candles help bring peace and comfort to all of us who are reeling from the news in Connecticut. We are all sad and overwhelmed.

May our families and communities strengthen their vows to care for each and every member of society: to reach out and care for the the lost and the lonely; to be a source of strength for the weak, to bring light to darkness, and fight bravely against tyranny.

Let us gather with our family and loved ones to light candles, hold hands, and cry; let us, at least, feel sad and overwhelmed together.




(Photo credit: http://www.freeimageslive.co.uk/free_stock_image/xmas-candles-jpg)

O Lemon Tree, O Lemon Tree!

(to be sung to the tune of O Tannenbaum :)

In the home I grew up in, in Europe, we had many fruit trees. It sounds grand, but mostly involved stepping gingerly, to avoid the soft, fallen fruit. The apple trees produced delicious baking apples, though, and we had enormous unkempt bramble bushes at the end of the garden, where blackberries grew. We'd be sent out to collect fruit in the afternoon, and there'd be apple-berry crumble for dessert that night. Served hot with fresh cream. Mmmm.

I live in Israel now, a country with almost no rainfall, unless you measure it in thimblefuls. There is no lush grass, no ducking your head against the elements as you brave the path from your front door to your car, no out-of-control, over-blown roses from too much rain.

But.
We have lemons.

And with our second harvest, we eked out some blood oranges too.

Also, I did some sewing.
But I did have to share the bounty, first.

I couldn't stay away from the purples so I started piecing a zippy bag. But now I'm looking at the front-and-back of a bag (about 10" x 15") and I'm thinking, improv blocks! Let's make a top!

What do you think? Am I imagining it? Would this be better as a bag?

And then, there's this attempt at brown.
Now, I don't use brown much, as a rule. But it's worthy of some loving, doncha think?
I pieced this little thing, and it is just sitting there as forlorn as could be.
And while in my head I'm thinking "Espresso! Café au lait! Cream!", my heart is saying "bleugh".

I have decided to jazz up this Charlie Brown of a thing and make it... well, make it a singing Charlie Brown. Watch this space. And while you're watching, let me know your surface design ideas on face-lifts for fabric. Mine involve a hera marker and careful measurements, a walking foot and some coloured thread. Surely you can think of something funner. Right?

Linking up with WIP Wednesday at Freshly Pieced and Live a Colorful Life and Confessions of a Fabric Addict - go check out the fun!

It's a Purple Hot Mat Trivet Thingy

First things first. I want to thank everyone who read my last post, and I want to hug everyone who left a message. It meant so, so much to me, to feel heard, understood, and not alone. Thank you.

Now back to the purple love: my friend saw some pot holders I made, and said "I want me some of that purple goodness!" and I was commissioned (commissioned!) to sew a hot mat. Or whatever it's called. 

I got to try out not one, not two, but THREE whole new skills with this one!  Check me out, earning my quilting stripes!

Skill #1: I pieced the binding. Okay, not so much of a skill, as a design element. I used two different purples around the edge, and I'm in big love with that little chunk o' Chicopee.

Skill #2: machine binding. It was a fun challenge, even though it probably took me as much time to pin as it would have to hands-sew! This baby has 2 layers of batting inside - insul-bright and cotton - so there was more tugging to get it to fit, if you know what I mean!

Skill #3: feather quilting. I enjoyed this too. Even though it's, ahem, invisible.

Luckily, we have a back...

Here she is, in all her finished goodness.

A word about the fabrics. That amazing woven plaid is from Liberty, circa 1988. I went to the Liberty sale when I was about 17 or 18 years old, just for fun. And bought a ton of fabric. I didn't know how to use a sewing machine, but I figured, one day I would.

I put the Chicopee on the binding because she was blending in too well (ha!) with the Cocoon. Hurray for Free Spirit fabrics, making different lines be friends like that! And look at this: a coordinating Moda, of all things, from the Domestic Bliss line.

Left to right, Chicopee, Cocoon, Domestic Bliss

I'm planning a triangle quilt based around these... what should my solid be? Suggestions welcomed here!

Linking up with Live a Colorful Life and Confessions of a Fabric Addict !