Mining Monday: Napkin & Placemat Round-Up

Good morning!
Hope everyone had a wonderful weekend.

I decided I'd do a bit of searching for placemat and napkin ideas today.  I have a couple yards of really beautiful fabric that I didn't want to sell, but that I didn't quite know what to do with. 

You see, I love purple.  Adore it.  When I sold a yard of this on eBay the other day, it almost hurt to let it go!  That's one of the signs I need to pull something and work with it myself.

The question was: "What to do with it?"

It's is filled with brilliant colors.  Too strong to make something to wear.  Could do a quilt, but not the colors hubby likes for things, as much as I do.  Could do a tote or purse.  That still might occur, but I really don't need another at this moment.

Then it hit me: placemats & napkins.  I could look at them whenever I wanted and I could accent the placemats with some batiks I have in stock.

Next question: "What design?"

The answer?  A Mining Monday!

So here you go:



This first idea from Handmade by Alissa is very tempting.  I think the purple could be the "base color" and I could accent it with stripes in teal, yellow, orange or light purple.  It would be easy to pull out some great color from the purple.

Image by Handmade by Alissa

This next placemat from Spoonflower, appeals to me, as well.  I can see the purple being the background for LOTS of color OR the hexagons, for more of a "pop" or accent.  I like how both this one and the one by Alissa use machine quilting as part of the design.  I also like the wonderful tutorial she did and the info on using the hexies.

Image by Spoonoflower

This is a great tutorial for reversible placemats.  I will save this to look at later, but I think that the fabric I am working with is just a wee bit to strong to use this way.  I really like how it turned out with the lighter fabrics - very crisp.

Image from Centsational Girl

Here's a cute one - not what I am looking for exactly, but, I like the idea and wanted to remember it, so... I added it here! I thought this would be great for a picnic: love putting the silverware right with it!

Image from To Sew, With Love

As lovely as all these are, here's the one I am going to try first.  It comes from Ellison Lane and is PERFECT for the fabric I have in mind!

Image by Ellison Lane

 Now, how about some napkins?

Here's a pattern for double sided ones.  Love the fabric she chose.

Image from Punkin Patterns

I like the trim around these from the Purl Bee.  I was thinking of getting a bias tape maker, so this would be a great project to try with it.

Image from the PurlBee

Sigh... here is one more reason I need covet want greatly desire a serger.

Image courtesy of Pandiola Lane

Most likely, this is what I'll try: mitered cornered napkins.

Do you use cloth napkins?  Have you made your own placemats?  What style did you do?

Have a wonderful day,
Carrie

Sewing Resources - Great Ideas!

Today's video is 7:50 minutes of wonderful ideas for where to get ideas, inspiration, etc for sewing.  If you click on her "About" you'll see a great list of all the links she mentions.


What would you add/share/tell others?

Carrie

Re-Post: Wrapped in Purple - An Apron Tutorial from May, 2013

Today's post comes to us from about a year ago and was the top post of the month.  It was called "Wrapped in Purple - An Apron Tutorial."   I thought I'd bring it back to share since so many of you are new to the site and may have not seen it.

Here's how it goes:

Good morning, friends!

Several weeks ago I did a post with all sorts of apron tutorials.
Here's one I came up with:

Don't you love the purple?  The accent fabric is filled with delectable sprinkle-filled cupcakes!  A light, fun combo.

You will need:
36"x 23" piece for the body of the apron
6" x 44" piece for the tie
2 - 6" x 10" pieces for the pockets

Begin by creating the tie.  Cut your 6" piece in half so you have 2, 3" x 44" pieces.  Sew them together so that you'll have one, long piece.

Press it in half, right sides together.  Now the strip is 1 1/2" wide.  Sew the ends at an angle (see image below).  I like to do a zigzag as I don't have a serger (oh... someday...) to help hold things.  Trim at the angle to remove excess fabric.

Time for the pockets.  Take one of the 6" x 10" pieces, fold with right sides together and trim the corners round (an OPTION - NOT necessary).

Sew around the outside edge using a 3/8" seam.  Leave a 2" opening to pull the outside through.  Snip off the corners just beyond the stitching so your corners will be "sharp."

Right-side out each pocket and press.  Then topstitch at 3/8" on the top edge ONLY BEFORE sewing it on.

Time to go back to the body of the apron.  Starting with the bottom edge, fold over and press 3/8" once and then twice, to seal the edge.  Pin if you'd like.

Topstitch the folded fabric to create the bottom seam.  Repeat with both the sides.

Time to place the pockets.  I folded the body in half and then found what was the "half way point" of that portion, pinning the pocket to the center.  I held it up to my body as well to see how high/low to place them.  I found that 6" from the edge and from the center looked good.  When you have them where you want them to be, pin them on and sew from one corner, down and around to the other.

Ready to do some gathering?  If you've never gathered, it's really pretty straight forward.  You need to set you thread length so that it bastes.  L-O-N-G stitches.  Do one run along the edge at about 3/8".   Don't go back and forth to secure the thread - you want to be able to pull it.

Do a second run just inside that, about 1/4" away - you will now have two parallel lines of sewing.  It's important NOT to cross over the lines.  If you do, you won't be able to gather them!

To gather, pull the two threads from the top while sliding the fabric along.  It will gather.  Once I have what I like, I tie off both ends, just so it won't un-do before I sew it.

Now, let's get that tie ready and a waist-band constructed.  Fold under 3/8" on each edge and press with your iron.  I pinned it every few inches after I pressed it.

Once you have it all pressed, find the middle of the tie (seam) and the middle of the apron (just fold in half and find that point).  Slide the gathered body up into the tie and pin it down.  Continue one direction and then go back and do the other.

Once it's pinned, sew with a 1/4"-3/8" topstitch.  Press.

 Here it is!

A note:
If you chose to use a directional fabric, be aware of that when you are sewing things together.  I put one pocket on "upside-down and had to pull out my seam ripper.  Just an FYI.  :)

Ready to pull out your machine and try one?  Give it a go!
Have a great day,
Carrie

Framed Fabric Wallhanging

Here's a fun project for you!  All you need is some fabric, a canvas and a few tools.  :)

I started with a piece, about a fat quarter, of the lovely Kona Bay Oriental fabric you see here - it called out to me to mount and hang, so, I listened!

I "auditioned" where to cut it by playing around with the blank canvases.  I found these at Michael's awhile ago.

I played around with which direction to go and then a bit of left, right, up and down till I liked what showed on each canvas.

Next, to check what I thought I liked, I pinned where I'd be cutting it to see how that looked. 

I cut it out and got ready to frame it.

First, I sprayed it with some starch and ironed it to smooth it out.  You can see it was a bit wrinkly prior to that.

I had one more chance to play around with placement... hmmm... centered?  To the left or right...?

Decision made - time to staple this baby!  I started with a row across the top edge, holding taut.

Then I need to try out how to do the corners to keep things as smooth as possible.

Time to finish stapling.

Flip it over and...

Love the way the wave are the focus!

Time to try the other one...

Same process, fun result!

I like how they hang a bit off center and run together.  Either is pretty cool by itself, but as a pair, much more interesting.

Do you have any fabric that you could give a try with?  Let's see it!

Have a creative day,
Carrie

Shopping Round Up

I've been checking out videos on various projects and thought it was time to play around a bit.  I've focused on NOT adding to my crafting stash, but some of the new ideas REQUIRED me to pick up some new goodies!

Hence, the trip to Joann's...Michael's...and New England Quilt Supply.

Let's start with Joann's.

1. I've been eying a 6"x24" to help in cutting fabrics - all the "big girls" have one in their videos.  I want one... waaaa... so... I bought one with 50% off coupon.  YUP!
2. Market is coming and I want to make some banners to sell.  I've been working with my Silhouette (more on that upcoming) and needed some new paper to design with.  Nailed it... three packets: one half price and the bottom two for $9 together!  Psyc!
3. To cut the banners, I needed some scissors - they were $2 each!  Woot woot!
4. Several projects I'm considering need floss... used a 50% coupon on that one (this was two trips to Joann's combined).
5. I am making some cute little treat bags with scraps.  I saw how someone did stamp and ink on wooden "tree cookies" attached to the bags - super cute and well, a girl needs some stamps?  Right?  On sale: 50% off! 
6. Lastly, when you are making your way to the checkout there is ALWAYS some goodies on sale!  ARGH!!  The pink pens are for writing on glass - thought some Cancer Awareness options would exist there.  

Let's move on to Michael's...

1. Remember that video the other day with the twin sisters and the recycled storage?  I fell in love with what they did on the old containers AND on the can lids....soooo... I HAD to get some chalkboard paint and a chalk pen, right?  I was going to get a set of colors, but I really wanted a fine point (the sets were all wedge shaped) AND really just white and found this one over in the stamp/ink section of the store.
2. The work I'm doing with the Silhouette is tricky with the non-vinyl.  I thought some spray adhesive was in order AND this one is supposed to be low odor, so doubly good.  PLUS I used the 40% coupon and all three together were $10.93.  I'd priced the items on Amazon and was going to be paying a bit more AND I'd have to wait, so this was GREAT!

Lastly, I made a stop at New England Quilt Supply.  It's a wholesale spot, so not for everyone, but I LOVE GOING THERE!!  You're going to be seeing all this up on my eBay and Esty shops right away.

1.  Picked up some patterns to add fabric to - you'll be seeing them at Market, if you are local, and my eBay and Etsy shops, if not.  :)  
2. I grabbed some Warm Tater for making potato bags.  
3. The teal is "Bundles of Hope" fabrics to honor women with ovarian cancer - it's soooo hard to find!
4. I also snagged two "pink" fabrics the pink on the right is Gail Cotton and the center one is a black and white with pink ribbons they spotted and set aside for me - such nice folks there.
5. The Mary Englebreit was selling like crazy, so I got another full bolt.  Yay!
6. Lastly, along with the BIG ruler, I've been eying a small square - it's a 4" one.  Let me know if you all need any of that sort of thing.  I can purchase them and sell them in the shops, too.

Okay, this girl has some work to do - enough lally-gagging!
Have a wonderful day,
Carrie