Monday, May 20, 2013

Potholders, Cross-stitch, and a Piano Bench Pillow

There've been plenty of things going on, but not a lot of photo-taking or blog-writing. What follows is a partial remedy.

The potholders were an attempt to use up some fabric that was quilted to make a tea cozy. It made a wonderful practice-free-handing project.



This cross-stitch will be a birth-announcement for a boy (my nephew) who is heading into Grade One. Somewhat late, I confess, but it's really for his parents, so he won't mind. It's a perfect break from more complex designs, since there are a lot of large, solidly-coloured areas.


And finally, this piano bench pillow. I've never sewn anything with piping before (this is hand-made piping, by the way), or anything that had to fit so precisely. It also has a zipper so that it can be washed. I wouldn't claim it's perfect, but I love the fabric, the pillow turned out well enough to be of use (did you know that foam is frightfully expensive?), and despite the lack of straps, it doesn't move around too much when you're sitting on it.
 


No pictures yet, but I've got a hexie wall-hanging from the May/June 2013 issue of Quiltmaker in the works!

And there you have it: a sampling of recent projects. There are a lot of imperfections, mistakes even, but even though pictures of perfectly executed projects are a beautiful thing, this is also a record for my own sake. Some quick notes for my future reference:
  • if you think you're sewing close enough to the cord when making piping, think again. Get closer!
  • wrestling with foam inserts is a work-out in and of itself.
  • tracing a design on fabric with a water-soluble marker makes 'free-hand quilting' so much easier!