Tuesday, July 8, 2014

Needlework Tuesday: 4th of July

A holiday from work + no family home = a day of sewing.  

My first project - a Prayer Flag for our nation - was inspired by an image on Facebook of an American flag created from vintage ribbons and trims.  I didn't have enough red, white and blue trim (vintage or otherwise) to make a flag, so my version used fabric scraps. 


It flew on our front porch all weekend and will remain there indefinitely.


Project #2 was the baby quilt I'm making for my great-nephew - due on July 19th.  This was my first attempt at this style of border and, I have to admit, I'm pretty proud of those mitered corners.  I'm trying another new (to me) method in the finishing of the quilt - "machine tying".  Rather than hand typing and leaving the ends of the thread or yarn loose, I tacked the corners of each square with zig-zag stitching.  Much faster and neater than hand-tying and also disguises triangle points that aren't perfect.  I have completed the tacking on the inner section.  I just need to find some red thread and tack at  4" intervals all the way around; then add the red binding.  


During breaks in quilting, I whipped up a journal cover.  I journal almost daily and I am frequently tempted by the beautiful journals I see, but the cost can be prohibitive.  I used to stock up on plain school-type notebooks during the Back-to-School sales.  They were economical (5/$1 in the mid 90's) but not very attractive.  A fabric cover is the best of both worlds.  I used a fat quarter I had picked up months ago just because I loved the sewing motif; and a strip of a reproduction vintage floral that Amanda gave me for Christmas.   After the cover was complete, I decided it needed a pocket for a pen and highlighter.  I fussy-cut the pocket from another fat quarter purchased on a whim.  If I had thought of it sooner, I would probably have re-arranged the pocket and contrast strip - but I'm happy with it anyway.


One more fabric strip helped finish off the interior flaps.  My cover fits a standard
9.75x7.5 composition notebook that costs around $1.50 each, but could easily be adjusted to fit any size.  Best of all, when it becomes worn or stained, or if I'm just tired of it, I can create another.

For hand-work, I tried a new technique for loom knitting, but this post is long enough so I'll save that for next week. If anyone has experience with "double pegging", let me know.  I could use some help.

Hope you had a great week of stitching.  If so, visit our hostess, Heather, at Books & Quilts and link up your post.  If not, stop by to see what others are stitching.  You  might be inspired.

3 comments:

  1. Your prayer flag is very nice and looks great at the front of your house.

    The cover for your journal is wonderful. Great idea for fancying up a plain book. Well Done

    Thanks for linking up with Needlework Tuesday.

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  2. I was intrigued by your machine tacking? Was it tedious snipping all the connecting threads between the tack points? Do you have some trick or hint you can share? Really cool fabric on your journal cover...

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  3. Well, I just love all of these! You could sell the heck out of those flags at a craft show!

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