Easiest of Easels

Another great totally no sew technique!  Gather your supplies

Take the two iunfluffed pieces of board and tape the long sides together.

Tape should look like a capital "I"

Cover the unit with the green fabric.  Tape side of the unit is up!  Fold in your corners to get the fullness away from the edges.  Then center the black ribbon on one end and securely glue and tape in place.

Next comes the felt liner....important...the end without the ribbon will not be glued down!!  

Center felt side to side and flush with ribbon end

Once felt is in trim the felt flush with the edge of unribboned end.

Trim. Measure ribbon about twin inches away from the edge of the unit.  Place a pin to mark.  Trim ribbon out about 1.5 inches. Glue top and bottom of the ribbon end up to the pin.  Fold unit in half and insert ribbon between felt and covered board.  Make sure it is centered with ribbon from other side.  

Use a clip to get a good bond.

Use fluffed board and center your stitching on it.  Then edge it with the gold ric rak.  Center it on top of one side and place a book on top while glue dries.

Legs are beaded pins...slip into the mat board edges.  Use another beaded pin to keep your fluffed bow in place.

Ta da!!!

Summer event....recap

Over the next few days I will post the major projects we covered in our finishing classes.  This is in case you dozed off during your sauna session...😴😴😴

Tonight's will be the pincushion box.  Take out your kit.

Trim the fluff flush with the edge of the piece and center the stitching on it.  If you used the glue, oouch and tape method the back will look like this

The front will look like this

Take the little lamb and match it up to one end of the long leaf covered section.  Sew pieces together catching fabric not cardboard.

 

When finished repeat with other side

Next cover one of the smaller rectangles with the smaller brown fabric piece and sew it to the bottom of the box.

Now for the pincushion...not hard just fiddley.  You will need a handful of fiberfill, glue and tape. 

 Glue and tape one long edge of the fabric along one long side of the cardboard. Then place the fiberfill between the cardboard and fabric...bring the other long side around and glue/tape leave room for the fluff.

Decide if you need to add more fluff then fold ends down like wrapping a package.

Pop this on top of the box and slip stitch in place...you will have to feel for the edge of the board to make everything nice and neat.  I tacked my mite red corners down.

Now couch the jute around the front and tie a pretty bow....if you aren't pleased with the stitching along the top edge you have plenty of jute to cover it also.

Stay tuned for the easel....

Cruise Pyn Pillow

Gather together your pillow supplies

First thing we will do is interface the back of the stitching...trim it to fit inside the back stitching.  Use a thick towel on your ironing board so you won't flatten your stitches.  

Trim linen 14 threads (1/2 inch) on all four sides.

Trim is centered between the top and bottom stitched areas.  There is no right or wrong top so sew it the way you want.  I just took a few stitches along the lacy areas to keep it in place.  Then sew the buttons along the trim....of if you found lace and or buttons on our trip you would rather use...do it!

Fold back the edges where the back stitching is on top of the fold on all four sides. Miter corners--I like to tack the folds and baste down the edges.  I find it makes sewing the linen to the backing easier.

Now place the linen right side up on the wool backing.  Start sewing about 3/4 inch from the bottom right corner.  Backing will be larger than the stitching.  Align the bottom and right hand side.

Sew using green thread.  Pick up the back stitching and catch enough of the wool to make a good connection...about 1/8 inch from the cut edge of the wool.  Continue until you make it to the top of the right side....then trim wool to match top and left side of the linen...finish stitching around the outside edges leaving about two inches unsewn at the bottom.

Use the bottom opening to "LIGHTLY" stuff the pillow.  Do not put too much pressure on the outside seam.  After corners and body is stuffed finish sewing up the bottom seam....but...leave about 1/4 inch open.  This opening will be where you start and stop your chenille trim.

Place one end of the trim in the hole...I like to use a wooden skewer to poke it in....and couch the trim around the edge using matching thread.  

When trim is sewn around...use the same back stitching to anchor your stitches...cut the trim leaving about one inch and use the skewer to poke it into the opening.

Once everything is done you can use a needle to fluff up the trim if it has been trapped by the crouching....another easy fun away to finish smalls!!

I loved our cruise projects and can't wait to see what Jeannette comes up for our Amsterdam Adventure!!  I'm already counting the days.

Rolling Down the Rhone.....

A little less than a month ago we completed yet another "trip of a lifetime".  This time we traveled to Paris for three days and absorbed the culture, sights, and food.  My favorite was a delightful lemon tart. 

In honor of our Paris adventures Jeannette provided us with a little Eiffel Tower piece which I made into a petite cube.  Here is a refresher of our shipboard class....

Pieces needed....

 First sew the ends together on the long rectangle....you will use the gray thread provided in your kit.

Hide your knot on the back.

Sew along the two edges. Pick a little fabric from each edge.  Every third stitch go through the same hole and tighten it up.  Remember catch fabric not cardboard.  Knot off at the end of the seam but do not cut the thread.

Square up the outside edges and put the back on your box  pin corners if you wish.....see around the outside edges.  Remember the unfluffed piece goes on the bottom.  Make sure the back will "read" correctly...right side up! 

Sew along the outside. Once complete knot off the thread and tunnel through the fabric so thread end will not show.

Clip thread as close as possible to fabric. 

Stuff box with plastic bag or fabric scraps....

Center and mount stitching to front padded board.  Repeat process but leave a scant 1/2 inch opening...not sewn..along  the bottom of the box.  Mark with tape as a visual reminder.

Sewing completed...use a skewer to pry open the hole and tuck one end of the cording inside.

Sew or glue cording around the sewn edge.  Let glue dry before trying to tuck in the other end

Tape and cut cord if it is too long but leave enough to tuck inside

The bow....fold in half and secure the middle by sewing it with the red thread.  On the last wrap add the tower charm

Knot off thread and fluff the loops of your bow.  Pin or glue to the top of box.  Remember all our wonderful French memories...I really need a lemon tart!  

Pyn Pillow will be posted on Saturday....until then,

Au revoir

Egg-actually Like the Model!!

Lizzie*Kate just released a cute new pattern called Chick Party.   This blog post will help you finish your little egg just like the model.

First go to her website lizziekate.com and print off the egg template.

After printing it gather up your supplies comic board, fabric quilt batting, trim and cording.

Cut two egg shapes from the comic board.  Mark the insides with an X

Now cover the two outsides with low loft quilt batting.  Trim flush with the edges.

Now take your backing fabric and trim it about 3/4 inch from the edge of the form

Start gluing fabric to the back of the template.  I like to do top, bottom, side, side first.  

Then gently gather and glue the sections between. If you get a fold lift it up and try again.  

Check to make sure everything is nice and smooth on the opposite side

Repeat with the stitched linen.....spend time getting centered and straight.  Us a few straight pins to keep it in place while gluing. 

We used Peony Ric Rack by Lady Dot.  Fold down the raw edge and then glue around the outside edge.

Once you make it around to the top, fold down the edge and then add the hanger.  I use twisted cord but jute, ribbon or nbaby Rick rack would also work.

Now give a good dose of glue on the bottom half of the Rick rack and along the inside edge.

Center stitching in top and use clips to make good contact along the edges.

Let dry....and your egg will looks egg-actually like the model....no yoke!