Since I have finished making rugs and bowls, I was looking for something to do. Then I remembered that I had not yet made the monthly block for my 2019 fabric journal.
This will be the title page.
For the April quotation block, I used one of my orphan blocks that I made years ago. Instead of embroidering over the printed quote, as I did on the others, I embroidered over a handwritten quote. It did not come out as neatly as the printed quotes, so lesson learned.
My tendency is to save even the smallest of fabric scraps. I have tried to be more practical and organized, but my two scrap bins are full. I also save thread scraps. 🙄 As I was getting ready to throw these scraps away, I decided to upcycle them and use them in the April block instead. I threw a small amount of fabric scraps onto 10″ X 10″ muslin block. I scattered and played with the fabric before I threw on some of the thread and ribbon scraps. Then I covered the block with Sulky Wash Away Stabilizer.
It has been over a year since I made a fabric bowl using clothesline rope. There was just enough fabric strips left from the coffee bar slice rug I made the other day.
There was some leftover rope in my craft bins, so I decided to make a medium size bowl. I have done two types of rope bowls. One technique is wrapping the fabric around the rope and then sewing directly on the clothesline. The other technique involves folding the fabric wrong sides together and in half. Then, the fabric is folded with each raw edge to the middle. The rope is placed in the center. Then the right side of the fabric is folded up and over the rope; followed by folding the left side up and over the fabric.
After struggling with folding the fabric today, I realized that I prefer the wrapping technique rather than the folding technique.
There were also leftover strips from the Justice League rug that I made my grandson. I had some of the pre-cut batting leftover. Since I did not want to hassle with the rope again, I made a bowl using the batting. I do so much prefer using batting. It lays flat, and it is easier to catch both sides of the fabric.
There is still plenty of rope left in my craft bin. If and when I make another rope bowl, I will use scraps from my stash to wrap around the rope. This way, there will be no wasted fabric or rope. And, it will be easier than using the folded fabric method.
My friend, Nancy, makes some beautiful fabric, floral pins. On one of our Wabi Sabi sewing days, my Meemaw friends and tried our hand at making floral pins.
Today, my sister, Emma, sent me a photo of a fabric brooch that had thread sketching and embroidery. I just had to give it a try.
Now, I am looking online to see what others have done with fabric brooches.
Since I was not able to go for a walk today, I thread sketched a selfie of me taking a walk.
One of my goals is to learn how to thread sketch. At this time, I am "drawing" outlines with the thread as my pen. The #100 Day Project is a fun way to keep me practicing. I love making small things, so I chose to make these 2.5″ X 3.5″ fabric business cards. It is quite satisfying to see my stack of fabric cards grow.
Some of the cards will be hand stitched, and others will be thread sketched. I might start fabric painting some of them.
Today's piece comes after a long day of making a rug, a lunch date, and going for a walk.
April is Poetry month. My message board has a quote by Muriel Rukeyser.
When I was cleaning off my cutting table, I found some muslin strips that had fusible batting. These were left over from a pillow backing that I had made. The strips were 2.5″ by 20″. I couldn't throw them away, but they aren't really a good size for anything. Then, I decided to use them to practice embroidery and slow stitching, and thread sketching. It just so happens that the 100 Day Project started, so I decided this will be my daily project.
Day 1: I thread sketched a selfie and backed it with some scraps.
Day 3: Thread sketch of two bluebirds.