Sorry I was sick, guys. I wasn't doing too well for a while. But I'm pretty much better now.
I started a "secret" project, here's what it looks like so far:
I started a "secret" project, here's what it looks like so far:
Can you tell what it is yet?
This is the first time I've attempted something like this. Once it's finished, I'll do a whole post about it.
This is the first time I've attempted something like this. Once it's finished, I'll do a whole post about it.
The other projects I've been working on are tea towels and napkins and things. Let me just put up some pictures of what I've been working on.
I made a few sets of towels and napkins and bread cloths.
I'm still working on the process, and I'm not sure that I'm totally pleased with the outcome.
I did made myself a nice tea towel for use in my kitchen, I'll show that one at the end and explain a bit more about whether I like these towels or not.
I'm still working on the process, and I'm not sure that I'm totally pleased with the outcome.
I did made myself a nice tea towel for use in my kitchen, I'll show that one at the end and explain a bit more about whether I like these towels or not.
This is the kitchen towel for the first set I made. I embroidered a little line on this one near the ends, I didn't really like that idea, though. I abandoned that idea because I figured it wouldn't stand up to repeated washing. This towel and the napkins are made from Wal Mart fat quarters, they are not of the very best quality. This was really just an experiment.
It turned out decently, though.
Here are the napkins. This was all made from sets of fat quarters. I think the lighter yellow and lighter purple were from one set and the more vibrant batik ones were from another set. It seemed like they could go together for my purposes.
Here's the Dalmatian towel. I cut the darker fabric a bit larger so that when it was sewn it automatically mitered the corners and made a little lining on the opposite side.
I abandoned that idea as well, because doing this for a smaller size is just too fiddly. I've got no problem doing this with something bigger, like a blanket, but a towel is just a little to much work for too little impact.
This set was made from not quite a yard each of two fabrics instead of fat quarters, so I managed to arrange things to not only make some napkins, but a couple of bread cloths as well. I could have sewn the bread cloths together and made another towel, but I thought a couple of lighter bread cloths would be useful in a set.
I call this one "Roses in Bloom" for obvious reasons. I have some more fabric which is similar but has rosebuds on it. I may make a set of that one as well. I was going to put the blooming roses on one side of the towel and the buds on the other, but that seemed like it would be too busy and also be too similar to make the design interesting.
I really like this one. And I can use the pink solid fabric (which I bought plenty of for two sets) with the rosebud fabric also.
I used a yard each of the two fabrics and I had plenty for a towel, bread cloths and napkins.
I debated on this one on whether I was going to make two towels or a towel and two bread cloths (as before the bread cloths are basically cut from the same raw size as the fabrics for the towel) but I liked the idea of the lighter bread cloths for different purposes or maybe to use them as large napkins.
Napkins. If I had made them smaller I could have made six of them instead of four. But I like a good large napkin.
So, four it was.
I might try the smaller size with the other fabric, but I'm not sure.
Those two sets could easily go together to make a set with two tea towels, four bread cloths and eight napkins.
Here's where it all started with the tea towel idea. I made the bread cloths before already, but I wanted something a little more sturdy for a tea towel, and I wanted something special to actually use when I used my tea pot.
I found this tutorial: https://sewcanshe.com/2014-2-8-easy-fat-quarter-tea-towels-new-tutorial/ on how to make a tea towel from two fat quarters and I was a bit skeptical, as I hadn't thought that fat quarters would made a nice, soft, absorbent towel. But the tutorial assured me that "The two layers of cotton are not too thick..." and "...the more I wash them the softer and more absorbent they become." I decided to try it out.
At first I wasn't convinced I had made a good choice in doing this. Should I have used some terry or something? I have to admit, however, that the more I wash them, they do absorb a bit better.
I don't expect that I am going to use this to mop up grape juice or something like that. That stain would be way too hard to get out. But to dry a few dishes or cover up a tea pot so it stays warm....well, yeah, I think it's good for that. And cute!
That's why I said I wasn't sure about these towels. I will probably not make any more for a bit until I've used my lilac one for a while to see how it holds up. If it seems like this was a good idea after all, I'll make a few more sets to put up for sale. I'll let you know.
Anyway, that's what I've been up to. When I feel lots more better, I'll post some more! Happy crafting!
I found this tutorial: https://sewcanshe.com/2014-2-8-easy-fat-quarter-tea-towels-new-tutorial/ on how to make a tea towel from two fat quarters and I was a bit skeptical, as I hadn't thought that fat quarters would made a nice, soft, absorbent towel. But the tutorial assured me that "The two layers of cotton are not too thick..." and "...the more I wash them the softer and more absorbent they become." I decided to try it out.
At first I wasn't convinced I had made a good choice in doing this. Should I have used some terry or something? I have to admit, however, that the more I wash them, they do absorb a bit better.
I don't expect that I am going to use this to mop up grape juice or something like that. That stain would be way too hard to get out. But to dry a few dishes or cover up a tea pot so it stays warm....well, yeah, I think it's good for that. And cute!
That's why I said I wasn't sure about these towels. I will probably not make any more for a bit until I've used my lilac one for a while to see how it holds up. If it seems like this was a good idea after all, I'll make a few more sets to put up for sale. I'll let you know.
Anyway, that's what I've been up to. When I feel lots more better, I'll post some more! Happy crafting!