Covers...A Vital Topic...

 

The question of covers came up on PR today...to cover or not to cover. Of course to cover is the answer unless you crave dust in your machines!  I have already talked about these covers, but I wanted to have another go at it....plus here is the plastic quilted one I bought for the Pfaff....I love the pockets...

All in all covers are the best idea. Nothing exciting in the sewing room at present. Working on a quilt I will keep under wraps until finished, and the doldrums of Late Summer have worn off.  It is larger, and is being quilted with OMNI thread on the top and So Fine 60 on the bobbin. Large sweeping curves with my AcuFeed on my Elna. Love that technique, but it takes time.

Yet Another Kitty Quilt...

 

Yes, another scrappy Asian prints Kitty Quilty. I cannot keep away from these scraps. I have lots more as well, and will be making probably a throw for the sofa from some of them as time goes on. This little quilt is a bit larger than some I have made, but the cats do not seem to be in a critical mood, and our Ranger kitty slept on this one right away. It graces a comfortable chair. Sewn on my Brother Innovis PS500, and bound on my Elna eXcellence 720P.  Finally found that if you match the bobbin thread to the backing of a quilt, then sew the binding on the front first, matching your top thread to the binding, you can have your little blips of visible stitching not so visible on the other side! The top thread is covered when you turn the binding to the front, and the bobbin thread blends nicely on the back. ;) Some may be more precise than I am, but as for me, I will continue this method of subterfuge. 

Quilted with King Tut thread (1023 - Mint Julep), with a So Fine #60 Pastel Yellow pre-loaded bobbin.  At this time I have decades worth of pre-loaded bobbins in my drawer.   My King Tut threads, being cotton, are rarely used in my projects, but are such lovely threads. :)  And I have described So Fine threads often enough. Lovely, lint free threads.   I backed this with part of an old tightly woven percale sheet. WOW...sewing on that was difficult. The weave was really compact. The end result looked almost ruched. I find it wibbly looking, but a family member says the back is pretty. :) 

Water Bottle Holder with Handle...

 

My hubby asked me to make him some water bottle holders with handles -  I looked on the web of course, and found this video on YouTube and downloaded the pattern. I didn't actually use the video after a brief view.  Here is the website where you can find the pattern, as well as lots of other really nice projects she has designed. Nicely done site!

Learncreatesew

Here is the video:  Sewing a Water Bottle Holder

She has included several sizes of patterns for the bottom of this bag. I used the medium size as I like to make my seams a bit wider than marked on the pattern. There is a separate pattern on her website for an XL size as well.  I did it much as the pattern but I did the handle my way, and I added a top facing which I stitched down over the outside as both a slight reinforced top portion and slightly deco as well! ;)  This pattern is really nice as far as drafting the rectangle for the body of the bag and the handle - very clear. The only pattern piece provided premade is the bottom and there are a few sizes included which I was amazed fit various sized bottles we have! I could have done the body of the bag without the chart she provides, but that was icing on the cake, and I used the chart to calculate. It is a simple bag, but I found her pattern very helpful. 

I didn't watch the video for instructions because it is pretty evident how to sew it if you have made a bag before, and the bottom piece is tricky but that's all part of transferable skills.

I did the handle my way which is to fold over and into the middle and sew the handle down the middle to seal all edges. Then I tacked the bottoms of the loop together and basted the handle to one side of the rectangle before sewing the body of the bag. Then I enclosed the handle bottom in the side seam. Then I reinforced that side seam.

I had some leftover heavy chambray and some lovely twill from a air of worn out men's pants stored for just such a use.  Having these about is handy for things that sort of come up. I seldom have a wide range of stash. It would be nice to make a really pretty carrier as well - but I do not use water bottles at all so no one in my home would love a flowery one. ;)

---

Tea Cozy with Embroidery Fun...

 

The embroidery was so much fun. Tea cozy made to fit the lovely ceramic teapot I bought awhile ago. I made this as a gift for someone else who has the same teapot. I had bought a lot of this double sided muslin awhile back, and I have used it for a few small things since then. The serger cover was the main item I made, so I had an overage of fabric left! I still do. Madeira thread used, and my trusty Brother SE400. I find that that machine is all I need for embroidery, even after 6 years!  The design is a built in design on the machine. It is gettable at Brother however. I love it.  I had made a tea cozy years ago, and that had to be modified a few times over - it is a self-designed pattern. So this is a final modification of the pattern. Fits my teapot and the gifted one perfectly.  

Every now and then I love to embroidery something with a cute design, but all in all embroidery is not a main thing for me. I do love this little machine! Bought with retirement gift certificate, it has proved a worthy purchase, even had I paid full price! :) Brother machines are a lot of fun to use. Their user interfaces are much more intuitive than other manufacturers machines that I have experience with.