Us Brits are never happier than when we're either drinking tea or discussing the weather. Preferably both. Today has been unseasonably warm. I mean, it's April. It shouldn't be so mild you don't even need a coat or a jumper on. I can't decide if it's just a routine weather event or yet another scary sign of global warming. Anyway, on to craftier matters. The day began with me unearthing this buckle while I was rummaging in a button tin.
I realised the colour meant it would look good as part of a fastening for this fabric wrap that I'd almost-but-not-quite completed. I sewed the buckle on, and paired it with this dotty black ribbon.
The ribbon's not totally perfect, but I need to remember the '
better done than perfect' saying, don't I? Right, that fabric wrap's finished and I can tick it off my work-in-progress list. The other thing I finished is this circle bag. It didn't really turn out how I envisioned it, but I do like the shape it's formed.
How this bag started out is that I had the urge to make something - I didn't know what - using even the tiniest scraps of material. I stretched a piece of unbleached calico over a large embroidery hoop and arranged scraps on it. Once the calico was covered in scraps, I secured them with a spiral running stitch. That made me decide to make a bag. A circular shaped bag with a drawstring, so when the drawstring was opened the bag would lie completely flat. I thought I'd make eyelets for the cord or ribbon to be threaded through.
Hmmm, didn't quite turn out that way, mainly because I hadn't considered how I'd line the bag. What I subsequently realised I should've done is: insert into my hoop two layers of material. The calico and also a backing fabric. Then arranged my fabric scraps on the calico, either pinning or tacking in place. Then spiral stitched the three layers together, making sure that before I reached the bag's outer edges I inserted half a dozen eyelets. Then it'd simply be a case of either adding a narrow binding around the bag's outer edge or over-stitching to cover the raw edge. Does that make sense? As the saying goes, 'every day's a school day' so I'll know for next time. And I do have a nifty little bag that's an unusual shape.
I like the grey and white striped lining, and the contrast with the shiny silver ribbon.
It's definitely not how I'd expected it to turn out, but nevermind.
I'm having a go at another embroidery this evening, a blue tit. I've seen a few embroidered birds on Instagram, and I'm not certain my basic entry-level skills are good enough but what the heck! I'll give it a go.
You can see from the pencil marks on the calico that I've been unsure where the bird's beak and head will go. It may take a few attempts to get it right.
Hope you're well and enjoying your weekend. Bye for now.
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