Sunday, August 12, 2007

Sheer cards, scrapbuster blocks



Finished my sheers postcards today - not sure how well they show the techniques used, but I think they came out well. The background is a sunprinted fabric, which then had a piece of (nylon) organza layered on top and stitched randomly fairly heavily with cotton thread (this is important because of the next step). I then used my little soldering iron to remove pieces of the sheer, sometimes cutting right up against the thread - because the thread is cotton, it doesn't burn if you just brush against it. If you hold the iron there for a while and concentrate the heat, it will eventually go through the cotton, but not with a regular touch (same with the background fabric), which is why this works. I then added lovely Oliver Twist threads couched down on top, and some stars which I painted purple and then French knots in more Oliver Twist threads. Finally, I edged with satin stitch, using a different colour on each edge. Ta da! (Apologies to those who've read the description before in bits and pieces, but I thought it made sense to put the whole thing here with the finished cards.)



When I had finished with the cards, I wanted to do some "regular sewing" (i.e. piecing - sometimes there is just something very satisfying about piecing together lots of bits to make something bigger) and as I knew I might get interrupted a lot (kids here, and despite their daddy being home, kids still tend to ask me to deal with stuff - anyone else find that? LOL), I didn't want anything I had to concentrate on too intensely. So I decided to pull out the scrapbuster squares and the black mock sashing - I finished sewing the first two rows together, and added black to about half the blocks for the next row. It all takes a lot longer than it looks, as those black sashing rows are made up of 2" squares, just like the other blocks are. However, I think it's going to look very effective if it ever gets done. The hard part is (as ever) finding somewhere to photograph it from - this view is with it on the floor of Alex's room, with me on the top bunk looking down - not too bad, but will probably only work for 4-5 rows, even if I move the furniture. Oh for a design wall - or more to the point, oh for a large wall which could be a design wall - even if I moved pictures, etc, my largest wall wouldn't be big enough (or rather, my largest wall, which is the one in the top stairwell, which is so high no one can reach the top to remove the cobwebs, probably would be large enough, but as I can only get about 2 feet away from it, it still wouldn't work as a design wall...)

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi Kate,

About the design wall...I also didn't have an extra wall, but I did have a closet, so I (well, I directed my husband :) )put up a shelf above the closet...(put my tin collection on it)...then I attached a few hooks on the underside of the shelf. I hung a long piece of doweling off the hooks. I took pieces of white flannel and made a casing and then put the casing onto the doweling. VoilĂ ! My design wall. I have never taken it down and usually just pin it up when I have to go into the closet. Just an idea on using limited space.....plus...I'd much rather save my walls to hang my creative projects.

Cathi said...

Hey my kids do that too, lol!

How do you get any sewing done that needs concentration, bar kicking kids and daddy out of the house, it is hard!! Like you say, I try to have easy type project to work on throughout day in small snippets, and then at night my brain is too dead for any precise measuring or big projects, so it is knitting or hand sewing for me!

Debi said...

Very pretty postcards. I admire all the art that goes into making them. I have not attempted making post cards.

Di said...

I love your postcards. Haven't ventured into 'burning' yet although I do have a soldering iron sitting on the shelf!! Perhaps I'll just have to pluck up courage and have a go.