Emma's Ironing Board Cover

Here's Emma's little ironing board.  We have a small iron that was an honest-to-goodness travel iron/steamer -- but the switch didn't work, so Larry removed the cord, and now it's a cute little toy to go with the the ironing board.  Should've taken a picture of it -- but it's all wrapped up.

 

The heart with her name embroidered on it was the very first thing I embroidered with my 'new' Bernina 180 Artista.

Adult Bib #2

Bib #2 is done.  This is for my customer's son, who has liked

the Speed Racer cartoon since he was a little boy.

Adult Bibs

A customer has asked me to make a couple of gag gifts

for her son and his brother-in-law for Christmas:  adult bibs. 

The first one is done; the second one nearly so.  Here is #1:

1st Embroidery with 180

Here is my first embroidery with my Bernina Artista 180.

This will be part of the ironing board cover for Emma's Little Tikes ironing board that we will give her for Christmas, along with a cute little travel iron that was nearly new when it quit working.  Larry removed the cord from it.

Joanna's Binocular Case

I'm still wrapping gifts today.  I got Aaron and Joanna some rather nice little compact Bushnell binoculars.  Aaron's came with a case, but Joanna's didn't; so I made one with the fleece-backed vinyl I used for the camper cushions last year.

Now, where can I find an interesting book for a child, all about binoculars?

Apricot-Applesauce Jars

Today I put together my Christmas list (modifying it from last year, that is), and pulled out all the gifts I have accumulated this year, some store-bought, some handmade, and got about three dozen of them wrapped/bagged/labeled.

These jars of apricot-applesauce were purchased from www.azurestandard.com, and are organic.  I got two dozen of them.  They're yummy -- we tried one.

After cutting circles of fabric and tying them over the lids with narrow strips of green check over rubber bands, I decided they looked cute enough just like that,

and won't need to be bagged or wrapped.

Valances

A friend and former coworker asked me to cut and hem these valances.  They are a fine chiffon with daisies embroidered at the hem, and scallops and cut-outs at the top.  A neighbor bought the fabric in Poland and brought it home.

Patches, Too!

From slipper satin to denim.  Do menfolk walk around on their kneecaps when the womenfolk aren't looking??

Big Bows -- Tutorial

I am making pew bows for a woman whose daughter will be getting

married next May.  Here is the first one; there will be 12 altogether.

They are made of ivory Slipper satin.

People have asked for instructions to make

these bows, so here they are.  

I will give the dimensions I used; you can adjust

the size according to your bow's purpose.

Lay together two pieces of 30" x 19" satin,

right side to right side.

Put a piece of netting atop the satin.

Use two pieces if a stiffer bow is desired.

Pin well, especially if using fabric that slides easily.

This material wasn't named 'Slipper satin' for nothing!

     Press seam gently.  Polyester satin should be pressed on second-to-highest setting, and can be steamed.

     Turn right side out.

     Match seams.

     Match seams on other side.

Pin together netting-lined satin.

     Find middle of satin.

Pin satin, leaving a gap at the middle to turn it.

     Turn right side out.

     Turn so that netting-lined fabric is to the outside.

     Iron seamed edges gently, making a soft crease.

     Iron back of bow.

On right side, mark center of bow from top to bottom.

     Pleat center of bow through all thicknesses, putting

needle and thread through base of pleat.

     Make a small anchoring stitch after each pleat.

     Make three more pleats above center pleat.

     Turn bow around and complete three pleats on opposite side of center pleat, bringing needle through all thicknesses.

     Make a couple more passes with needle and thread

through all thicknesses.

Now we're ready for the streamers.  These are 42" long, 12" wide, and pointed on one side.

Always cut the selvedge from your fabrics; this edge is

more tightly woven and will possibly shrink more

in the wash, causing your sewn item to pucker.

The pointed side of the streamer is 8" longer.

Line with one layer of netting if desired.  These streamers are not lined; they need to drape gracefully onto the floor.

     Take care not to stretch the biased edge, or it will ripple.  Trim the point closely before turning.

I put a dot of fray check at the point.

     Turn the raw edges at top of streamer to the inside

and topstitch close to edge.

   Showing off my trusty old Bernina's perfect stitch:

  Pleat streamer top evenly with pleats going to the outside.

Sew pleats down.  Careful; it might be too thick for

your sewing machine.  I turned my handwheel by hand over the thickest parts.

     Overlap streamers, making sure points are hanging as you want them to.  Sew to back of bow, slightly above middle.

     Make knot from a piece of satin 8" x 10".  Fold in half so that knot is 8" x 5".  Sew, leaving one end open.

     Turn to right side; topstitch end shut.

Sew knot to back of bow just below top edge of streamers, gathering slightly.

     Bring knot under bow, between streamers,
and up across the front of the bow.

     Create pleats as you pull knot across front of bow.

Pin edge down and sew in place.

     That's it, you're done!
Nothing left to do but to stand back and admire it.