Experiencing beauty in your creative life

Sunday, February 3, 2013

Firsts and Favorites

Do you play favorites?  I have to shamefully admit I do.  Not with my children, but with my projects for sure.  I seem to have attachments to certain sewing projects.  It is usually whatever I have most recently finished.  So, here is the fave as of five minutes ago.  (I couldn't wait to share it.)


The fine weave burlap started out it's life a a laundry sack for an army kitchen.  It was smelly and crazy wrinkled.  But at $5, it was screaming, "Take me home and make something cool with me!" FYI...Jeff was screaming, "Take me home, these vintage textiles smell awful!"  After weeks of cleaning treatments and heavy duty steaming and ironing it became the perfect pallet for a willow tree and a small flock of woolly friends. 

The antique wooden bobbin was a score from a local Antique Mall.  There is a wonderful booth that features what I can only describe as grab bags full of wonderful vintage sewing notions.  You can't always see what you are buying, but her affordable prices and wonderful goodies make it well worth taking a chance.  This picture also gives a better look at the black beads and crochet lace trim around the edging.
 
This cushion started out just as many of mine do, two circles sewn together and turned.  The back is soft black wool felt.  I am no purist when it comes to embroidery,  I just worked on each element until I was happy with the result.  Stitches include; running, cross, back and a few french knots for the curly lambs wool.
 
Now on to firsts. This was my first attempt at making a pin cushion. I went to my old stand by, muslin. Before any sewing I rubber stamped the images with black staz-on ink. After that the assembly was just a basic rectangle pillow construction.

 
I left the ends natural and they have frayed a little (which I love!).  A quick bow, buttons and two little corsage pins and I was hooked.  From that moment on it was all about pin cushions for me.

 
So, how about you?  Do you play favorites?  What it your current obsession?
Can't wait to hear about it!
 
toodles, j

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