Cover for Project Binder

 

My mind is not able to concentrate on one project only. After years endeavours I had to admit it. O.K. not one project a time, there are more. A sewing basket here, a pile of cloth there, sandwiches waiting for hand sewing stacked on the work table. You know what I mean. One of my first attempts to make it manageable was a project binder. An ordinary office binder with sturdy plastic pockets, one for every small hand-sewing project and EPP project. It proved to be a good choice, it is practical, well arranged and easily portable. Nevertheless, it is not really nice. Therefore, I decided to make a fabric cover.

I used my dyed cloth, some vintage fabric scraps, and two amazing pictures from the Old Made fabric collection by J.Wecker Frisch. Also, thread, buttons, and ribbons were dyed by me. I spent several pleasant evenings stitching, quilting, and embroidering.

 

It works very well, but it seems to be too small for all my not-yet-finished projects:) 

I like it anyway!

Happy stitching

Michaela 

This Year’s Dyeing

 

There are activities and projects that return every year. One of those projects is dyeing. During the whole year, I collect suitable pieces of fabrics, lace, threads, old ones but new ones too. I always dream about „one week dyeing“, but every year, my plans shrink inevitably to two or maximum three days. Nevertheless, I enjoy it every summer again and again. 

Like last year, I used Jacquad Procion MX, thus fibre-reactive dyes again. My aim was on one side to achieve more vibrant colours than last year, on the other side to try out overdyeing of printed fabrics.

The first goal was achieved only partly – the colours are really nice, stronger than last year indeed. But I use the dyed fabrics in projects which have to be washed sometimes. For that reason I wash the dyed fabrics in really hot water (60°C) which makes a part of colour disappear. Nevertheless, I like the outcome quite well.

On the other hand, overdyeing of printed fabrics brought great results. I went through my fabric stash choosing prints (mostly black and white pictures or patterns), that I never used because they were somehow not inspiring to me. Maybe, I need colour in my life, because I´m really excited about the same pictures and prints, which got a new colour.

I mixed water with urea first, then dye powder was added. I had some rests of dye powders from last year and I bought some new ones, all in all I got 11 colour concentrates (black, medium blue, navy, aquamarine, turquoise, golden yellow,   antique gold, cobalt blue, carmine red, magenta, deep purple). My favourite became cobalt blue, definitely.

Everything prepared on the table in the garden.

Wet pieces of fabrics waiting for dye.

Dyed fabrics and threads need some time before they can be washed. 

The landscape after the battle...

After washing:

Results are not bad at all:

 

Let´s colour our lives!

Happy stitching

Michaela

 

 

She Sews Sea Shells

 

My favorite e-shop Šití nití („Sewing with thread“) is open again! The new start is rather slow, there are some new fabrics and also some older ones on sale but nevertheless, they are back! I´m very happy because the choice of fabrics and individual taste of the owner of this shop is very similar to mine. The most important thing: she orders fabrics by Janet Wecker Frisch, one of my favourite artists.

Janet’s illustrations and her fabric design inspire me immensely. I just love her visual humour and fabulous details. I´m not able to create just something simple from her fabric pictures, I´m always tempted to add a bit of myself to the creations. Last but not least, I love her Halloween collections, they are simply the best I have ever seen.

Now, to get to why I´m happy today. The website "Šití nití" offers some older collections and I was able to buy three amazing pieces from the collection „She Sews Sea Shells“. I knew for sure that the fabrics would be nice, but they are just beautiful in reality.

 I´m one of those quilters, who pre-wash everything. I did so this time too. The beauties hang in the garden now, I can´t stop looking at them, I love them!

I use illustrations by J.Wecker Frisch quite often (also on these bags), here for example a pocket wall hanging for my niece

Happy stitching!

Michaela