Tag: sewing

Unexpected spiral

On By CarynIn Craft

For the Sunday drive of my Singer 66 treadle machine, I’m continuing to sew quilting scraps together. Sewing regularly with the antique machine keeps all the parts running smoothly. I’ve started in on log cabin patterns: starting with a short piece and adding on longer and longer strips. I was distracted by something during sewing (not unusual), and messed up my intended pattern. I soldiered on anyway, and at the end was a little surprised that I ended up with a spiral pattern with the cream and red fabrics. Huh. Going to save this one, and try for it intentionally next time.

Photo description: Singer model 66 treadle machine with a red and cream quilt block that has a spiral pattern.

I noticed as I posted that the colors of the fabric also coordinate with the sewing machine. Who even am I?

Visible mending: jeans

On By CarynIn Craft, Life Hack

I’ve been collecting visible mending pins on Pinterest, so when my eldest tore her jeans, I sent her to my Pinterest board to pick a pin.

Photo description: preparing to mend the hole in the knee of a pair of jeans with a scrape of knit denim colored fabric, white thread, needle, and scissors
Photo description: back side of the sewn patch after trimming shown next to a white cereal bowl that I used as a sewing support
Photo description: front side of the jeans with five stitched spirals holding the patch

I quite like visible mending, it is a chance to add a little flair and do good.

Fabric treat bags

On By CarynIn Craft

Last year’s Easter baskets are being used for storage. I needed something to put the candy and eggs in that wasn’t going to be then thrown away or contribute to the general clutter. Fabric baskets to the rescue. I used fabric and stabilizer from my stash, and sewed on the Singer model 66 treadle machine.

Photo description: finished bag with the top folded down to make a basket, sitting on the table of the treadle sewing machine.
Step 1: 14×20 fabric with iron on interfacing on the bottom 2/3, sewn on the short end, right sides together, then the seam moved to the center.
Step 2: 2.25” squares cut from the lower corners of the fabric tube
Step 3: bottom edge sewn together
Step 4: box corners flattened out and sewn
Step 5: Steps 1-4 repeated for the lining, then the two bags put right sides together and the top sewn, leaving a gap to turn the bag right side out, then the gap sewn closed by making a seam along the top edge
Photo description: another bag with fabric with a definitive direction. To get the fold to work, the inside fabric is upside down, so the crows on the fabric stay upright when folded.
Photo description: unfolded bag, showing the full height

These bags came out quite tall, but since I didn’t put interfacing on the top third, they fold down easily. The interfacing I used did not stay fused to the fabric, and was quite papery, which would be great for a cat basket, but is slightly unwieldy for a treat bag. I recorded my steps here, but would not repeat these exact parameters. Future projects will involve experimenting with dimensions, and trying a softer interfacing, or maybe even batting and quilting. Hmm.

Can’t help myself

On By CarynIn Cats, Craft

I can’t go up to my craft room without sitting down and sewing on the Singer model 66 sewing machine. Regular use keeps it in working order, moving the oil around the parts and keeping things from seizing up. I just have to plan an extra ten minutes (minimum) when I wander up there to sew a few more scraps together.

Photo description: sewing fabric scraps together on a Singer model 66 from 1916.

I also need to plan extra time to extradite Izzy the cat, who knows as soon as the craft room door is open and makes a beeline for the bed.

Photo description: Pleased calico cat sitting on the day bed.

New neckline

On By CarynIn Craft

Crew neck t-shirt necklines bother me. I don’t like things touching my neck, but I do like the longer short sleeves and longer hem of crew neck shirts. I have found a new way to fix the problem.

Photo description: rainbow tie-dye crew neck t-shirt with “Embrace Differences” in black (my design and available on TeePublic), with the neckband cut off.

Rather than leave the raw edge, which looks OK from a distance but untidy up close, I whipped stitched a tiny hem around the neckline.

Photo description: picking up a single thread from the back side of the fabric with a needle.
Photo description: whip stitch continues through about a 1/4 inch of the raw edge of the hem.
Photo description: inside-out view of the finished neckline hem.

Yes, it is hand-sewing. I did see a tutorial that used a narrow zigzig machine stitch, but I’m not good with knits and machine stitching. I like sewing some things by hand because it gives me more control.

Photo description: three t-shirts with new hand-sewn necklines.

I liked this method so much, I pulled shirts from my closet and redid them as well!