Sunday 10 April 2011

BUSY, BUSY BEES.


The young quilters in the house  have been busy, busy bees this week, finishing their quilts for the competition at the quilters guild AGM.




Though I haven't done them for them, I have supervised, which is quite nerve wracking really,I am really proud of them and I hope they keep it up, because I do wonder how many people will be quilting in 30 years from now
,   Its hard to promote  any handicrafts   when ,increasingly, our kids live, learn and play in a virtual world , I think, rather than teaching them the slow, exact and accurate methods of sewing ,its better to attract them with quick, easy items to make and plan to teach them proper techniques later on, when they are hooked......
   Now they are done, I can finish my book cover here and think about  making my next book cover,there are three options that I want to explore,a small ravioli parcel book wrap, already started,or something recycled, either using an already re purposed Indian newspaper carrier bag which could be exciting but I am not sure how to do it
Or, re-use an old Indian cushion cover that itself is made from old re-used Indian embroidered sari fabrics.Its marvellous to think this started life far far away, its lived a whole life already, then a second life here being a cushion, lurked for a bit in a charity shop, and now its hanging about in my house, I absolutely love second hand textiles, I dont know why but they have a feeling to them that I dont get from shiny new fabrics,

Got to be the cushion cover, really, too gorgeous not to.........
But ,now that I have taken the old cover apart, I am a bit shocked at how delicate the sari fabrics are and  I realise I need to back each piece with something, perhaps a soft iron on vilene to suport them before I do anything with them...sugestions please....?

3 comments:

  1. Impressive quilting by the young folk! I've dismantled an old cushion cover before, similar to this, and I used soft vilene to reinforce the backs as you suggest. It works quite well. I used a pressing cloth to avoid getting too much heat directly on the fabric. Good luck!

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  2. Vilene Silky Soft - made for silks, soft and fine enough to not impede the drape of the fabric, but will support the textiles for you to do your magic!

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  3. Very busy bees! Lovely fabric pieces - would you use invisible thread so as not to 'interfere'? I mislaid one of the frist pieces of disintegrating fabric that inspired me to add textile to paper & paint. When I find it I'll repair it & box frame it I think to protect it.

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