This, ladies and gentlemen, is my last Zakka post. It's a pretty long one too, hope you don't get too bored... I've already written about my own version of the nesting boxes which are week 24's project, but I mentioned I'd also made a box the same as the instructions in the book, so I'm showing you that today. If you want to see the other boxes made for the sew along, the linky post is here, and this week's host can be found here.
Before I go further, I just wanted to say something about my last post. I think I was a bit vague with my comments on my photographs. What I was trying to say is that in general, my photos are a bit crap. I've mentioned a couple of times that I'm trying to improve them and what I was trying to say was that the photos in the last post were a big improvement, except the one of the materials which was appalling.
Here's a progress shot of my two pieces of patchwork, just to prove I really did make two boxes!
I struggled FMQing those flowers, mine are pretty rubbish. I also had no idea what to do with the ends. For my version it was easy, I tied them in pairs and the ends were hidden by the lining. For this version I had to sew each and every one in, and there were loads!
Here's a close up of my appliqué work. I like these leaves and the way they're constructed which makes them 3d.
The box above is my version with the far to big faux lining! Below is my box construction using the instructions in the book. Too much hand sewing for my liking!
Having said that, I much prefer the finish. Look how sturdy it looks... even without the quilted base.
I would have loved to have made a set of 3 nesting boxes as in the project, but I just didn't have time. The hand sewing alone took me two evenings (I don't slow THAT slowly, I just don't have very long evenings!). Thinking about it, I could have made my version smaller or bigger so I would have had a set of 2...
See the inner quilting?
And here they are side by side. Oh, I haven't mentioned the fabrics. I bought them from a little shop in Hay On Wye which we visited for our first wedding anniversary (and our honeymoon, thanks to that damn volcano!).
See how well they stack. Hmmm. And now for a little retrospective of the last 24 weeks. I joined in with 18 of the projects, of those only one was late, the elephant bookmarks. I don't think I've done bad, and I've certainly had my money's worth. Here's a little look back:
Overall, I've really enjoyed this sew along, there have been challenges and new techniques. I'm going to feel a bit lost without the weekly project!
It's the last week of the Zakka Style Sew Along people. I can see some of you sighing with relief - I'm sorry if I've been a bit one-topic recently! This isn't actually my post to be linked up to the Sew Along, this is a pre-post! I saw on the discussion group on Flickr that some people had made the boxes and didn't like the construction. I had a look, I didn't like the construction either. Far too much hand sewing... I knew there must be an easier way. So I made mine like a bag.
This post is for anyone yet to tackle the project, this might be an easier way to do it! I made one the same way as in the book too, I'll post about that next week and then link up. I'll also give you the links, I don't have them right now as they won't be posted until Monday.
This is a sort of tutorial, but without giving pattern details away as obviously this isn't my pattern. I really hope I'm not crossing any lines here - please let me know if you think I am.
Follow the instructions in the book for the Block and Side Panel Assembly and Leaf Appliqué. You will then follow the instructions for Quilting and Appliqué with one difference. Do not follow steps 1-3. Start from step 4, laying the front panel on the batting. No back panel.
After I'd finished, I cut the batting to the same size as the front panel. Clearly I hadn't finished when I took this picture!
Cut your backing piece to the same size as your finished front panel. Cut out your bottom square as detailed in the book. I didn't actually bind the top of my box as suggested in the pattern, instead I sewed a 3" strip of cotton to the top of my back panel.
As you can see on my top picture, this creates a very wide "binding" at the top. You could use a much thinner strip to replicate real binding.
Take your front panel and one of your squares. Now, I omited the batting for the base of my box, and the quilting, but you could do that if you want. Quilt the design as you did for the front panel, without the back panel.
I drew a 1/4 inch square around my base as I'm not so good at judging distances by eye. If you are, you don't need to do this.
Now, lay your square on the bottom corner of your front panel, front panel right side up, linen square markings side / wrong side up. Align the right hand edge and bottom of both pieces. Start sewing 1/4 inch from the edge, sew until you get to 1/4 inch from the first corner. Stop with your needle down, lift the presser foot and pivot until the second side of the square matches the edge of the front panel. Continue all the way round. It should look like this:
And from the back:
Sew up the two edges of the box with a 1/4 inch seam. Clip the corners and turn right side out. Do the same thing for the lining. Stuff the lining inside the shell, right sides together.
Line up those top edges. If you added the "faux binding", you need to align the top edges, not worrying that the shell will be floating inside the lining.
Sew all around with a 1/4 inch seam, leaving a turning gap. Turn through. It'll look like this:
Now push out the corners of the shell and then stuff the lining inside the shell, matching the corners. Press the top. Machine top-stitch very close to the join in "faux binding" and the shell to close that turning gap and hold the lining in place.
Ta dah!
Now, clearly my method means that the inside isn't quilted.
That's fine by me. If you do want the inside to be quilted, don't do the quilting at the beginning, construct the box with my instructions and those in the book as above, then hand quilt. Simple?
So what do you think?
It's the penultimate week for the Zakka Style Sew Along. I can't believe I'm keeping up! I've completed all but 7 of the projects, and I'll complete one of them this weekend. 18 / 24 is not a bad score!
You will be glad to hear, Fiona, there is no mention of unmentionables in this post, so feel free to eat your lunch!
This week we were to make a message board in an embroidery hoop. The linky for this week's projects can be found here, and go and visit this week's host, the wonderful Maureen Cracknell.
I have quite a collection of embroidery hoops, but the largest I could find was 6", so 6" it was. The book calls for a 10" hoop - probably more practical but never mind. We were to cut 17 of the pennants for the bunting. I cut more than that, but didn't need them, of course! I also changed the shape as I didn't like the way they came out to the book's measurements.
Here it is after I'd machine stitched the bunting on. That's a piece of grey linen, one of my last bits of that shade. Photographing linen is REALLY hard, it always comes out wierd and liney. Yes, I just made that word up.
There wasn't much sewing involved. After sewing on the bunting, I had to glue it to the back of the hoop. I usually do the gathering-stitch finish then hand stitch a felt backing to my hoops, but thought I'd try this way. I still can't find my fabric glue, so out came the mod podge. I had to stick pins in to keep it in place while it dried.
As I had the mod podge out, I thought I'd see if you can mend ripped ballet shoes with it. I have a large collection of cheap ballet shoes and most of them have the sole coming away at the front. I put some mod podge in the gap and held it shut with a bull dog clip.
I left the glue on overnight, the next night I glued the backing in place. I don't appear to have taken a photo of that. It's grey felt, cut in a rough circle. And glued. Not very exciting so you're not missing out.
I saw everyone was displaying their message boards with little notes on them. I turned around to find a piece of paper and saw this felt fox I made yonks ago so I pegged him to my board. Well, why not?
I didn't add the machine embroidered bow of the tied bow as suggested in the book as, let's face it, there's not exactly enough room on there! I wish I'd put two "washing lines" on though, then I could have pinned a panda too.
Oh, and yes, you can fix ballet shoes with mod podge. I'd better buy some more bull dog clips as I have about 15 pairs in need of repair.
Happy Sunday everyone. I'm coming in right up to the wire in the Zakka Style Sew Along again today! But I do have an excuse... I've been on holiday. I didn't want to post it on my blog as I know that most of you craft bloggers are also moonlighting as burglars ;0). Seriously though, I didn't want to take the chance of advertising that I was away.
We went to the wonderful Croyde Bay in North Devon. Up until the ago of about 20, I went every year with my family, it's our special holiday place. My dad was always eagar to take his grandchildren, and now he has a grandson and two step granddaughters, off we went! We stayed in a lovely cottage, me, Mr CA, Junior CA, Momma CA, Poppa CA, Bro CA, SIL CA, neice CA and baby Jacob. We had an amazing time, I'm not going to post photos here as personally I'm not interested in other people's holiday snaps! If you want to see some of the things we did, we went to The Big Sheep which was hilarious, and also had a day trip to Clovelly which was amazing, but quite painful as I hurt my foot on the cobblestones, it's very steep, and have a massive bruise!
Hopefully my week's absence explains the lack of blog posts, the seashells used in the candle making comp, the lack of equipment for that comp (the parcel turned up 2 days before I left!), the lack of email responses and comments on your blogs. I'm back now though!
Alright, enough waffling Wendy, on with it.
If you want to see the other entries for this week's Zakka Along, go here, this week's host is the amazingly talented Joanna at Shape Moth, go and see her purses here.
So, here's my entry.
Hmmm. Note the wonkiness? I have no idea how that happened.
This is how it looked before I added the frame. Not so wonky? The instructions for this project were OK, though the first bit was confusing. Making the pleats involved using a template and lining the edges up, it wasn't immediately obvious what the instructions meant and only after I'd folded it wrong twice did I get it. Publishers? Diagrams are necessary!
I also didn't struggle with the glue. There is a little on the frame, but none on the fabric and I think I'll be able to peel the glue off the frame when it's dry. I followed the instructions in the glue packet, applied it then left it 4 minutes before adding the fabric. I gave it 10 minutes, picked it up and the purse fell out! I tried again, applying the glue and pushing the purse right in and it seems to have worked ok. Apart from the wonkiness of course!
I used some more of the Vintage Summer fabrics I won for this, love those fabrics! So, will I try this again? Yes, but probably not the pleated pattern, I'd make my own pattern for the design part of the purse. I'd also use the sew in frames, but still glue them, as I love the effect on Joanna's purses.
Week 23's project is drying upstairs, so that one won't be last minute!
