Ragtime

While you're all waiting for me to reveal more about my recent explorations into fabric marbling - oh, I can feel the anticipation growing!! (or then again, perhaps not...) - I'll share another quickie with you.

Many of you know by now that I'm a great fan of Alabama Chanin. Some weeks ago I decided to make an Alabama Chanin rag boa, from Natalie Chanin's first book Alabama Stitch Book. I got out a bunch of old t-shirts that I'd saved (since I bought her books, I haven't been able to throw away any old t-shirts). The instructions were simple enough: cut strips in three different widths and stack them on top of each other in five layers (with the biggest strip in the middle of the sandwich). Add more strips lengthwise until you have a multiple-layer fabric strip long enough to make up a boa. Sew them all together with a seam that runs in the middle of the strip the whole length of the boa. Then cut into the strip from the sides to make a fringe.

My collection of old tees (guess what my favourite colours are):

The finished boa

in close-up

And now I'm only waiting for spring to arrive so I can 

throw the boa around my neck and hit the streets.

Thanks for visiting, and I promise I will write about marbling soon!

- Annika

Judging a Book By Its Cover

In my previous blog entry I showed you a rather dull image of a project in progress: a machine stitched jersey appliqué project, where I used tissue paper as a stitching guide. By now it´s all is finished, and made into a cover for a sketchbook, which will be filled with surface designed fabric samples.

The sewing was a bit tedious, but when it was done the real fun began! First I removed the paper.

Then cut away fabric.

When the cutting was done, the fabric looked like this:

And here's the finished book cover

The Christmas Mouse gave its approval.

Thanks for dropping by!

- Annika