Please share what you are working on

[Marsha Cassada]

My Wednesday friends and I are making soap tomorrow. We are making the lye version. I haven't made any for about 10 years, and then it was over a fire in an iron pot. We even rendered our own tallow. We made one batch as an experiment, then demonstrated it at the local antique tractor club show. This time we are working in the air conditioned kitchen over electric heat. I'm using store-bought lard. Hope it turns out. I want to give it to our local museum to sell; people frequently ask for home made lye soap.

 

[Silver City Heritage Farmstead]

What's the process for this? Would you share the recipe? How does lye soap differ from modern soaps?

 

[Charley]

I got one of my lap quilts sandwiched yesterday and it is ready to quilt. This is the quilt that was started 15 or 20 years ago and is hand embroidered. An easy project that just got lost in my stash. So I now plan to machine quilt the straight lines in the sashing and border and then hand quilt in the embroidered blocks. So this will be a long drawn out project until it is finished.

Today I will be sewing some insulin pump bags for my grandson. I am trying to take photos of the steps so that my daughter in law can make them also. She made one at our farm years ago but then when she went to make another could not remember what to do. She had never sewn before so it would be hard to remember the steps when everything was new to her. Noah must have forty bags now made over the seven years that he has had diabetes but he still loves to get new ones (and with his growing up there are always new things that he is interested in). The ones I am starting to make today, one will be quilted with mine craft ribbon attached and one will be embroidered and quilted.

Looks like rain today…or at least that is what I am hoping for. My sewing keeps getting pushed aside with so much that needs to be done outside.

 

[Marsha Cassada]

The tie tree skirt is finally coming together. I got them basted today around the edge of the burlap. I had to go online and look for treeskirt patterns to figure out what size to make the circle. I'm really liking it so far! Now I've decided to add one more shorter layer, using the skinny ends of the ties for the edge. This will make a two-tiered skirt. Have to buy some more burlap. It's all experimental, so I have no idea if it will be attractive or a blob. Some of the ties are so beautiful; it's really a pleasure to work with them.

What are some other things I can do with the tie pieces left over??? Surely pure silk can be repurposed. One is hand painted. I did not cut it up.

 

[jacks'thunder]

The tie tree skirt is finally coming together. I got them basted today around the edge of the burlap. I had to go online and look for treeskirt patterns to figure out what size to make the circle. I'm really liking it so far! Now I've decided to add one more shorter layer, using the skinny ends of the ties for the edge. This will make a two-tiered skirt. Have to buy some more burlap. It's all experimental, so I have no idea if it will be attractive or a blob. Some of the ties are so beautiful; it's really a pleasure to work with them.

What are some other things I can do with the tie pieces left over??? Surely pure silk can be repurposed. One is hand painted. I did not cut it up.

I can't wait to see it!

 

[Performancemini]

My hand is working better now and I sew fairly well. I started a pattern for some slipper/shoes that look like Mary Janes. They are fairly easy. Then on to a few summer sundresses and then MAYBE a show shirt/jacket or two.

 

[Marsha Cassada]

Finally finished the tie skirt. I had to take the top layer apart as it was too long I used a button tab and button to hold the top back together. It may look terrible actually draped around the base of a tree, but at least it's finished. I think I used 37 ties, can't remember exactly. Would I make another? No.

 

[jacks'thunder]

It turned out really nice Marsha! I think it would look very good on an old fashion Christmas tree!!!

 

[Charley]

Simply fantastic! I could not picture what it would look like beforehand, but now it makes total sense…. love it! Glad that you shared it with us.

 

[Charley]

Finished a few little things.

 

[chandab]

I did this up for me the other day.





Same piece just two different views

 

[Marsha Cassada]

Charley, those bags are nice!

Love to see all the beaded pieces everyone is doing.

 

[lucky seven]

Love to see all the finished pieces. You are all so very creative. I still haven't finished the pin cushion, because I wasn't happy with my stuffing. We now have a Hobby Lobby store and can't wait to visit and browse through all the treasures.

 

[Charley]

Chanda that is very pretty. I love your color choices.

 

[chandab]

Chanda that is very pretty. I love your color choices.

Thank you. It's Sodalite and copper square beads. I made a couple other bracelets, but they are made with left-overs from my door prize I made for the quilt retreat next month. Here's the door prize:

Not quite finished, still waiting on one more piece for it. I made the blue and clear as shown, also blue & white and blue & black.

 

[jacks'thunder]

Great job everyone! It's inspiring!

 

[Marsha Cassada]

I got a purple orchid for mother's day and my green/red sewing machine cover did not look well with it. So I made a new cover out of ecru twill. A little embroidery and some pearl buttons for embellishment. Still have to finish up the hem. I can never ever work a project without some stupid mistake and this one was no exception. I sewed the embellished side on backward. It came out perfectly, of course, going around the square corners! Had to take it apart and it didn't go together as well, of course. But my home made pattern worked well. When the purple blooms go, I can use the green/red one again, especially near Christmas.

My new machine does not fit down into a cabinet, so because it sits in plain sight I didn't like its stark white plastic cover. Had to cover it!

 

[Charley]

Looks perfect in the photo, Marsha! I love it!.

Chanda, I love your door prize also! Some lucky person is going to be thrilled!

 

[chandab]

Chanda, I love your door prize also! Some lucky person is going to be thrilled!

Thank you. Actually, everyone will get one.

 

[dixie_belle]

Here's my latest project. It lacks borders, but I ran out of thread. Can you believe that?? It will have a 1" red inner border and then a 4" blue outer border.

I've been agonizing over how to quilt it. I'd love to get some feedback on what I'm thinking.

Option 1: I'd do hand stippling everywhere there is plain muslin fabric. I'd quilt in the ditch around each star. But then I'd have to do something inside the star and I don't have a clue.

Option 2: I would do an overall quilting pattern, completely ignoring the piecing. Something very curvey (think air currents or ocean waves).

I do all my quilting by hand and I love the look of things that are heavily quilted so I don't mind doing something complicated. But I must admit that I am completely at a loss on how to proceed.

I did order a stencil (hasn't arrived yet) that is a basketweave pattern. I had originally thought to use it in the muslin sections between the stars, but now I'm not so sure about that.

I tend to overthink these things. Does anyone have any ideas?