Saturday, August 17, 2013

FNSI and some repurposing

Now what did I get up to for FNSI last night?  Which of those many projects listed in my last post did I work on?

Well, the binding on the table runner won out in the end.  I had worked on the quilting through the day, so by night I thought a bit of hand sewing would be good.  (full photo will come later).


I was working along just fine, then suddenly felt the needle dig into my leg.  I had dozed off with the needle down and must have moved my hand. That was a quick wake up.  

Today I needed a bit of light stitching.  This week I finally got around to joining in with the 52 weeks Scrap Challenge over here at Samelia's Mum, or the Facebook group here.  We are up to week 3, so there are still lots of projects to come, why not come and join in.  

The first week's project was a heart pincushion or ornament.  It can be made from leftovers of your favourite fabrics - those little bits you dont want to throw out but are really too small to do much with.  Or it can be leftovers from charm packs or whatever you like.  

I have a bundle of batik scraps that I dont want to throw out so I have used some of them for my heart.



I used gold thread and some of the embroidery stitches on my sewing machine for embellishing.

Week 3 project was for fabric covered jars or bottles.  I decided for this one to do it a bit differently. Last year on the quilt trail we were shown how to make a jar into a "fancy" pen holder. 

Find your thin strips of wadding - those useless little pieces about 1 to 1 `1/2 inches wide.  Wind them around the bottle, building up the middle section to achieve a shape like mine in the photo.  I will say though that I cheated a bit at that stage as I used a Roses Marmalade  jar which already has that shape, and added a bit more.  I wound the wadding tightly and glued down the ends only.  I also glued 2 pieces of wadding to the base of the jar.

I measured from the top of one side down to the bottom, across and up the other side back to the rim, and added  about 4 inches. Mine was 12 inches + the  4 inches.  I cut a circle 17 inches just in case I needed more - (didnt trust my own measurements).  I ran a gathering stitch about 1- 1/2 inch in from the edge, put the jar in the centre and pulled the gathering thread up.  A row of clear craft glue around the inside of the jar secured the fabric.  I put a rubberband tightly around the jar and covered it with the ribbon bow.  (The rubberband will perish in time so it really should be thin elastic I guess.)


And there it is, all finished and ready to hold pens or whatever I wish.

For some time now I have been wanting to find a better way to store my spools of ribbon.  I have seen various boxes and containers with the spools on a "dowel" etc.  Eventually I had the brainwave that I could use a little shelf unit I had.  This was a bathroom cupboard which had been a wedding gift - one of those with sliding mirrored doors .  In my folkart days when everything that couldnt run and hide got painted and decorated, I had painted cheeky little mice on it and it was used as a little display shelf.  Carla used it for some years as well, but eventually it came home again.  

I didnt expect to fill it with my supply of ribbons and trims but I did.  On top is a matching toilet roll holder that I painted at that same time, and it now holds the last 2 spools which wouldnt fit in the main one.


Got to love re-purposing when it works out so well.

Now to go and see what everyone else has been up to for FNSI.  You can too by going to our wonderful hostess/organiser, Wendy and see who has linked up.

31 comments:

Anonymous said...

lovely work Marilyn.xx

EclectChic said...

You doze off? Nooo!! haha... love the ribbon holder, that's great. I remember the folk art phase! The heart is pretty, too, lovely!

Noela said...

You were quite busy Marilyn. Love your little jar and the quilting on your table runner is gorgeous. Glad you didn't do too much damage with the needle. Hugs....

Fiona said...

I love the quilting you did on your table runner... and I had such a laugh at you falling asleep and stabbing yourself!!! just the sort of thing I would do! lovely scrappy projects and I love yoour repurposing. much better than my ribbons mixed up in a box!
Hugz

Karen @ Pieces of Contentment said...

The quilting on your table runner looks amazing, a great finish.

Michelle said...

Love the quilting on the table runner, I really need to be more adventurous with my quilting, this is stunning.

Maria said...

You were busy for FNSI. Nice work on your table runner.

Jeanette said...

You've been very busy. Love the table runner. Hugs,xx

Helen said...

Lovely work from a very busy lady !!!!!

Susan said...

Very productive time for you - very clever about the ribbons. Love the jar idea too - one could really go to town on that idea..... Gorgeous quilting.

Jody Herbert said...

What a lot of work you have done! Love the idea for the pen holder and the ribbon holder - great ideas!

debbie said...

That is some awesome quilting Marilyn!! xx debbie

Lyn said...

Ouch.that must have hurt..lovely table runner and all your other projects that have kept you busy..

Wendyb said...

Oh Marilyn, I thought I was the only bunny that did that!!!! LOL Like minds???? hee hee
LOve your repurposing and what fun to do 52 weeks of challenges......I don't think I'd make it past week 1 though!!!! :(
sugary hugs sweet friend
xoxoxox

Shari said...

Lovely work on the quilted runner. Your ribbons look well organized and easily accessible...what a good feeling this must give. As for dozing off and jabbing yourself...must confess to do that as well. I`ve even worn a hot cup of coffee...yeow!

Dianne said...

Great re-purpose there with the ribbon holder Marilyn! I also went through the folk art stage and painted everything around the place. Must say I have never dozed off with a sewing needle in my hand, but have stabbed myself in the upper thigh with some sharp fiskar scissors OUCH. Love your heart too. Di.

Anonymous said...

What a great use of that cabinet. I will have to look at the thrift stores for something similar to that.

Anthea said...

That table runner is just beautiful Marilyn, and I love the new life you have given your ribbon storage, what a great way to store then & show off the prettiness of them at the same time! x

Joy McD said...

Lots of cool projects there Marilyn! You have been busy, and I love the table runner... you are brave to do the binding, I usually am lazy and envelope it! I am going to check out the scrap challenge, sounds interesting. xxx

Tatkis said...

The quilting on the tablerunner is wonderful!
Great idea of storing trims and ribbons!

Hugs,
Tatyana

Anita said...

No wonder you didn't want to throw
those scraps of batik away, they're beautiful colours. Love the heart too.
Cheers, Anita.

Farm Gate Creations Incorporating Hummingbird Quilting said...

Nothing like a pin prick, to keep us on our toes. Love all of your projects.

Deb R said...

Sorry had a giggle with the p prick, I've done that too lol..thanks for sewing with me for FNSI!

Deb R said...

Pin lol

Tania said...

What a beautiful tablerunner Marilyn. And I love your repurposing - it's so much fun being able to repurpose things for new uses. Sorry to hear about the pin prick though - I managed to stick my needle into my finger several times during FNSI too, once rather severely!

Anonymous said...

What a lovely table runner, love the quilting on it.

ukcitycrafter@live.co.uk

Pinnylea Creations said...

Love the repurposing and the binding. A very productive time.

Lin said...

I love your heart - so pretty. And the covered jar is a great idea.

Wendy said...

lovely..

Cath said...

Your quilting on the table runner is stunning.....and I also love the scrappy heart. I am popping over to Samelia's Mum's place right now to learn more about this challenge.
Cath @ Bits 'n Bobs

Farm Gate Creations Incorporating Hummingbird Quilting said...

Beautiful work...well done.