Victoria Bryant: September 2008 Archives
When all our great collegiate fabric came in, I thought what could I do that was somewhat different. It, also, has to be quick. I was looking in the pattern section and found what I thought would be great for a Christmas present, birthday present, a shower present or ' I was just thinking about you' present. FT-049 is a perfect slipper pattern. It has 10 different sizes in the pattern. I chose collegiate flannel to make my baby slippers. Even thought the pattern shows a button, I chose not to use it because it is for a baby. I eliminated the slipper gripper because the baby is not walking. I found this pattern extremely easy to use. It has a Velcro closure. I usually chalk the side that faces the fabric so it will make a mark. That way both sides of the velcro closure will be aligned correctly when I sew them on the fabric.
This takes very little fabric, so I can make many from 1/2 yard of fabric. I know a lot of University of Georgia babies. The flannel is double napped and soft. I washed it in hot water with no loss of color. Think how simple a receiving blanket would be. All you have to do is overcast the edges. Here are some other patterns that you might consider trying: FT-005, HBP-001,sb-911. For adults, there is always the blanket made from fleece. These are practical and you do not need to worry about size. The panels are a perfect size for a lap blanket. It will take off the chill on a cold night. You can make ponchos, vests and jackets. If you are having a hard time finding a present for a man, this is a good way to go.
Chalk cloth + Michael Miller trim = Fun
One of my favorite things to do is to thumb through magazines on a Saturday morning while drinking my coffee. Last weekend, I found an article about chalk paint and chalk cloth. There was a picture of a table runner made from chalk cloth and ribbon. I thought what a fun idea for children and many adults! At my house, everyone congregates around the kitchen waiting for dinner. This would make a great 'doodle' cloth to scribble on while killing time. This will keep children and some adults busy while you finish. You will no longer worry about the children writing on the walls or furniture. When they are finished writing on it, you can just use a wet sponge to clean.
Supplies:
1/2 yard chalk cloth (will make 3 mats)
2 yards Michael Miller trim for each 'doodle' mat
Rotary cutter and mat
Thread
Blow dryer
Small binder clips
Sewing machine
This is a very easy project. You can make it in an hour or less. Chalk cloth should come to you rolled. It should never be folded because the finish will crack and the folds will be almost impossible to remove. Even on a roll, there will be ripple marks. These can be removed by using the low heat setting on your blow dryer. I applied heat to the wrong side of the chalk cloth moving it gently across the surface to allow the fabric to soften releasing the wrinkles. I was a little dubious at first because I had never used chalk cloth before. It worked like a charm. I cut the chalk cloth 13'' x 18''. I squared up the edges so I could apply my trim evenly. I encased the raw edges of the chalk cloth with the Michael Miller bias trim. It is prefolded and very easy to work with. If you use small binder clips to hold the trim, it is very easy to achieve good results. Since you will be sewing on cloth, you do not need any special presser foot. I used my regular foot and a size 11 needle. I mitered my corners because I like mitered corners. If you are uncomfortable doing that, I would just measure each side and cut 4 strips to those lengths plus 1/4'' to 1/2'' to overlap the edges. Of course, Fabulous Phoebe would glue the trim onto the chalk cloth. This I am sure would work, but I love the security of thread. If you are of the glue school, feel free to try it. Have fun with this project! I am sure that you can think of ways to make it better for you.
