TV Project 1: Kimono Coasters

Kimono silk is just something I can't resist, it's sexy makes me think of geisha.  It's also awkward to work with, since it is so sheer and thin.  I like to always have a project on the go that I can do while watching TV. So this is my TV project du jour.   

NOTE: The instructions for the rosettes can also be used to make the ones you saw on the boudoir pillow.  Imagine a pillow with kimono silks! Ooh la la, get your Valentine's horny on!

Level: Beginner
Time: 2 hours per coaster
Cost: $2 (approximately
Materials and Tools:
Hexagon template, size: 1 inch per side
Kimono silk scraps (or scraps of cotton quilt weight fabric) in three different patterns in similar colors.
1/2 yard of grey felt
Thread in contrasting color and matching color
Pins
Scrap paper
Needle
Iron
Scissors for fabric
Scissors for paper

- First cut seven hexagons out of scrap paper
- You are going to need one hexagon from one patterned fabric then three each from two additional patterns
- Place your paper hexagon onto the wrong side of your chosen fabric and pin in place
- Cut around the hexagon with a quarter inch seam allowance
- Fold the fabric seam over the paper and tack all the way round with the contrasting thread
- Remove pin
- Do this with all seven hexagons
- The one hexagon cut from a different fabric to the other six is the center of the rosette
- Take this hexagon and a hexagon of another pattern place them with right sides facing each other and sew the seams together with whip stitch
- Continue doing this until you have all six hexagons of alternating pattern sewn to the center one
- Iron your rosette so the seams are nice and sharp
- Remove the paper from the center hexagon and pin to the felt
- Cut out the felt so that the rosette is pinned to smaller piece of felt with some excess fabric around it.
- Remover one paper from an outer hexagon and pin to the fabric with the seam folded under
- Sew the edge with a running stitch
- Do this hexagon by hexagon until all edges are sewn to the felt
- Trim off the excess felt
- Press with iron
- DONE

razor blade hairband

razor blade hairband, a photo by liz_watkin on Flickr.

I have recently been working on some new fabric designs. Here's a razor blade pattern that have produced using the wonderful Spoonflower.

To Etsy or Not to Etsy?

'Fresh Fun Home' by L1zW

A modern, homely living space full of light and space.

When I first signed up to Etsy I was so excited to find this wonderful site full of creative people. I was inspired to enough to start my own shop - Phyllis B - but was not too successful. There were a number of reasons for this but my overall summary is that Etsy is good for buying, not really for selling. There is even a blog now devoted to problems with Etsy called Etsy Bitch and while I don't always agree with their posts, I think it is important to highlight some issues with the site. That said, after a hiatus of over a year ( I was in Zambia and online shopping is a bit of a pipedream there) I have come back to discover that there have been vast improvements. The site is slick and finally they have made it easier to create treasuries, (though bizarrely there is no code generator to share them). What I sell there again? I doubt it as I still think they are not seller friendly. But I still think it is great for fabulous design inspiration and original items.

Now a big big thank you to Whaleshark Websites that has an awesome HTML generator for treasuries, making this possible.

MidwestFinds $15.00	ThistleTreeVin... $25.00	appetitehome $16.00	roddyandginger $35.00
IngeIVStudio $24.00	elementclaystu... $45.00	BurlapAndBlue $14.00	dbabcock $45.00
summersville $8.50	LoucheLab $20.00	marybethhale $20.00	BurlapAndBlue $27.00
StellaDeer $4.25	TippyTumble $12.00	lunarloungedes... $1100.00	dbabcock $45.00

Generated using Treasury HTML code generator by Whale Shark Websites.

Rule Britannia Coasters

It's been harder than I thought to keep listing on Etsy while also planning my wedding, which is less than a week away! At least I made these coasters as a little thank you present for some family and friends who are coming for our wedding. My next plan is to make some for the shop in this design but also others as well, I think it's nice way to make cross stitch more functional.

New Cross Stitches

Finally moved and have most of my sewing bits around me again. I managed to knock out the first of my coaster designs, it was really fun to do. I plan to make 3 more add to the set.

Retail Therapy

Today I bit the bullet and went to the Birmingham Social Networking Cafe. I am not very good at these things, but met a lovely lady and we talked for ages, I should've thanked her for allowing me to latch on and dominate her attention.

After, as I was in the area, I went looking for supplies in the wonderful indoor market. Found a fab haberdashery stall, where I got tons of supplies. Also found a great fabric stall at the outdoor market where I bought some rather lovely floral cotton for 1 pound a metre. I rounded off my trip with a visit to the Fancy Silk Store where I continued to feed my fabric addiction.

When I got home I found the fabric I'd bought off Ebay had arrived!

I put the floral flavour down to Spring and the fact I am reading Proust - pretentious moi?