Doily madness!!

I bought some more crochet doilies (commercially made, not family heirlooms) to do some more cushions. I still have some of the pink napkins, so I decided to use these up, plus cut some up (nooooo!!) to see what it looks like.

http://danaspageofstuff.blogspot.com.au/2016/01/cushion-finished-kinda.html

There were some that were the same design , plus a couple of random shapes, so I played around a bit until I found a layout that I liked. A Google search for lace doily cushions brought up a pic on denim, so I thought this would be an interesting combination, and I had some on hand.....

Once I decided the size for the cushions, off I went! 

The doilies are attached with invisible thread in a large zigzag. I have left some of the edges free, some are stitched down.

With the blue, they are simply done using two doilies. One is cut into quarters, one has two cut in halves. I think they make an interesting design, don't you?

I will be using the invisible zips again on the pink ones, as I really liked the effect that it made.

So, after stitching up one if the blue versions, they ended up with really point corners, which I didn't like at all. I knew there was a trick to make them less prominent, so I made up a corner template, and used that to make the second. Unfortunately, the zip opening is quite small, but once the cushion is in there, it looks heaps better ;)

The denim ones are done -

Pink ones are done now, too -

Another finish, another bag!

Mums been doing some cleaning up, and found a fabric panel I had given her her to add a machine embroidered design to. Thing is, I have her machine here to play with, so it was passed back to me to finish. 

Blogged back in October 2013 : http://danaspageofstuff.blogspot.com.au/2013/10/another-bag.html

Ages back I bought a bag of random scraps, and in amongst the pieces was this panel. It looks like it was going to be a cot bumper or something like that? Anyway, I thought it was missing something, so after looking through the book that came with the machine, I found a hot air balloon that might work.

After doing a sample, I went ahead with the real thing! Turned out a little tight, but worked out ok...

I remember, at the time, buying some (what I thought was) matching fabric, but, looking with fresh eyes it was not close enough to be passable. So it needed to be contrast instead. 

I also added some sequins to the trees to liven them up a bit. I had thought about beads, but they were too intrusive, and we're catching on everything, so sequins were the next best thing.

This is what I ended up with in the end:

It's heaps bigger than I was expecting! I decided to line it to give it some body, but found that the sides kept collapsing, so I decided to add some buttons at hold it together. Probably should have put some stabiliser into the navy top panel, as it's pretty soft, but it will make a good beach bag or similar. ;)

Fabric book covers

Finally got to play with some fabric! It seems like ages since I turned Bernie on for something more than a cushion or bag!

I had been looking at making some fabric book covers for ages! I finally bought some spiral binders to experiment with. I also had a smaller notebook that was a tester....

First up, the smaller one - A5 size....

Used up bits that were given to me, mixed with some lace, and I think it turned out OK. This one was stitched onto some scrap batting with no lining, but the colour on the book was showing through so I had to cover it over. I also put a stretch fabric at the spine, which I thought would be a good idea, but it would need refining 'cause it made it too loose. It could work with a tighter knit, so I'm not disregarding the idea totally, just yet....

Second try, I used up a quilt block with a base inside, but no batting. 

Not too bad, but it ended up a little short and was curling the corners up at the front. To combat this, I trimmed the book a little bit, but that is cheating... ;) I feel like it's missing something, though...... (This book has been sold)

Third try, and this one is essentially a quilt sandwich, with envelope ends. Also experimented with stamps, with minimum success. I think this could be partly related to the fabric choice, rather than the technique itself.

Added a bookmark to this also. Finished a bit large for the book, but it's ok. 

Learned heaps for each one, so any others that I make should be perfect! Just kidding.... ;)

TP Lighthouse tutorial

This is pretty much the entire equipment list - TP roll, template, top of choice, glue, paint and sealer.

I just used pegs to hold the template in place, and just cut it out. I made the template out of paper, based on the dimensions of the roll, and just tweaked it. Still a little crooked, but it's close enough...

I then used some Popsicle sticks to hold it while it dried. These happen to be bowed in the middle, so it helps hold the centre together - bowed sides in, hold with pegs.

Some paint, then Mod Podge. Don't forget to paint the windows and a door! Add the doorknob once the sealer dries...

Make the top, however you like. No rules, remember?

This piece just happened go fit perfectly into the top, but the circle works also, or a pod? 

I also put a Caffitaly pod in the base, to hide all the inside bits, but it doesn't fit the smaller roll, so I used another pod piece. 

They are really easy, and quick, too!! ;) 

A little about coffee pods.....

The last craft fair I went to with mum, we saw a stall selling items made from Nespresso coffee pods - Beads n Pods - and they were AWESOME!! See them on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/BeadsnPods/?ref=ts&fref=ts

I am not a big coffee drinker, but there is a Nespresso machine at work that I have been "stealing" the used pods from to experiment with. However, I have discovered there are genuine and non-genuine pods. Genuine pods are made of aluminium and come in different colours for different flavours. Non-genuine ones are plastic. Don't get me wrong, I can still use them for something, just not the same way as first planned.

Another brand of pod is the one we have at home, called Caffitaly. These pods are bigger, but also have two plastic pieces inside. They are easy to dismantle, and I have found that these "inserts" are very useful in their own right. I have used them for many other projects, like necks, or bases for things. They are a great addition to my bits and pieces box ;)

So, these are some types that I have had from the machine at work (they provide the machine, but you have to supply your own pods) There are probably more out there, but these are all the ones I have found, so far......

A- non-gen V1

B- non-gen V2 - the closest in shape and size to the genuine pod

C- genuine Nespresso pod

D- Caffitaly pod, with two different inserts taken out. One is in the base, one in the top

E- non-gen V3

F- non-gen V4

All are plastic, EXCEPT the genuine Nespresso pod, which is light aluminium. You can see how the machine pierces the in three points on the Nespresso, but the Caffitaly only has the one, in the point. 

The other main difference I can see, is on the other side.

On the left is the Nespresso, the right is the Caffitaly. You can see the difference in size and production method of the two side by side. (Note that the Caffitaly one here has not been used to make a coffee...yet.)

It should be noted that coffee pods are very bad for the environment, so any chance to stop them going into landfill has got to be a bonus, although Nespresso do have recycling points around the place. http://www.nespresso.com/ecolaboration/au/en/recycling.html

 

They can be great for hats on small projects (I have used one for a snowman ornament) or bells, put two together with some rice inside for maracas or tops for lighthouses, or whatever else you can think of. You just have to think outside the box! :)