07.31.09
Threadcatcher
I’ve been sewing for 20 years and have never had one of these. My method for disposing of cut threads and little scraps of fabric is to throw them on the floor around my workspace and then wait until cleaning day to sweep them. No lie! Hopefully this useful object will keep my sewing area cleaner.
I used more of that thrift shop black duvet cover for this project. I stabilized it a bit with two cardboard inserts and added a magnetic snap so it can be out of the way when not in use.
07.30.09
2 Days Left!
I’m just two days away from my ‘deadline’ to complete work in my sewing area. As a procrastinator I can tell you that I still have much to do to meet my goal. I want this done!
As extra motivation I’ll announce here that I’ll be posting pictures of the tidy and coordinated space on August 1!
Ok, now I have to get to work…
07.22.09
More beautifying the sewing area!
I’ve spent a lot of time over the past year purging my craft and sewing supplies, organizing my tools and notions better, and dedicating a space to work in instead of hauling projects and my machines to and from the dining table.
I’ve succeeded in that part of my mission! I can actually work in the space and find everything I need. The next stage is ‘beautifying’. That’s what I’ve been focusing on this month.
On my list of things to do:
machine covers
shelving unit cover
curtain
skirting
pincushion
needlebook
threadcatcher
covered/decorated cork-board
I’ve been sewing for about 20 years and if you can believe it, never made a pincushion. I use a hand-me-down tomato. I’ve also never used a needlebook or a threadcatcher but they are handy items to have!
I finished the needlebook and shelving unit cover earlier this month. You can see the unit cover in the pics below. It’s very….. red. And today I finished the machine covers!
Here’s a shot of what I was using: the cheapo cover that came with the serger and a t-shirt bag…
I used some of the most expensive fabric I’ve ever purchased($8 yd!!!). I wouldn’t have purchased it if I wasn’t using both a coupon and a gift card. But I digress. The lining and stabilizer layers were cut from a black duvet cover I got at the thrift store. The finished covers have a thick and stable shape.
They’re probably the wildest thing I have in my house. I’m really trying to challenge myself to live with prints and more intense colors.
07.07.09
Nifty Needlebook
I saw a cute organizer for sewing needles on Etsy and decided that it was something I really needed!
My needles have always been loose in a compartment in my sewing box. It is such a pain to find a needle the right size for a project.
Of course I wasn’t about to pay $18 for one when I had the materials to make one and the option of coordinating it to match my other sewing accessories.
Using felt, embroidery floss, eyelets and an eyelet punch, lace, vintage ribbon and rick-rack , salvaged ribbon bits, a purse ring, and some vintage buttons I made this:
Here’s ‘page 2′:
Page 3:
Page 4:
And page 5 with its’ thimble pocket:
I have got to start taking pictures outside. The red in real life is a true crayon red, not fluorescent as it seems to appear on screen.
I used a drinking glass for my circle shapes just in case you wanted to make one yourself. 
The purse ring will allow me to quickly attach a pair of scissors to the needlebook or to attach the needlebook to a work-bag.
Now I just have to dig out all my needles and sort them!
Bookmarks
I know that everyone over the age of 5 knows how to make bookmarks but these turned out so pretty that I had to share them here!
Before:
After:
07.06.09
Disc Golf Accessessories Part 2
I made these washcloth sized towels from pieces of an old bath towel in my stash. I wrecked 3 grommets trying to attach the eyelets. Good thing they were free.
I made mine with a scap of coordinating fabric and hubby’s is plain.
FYI: these are tied to a disc golf bag strap and used for drying sweaty hands or wet or muddy discs during play.
07.05.09
Disc Golf Accessessories Part 1
Now that hubby and I each have our bags and used them I’ve discovered that we need a few accessessories to enhance our game. Disc place markers, clip on towels and strap pads are needed.
Today I made the place markers.
I made hubby’s from an inner ‘beanbag’ that was filled with recycled plastic beads, an outer bag from leftover bandanna fabric and because hubby wanted a stiff feel to the marker I also inserted two circles I’d cut out of old drink mix canister lids. You can see those materials and the finished marker in this horrible lighted picture:
I made mine as just a simple bead filled ‘beanbag’.
They’re about 4 inches across, completely washable and not so awesome that I’m afraid of losing them on the course.
FYI, these markers are used to mark your throwing point from wherever your disc lands. You would place this marker immediately in front of your disc location and then pick up and bag your disc. This way if you throw another disc and walk off you’ve only left the marker behind and not a disc which I’ve done about 4 times now. Of course you’re supposed to pick up your marker but if you forget then you’ll just have lost a beanbag and not a $9 disc(or a $4 mini disc that you can buy for a marker).
2 Bandannas
Yesterday I spent about 4 hours trying to make a project work only to be completely frustrated. So today I needed an easy project to give me a mental boost. I needed a win.
Seemed like the perfect time to make some bandannas for my hubby from some fabric we bought in Lancaster last month.
I cut my 22 inch squares and pressed a super narrow double fold hem all around and prepared to sew.
But my machine decided to rebel by creating masses of loops on the under side of my fabric. *sigh*
I replaced my needle, rewound the bobbin, adjusted the stitch length and tension and then warmed up the machine by sewing scrap fabric for 3 minutes. All better!
So after fiddling for 10 minutes with the machine and another 5 picking out the loopy stitches on a bandanna I was able to actually sew.
And the bandannas themselves were finished in less than 5 minutes. 
Yey! I win!
07.04.09
My Machines!
I decided to post pictures of my machines for fun and information purposes.
I’ll list them in order of acquisition.
First is my Baldwin. My dad got this for me when I was 10-ish. It sewed a straight stitch about 25% of the time. The other times it made me practice my hand sewing techniques while my dad tinkered with it. As you can see, it needs a good cleaning.
My parents figured I should have a better machine so they gave me a new machine for my 14th birthday. This thing is a workhorse!
Third is the serger I bought last year. I was completely shocked how many stitches per second that this machine produces; it’s incredibly fast. My sewing machine is a Sunday driver comparatively!
07.03.09
Quick fix for a hole in a shirt
A quick fix, that is, if you’re lucky enough to have that hole in a place where a logo would look stylish.
I was lucky enough to find a nice polo shirt for my son at my favorite thrift seller for just $.10 but it had a wee hole in the front near the hem.
I carefully removed the interior brand tag with a seam ripper and attached it over the hole.
Very easy!
