Sewing A Fabric Covered Coiled Clothesline Item

Actually I am using braided macrame cord instead of clothesline. Shhh… Don’t tell anyone.

I am entering my coiled fabric item in the November Challenge sponsored by the Crafters’ Group I have been a member of since 2003. They are a great group of very talented, crafty ladies. Never a dull moment. They do it all. Reborn doll babies, crochet, knit, cross-stitch, paint/draw, sew. Some even do canning, gardening, photography, baking and make soap/lotions. A few make jewelry like me. Always something going on. And you wouldn’t believe the eye-popping, stunningly beautiful quilts they have made.

I sew too, just not quilts. (Yet)

Last time I sewed, this is one of the things I made. I couldn’t remember the exact date so I looked it up. Was August 2009. Over a year ago. Hard to believe it’s been that long.

Anyhoo… my sewing machine is all set up and ready to go. I just needed time to say good-bye. To my addictive pretty beads. And since my entry must be photographed and submitted by 12 midnight EST Tuesday 11-30, I guess I better get to stitching.

Here are the fabrics I have selected from my stash. With a black purse handle. But I may head out today to check out the fabric sales. I am thinking I should replace the white with something more wintery.

I am using It’s A Wrap by Susan Breier for tips on making an oval shaped basket. This book has tons of projects. Very helpful.

Hope my purse turns out like I want. One lady in the group doesn’t have a sewing machine. Guess what she did? She made a fabric basket using a hot glue gun!! And it turned out great. Will take pictures of my purse when finished.

These Look Awfully Close

What do you think?

Don’t these look really close to the Evergreen Vitreal 11/0 cylinder seed beads I am looking for? Found on eBay.

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These are mine.

I ordered them. Maybe I will be able to finish my bracelet after all.

Pour the Coffee, Hold the Icing, Donuts are Done

My hat is off to those beaders primarily working with the teeny tiny 15/0′s and 11/0 seed beads. I had to keep telling myself, the end is near. And I kid you not. I kept falling asleep.

I love it though. And it feels great around my wrist.

As you can see, I ended up with six donuts for the bracelet and made two more for earrings.

It can stand up on its own.

And it looks great around my “model’s” wrist.

I have enough seed beads in both colors so I may make a larger donut for a pendant. Maybe…

Though I was challenged working with the 15′s, I have ordered more of them. A lot of the designs I want to now try, use them. So there is no getting around them.

What is your favorite seed bead size?

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This is my original design. Thanks for not copying or posting elsewhere without my permission.

My Donut Bracelet Is Almost Finished… Today?

I am working on the last donut. This bracelet is taking forever. Why, you may ask? What have I been doing?

Well, a week ago, I got tired of moving stuff to make room for stuff. I decided to tackle reorganizing my computer/craft room. Slowly the room took shape. The way I wanted it. Less clutter. Less mess.

Here are my two banquet tables stripped down to the tabletops. Too bad they can’t stay like this. But then you wouldn’t get to see my creations.

Anyhoo… back to the bracelet.

See that silver tube clasp? That is what I wanted to use but it just doesn’t seem to fit. I really like it and it is a perfect end for a peyote bracelet. In and around, fold flat, stitch. But… I am thinking a matching beaded toggle will look better.

Hopefully I can show you the finished bracelet later today or tomorrow. Stay tuned.

Let’s Talk Sewing Machines

I have four sewing machines. 3 Janome and one Singer. Well, actually one Janome is a felter only.

The sad part is….. I don’t use any of them.

I have to make a coiled fabric item by the end of November. For our November Challenge in the Crafters’ group I belong to. Last year I made a few baskets/bowls and a couple purses. I really enjoyed it.

So, sewing machines have been on my mind.

Until recently, I had only sewn on two sewing machines. My mom’s. It was a portable Singer with a snap-on carrying case. I sewed on it constantly during my teen years. She even let me take it to college for one semester.

Then, about five years after getting married, hubby surprised me with a brand new top-of-the-line Singer. It was the Cadillac of its day.

Here it is.

Singer Touch-N-Sew. Around the 70′s. It has parts and attachments I never did learn to use. Classes were offered. None of which I bothered to attend.

Right now it is hidden away in a spare closet. Out of sight. I want to donate it to charity. Or toss it out. But every time I mention that it needs to go, that I need the space, hubby’s mood turns sour. You see, as he tells it, he worked overtime for months to buy it. Paid cash. I understand all that, I really do. But come on!! The 70′s!!

So, if you are keeping count of the machines I own, that is Sewing Machine #1.

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Here’s #2.

Janome Memory Craft 10001.

I have had this one for about four years. Got it as a retirement present. To myself. It does a lot of stuff. Most of which I am clueless.

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Number 3

I bought this little baby Janome at the same time as buying the 10001. Called Sew Petite. Just to have. I didn’t think I would ever use it but did. Once. When #2 needed bobbin winder repairs. It works fine. Nothing fancy. Sews straight, zig zags and winds bobbins.

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Number 4

Janome Xpressions, a felting machine.

It works GREAT!! From what I saw in the store over 3 years ago. Never used it. Just took it out of the box to photograph it. I am so glad all the parts were there. A bit late to be thinking about returning it. Anyway, I have several machine felting instruction books. One day soon I am going to try it.

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My desire is to be a Three Sewing Machine household.

BUT… how do I convince hubby to let go of #1?

Starting Over, With A Different Color

So far, no trouble making this bracelet. I have (or had) three tubes of these 11/0 Toho Treasures in Rainbow Navy. Who names these things!! Does this look navy? More like cobalt blue or royal blue. They are cylinder beads and I like how they “snap” into place when I peyote.

But anyway… they should work and look like I originally planned for the green one.

2 circles done, 8 to go.

The fuchsia 15/0′s aren’t so bad. Just took some getting used to. I did learn one thing. Not to pour out too many. Too hard to gather back up. Just pour out as many as I think I will need for the round being worked.

And another thing I have learned working with such tiny beads is to use a marker. Like in crochet. I kept losing my place and had to undo back to a familiar round. After doing this about a dozen times, I remembered what I did when crocheting in the round. Use a marker to mark my stitch.

So, why not do the same when beading in the round? What I do is simple. And a huge time saver. I use the tail thread. Put it into the “step up” bead. So when I complete a round, I know exactly where I am. Keep moving the tail thread to each new step up bead. And I tell you, IT WORKS!! I haven’t had to pull out beads and redo my work since.

BTW, thank you so much for your assistance in trying to help me locate the seed beads I was looking for. That odd Evergreen color. Evergreen Vitreal. I searched the sites you recommended but no luck. So far. But I’ll keep looking. I won’t scrap my green and rose WIP just yet.

Can You Help Me Finish My Bracelet?

HELP!!!!

I need to make two more of these. But I ran out of green seed beads. And Auntie’s Beads no longer has them in stock. I would ask to be put on their Waiting List but the beads have vanished from their site.

Here’s where YOU come in.

Look in your stash. Stashes. And see if you have a small bag of Evergreen Vitreal just sitting around. They are 11/0 cylinder beads. Shiny, like metal. There wasn’t a manufacturer’s name on the zip lock baggie they came in. But they look like Toho’s.

Let me know if you have these beads. They are not plain evergreen. They have a metallic iridescent look.

Thank you in advance.

Bracelet? Probably. Not Sure Where I Am Going With This.

Another first for me. Working with size 15/0 seed beads. And not liking it. At all. Too tiny. Think colorful grains of salt. Sprinkled all over your beading table. They are so teeny tiny that if there WAS a flaw or chip, I wouldn’t see it. I can BARELY see the HOLE!!

Rose, I think. Though sometimes, under my Ott Lite, the rose looks peach.

And get this. I even bought John Adams size 15 beading needles thinking I would need a super thin needle. But, duh, my beading thread won’t fit through the eye. Note to self: buy Super Fine Fireline. For now, I am doing OK with the needles and braided thread I normally use.

I have created these so far using the 15/0′s and 11/0 green cylinder seed beads.

Started off with a peyote circle. Made two. Stitched the outer sides together. Any idea on what I did next? Aw, go on. Guess what I did. Cute, huh.

Now… what to do with them? They measure a little over an inch in diameter.

I am thinking bracelet. Connect them with a rose flat strip of peyote.

What would you do with them?

New Bracelet with Buttons and Bows

Oh my gosh!! November already. Where has this year gone?

Are you on track to accomplish all the things you set out to do this year? I am not. No where near it. Sigh… You know what that means, don’t you? Find your list of want to do, need to do, must do. Dust it off. Cross off 2010 at the top and change it to 2011. No sense stressing over it.

Use the rest of this year, November and December, to work on fun stuff. Gifts for family and friends for the holidays. Redecorate one of your rooms.

I don’t even have to look at my list. It’s the same stuff.

• Learn to knit
• Learn to quilt
• Learn how to make resin jewelry
• Sew purses
• Macrame purses

But I would rather bead.

So… that’s what I do.

Here is my latest. Just finished it today. My original design. Bronze, root beer and crystal (silver lined) 8/0 seed beads.

A bracelet I am calling BowTye. Sections of it look like a ribbon tied in a bow.

I went all around the bracelet with a 3 bead picot using 11/0 seed beads.

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11-5-10 Update. I made a pendant to go with the bracelet.

One triangle with a bail. Size a bit larger than the ones for the bracelet. Two peyote tubes extended across on inexpensive copper 16 gauge wire. Reminds me of a bull.

Hanging on a 20″ silver plated chain.