HomeAbout MeMy EtsyTutorialsContact Me

Saturday, May 18, 2019

A Few New Makings ...


Hello my dear friends,

there is a lot going on here at our home right now. 

I am renovating my younger daughter's bedroom. She had old built in cupboards along one of the walls oh her room from the 1970's that I have now torn out. We found 1970's wall paper and shag pile carpet where the cupboards were which was a neat thing but it had to go. Stripping the wall paper, sanding walls and a new coat of paint is now done. All we have to do now is wait for the carpet guy to come before we can continue. Then day before yesterday we had new windows put into the front of our house. Two bedrooms (including my daughter's room) and our living room. I love the new windows and it is another thing of the never ending to-do list that I have and so I am happy about it.

Even though it is sort of busy all of the time, I have taken time to be creative too.
The weather was so lovely recently. The sun was shining and everything was green in our garden which inspired me to do some "kitchen sink dying". I decided to dye some seam binding again and this time some cotton quilt batting as well. Because of the what I was seeing outside, I chose the  colors green and yellow.



 I love using the hand dyes by DYLON. Their colors are so beautiful and I love mixing them to get shades of colors that I want to use. Dying with them goes quick and they are easy to use. The best of all is that you can do the smallest amount in a little bowl and that is what I do.



 It took me about 30 minutes from start to finish. Once done I hung everything outside in our fairy bush to dry in the wind and sun.


 The colors turned out so lovely which again made me want to make something either the seam binding or batting right away.  Why wait, right?! I wanted to make something that I could also use to embroider my little fluffy "in between" flower on and it had to be useful. All of those things together, made me make my newest creations ... embellished drop cloth needle books.

And these are my newest makings.

Make from my favorite drop cloth, I embroidered the first needle book it with two of my little dandelions on the front.








Stems stitched from strong thread and little leaves of sari silk ribbon together again create my little dandelions plant. As a final touch I added a small piece of old tatting. I used non dyed cotton batting for the pages inside it and stitched around them in strong thread for that little extra touch. A vintage button and some seam binding in a matching color of the drop cloth allow this little book to be closed securely

And this is my second little needle book. (This one is already spoken for though.)

Again made from that cloth I just can't stop using, I embroidered it with a dandelion plant as well but this time with only one yellow flower. The other flower was one of my fluffy ones and I love it!










 I used some of the dyed cotton batting for the inner pages. I chose two different shades of the green and they harmonize so nicely together.


When it comes to the back of the little drop cloth needle books, both of them are the same. Just simple and plain drop cloth but never the less pretty. I am so please with my newest work mainly because I enjoyed making them so much.

The first dandelion needle book I have shared in this post is now listed for sale in my Etsy shop. I am thinking of maybe making one or two more like this but I am not sure when I will have the time right now. I am going to have another 'kitchen sink dye' day soon. This time I am planning to go with shades of blue and purple and maybe green again. What I am going to make from what I dye, I don't know yet but what ever that will turn out to be, I will share with all of you for sure.

Thank you for stopping by today, it is always so nice when you do.

I hope you are well my dear friends and life is treating you kind.

Have a peaceful and creative day.

8 comments:

  1. Beautiful Spring colors. I love the embroidery and the book!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Beautiful projects! I never thought of dyeing quilt batting - it's so pretty!

    ReplyDelete
  3. These are soooo sweet. I saw them on ETSY, already sold. Not surprised.

    ReplyDelete
  4. So beautiful I am loving your dandelions! Love the idea of dying quilt batting!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Hi Karen~ Beautiful results with the dye!!! You are very clever ; ) and so creative with the needle books and gorgeous dandelions! TFS these with us; you inspire me friend~ Hugs, karen o

    ReplyDelete
  6. Great Karen! And your weather is much better than mine.

    Hugs Ines♥

    ReplyDelete
  7. Love your ideas, and talent(s)!! What is drop cloth, do you ever dye it, where do you get sari ribbon, which may be a stupid question, and do you ever come into Toronto? Maybe when the pandemic is over? I used to sell at the St. Lawrence Sunday Antiques Market, closed for now. Maybe you could come in and go down there with me one Sunday later in the year. I have a good 30 dealer friends who still sell there!! Buy at "dealer" price with me!! Sue Devoe >^..^<

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Sue,
      thank you for your message and kind words. Drop cloth is the cloth that painters use to cover things up when they paint. You can find it at Home Depot and Lowes. I do dye it once in a while but not often really. It doesn't always take the dye properly. I find my sari silk ribbon on Etsy. I haven't been in Toronto in ages because of COVID but I so want too pop there again and visit. I have never been to the St. Lawrence Sunday Antique Market but it sounds interesting. If I ever go, whenever it is possibly, I will try and remember to let you know. Why not email me with your email address. Have a lovely day. Karen B.

      Delete