My overall creative goals for 2013 are simple. I want to create for my family, learn new skills, and design one-of-a-kind items to grow my handmade business.
Creating for my family is in the forefront of my thoughts right now. I've had fabric prepped for two simple projects-- cloth napkins and baby bibs-- for months now. Yesterday morning I sketched out my intent for the day.
And then I took action.
It was a good way to start the year.
Notes:
The bib pattern is from Chickpea Sewing Studio. It's a great size for smaller babies. The one thing I do differently is trace the full pattern piece onto rectangles of my two bib fabrics that are right sides facing, then stitch 1/4" inside of that line and cut out the bib shape afterwards. I find it's so much easier than trying to match up two pattern pieces with curves. I used hemp/cotton fleece on the back this time. I used to use inexpensive chenille from Jo Ann Fabrics, but my last batch smelled so strongly of chemicals even after washing that it worried me. Hopefully these will be absorbent enough-- once we go through a test run, I'll make more. Solid foods are coming soon!
My napkins are just simple squares of quilting cotton, prewashed and bound with a rolled hem on my serger. I'm definitely no serger expert, but I will say that once I got the settings right on my machine (a Brother 1034D) they were quick to finish up. In the past I've used this simple tutorial from Prudent Baby. Right now I'm also taking Amy Alan's Beginner Serging class on Craftsy. If you have a serger and are intimidated by it, take the class! Amy is adorable and such a natural teacher. You'll learn a lot.
9 comments:
Hi Krista:
I likewise recently got a 1034D and am having some trouble with settings. I find the loops come off the edges and despite playing with it I haven't really figured it out. What tension settings did you use for these projects? Maybe they'll work for me. Thanks! Alexandra
Intention is such a great word. I kept trying to think of what I wanted my word to be this year and I thought of more, push, finish--but I think intention may have been more along the lines of what I was actually going for--making, creating, being with an intention--to do more, to push myself, to finish things I start--but with intention.
look at that Charlotte!!! those big eyes...
you're off to a good start I see.
(I need a serger I think... do you use yours a lot?)
Cute bibs for a cute babe
Years ago I took a serger class here in Kodiak and she taught us a method of making napkins by serging the fabric apart on your measured lines, not cutting the fabric apart first. Saved a lot of time. If I find that info, I will let you know and get a copy to you. I upgraded to a Babylock Evolution last year and love it. It does everything but the dishes! N
Such sweet pictures! Way to go. Lovin these sketches!
Intention sounds like a perfect word.
what a great word to have! The bibs look lovely!
Oh do let us know about your cloth napkins. I tried my hand at linen napkins and drove myself crazy! I made double linen napkins and bound then with single fold binding and drove myself crazy trying to hand stitch the binding thru only one layer! I got the linen in the bargain bin for 1.22 and made 4 double thick napkins at 20 inch square. I did not know how expensive the linen was when I made them (but I do now)....and wow I got a deal! I actually had2 colors but the second cor became a 6inch accent stripe on one side if the napkin.
I love the single fold binding! But it is difficult when there us only two fabric layers.
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