Winter Craft Projects.....What Are Your Plans?

Discussion in 'Hobbies and Crafts' started by Cayuga Morning, Oct 12, 2020.

  1. Cayuga Morning

    Cayuga Morning Strong Ash Plants Contributor

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    I am guessing Stewbies are planning indoor projects... at least those Stewbies for whom winter is descending.

    I hope to make an fabric wall hanging for our son, per his request. I plan to sew the fabric on the diagonal, the finished project bring a rectangle.

    Here's the fabric
    IMG_20201012_122417.jpg

    Oops, it's the wrong way. Picture it turned 90° and a rectangle in shape with a dark border.
    Actually if any of you have suggestions, I welcome them. I have not done this before.

    Anybody else planning a project?
     
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  3. toni

    toni Mistress of Garden Junque Staff Member Moderator Plants Contributor

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    What is the fabric....cotton...rayon, silk, etc? Sewing on the diagonal can be a night mare if the fabric (especially slippery fabric) is not stabilized first. Cotton will slip too in the sewing process causing some waviness along the seam. How will the finished piece be hanging....framed or from a curtain rod? Actually I would suggest you have enough fabric to 'play' with. You can stabilize the fabrics then cut and sew them on the diagonal or you can sew the strips together on the straight of grain, cutting the whole final piece on the diagonal. That way you will only have diagonal edges to contend with on the outer edges and those can be stabilized by sewing a straight of edge binding piece on all four sides....turning that to the back and hand stitching it in place..making one of the edges open to slip a rod or dowel into for hanging.


    Also, when sewing a straight of grain piece and a diagonal piece together, be sure the diagonal piece in on the bottom. The process of the machine moving the fabric will cause a bit stretching on the top fabric so you want the straight edge fabric on top in that situation.

    On topic.....I have 5 quilts to make that should keep me busy at home and out of the pool hall for at least the next year.
     
    Last edited: Oct 12, 2020
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  4. Cayuga Morning

    Cayuga Morning Strong Ash Plants Contributor

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    @toni I like your ideas. I was thinking of sewing the pieces on the straight of grain, then cutting them out on the diagonal. It will use more fabric, but I do have extra. Thanks also for the tip of edging the diagonal cuts with binding, and being sure to have the top most fabric be with the grain rather than on the diagonal. Makes sense.

    good luck with those five quilts! Post photos please!
     
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  5. mart

    mart Strong Ash

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    Ha ! I want to see you at the pool hall !
     
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  6. toni

    toni Mistress of Garden Junque Staff Member Moderator Plants Contributor

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    Yea, I am really going to miss the pool hall.
     
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  7. Cayuga Morning

    Cayuga Morning Strong Ash Plants Contributor

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    And I bet they'll miss you!
     
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  8. Doghouse Riley

    Doghouse Riley Young Pine

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    The only project I have, if you can call it craft, is to remake these decorative panels between the pergola posts.

    [​IMG]

    I remade them a couple of years ago. I used exterior grade plywood. The present ones are 1/4 inch or whatever. The problem with cutting plywood with a jigsaw, is that you disturb the laminations, so what little adhesive is put between each these days when they are made can come unstuck and no matter how well you paint them, eventually water will get in. A couple are damaged and splitting in places, but I might as well replace them all.

    Ideally, what I need is solid mahogany or similar, like the two rondels I made last year from a bit of left over 9" window sill I took down we'd used as shelving in the lounge thirty years ago. They hide the bolts that hold the pergola to the supporting posts.

    [​IMG]

    But that'd cost a fortune now. So I'm going to try with 1/2 inch plywood.
     
    Last edited: Dec 9, 2020
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  9. Cayuga Morning

    Cayuga Morning Strong Ash Plants Contributor

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    Dog I remember you making those decorative discs for your pergola. I like how you use the same design throughout for continuity.
     
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  10. Doghouse Riley

    Doghouse Riley Young Pine

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    They replaced these which I made out of plywood, but despite painting them every year, they just rotted away.
    The new ones had to be of a slightly different design as they could only be nine inches in diameter.

    P1020616.jpg
     
  11. mart

    mart Strong Ash

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    Just use a good exterior grade caulk on the raw edges of plywood and let it cure a few days before painting ! It will extend the life of the plywood a long time !
     
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  12. Cayuga Morning

    Cayuga Morning Strong Ash Plants Contributor

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    Knowing Riley as we do @mart i bet he has already completed this task and is on to something else.
     
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  13. carolyn

    carolyn Strong Ash

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    I have been making wreaths for my roadside stand. you can check them out on my keiper farm stand facebook page if you want. I don't have any on my camera or I would share them. my phone doesn't take small enough photos to share. we need a bigger file allowance on here so its easier to share photos. today I finished up and am putting all the stuff away to start baking for the next week or two. Putting up a new greenhouse at the end of this week. (NH for a wedding on Jan2 maybe? I am honestly expecting it to not happen with covid).. then to TX for a month to work on building a little house for us as snowbirds eventually or perhaps even 6 month split residence?
    sigh. I need a break.
     
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  14. Cayuga Morning

    Cayuga Morning Strong Ash Plants Contributor

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    Hi all,

    I finished that quilted wallhanging project in time to get it mailed to our son in Seattle for Christmas.
    Our daughter really liked the look of it so i am making her one too. IMG_20201213_171211.jpg IMG_20201213_171255.jpg
    This second photo is of the backside. I stuck a dowel in pockets for easy hanging.

    I'll post our daughter's when i finish it.

    On second thought, here are some photos of the work on progress: IMG_20201225_133618.jpg
    I just sewed various strips of fabric together, varying the widths for interest. IMG_20201225_161537.jpg
    Using that brown paper as a template, I then cut the thing on the diagonal. Then I just sewed the leftover triangular piece (visible at the bottom of the pic) on to the end to make the wallhanging long enough.

    I think our daughter will be pleased.
     
    Last edited: Dec 26, 2020
  15. Sjoerd

    Sjoerd Mighty Oak

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    Wow, that is some work you did. The wall hanging for your son turned out really good didn’t it. It is always amazing to see the talents of folks on here outside of gardening. Chapeau
    No, but I mean I...rather WE so liked the look of your tapestry work. The one for your daughter looks a treat as well.
    You haven’t been wasting your time, I see.
    P.s. the way you solved the hanging problem with the dowell and the corner pockets was inspired.
     
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  16. carolyn

    carolyn Strong Ash

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    looks great. I like the colors. and that they all complement. the crazy quilts we see... I just can't find that I like them ever.
     
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