Slow Stitching Circles

I've had a lovely time stitching circles and half circles in the evenings as in my previous post. I didn't really want to stop! They are all raw edged, with lots of embroidery, and thicker threads couched down around the edges, etc. The most difficult bit has been deciding what to do with them - to display them nicely. I did wonder if a simple regimental positioning would be best ..... and I'm still wondering, but I settled on a sort of vase of flowers.

I started by pinning a few rectangles of cream fabric on some calico, backing it with wadding, and then quilting from top to bottom with wavy lines. I thought the applied fabric would make the background a little more interesting but they don't really show up much. I appliqued the circles onto the calico, sewed the stems, appliqued on the vase and then sewed the thin wiggly lines in brown. The stems are thick green cotton thread which is couched down, and the wiggly lines are whipped straight stitch.

Here are a few pics of the individual "flowers"

And the vase.

The half circles sewn to the top and bottom of the vase were originally intended as leaves, but they morphed!

This was a really enjoyable experience apart from all the decision making once the circles were sewn - sometimes you feel that you haven't got another decision in you! That's when sewing gets put to one side, and may never re-emerge! :)

Happy Stitching - Anita x

Recycled Denim Bags

It's always the knees of denim jeans that wear out and after patching one time, enough is enough. I usually save the backs of the legs for future patches and sometimes the denim pile builds up so that I can make a bag ...... or two.

I made two bags before Christmas.

This first has a panel of appliqued red leaf shapes on the front, which I have embroidered. I sewed a flange of red and yellow striped fabric around the panel and used the same fabric for the long handle. The bag has a zip closure at the top, just like a pouch and a boxy bottom.

The back of the bag has a handy zipped pocket.

This second bag is a tad more sedate and the panel has appliqued circles, a fabric insert and white hand stitching.

Again, the back has a zipped pocket.

These are links to two previous post about similar bags:-

2 Sashiko Bags and More Sashiko - More Bags

Happy New Year to you all - 2021 must surely be better than 2020!!?? - Anita xx