Wednesday, June 20, 2012

WIP Wednesday - the rainbows and linen edition

you know when you're making something and you totally fall in love with it? every once in awhile you stop sewing to admire it and congratulate yourself on the perfect idea or the perfect fabric combination?


that was me this week. i am SO in love with how one of my swap pouches is turning out!! i'm so happy that the image i had in my head is visualizing in front of me, and i freaking love how the fabrics are interacting with each other. we all know that this doesn't happen with every project we undertake, but damn, it's awesome when it does. interestingly, every time i've felt this way it was regarding a project that i'd made with coloured linen. that's a sign, right?


rainbow angle


so pretty!! i have to say that modern quilting has totally opened me back up to rainbows. despite growing up in the 80s, i was never super into them, because primary colours weren't my thing. i went through a brief phase in my teens of being into the pride rainbow, but even then, i tended to do things like craft my own pride jewelery out of muted shades. after that phase, i was seriously freaking tired of pride stuff, and it didn't always align with my politics, so i avoided rainbows. (thinking back, i do sort of miss my rainbow cat window decal...)


rainbow in progress


quilting has given me the excuse to buy and use fabrics in colours that i would NEVER wear, and honestly, how could anyone resist the cheerfulness of a rainbow? it just looks so happy and the colours are so harmonious. when i saw that this partner liked some of the rainbow projects floating around flickr land, i was excited for the excuse to make one!


i tried using something different for this project, and i'm curious what y'all have to say about it. i've heard people rave about fusible batting before, so when it was on sale at the fabric store, i thought i'd pick some up. i figured if nothing else, i'd have some white batting for my stash, i keep needing it at inopportune times.


in progress back


however.... see that picture above? see the darker spots? meh. now i know to avoid the sections of the batting that seem to have excess glue, or, as i did here, use that side for the back. i realize that the linen i was using is super thin, but is this normal? what brand of fusible batting have you used, or where have you bought it? do you find that the adhesive is consistent? feedback welcome, please!



WIP-wise, i've got a ton of stuff on the go right now. the pouch above has just been completed, and my second pouch is soooooo close to being done. it's been delayed until i dig my magic eraser out and clean off my iron. TIP: when you're trying to clean fusible residue off your iron, don't use a cloth with a plastic tag on it, that just makes it worse. FYI!


i'm also making a smaller item to go inside each of the pouches, one of which is finished. i need to have them both done by tomorrow's guild meeting, which is actually doable - except for everything else i want to do too! i've made myself a list and it's prioritized, so as long as i don't get distracted reading Dear Prudence again (so addicted!), it's all under control.


i was hoping to make a totebag for a door prize, but that's a bit lower on the list. and i haven't even started the VMQG modern block that was this month's challenge, but oh well. as long as i get the important stuff done, and then i can just go and enjoy our anniversary meeting!


what are you working on? are you finding june and july as ridiculously busy as i am?



linking up to WIP Wednesday at Freshly Pieced and at The Needle And Thread Network!
WIP Wednesday at Freshly PiecedWIP Wednesday at the Needle and Thread Network

9 comments:

felicity said...

The fusible fleece I use is by Pellon - actually it's the Thermolam not fleece. Never had it do that on me.

I've been inspired by your scallops - I learned that technique in a class 1,000 years ago and forgot about it. Now I've got a cool idea figured out. So thanks!

PS can't wait to see this at guild tomorrow night. I started/finished my challenge block tonight!

Susan J Barker said...

I have never seen fusible fleece do that before! I would be so disappointed! perhaps it is because of the linen? have you tried to wash it out?

I can certainy see why you would admire the work. I do that often too, with my own stuff!

elle said...

I could get into those bright rainbows as well. Lovely! The scallops are brilliant.

Mary Ann Tate said...

Your pouch is lovely....I would sit and admire it too:) I love working with linen. I don't think I have used fusible fleece before but I have had the same problem when I used a fusible interfacing. It had the same effect. The linen seemed to wick up the adhesive.

Cherie said...

The pouch looks great! I've used fusible interfacing from bondaweb or Vieliene(Sp?)

Linen is rather thin I thought it was thicker/stiffer too, unless its because its coloured?

I hope you get the things on your list done =D

Anonymous said...

Arg... It deleted my post..
I've never seen fusible batting do that. I suspect it was defective.

Love the scalloped rainbow!

Witchcrafted Life said...

I completely understand, and can relate to, the feeling that you described. Though I'm a paper crafter, not so much a sewer, I too have experienced that feeling before and love when it happens, because it usually means you're going to be tickled pink with the project once it's finally wrapped up.

Thank you very much for your comment on my post about vintage punch recipes. Your standby punch sounds great too, thanks for sharing!

♥ Jessica

Anna van Schurman said...

Love your rainbow. I also find Dear Prudence totally addictive. I guess it just makes a person feel better about her (normal?) life?

Wendy said...

I completely understand why you're in love with this, I'm in love with it too, it's amazing!

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