Monday, January 2, 2012

Ironic

I had to laugh at myself yesterday.  Lately, I've been turning old pillowcases into reusable shopping bags.  Yesterday, I found myself MAKING a pillowcase!
This is my first ever pillowcase, using the Tube or Sausage method that I learned with this Missouri Star Quilt Company video tutorial.  EASY!!!  Why did it take me so long to try this?  It is for my darling niece to match the nightgown I made her this summer.  I just adore that pink owl fabric, and I will be so sad when it is all gone.

I have some books to send to my nephew, and I felt bad not sending something homemade to him.  How about a bookmark for his book?  Have you seen these Monster Corner Bookmarks?  I wanted to make him one, but out of fabric, not paper.  So I started playing around with fabric...

My first attempt:
I like it, but the bottom edge in the back is unfinished, just two fabrics fused together, and I'm afraid they might unravel. Back to the drawing board.



My second attempt:
After fusing the fabrics together, I hemmed the bottom edges before making it into a corner. VERY BULKY! I thought my sewing machine was going to revolt in protest! Back to the drawing board.



My third attempt:

I sewed the two fabrics right sides together (3 sides), then turned right side out and fused.  Nice neat bottom edge - I have found my method!  Although, why am I putting the ribbon loops in the corner?  While I like the decorative touch, they are unnecessary and add bulk in the corner.  I think I'll eliminate those from now on.
 But before I made a monster corner bookmark for my nephew, I was inspired to find some fabric that reminded me of water to make a corner bookmark to go with my giveaway of Riel Nason's book, The Town That Drowned.

Have you entered the giveaway yet?  If not, comment on my last post before I go to bed on Tuesday, January 3 for a chance to win the book and bookmark, the Urban Circus scraps, the travel tissue holder and the chocolates.

It's my last day of vacation, what am I doing on the computer?  It's back to the sewing room for me!