CHICKPEA SEWING STUDIO

Peaches and Black Cherries

This is the second to last block (for me) I had to sew for the Busy Little Quilting Bee. I added the batiks because they went so well with the provided fabrics.  I must say I will be so relieved when it's all done, and promise myself never to enter another quilting bee ever again! It's nothing wrong with the other quilters, it's just me. Having to make completely different blocks with a deadline, following somebody's instructions all the while worrying that they won't like it was paralyzing. Consequently I was almost always late and felt terrible all of the time... One to go, better get to work!

 

All done ( hands twirling in the air above my head)!

4 Baby Boy Belts...

I made a belt for Finn today, that is I made four belts, almost identical but different in areas that matter most.
The first one was meant to close with a plastic strap-snap. It looked very manly but had an obvious draw back: it can't be adjusted and fits only one rotund belly at one moment in time. Still, I was petty pleased with myself and decided that fit is only a minor draw back. Plus I paid handsomely for that (stupid) snap.

 

Well if fit was minor, the fact that the snap can't pass through the belt loops is major. No matter how hard I tried, it wasn't working, so I unpicked and went back to the store for some D-rings (1").

Soon after, Little Belt was born. And little it was, too little in fact to be tied easily around Finn's waist without wrestling and tears. Hint #1 make it large enough to ease the tying.

The other detail that bugged me was the white showing ( as shown on top above). I spent all that time covering the exterior but it's ruined by the "left-over".
Belt #3 was going to be partially reversible, I flipped the fabric over and covered a third of the belt's wrong side. The Large Belt was born, and you guesses it, it turned out way to large, with too much flopping left over. But I was on something and Belt #4, the Good One, is the culmination of much learning. Through all this stumbling in the dark I learned a thing or two, here they are for you if you are still reading this:

I covered the belts using the approximate method described in the free Key Fob pattern. The webbing, to accommodate for a small waist is 1" wide. I cut the pieced fabric strips 1.75" and folded them through the middle, as in the Key Fob pattern. I skipped the fusible web this time, but it would have helped, no doubt.
To create the reversible bit of the belt, which is the opposite side from the D-rings, I discovered that the best thing to do is to sew along each sides to the end of the webbing once, and only after that step to turn the remainder of the fabric strip, pin it and sew all over again over the stitch line you created. Just remember to turn the raw end of the strip under by about 1/2" to clean it up.

Et voila! again you can get a valuable lesson from all my mistakes, which this time could be summarized as:
Don't waste your good Holiday Weekend on some pointless projects, although these would look great in Red White and Blue, Hum....

And the winner is....

Let see what the random number generator has to say...

44! who is forty four? I have to count. Here we go the lucky winner is Dawn, from UK lass is the US. Send me you address and your pick to claim your wristlet!

For everyone else, thank you so much for participating and maybe you can make one ( not just one!) for yourself using my pattern, it's free at the Sewing Republic.

I also want to share with you a tip or two concerning this project. I found the hardware on Etsy from Everythingribbons.  I bought a set of 10 kits which came quickly and was perfect. I must tell you that the webbing from this shop is so much better than anything they sell at Joanns, it's worth getting, absolutely. I would/will however order much more than ten next time. I would love to have lets say, hum... 100!
The kits recommend using plat metal plier, to secure the hardware. After going to the Home Depot, where all they had were $30 giant ones, I settled for a small teflon coated pair from Michaels. They worked perfectly and only set me back $4. They sort of look like this.

To answer some questions about the neatness of stitches while sewing through the fabric and webbing, I would give the follow thoughs. Use a thicker needle, size 90 or 100.  Sew with you needle in the middle position if you can, the further away from the middle position the hardest it is to keep the stitches neat. Use a longer stitch, 3mm instead of 2.5mm. Tighten the tension (higher number). Go slow, don't backstitch.
Those are all the little steps I can think of that make life easier when making the leash or the fobs. Good luck everyone!

Give Away!

My new free patterns is available right now for download at the Sewing Republic! I wrote instructions to make a key wristlet and a dog leash. They can be matching or not...
I have been waiting for the Bernina elves to post this in anticipation of a little give away!

So here you go, choose one of the following and leave in a comment:
Any of the wristlets on the picture or supplies to make one yourself.

I will pick a winner on Thursday morning, international entries are welcome.

Me & Him

Sometimes (rarely), we take a bad picture that can be salvaged into a great one.
It's like getting something for free!
I just can't stop smiling now...