Showing posts with label traveller's journal. Show all posts

Thursday, January 09, 2025

A Different Kind of Agenda and Fabric Cover

Hi and welcome 😊! Winter is officially here. I've had to go out most days and my sandals and jacket have been put away until Spring! We don't have much snow but it's definitely mittens weather - I bought myself a perfect pair of mittens before Christmas and then got a very warm hat and scarf...so I can brave the cold, if I have to! I hope that you're keeping warm if winter has arrived in your area. It's the perfect excuse to stay inside and play!

A Different Kind of Agenda

Since I barely used my agenda last year, I wasn't certain if I should bother getting a new one and making a cover for it. I've been making a new agenda cover since 2020, so it's become a lovely tradition, but is it worth it if I don't use it?

I did have the perfect fabric that I bought last year from my artist friend Connie. So, if not an agenda, then what? After thinking about it, I came up with the perfect solution (I hope - we'll see at the end of the year!) I made an Upcycled Traveler's Journal that I can store booklets to take notes or sketch and a small agenda.

2025's Traveler's Journal and Agenda

Inside the 2025 Traveler's Journal and Agenda

I think that this was the most fun that I've had making the agenda cover because I also go to make the Upcycled Traveler's journal. We've been cleaning up our books, so for the cover, I used a book that I wasn't going to re-read. The Traveler's journal consists of a cover with elastics to hold booklets inside. This allows the traveler to remove a booklet and not have to lug the whole journal around.

This was a very upcycled project since I also used the fabric from a favourite pair of PJ bottoms to make the lining.

The lining of my journal cover is from upcycled PJ bottoms😍

I used the first booklet to make notes on how to make the journal cover. The course I use is from Craftsy and I make it at least once a year, but the fabric needs to be cut based on the size of the journal. Since it's very easy to get it wrong, I write all of the measurements down. My first project of 2025 was a huge success!

The first booklet contains my notes on making the journal cover

I bought a package of 6 lovely, handmade booklets from Italy to use in my journal. I often find them at Home Sense. They are small and perfect for this project.

Journal cover and the handmade booklets used inside

This is what the Traveller's Journal looks like without the fabric cover. I removed all of the pages and then glued on a piece of upholstery canvas to keep the spine strong. I then pierced four holes at the top and bottom of the spine to place the elastics. I also added an old envelope to use for odds and ends.

Original book pages removed and spine reinforced with canvas

You can see the elastics at the top and bottom of the spine

Here is an image of the entire covering fabric that I FMQ. I was feeling very Zen so I followed the lines of the stamps, filling each set with a different pattern. I then quilted some gentle loops in the borders.

FMQ the beautiful stamped fabric

One Monthly Goal

I managed to miss the January One Monthly Goal link up by a day, but I'm still going to include it in my post. I'm trying to be more organised about my quilting and art making, and I figured that this would be one way to help me along. Of course, I'll have to write it down in my agenda and then read the agenda to link up on time 😁!

I've just finished embroidering the Snow Happens panel. I now have to turn it into a wall hanging for my DIL. Here is the embroidery before it was ironed.

Snow Happens embroidery, ready to be made into a wall hanging

What I learned

As I mentioned, I've been making a quilting agenda cover since 2020 but last year I used my agenda until July and then it lay hidden under a pile of papers on my desk. I am working on sorting my studio, including that pile of papers but since I use my phone agenda all the time, the paper agenda is a bit redundant. So having a tiny agenda to mark down deadlines (like the OMG!) and other quilting challenges, etc. might be enough.
I have been working diligently to finish the first Project Quilting challenge. I'll be ready to post on Sunday at the latest, but if all goes well, probably on Friday or Saturday. I'm really excited about it, so I hope that you'll check out the post when it comes out!
I still have my 2025 planning post to write...before the January 15th deadline. I've been really thinking about it. I need 2025 to be more mindful and less about frantically chasing squirrels!
To sum up, I've been thinking about how to work more mindfully in 2025. Hopefully the steps I'm taking now will lead to success. 😊

Free Motion Mavericks

Welcome to week 514 of Free Motion Mavericks! Thanks so much for linking up. Here are the projects from last week that included FMQ, ruler work or walking foot quilting.

Preeti of Sew Preeti Designs is having a rough time. She did so well in 2024 on the quilting front - let's wish her success in the other parts of her life! Here was one of my favourite quilts.

Preeti's Pesto Mushrooms

I've seen most of Gail's quilts since she links up at Free Motion Mavericks on a regular basis. I don't remember seeing these (I think?) Those are such cute giraffes. These quilts were a part of the Twilight Blog Hop in October.

Three great quilts by Gail. Why make one when you can make three?

It's now your turn.

Thursday, December 07, 2023

Able to thread a needle!

Welcome to week 459 of Free Motion Mavericks. I don't have any FMQ, although I've been thinking about it and practicing my designs on paper. The results of that effort will be for next week's post. This week I'm so grateful to be able to thread a needle and do some embroidery. It's going to keep getting better from here 😊

Adding orange stitches

I haven't been able to thread a needle in over a month. Surprisingly enough, threading my sewing machine (my Jag) was not a problem. I think it's because the sewing needle hole is straight on. So before my eye operation, I was able to work on my niece's t-shirt quilt. The weekend after my operation, I tried to thread a needle. At first I used a small needle threader but eventually I didn't need it! Yeah!!!

This piece was already about half done and I got it finished this week.

Playing with orange fabric and thread

This is the green fabric and thread play from March. I believe that this exercise was part of the 2023 Sketchbook Summit. We were supposed to play with paint, but frankly, I'd rather play with fabric. I used a variety of hand-dyed fabric and different embroidery thread combination to see how they look on the various colours. I also mixed different colours of embroidery thread together to see what that would give. I learned this in the TextileArtist.org workshop with Katherine Diuguid (see link in Related links below). It can be quite effective, but you have to look pretty closely at the stitching.

Playing with green fabric and thread

These samplers are attached to my Upcycled Traveller's Journal. I hope to make a few more colour studies.

Upcycled Traveller's Journal

Learning Hardanger

I saw a lovely tree ornament from Epida Studios and just needed to make it (and learn Hardanger embroidery). I've been following the tutorials and am sort of getting the hang of it. It's far from perfect but it's very cool. I don't think that I'm using the correct size of fabric but that's what I had, so there!

Future Hardanger tree ornament

I'm using a large #5 perle cotton in dark red and then a #8 thinner green. I used a FriXion pen to help me keep lines straight. That will just iron off once I'm done.

Learning Hardanger embroidery

What I learned

I'll be making more colour studies eventually. They are easy to make and stitch. Very meditative😊
Once I finish the sampler, I'm hoping to make a small tree ornament in Hardanger.
Hardanger is traditionally made all in white but that would be even harder to see, so I'm going modern at this time!
I have figured out that doing Hardanger during the day really helps me see the stitches and fabric better.
My eye is getting better and every day I can see a little more. It sure made me grateful for sight, colours and life!

Free Motion Mavericks

We have a couple of cool quilts from Sandra at mmm quilts. The first is a baby quilt version of Sunset Strip. Sandra just released her new pattern. It's really gorgeous and very versatile. Look at all of the FMQ on this baby!😍

Baby quilt version of Sunset Strip

This next quilt is from another of Sandra's designs - Grace. The quilting is straight lines in the half heart, and feathers in the background. I'm sure that it will bring comfort to the new owner.