Christine Sews

Custom piping, which includes custom bias tape can give a project a special look.  Just purchase cord in the size you need - this photo shows 1/2″ cotton upholstery cord

• To make the piping wrap it with the bias tape.
• Press the bias tape tightly around the cord and using a zipper foot stitch as closely as possible to the cord to encase it.
• Baste the cord to pattern piece, then assemble taking care not to  get the piping tangled.

Hooray, the yellow patio door curtains are complete.  A UFO off of my list.

How to make blackout curtains for a patio door:

1.  Cut the blackout fabric to 72 by 24 inches (or adjust for your door).
2. Make a casing for the rod and stitch.
3. Cut the printed fabric to 68 by 36 inches and finished the edges.
4. Run a basting stitch one inch from the top and bottom of the curtain edges.
5. Gather using the basting stitch, until the curtain is 24 inches wide.
6. Stitch the printed fabric to the blackout fabric at top and bottom.

Easy!

I love the yellow Provencal pattern.  I’m drinking coffee and pretending to be in the kitchen of my French grandmother on a crisp Spring day.

A lot of cutting and not much sewing is going on around here this week due to minor family drama.  I have four sewing projects and one cross-stitch that are incomplete.  Ugh.  This really goes against my nature.

What are the UFOs?

• Quilt - sewing quilt binding is very time consuming, generally done while sitting on couch late in evening watching tv after child is in bed.  No evening tv watching happening this week equals no progress.
• Cover for table/desk - delayed due to inability to sew this week as noisy sewing machine is located in alcove of house and can be heard from everywhere.
• Patio door curtain - materials ordered.  Not having them in the first place was totally my error.  They arrived and are totally cut and prepped, sewing delayed… see above.
• Yesterday, unable to sew, needed something quiet to do and am sick of cleaning, cut up an old wallet, made pattern.  Cut out test fabric.  (Somebody stop me.)
• Cross-stitch - mindless project kept on hand to entertain myself while waiting outside ballet class, in medical office, etc.  Generally progresses only once a week.  I would be okay with that except for UFOs above.

On the positive side, the photo above is the fabric stash.  It’s probably hard to tell from the photo, but there’s plenty of room in those bins.  Woo hoo!  I am lusting after this Michael Miller Provencal fabric.

Also, someone asked me if she could pay me to make something for her son, because she saw DDs handbag .  What an awesome compliment.

Found lira in old wallet and had a lovely time remembering young single traveling days when lira were necessary.

These are the pillows that go with the toile bedding .  They are fairly simple, just two different toile patterns with ballerina ribbon as an embellishment and on seam zippers.

I had intended to add lace and piping as well.  But then I decided that two different toile patterns and patterned ribbon is enough.