Needlework Tuesday: 4th of July

A holiday from work + no family home = a day of sewing.  

My first project - a Prayer Flag for our nation - was inspired by an image on Facebook of an American flag created from vintage ribbons and trims.  I didn't have enough red, white and blue trim (vintage or otherwise) to make a flag, so my version used fabric scraps. 

It flew on our front porch all weekend and will remain there indefinitely.

Project #2 was the baby quilt I'm making for my great-nephew - due on July 19th.  This was my first attempt at this style of border and, I have to admit, I'm pretty proud of those mitered corners.  I'm trying another new (to me) method in the finishing of the quilt - "machine tying".  Rather than hand typing and leaving the ends of the thread or yarn loose, I tacked the corners of each square with zig-zag stitching.  Much faster and neater than hand-tying and also disguises triangle points that aren't perfect.  I have completed the tacking on the inner section.  I just need to find some red thread and tack at  4" intervals all the way around; then add the red binding.  

During breaks in quilting, I whipped up a journal cover.  I journal almost daily and I am frequently tempted by the beautiful journals I see, but the cost can be prohibitive.  I used to stock up on plain school-type notebooks during the Back-to-School sales.  They were economical (5/$1 in the mid 90's) but not very attractive.  A fabric cover is the best of both worlds.  I used a fat quarter I had picked up months ago just because I loved the sewing motif; and a strip of a reproduction vintage floral that Amanda gave me for Christmas.   After the cover was complete, I decided it needed a pocket for a pen and highlighter.  I fussy-cut the pocket from another fat quarter purchased on a whim.  If I had thought of it sooner, I would probably have re-arranged the pocket and contrast strip - but I'm happy with it anyway.

One more fabric strip helped finish off the interior flaps.  My cover fits a standard

9.75x7.5 composition notebook that costs around $1.50 each, but could easily be adjusted to fit any size.  Best of all, when it becomes worn or stained, or if I'm just tired of it, I can create another.

For hand-work, I tried a new technique for loom knitting, but this post is long enough so I'll save that for next week. If anyone has experience with "double pegging", let me know.  I could use some help.

Hope you had a great week of stitching.  If so, visit our hostess, Heather, at Books & Quilts and link up your post.  If not, stop by to see what others are stitching.  You  might be inspired.

Needlework Tuesday: Holiday Week Version

Monday was a holiday in the U.S. - Memorial Day - so, of course, I didn't work.  That threw me off completely, and all day yesterday I kept thinking I needed to get a Needlework Tuesday post ready for tomorrow.  So - here's my holiday version.

I completed my 100 mini prayer quilts.  If you don't remember, a friend volunteered to head up a drive to make 1500 4" 4-patch mini quilts by mid-June.  She farmed it out in lots of 100 to everyone she knew who sews.  I volunteered for 100.  I finished them last week and presented them with a great feeling of accomplishment.  Then she asked if I could do a few more because some people didn't return theirs.  So I'm in 4-patch mode again.

I completed the blocks and settled on an arrangement for my baby quilt.  I'm going to assemble that much while I ponder options for borders and backing.  The baby - my great nephew (wow) - is due in July.

My third project for the week was a prayer flag for my birthday.  The base is a vintage napkin - off white with red trim.  The fabrics in the crazy quilt represent things I like - sewing, knitting, music, anything "vintage"  - there's even a bit of Christmas stuck in there.  The triangle with embroidered flowers is the corner of another vintage napkin.

I also started kitting a red, white and blue afghan.  In fact, I've started it at least 15 times now.  I'm having some tension issues - but I think I have it under control now.  Hopefully there will be enough progress to warrant pictures next week.

Visit Heather at Books & Quilts to see what all the Needlework Tuesday participants are stitching.

Blowing In the Wind . . .

In my last post, I mentioned that I was going to start making prayer flags.  You can find all kinds of examples and information about prayer flags on line, but my interpretation is that each flag represents a specific prayer.  The flags are flown outside so the breeze (symbolically) carries the prayer to Heaven.  They are an expression of gratitude, praise or a request, and their presence is a reminder to pray.  

There are no rules for creating a flag.  If you look on Pinterest or a Google image search, the variations are as individual as they people who create them, and that's what makes me love them so much.  A flag can be as simple as words written on fabric, or as complex as a pieced quilt.  They can fly for one day to mark prayers for a special occasion, or for weeks, months, even years for an ongoing concern. 

The meaning behind a prayer flag can, obviously, be very personal, so many of them are more symbolic than literal.  This is probably the most creative thing I've ever tried because it's a total blank canvas - no instructions, no pattern, no tutorial - and I loved the freedom to express my thoughts with no boundaries.   My flag is based on words and images from Psalm 91.  Here is what I created:

The "stone wall" background was stamped onto off-white cotton with craft paint and a potato stamp.  The hands were traced onto another piece of cotton with a fabric marker, then the edges frayed.  I found the outline of the shield and dove on-line and traced them onto my fabrics, then I cut the heart and cross free-hand.  All the pieces were machine appliqued onto the flag.  Then I just stitched down the upper edge to form a casing and my flag was complete.

Prayer flags are most often flown along rooflines or strung between trees.  As I get more flags made, I plan to display mine across my front porch, but Dave is going to have to rig some sort of rod to hold them that is sturdy enough to hold up in the wind, but easy to take down to add/remove flags.  Since the weather was cold and wet yesterday (as you can tell from the muddy dog-prints on the porch) I settled for a quick fix and hung my flag from the porch railing with a short bungee cord.

So often, circumstances are beyond our control and we say "all I can do is pray".  Even though it is the greatest thing we can do, it can feel like it's not enough.  We need to be doing something, to be active -and prayer flags provide that outlet.  I prayed as I designed and created this flag.  It actually felt like I was stitching my prayers into the fabric - it gave me something concrete to do and a tangible reminder to "pray continually".

Generosity, Creativity and Prayer

The mailman delivered two surprise packages yesterday.  It was a fabric explosion!

Two lovely, generous Farmgirl Sisters sent me goodies from their fabric stash.  The sizes range from a few inches to a half-yard.  I was planning projects by the dozens while sorting through the piles.  Number one on my list is the Book Quilt.  I now have PLENTY of choices for making the 300+ "books".  One package included some pre-cut 8" squares which my sister and I will be making into potholders.

Among the many treasures I received was one that made my heart do an extra pitter-patter.  This lovely ocean print - and a good-sized hunk of it - was probably my favorite find.  It will become something adorable and beach-related for my house.

Another project that will benefit from this gift are my prayer flags.  I recently ran across the idea - I can't remember where - which led me to the Prayer Flag Project website and this Pinterest board,  The idea of prayer flags is based somewhere in Buddhism, but the details vary depending on what source you read.  Regardless of the history, the common idea today is to create a fabric or paper flag to represent the person or subject you are praying for.  The flag is then hung outside to wave in the wind and scatter the prayers to heaven, or to blow blessings throughout the neighborhood.  The interpretation is open and not necessarily theologically sound from a Christian perspective, but I figure if the smoke from incense can be used in scripture to symbolize prayers rising to Heaven, the symbolism of the breeze isn't far off.  

There are no instructions for creating a prayer flag. They can be quilted, painted, adorned with lace, buttons, flowers . . . the possibilities are endless.  They tend to be rectangular and approximately 10"x12" - but the size and shape are as individual as the decorations. They can fly for a day to mark prayers for a certain event, or left up indefinitely for ongoing concerns.  

I have so many ideas in my head, it will take awhile to get caught up.  I hope to start on the first prayer flag this evening.  The addition of the "Fabric Extravaganza" will certainly help my creativity.  Thank you, ladies!