Clutch II

Sent the shibori clutch to my mum and decided to try again with a different fabric. Some raw silk that I got during my last trip to Portland. This time I used interfacing on both sides and inserted a tie rather than the magnetic clasp. This is just the thing I needed to keep my various notebooks (love the Midori traveler's notebook) and kindle organized in my backpack/purse.

Also skipped the pocket this time since I don't really have use for one. Probably could have added a pen holder for my trusty fountain pen- oh well!

Shibori Clutch

I followed this Purl Bee tutorial to make a clutch out of my shibori fabric. I generally like the simple shape but probably should have used interfacing on both pieces of fabric. Also, the magnetic Dritz snap is insanely strong- is there any way to slightly demagnetize a really strong magnet?

At Home

Some candles I got thrifting and our new coffee-making set up. Switching from a french press to a chemex is a big deal around here! So far, so good-

New Sewing Books

Acquired some new sewing books for the new year. Have yet to sew something from BurdaStyle Sewing Vintage Modern but am excited about these Japanese pattern books. Also purchased some vintage patterns online.

Winter Shibori Dye

I bought this indigo dye kit to experiment with over winter break. After reading numerous diy blog posts yielding great results (Honestly WTF, The Aestate, and Folk Fibers), I was determined to try it for myself- even in the dead of winter! I ended up with a variety of patterns and about eight yards of fabric, though the kit could easily have done more.

The first step is to bind a natural fiber fabric with twine, string, rubber bands, wood boards, or whatever else you may have on hand. 

I prepared the dye vat ahead of time so that it had time to rest- the orange one is for soaking and rinsing. The dye is actually a green-yellow color that turns blue once exposed to air. This oxidization process takes about 20 min.

These are hanging on the line to dry. I tried two different batches and let the second sit in the dye for 4-5 minutes instead of 2-3 minutes. Though I repeated the dye process twice with each batch, the second turned out much darker which I prefer. 

And here is the final product. Still not sure what I will make with this fabric- maybe a top, a clutch, and table runner?

Hand Stamped Linen

A while ago I carved a rubber stamp featuring an eye. I finally got around to stamping some fabric and decided to make a sample tea towel and a cover for my heating pad. Both have seen a fair amount of use this winter.

I also bought a huge glass jar to store the homemade granola I have been baking using this recipe from 3191 Miles Apart.

 I'm note really sure what else to stamp- I like the design but am not sure that it's something I would wear?

I used a bright orange thread for contrast on the tea towel. 

Throw Pillows

Some much of our furniture comes from IKEA. At this point I figure that I'll just go with it- so I sewed up some throw pillows from IKEA fabric for our new IKEA couch. I like the random splash of color.