Finishing Stuff

This week I have been working on finishing some projects. What ever happened to the English Tapestry Sewing Box you ask? Well, it has taken some time but I finally have it done. Well almost done. I have to get a little tulip shaped thread ring for the clasp. The stiffening for the box comes from Skirtex on the body and mat board on the sides of the box. The skirtex was too long when I bent the body of the box around the sides so I had to open a seam and trim it up. Each part was sewn to a lining piece and then I sewed the body of the box three quarters of the way around the sides. I think it looks nice. But to hide a multitude of sins, I put twisted cording around the edge. I'm glad I stuck with it and finished the project.
I also finished the Berry Thief companion. The directions were pretty good. I had a little trouble with the berries on the end of the twisted cording. The first pieces of felt I cut would have made plums instead of berries - way too big. I cut them down two more times until I was happy with the size. Then I figured out a way to cover them with the beads. I put two on at a time. That worked out well. The bag doesn't close as tightly as I would like. It is supposed to hold buttons but I think the buttons would fall out as the top doesn't close completely. It is interesting that there are snaps on the pockets that connect to the bag. Over all, I am happy with this finishing too.
I was busy yesterday with making a quilt top. I want to make a quilt for the new baby. When I got it put together, I wasn't happy with fabrics that came from a set of fat quarters. So today I am going shopping for baby fabric that I like. I have to remember to get some lights and darks. It only takes 6 fat quarters. I had a problem with the pattern. I didn't read it completely and cut up all my fabric so I came up short when I needed a long strip. So it was good to have a trial run. I would like to applique some birds here and there on the quilt too.
Time to go shopping!
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