A handmade Christmas gift

Growing up in the 50's, in a simpler time, handmade gifts were frequently exchanged.  A gift, handmade, was appreciated for the effort and creativity and resourcefulness of the maker.

I continued to make gifts as a young homemaker, stretching the budget and enjoying the process.  I encouraged my children to make cards and celebrate the holidays sharing in cookie making and handmade decorations.

As a working mom with less time and more income, creativity took a less important role and we were the poorer in spirit for it.  Christmas, especially, can be too commercialized, and multiple gifts for each person is the norm.  We all say we feel the spirit of giving is more important than the dollars spent and received.  I think we all really believe this, but are not confident enough to reduce the amount and increase the meaning of our exchange.  The fact that most Americans, those of my acquaintance, have enough.  Enough food, clothes, gadgets.  I know this is not the case everywhere and certainly not in places of destitution. 

One Christmas several years ago, a family I know, chose to donate the wealth they would have spent on each other to a family in need.  This included sisters, brothers and their children, celebrating the season giving to someone outside their family. How satisfied would I be doing that?  Am I confident enough in the love in my family to not express my love in a material way?

This year, my granddaughter will be spending Christmas with an African family.  She took two suitcases with her in late October. Much of what she took has been consumed; some special snacks, bug spray, her journal. All she has are her clothes and a few small gifts she brought to give for Christmas.  A new person is staying with the family, an aunt.  With a piece of paper and origami instructions, a paper crane will become a gift for the aunt.  All my granddaughter has to give, with the expectation that it will be accepted lovingly and with respect.

The spirit of Christmas is an extraordinary thing.  Peace on Earth.

Another vessel construction technique to try

I want to try a smooth vessel -  a more finished look.  The zigzagged seams pinched to the outside of the vessel, if not a chosen design detail, is a distraction to me.  I want the fabric skin or the image on the fabric to be the focus along with the chosen form.  I am looking for a different construction method.


This vase has a smooth exterior and interior.  The Pellon pattern shapes forming the vase are butted
together and zigzaged with the last seam done by hand.  The orange lining was completed by machine, all six seams, with the same pattern as the form, sewn just a hair smaller.  The fabric was fused to the inside of the Pellon form with a small iron after the lining was sewn together and slipped into the Pellon form. The exterior is commercial cotton fabric, over-dyed and stamped with metallic paint. These pattern pieces were sewn together by machine a hair larger than the form. This outside skin was slipped over the lined form and the seams of the skin and the form were aligned.  The bottom was covered and hand sewn onto the form and a  bottom piece covered with the lining fabric was  positioned inside the vessel.  The top was finished with a bias strip tuned to the inside.

I like this vase.  I can see things that can be improved. I am looking forward to the next vase and where this will take me.

Vessels for Africa

I am working on my vessel construction.  I have been having technical problems with re-visiting the vessel I made in Mary McCauley's workshop.  (The wonderful twist is just not quite right. ) But---- I have a deadline to get two vessels ready for the friends that are hosting my grand-daughter in Zambia. So, while I work on the three-sided twist, I have made a pattern for a flat sided, open bowl.

My third oldest granddaughter has been talking for years about a trip to Africa to visit friends met here in America while the head of their family completed schooling.  At the time, they had 2 little girls and a third born while they were here.  My granddaughter babysat the children and become very close to them.  Since then,  the families have stayed in touch and after high school graduation and before school or career kicked in, an opportunity presented itself for her to visit.

She is there for three months - during  Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's.  Fabric vessels are light weight and a thank you gift is definitely in order.

The first vessel/basket has been constructed per Mary's lesson, with zigzag seams pinched to the outside of the unit.  This method allows the seams to be a design detail, and I have used a nice blue thread to compliment the orange commercial fabric.

The three-sided twisted vessel has been conquered! Thanks to the return of a copy of the pattern from a good friend.  I was "off" pattern by enough to have to start over.

Again, a bright commercial fabric was used and the same zigzagged seams were used on the outside to complete the vessel.  They will be hand delivered in January by my daughter.  I am anxious to hear all about the visit and all she learned.

Thanksgiving

I have much to be thankful for!  I live in a country of bounty.  I have  time and materials to be creative.  I have a supportive family.  I have had a rich upbringing, full of thought, experimentation, creativity. I have curiosity.  I like to learn. I have a church and faith. I am thankful.

A Small Stamping Project

I just do not want to get out boxes of stuff to do a quick 5 minute stamping project!!!!

Mary McCauley suggested using old file folders as trial vessel patterns.  They are the correct weight, seem to be laying around most homes and are recycled free supplies. I also use them for my final pattern pieces.  File folders are a much better option for non-standard templates than the 1930's cereal boxes.

For my project, I need to stamp a piece of fabric 10" x 16".  I used one side of an old-fashioned sheet protector.  You know - the hard cellophane like material, three hole punched with a piece of black paper inside.  If you have old file folders around the house you probably have a few of these.  I have used the stiff clear plastic to audition quilting designs, choose the perfect section of a fabric design and as a surface for a small amount of paint to do a small stamping.  It doesn't take up much table space, is flat, does not absorb paint and cleans up easily.

No muss - no fuss for a quick small project.