Felted Diaper Bag

This project combines a couple of techniques.  You may remember earlier this year I attended a workshop and learned the process of wet felting.  At the shop I bought supplies to continue experimenting with the process of felting.  I had a vision of felting fabrics and then constructing a purse from the pieces.  Then I busied myself with other projects until now, remembering that the bag I intended to construct was a diaper bag, and the baby to go with the bag was due to make an appearance any day!  Quickly I went about reminding myself of the process and went about calculating the size and shape of the required pieces that would be needed to assemble my bag.  Below is a step-by-step story of how this came together.

Wet Felting Process

Materials gathered.  Bubble wrap, roving wool, soap, water, and tule. 

3 layers of roving wool (each layer in the opposite direction of the one adjacent to it).  Cover with tule on top.  Then water is sprinkled on top and allowed to penetrate through the layers.

Then using a mild bar soap rub the top of the tule.  Just a little soap is needed.  Then use your fingers to massage and agitate the layers of wet felt.  This action causes the layers to bind together.  Felt for as long as it takes for the pieces to hold together and the layers to bind.  Flip and agitate the opposite side as well.

Then move toward the sink.  Roll the felted piece between the bubble wrap and a bamboo sushi screen (I used a placemat), then wrap that with a towel, and roll the whole thing several times.  This is just additional felting and binds the fibers together further.  Repeat 10 times, rotating the direction of the felted piece each time.  Then rinse the piece to remove soap and allow to dry.  It can be stretched to desired shape and sized throughout this process.

I repeated this process several times and ended up with 4 felted pieces.  The 2 sections that were about 15"x18" of the main turquoise color, 1 multicolored accent piece, and one small pale aqua accent square.

Bag Construction

The hardest part of all this was cutting into these pieces of felt that took hours to construct!  But it had to be done.  I drew up the pattern pieces to utilize the majority of the felt I had made - very little was wasted.  Working with this new material meant experimenting with a couple of new methods of construction to make sure this bag would be sturdy enough to hold all the different items that a diaper bag needs to carry.  The first method was using exposed, tight zig-zag seams on the felt (I used the button hole setting).  This just seemed like a stronger stitch with such a potentially fragile exterior material.  Man I went through a ton of thread!  The second thing was that I spent a lot of time reinforcing the lining of the bag.  I used a rather stiff fusible interfacing on all of the interior lining pieces to give the bag shape.  So essentially the interior of the bag is supporting the felted exterior.  My first time using the fusible interfacing and I really like it... this may become an essential component to all of my bag construction in the future.  I also really like the fabric I found for the interior lining:  a mint faux suede.  The lighter color keeps things from getting lost at the bottom of the bag.

The bag features two exterior side pockets for waterbottles/bottles.  3 interior pockets for storage of smaller items which require quick access like cellphones, keys, sunglasses, wallet.  Then a much larger central interior large enough for books, ipads, diapers, toys, wipes, and this great changing station from Skip Hop.  There is a magnetic closure at the top (that works best when the bag is less full).  We'll see how well this functions.  I'm concerned because it is mainly a shoulder bag without adjustable straps... it should work well for daily routines, but I may find myself needing more room or something more comfortable to carry for long periods of time (I prefer a bag with a longer strap that can be worn across the body in that situation).  In which case I'll just invent something new to meet those needs :).  Looking forward to giving this a try in the short term.

Floor Pouf

I'm not sure what to call this exactly... but all the websites from which I got this idea called it a 'Pouf' or 'Pouffe'.  This is a large pillow or ottoman to rest your feet on while sitting in the rocking chair that's in the baby's room.  I got the idea from these that I found online, which are leather and rather expensive.  I drew up a similar pattern and constructed this one out of duck cloth and piping to highlight the seams.  I was a little disappointed with the proportions of the pouf, I wanted it to be wider than tall but that got lost somewhere in translation.  I had never worked with piping before... I really liked working with it.  Also, after a few attempts, I successfully installed a zipper.  I usually avoid them at all costs!  The pouf is stuffed with old towels and pillows.  All in all, I like this bright addition to the room :).

Crib Skirt

Another quick, soft sewing project.  Keeping the crib simple I opted for just constructing the crib skirt myself and buying a plain solid colored sheet.  All the bumpers and dressed up cribs are nice.... but ultimately it turns out not the safest option for your kid.  It is now recommended to completely eliminate the chance of SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrom) by embracing the 'clean crib' concept and not to include bumpers, stuffed animals, blankets, or pillows in the crib as they are all possible suffocation hazards.  All the baby needs is a sheet.  And a nice bed skirt:).  

I found this fabric on Etsy as well.  I love the vibrant colors and the bold print, but I was disappointed by the weight of the fabric.  It is very thin, easily wrinkled, and not hefty enough for this application.  So I designed the pattern to include a hefty interfacing to make sure that the fabric hung cleanly.  The skirt has 2 pleats on the long side and one pleat on each of the ends.  I underestimated the amount of fabric needed to complete the project (opps!) so the skirt only hangs on 3 sides.  Not a big deal since I anticipate always having the long side of the crib facing a wall.  There are a few ties on the back side to keep this from slipping out of place.  The project came together well and I love the way it looks in the room.  Soon I'll have photos of the whole room so you can see how all these projects are coming together.

New Swing Cover

Among the many borrowed and second-hand baby items we've collected is this infant swing.  Swings are one of those items that aren't necessary... some kids love them and some don't.  Just in case Baby Carlisle is really into the swing I put a little work into fixing up this one.  The swing belonged to Isabel, a little girl, and since we're unsure of our child's gender I wanted something gender neutral.  I was able to remove the seat cover and just using a simple slip stitch I recovered the pink sections of the upholstery with this fun orange print.  Now it's ready for either boy or girl and it looks great in the baby's room.  A really quick and easy fix!  I found the fabric on Etsy, it is either a Joel Dewberry or Amy Butler pattern of hydrangea petals.

Gestation Quilt

For lack of a better term I've come to call this the 'Gestation Quilt'.  Shortly after moving to CA and learning that I was pregnant I wanted to start a project that represented this process of being pregnant, this time of prayer and anticipation and preparation.  So I designed this quilt, comprised of 280 hexagons, each piece of fabric representing each day of pregnancy.  Each side of each hexagon is about 2.5 inches.  The finished quilt is just large enough to cover a twin bed, approximately 4.5' x 6.5'.  It's a gift to my son or daughter and I hope it will become an heirloom that will be cherished for a lifetime.  The bold, primary color scheme also became inspiration for the color palette for the baby's room.  Playful and gender-neutral.

This quilt was so much larger of an undertaking than I anticipated!  The beginning was fun: designing the layout, searching for fabric, finding the right patterns and colors.  I even did some printing and stamped some of the pieces with custom patterns.  All the other steps after that could be described in one term: tedious.  280 pieces, each with 6 sides, all needing to be sewn together.  What was I thinking?  To keep myself on track I had to get on a schedule of working on the quilt for a couple of hours each day.  Every task seemed to last much longer than I anticipated.  Just getting all the pieces stitched together, even by cheating and using a sewing machine, took a month!  After that another week was spent just trimming and pressing the seams in place.  

I also used the sewing machine to quilt the blanket, more marathon quilting for a week or so.  Then I decided to complicate the project even more and finish the edges with a very complicated, mitered binding.  There was no way to cheat that part, it had to be completed by hand.  I went through spurts where I worked on this project exclusively... then I would complete a milestone and take a break and work on other smaller projects.  This was truly a marathon!

There are countless errors, puckers, and inaccuracies in this blanket.  That drives me crazy.  The architect in me knows that in theory all these sides and angles should line up perfectly... it's all math, right?  But fabric is stretched and pulled out of perfection.  My mother kept reassuring me that this small accumulation of errors is what give quilts their charm.  I hope she's right.  Now that the project is done I'm glad I stuck with it and I think it will be well used, as I intended.  If nothing else it looks nice in the baby's room :). 

Recovered Rocking Chair

I bought this rocking chair on Craigslist back in August. I love this chair so much! It is the perfect size for me - not too deep, just the right height. I also love the craftsman style. It is my favorite place to sit and work on knitting and sewing projects.

My plan has always to recover the seat of the chair which easily separates from the frame. I searched and searched for the right fabric. Originally I bought the chair to go in the baby's room but it has now become a permanent fixture in the living room (where I predict that I'll also spent lots of time rocking a baby). So when choosing a fabric I wanted something that would work in both rooms, just in case I changed my mind.

I found this print on Purl Soho's online shop (thanks for introducing me to this shop Lauren Robinson, I'm addicted!). The colors were a bit brighter than what was pictured on the website... But I think it does a good job of straddling the line between grown-up and baby appropriate.

The cover required a little planning to get the fit right. I drew up a pattern, made sure the graphic was lining up appropriately on the side seams. I also added a few layers of quilted padding to the seat. I fit the new cover over the existing seat at stapled the fabric in place with a staple gun. I like how low risk this project is... It only required the cost of the fabric and it's really easy try a different look for the chair with a new fabric later down the line.



- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Skirts for Africa

In preparing for our trip to Africa (next week!) (follow here!) I learned that women in rural Kenya are quite conservative in their dress.  Women do not wear pants or anything that is tight fitting.  I needed to find some long, loose fitting skirts to sustain me for our 3 week trip.  I did look in a few stores before deciding to make the skirts myself... but apparently skirts this season are widely available in two different styles: short and shorter.  This made my decision easy:  I'll just make a few skirts.  This coincided nicely with the work I was doing in my independent study printmaking class.  After choosing a simple pattern and deciding on fabric (the spring linen was on sale at Hancocks!).  I decided to give the skirts a new life and make them a bit more personal by printing them with original designs.  Using the same basic process that I used on my quilt: I carved various designs from the rubber stamp material and went to work printing with the textile printing inks.  

So these are the 3 textiles I created for the skirts.  Mums, gingko, and a bird motif.  Mostly fairly simple patterns that each repeat in a different way.  The gingko pattern (printed on the heaviest weight linen) is a simple grid type repeat.  The mum design (printed on a lightweight linen) was simply a large flower, about the size of a plate, and I masked out sections to create overlaps.  This was the pattern that was easiest and most fun to print.  I was able to design as I went, creating voids between flowers and overlaps.  

The bird motif, which is printed on a rust colored cotton knit, was the biggest headache.  The design was intended to be continuous, lines that were fluid meant to unite the individual repeats of the patterns.  This was a pain to design and almost impossible to keep consistent and straight while printing.   But after review the areas that don't line up aren't all that noticeable and, as my husband said, I'm the only person who will ever know the flaws of the print.

There are a couple of nice things about the skirts.  Its a nice medium to work with because a long skirt accommodates a large pattern easily.  I wasn't burdened by trying to repeat a small 2"x2" design on yards of fabric.  I each design is roughly in the 7"x9" range.  I cut the pattern pieces for the skirts first and then printed (so I didn't waste time printing areas that would not be used).  Each skirt took about 2.5 hours to print.  And as I mentioned, a nice long skirt is forgiving and I think the inconsistencies of the heaviness or lightness of the ink, and the areas that don't line up, all add to the handmade charm and nature of the product.

And this leads to a comment about process.  The process of printing on fabric by hand is still widely practiced in Africa and India.  The act of creation and participation in this process was a nice way of meditation and preparation for the trip.  There is something so basic and fundamental about textiles and clothing... a universal need and a universal method of expression.  I was engaging in a process that is not unique but a natural instinct, and greater than myself.

The final product!  Nicely modeled on my dress form.  I did go ahead and make a skirt without any  printed pattern because at heart this simplicity appeals to me, and it's also quite practical.  I also used another variation of the pattern for the odd skirt.  Each pattern is really simple: side seams, elastic waist, and a hem. I probably spent as much time printing each of the skirts as I did constructing them.  I was weary at first, during the printing and the construction, that I wouldn't like them... but the patterns have grown on me.  I hope (and this is the true test), that I will wear these again, outside of my trip.  That is always the sign of success for homemade clothing, not whether it fits well, or if it is well made, but if it is used.

Daffodil Quilt

Below is my first quilt, a tribute to daffodils.  I love it when daffodils finally show their face... always when the winter is so dreary and lingering that daffodils, in their garish yellow, remind us not to loose hope.  They say 'Fear not'!  Spring is right around the corner!  Daffodils were featured in my wedding bouquet.  In Louisiana daffodils meant Mardi Gras was in full swing.  When we visited Keith and Gerry in the UK the daffodils celebrated Easter.   These daffodils in my yard are a sweet reminder of home:  bulbs my mother dug up from the Tietje farm, bulbs my great grandmother and grandmother planted, multiplied and divided, and now a remnant lies in this SC soil.  And my quilt is done right in time for the daffodils making their debut (a whole month earlier than last year).

I based the color scheme on the whimsical color pallet of a field of daffodils.  Pale blues, blue-greens, yellows, and then really strong yellow.

  

After many iterations, I settled on this layout for my quilt.  I tend to over think things, especially in the planning phase.  I really was doubting this whole project at this point - I just wasn't reacting to it visually and I really wasn't sure how the colors were going to react with each other. 

The pattern for both the layout and the printing scheme wasn't a typical one for a quilt.  It is not symmetrical, it does not repeat, it isn't predictable.  I wanted to convey a sense of movement, I wanted to  blur the edges between the foreground and background.  I really wanted to create depth by layering elements visually.  So the printing was really complex. 

 3 different stamps (daffodil foliage, small face and large face), printed in three different colors (yellow, orange, and brown).  This really changed the whole project in a way that I couldn't have predicted.  Color is so reactive... my cool color palette got alot warmer.  Whatever planning I did was just an outline because once I started printing I abandoned the plan and started reacting to what was happening visually.  It was a really exciting process and I'm glad I didn't get discouraged because it wasn't what I had initially intended.

All of the foliage stamps were printed before the quilt was assembled.  The flowers were printed over, or on top of the seams of the assembled pieces.  I used the sewing machine for the quilt assembly, then quilted and completed most of the binding by hand.

There was one day last week that I wasn't feeling well.  I didn't have school and couldn't motivate myself for housework, so I curled up with this project and spent the ENTIRE DAY quilting by hand.  Wow - I might have underestimated the task.  I had blisters by the time Matthew returned from his day shift at 8:30.  Two blisters on my thumb and forefinger.  I'll definitely look into thimbles next go-round.  I have to say the process of quilting added another dimension to the piece as well.  It added another layer of visual depth, and it reinforced the original layout of the fabric pieces.

If I could change one thing:  Less printing.  I think it is just a little overwhelming - I probably would have left more pieces with just the originals solid color to let the eye rest.

The last lingering question:  Who is it for?  What is it's function?  My professor suggests that it should be a wall hanging.  But this denies its obvious function (it's a wonderful, washable cotton quilt!) and my walls are filled.  It is a child size blanket, so I expect it to be a gift for a special kid one day.  Maybe it can hang on a wall until then.