If I Had My Own Blue Box:

FanU Crazy Swap Fabrics

My apologies for the great delay in sharing the fabrics from the Fanciful Utility Crazy Swap. Please blame it on the pesky germs.
This swap shared some very fun fabrics including a wool, two velvets and three silks. Once again, we find the colors work well together.

I’m pictuing the wool as the tops of pincushions inside structured cases. The tight, firm weave makes it ideal. The other fabrics are going to be used for particularly fun needle-book mimicing an original sent to me. (Eventually, I will share that one.)

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on November 7, 2013 at 6:01 pm Leave a Comment

St. Nicholas Christmas Ornament – from 1 sheet of paper

You just have to hop over to Wings of Whimsy. The blogger, Gunnvor Karita, has the cutest Christmas storybook ornament up today. The original post a couple days ago was a set of adorable tags that screamed “ornament” to me. I commented. …. and today it is an ornament. Love it!
The blog if filled with the most beautiful artwork and project possibilities.

Wings of Whimsy

I loved Anna’s idea on Tuesday, of making the Victorian St. Nicholas book pages into a small ornament! So much so, that I jumped to the task last night, and kept at it way past my bed time… 😛

Here it is, my tiny St. Nicholas Christmas Ornament book, made out of 1 sheet of paper, ready for you to download and make your own:

Print, score, cut, fold and glue, and then add some pretty scrap paper as a book cover. I have adjusted the pages so you can also choose to cut away page 16, and tuck page 1 under page 15, for a complete ornament book without extra cover 😀

In case you have not made any of these 1 sheet-of-paper-books before, I’ve also drawn up the assembly instructions. If you are wondering how to do this, you can test print the assembly instruction sheet, and use…

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on November 7, 2013 at 2:16 pm Comments (1)

Button Keeps

I may be enjoying making these button keeps, or balloon bags, a little too much. Nah…

Here are a few I’ve been making. These two got the last of the pretty ivory soutach a goodie angel sent me. The one on the bottom right is made with three different color pieces. I keep changing my mind on whether I like this or not. I think I would like it more if it had three more lively fabrics.

I need to dig through my stash to see what other ribbons and cords I have that might work for these. Those that will be ornaments, may also visit Joann’s with me to see what decorative cording they have.

Here is the funny thing, after I cut a stack of cardstock for the “guts”, I proceeded to cut oodles and oodles of solid pieces. Then I remembered, duh!, I have a bunch of small pieces of prints that would look fabulous as keeps.

I cut a few pieces for these this weekend, and proceeded to sew. Lacking a tree to display them on, I strung them in a row. (Now, I’m picturing smaller ones all strung together as garland. How pretty. How time consuming.) They like to spin. So, trying to grab a clear photo was a challenge. These will also need ribbons.

I have more pieces cut and waiting to be assembled. I need some truly Christmasy fabrics to play with. The solid shot greens are the closest I have. I would love some red and green plaids, some candy-cane strips, some blue and silver stars…..

The next bit of fun will be filling these with little gifts.

An update on November 7th…. Decorations!

Okay, this one needs ribbon.

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on November 4, 2013 at 6:00 am Comments (1)

Victorian “Balloon Bag” Ornament

Here is a fun Fanciful Utility project that can be done for 19th century use of for a modern, holiday use.

This delightful little creation has been called by a few different names, a Balloon Bag, a Button Keep and a Thimble Holder to name a few. I’ve seen them in various sizes from about 3″ tall to just over 4″ tall. Each one made with silk covering pasteboard or a slightly more flexible version.

The following set of directions from A Girl’s Own Book, 1833, suggests the bag contain a ball of thread. As the piece closes nicely, it does well for holding buttons and thimbles, as the above names suggest. As a sewing accessory, I see it holding beads and trims as well.

Directions for another version from Peterson’s Magazine, 1869:

If you make this piece up as an ornament, all you need to do is add a hanging loop from one end. I highly suggest doing this before attaching the sides to each other. When making this green case, I snapped a rather strong needle into three pieces trying to work through the top tip. You could hang the piece as is or fill it with a gift. I picture these filled with candies, jewelry, smaller ornaments, or gift certificates. (You’ll need to make a larger version for gift cards.) Make 12 of them and celebrate the 12 days of Christmas. You could number them to use for Advent as well.

Here is the piece you have been waiting for… the template and directions. This pdf file is used with the directions in Fanciful Utility. If you need to order a copy, please visit ESC Publishing.

Click for the PDF Template

Here are originals to give you some ideas:

If you missed the previous templates, there is a Sea-Shell Template and a Tri-Lobed Needle-book available to accompany Fanciful Utility as well.

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Favorite Topics - Sewing Cases

on November 2, 2013 at 9:00 am Leave a Comment
Tags: FanU Projects

Geneseo Antique Show (pt3)

This segment turns out to be about some containers I saw.

There were several spice containers in beautiful condition. The patina on this one just glowed.

This tin spice box has a space for the nutmeg grater in the lid. I should have taken a photo of the nice painting on the front.

We’ve been picking up painted tin boxes (toleware) lately. So, of course this little box caught my eye. It was so small, not even 5″.

There were only a few band or pasteboard boxes. This pair was incredible. They were also huge. From memory, I would say they were each at least 15″ wide and 12″ tall. How can these not spur one to want to paint their own?

This box was much smaller, possibly 8″ across. The photo of the side didn’t come out. There are figures all around the sides.

This last image I took because I want to look this up. Too curious.

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on October 30, 2013 at 6:00 am Comments (2)

Geneseo Antique Show (pt2)

I could call this segment “want but can not have.” We knew going into this show that the pricing would be “look, don’t buy”. Though, I did give myself permission to buy a sewing case or needle-book. There were none.

I did not expect to see three pieces I really, really wanted to bring home.

First is this milliner’s display head. She was lovely. She was in beautiful shape. I was able to get a good look at her painting and the way her head was wrapped under where the bonnet would sit in what looked like thing strips of leather. She also lacked a price tag.

Then came two Paisley shawls. The first was a beautiful, near perfect condition 1840s square. The whole thing was comprised of compartmented medallions. The reverse showed so very well the transition from not trimming the back threads to beginning to. While the vast majority of the shawl was not trimmed, the smallish areas so solid color were neatly hand trimmed. The seller was the sweetest lady. She bought the shawl in Vermont along with a beautiful quilt. While she was whiling to negotiate the price, I still couldn’t because it would have meant not getting my much needed shelves.

Then came this shawl. The purples are what caught my eye. Wow! What color. I’m accustom to seeing greens and blues pop like that, but the purple was unique. As soon as I went to touch this shawl, the vendor jumped right in to show it to me. She was much more of a hard seller. The first thing I noticed when I picked it up was the coarse, thick texture. Someone washed this with a lot of agitation. Not good.

The center field was very small (a seemed selling point to the vendor) with a signature worked in. Usually, I see a signature with tapestry twill weave shawls (this was not) or embroidered shawls (this was not) or pieced shawls (this was not). Then I noticed this seam…… The border is an added on each side. Oh, how I wanted to measure the inside panel to see which size bracket if fell into. In general, I would have liked to spend more time with this shawl to work out some curious oddities in it.

As purchasing shelves this weekend were an absolute must …. and the shawl storage being overly full …. and the week’s salary price tags on the shawls, neither of them came home with me.

I did get shelves though. They are fabulous for storage.

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on October 29, 2013 at 6:00 am Leave a Comment

Geneseo Antique Show (pt1)

The past couple weeks have been rather millinery light. My mind has wandered to Christmas ornaments and Christmas gifts. (You’ll get to see some posts on that soon.) Also, with the weather turning cold, I’ve been nesting, which means organizing. (How my poor husband hates my organizing because that also means cleaning and sorting.) In addition to this transition of focus, I’ve had this ridiculous coughing cold that makes focusing difficult at best. With nearly 4 solid weeks of feeling miserable, this weekend I had a little bit more energy to actually do things. Granted, the plans for the weekend didn’t really go as planned, starting with sleeping through the performance of Little Women at school.

After that extended nap and a decent night’s sleep, we went to the Geneseo Antique Show Saturday morning. This year, there was an abundance of crocks and wooden bowls. I took oodles of photos for mom and to share. (I’m going to split these up into a couple posts.)

This is a crock I hadn’t seen in person before. It is a cake crock. At first glance, my thoughts were “no? really?”. Then I remembered the price listings in the book I gave mom for Christmas last year. Those had cake crocks. This was very neat. I would say this is between 10″ and 12″ across.

I wish this photo hadn’t come out blurry. It was a difficult angle to shot with so many people around. It has a CW era date on it, which we can not see. 😦 When I saw this, I thought it would be good for the Commemorative & Memorial Project. (If anyone is particularly good at pen and ink, this is a good option. Maybe Lily?)

This next piece just fascinated me. It is a complete, or nearly complete salesman’s sample case. Or, atleast that is how the dealer explains it. I loved it both for what it was and the ideas for other displays that popped into my head. Each piece is numbered. I would have loved to read what each numbered item was in the words of the salesman. Number 1 is in the upper right corner, with numbers one through five being marked on a piece of wood or spool and a fiber. The numbers then proceed top to bottom, right to left. Okay, technically, I took the photo from the side. So, if shown from the front the numbers would proceed left to right, top to bottom.

The ideas this case sparks makes me want to find a similarly sized case. I am envisioning a millinery materials display with neatly rolled/coiled and numbered pieces inside. This could include structural materials and decorative materials. Hmmm, maybe two cases; one for structural and one for decorative. I would want to show the different types of ribbons as well as the silk. Those could take up a lot of space. It would bee so convenient to have such display cases together for talking with guests.

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on October 28, 2013 at 4:20 pm Leave a Comment

The Baker and His Wife by Jan Steen 1658

I’ve had hot, soft pretzels on the mind for a couple weeks already. Seeing this painting makes me want to make some. What a perfect warm treat on a cold fall evening. Yum!
I’m also curious about the bread held up and in the basket. They look concave. I wonder what those are.

Sifting The Past

Jan Steen (1626 – 1679)

Detail: food, baker, bread, buns, manchet, pretzel, pretzel hanger, workman, work cap, boy, horn, bread rack, store front, peel

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on October 23, 2013 at 7:51 am Comments (6)

Did You Know?

Did you know the techniques in Fanciful Utility: Victorian Sewing Cases and Needle-books can also be used for a variety of other 19th century projects?

They can!

The stitches and assemble techniques can be used for making many of the items found in Godey’s Lady’s Book, Peterson’s Magazine, Workwomen’s Guide, and A Girl’s Own Book just to name a few.

This leather, cotton and silk market wallet was made using the pasteboard and binding techniques outlined in the book.

You can make travel cases such as this one using the skill you learn from FanU.

I enjoy making both 19th and 21st century Christmas decorations. You can make some of those seen here. Also, the templates for the shaped in FanU can also make great ornaments.

I used the same techniques when I made the soles for these quilted silk slippers.

Other items found in period publication you can make using the same skills and techniques can include:

Watch pockets
Pen wipes
Children’s toys
Small books
Work baskets
Pasteboard doll furniture
Card cases
and so many more……

If you don’t already have your copy of Fanciful Utility: Victorian Sewing Cases and Needle-books, purchase your copy directly from ESC Publishing.

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on October 18, 2013 at 6:15 am Leave a Comment

Ideas, Ideas…. What Shall the Next FanU Swaps Be?

It sounds like the participants in the first set of Fanciful Utility Fabric Swaps have been enjoying the swaps. This summer and fall we did three swaps, a Cotton Swap, a Silk Swap and a Crazy Swap. The Crazy Swap is currently underway. It is so very nice to get a fun piece of fabric in the mailbox rather than the usual bills and spam. I know I get excited each time I see one of those envelops.

We’ve had a few people share their projects so far. I look forward to seeing more of the projects. So, please continue to share what you make.

You know me, my mind is always wandering and looking ahead. So, of course, I am pondering what themes to do in our next set of swaps. I think January would be a good time to begin another trio of swaps. That would give us one each in January, February and March to help us through those winter months. I’ve had a few different theme ideas floating around in my head. I would love to hear what you think; what themes you like and any theme ideas I haven’t thought of yet.

Here are a few….

First up, the “Romantic Swap”. This would include reproduction cotton prints from the Romantic Era, 1820s through 1840s. This era is full of fun, wild even, colorful prints.

Next idea has a motif I love. The “Paisley Swap” would include 19th century appropriate Paisley motifs. These could be an organized, all over print usually accomplished with a block, or Paisley’s set into a strip design. Lots of options here. New ideas 2b

Looking at a silk option, we could do a “Silk Jacquard Swap”. Oh, what delicious fabrics this could include. This would be one of the more pricey swaps for those that don’t already have a silk jacquard on hand.

As I was looking through fabrics, one theme that wanted attention suggested a “Mini-Swap”. This wouldn’t be mini-fabric. This would be for mini-prints. While tiny prints weren’t usually the showcase of sewing cases, an assortment of mini-prints could make for some fun cases. Doll lovers may particularly like this swap because the scale could easily be used with the doll size sewing cases and needle-books in Fanciful Utility.

This next theme is inspired by my Grandma. While using some of her fabric pieces, I notices she had a leaf theme going on for a little while. I made my little sister a rolled case with Grandma’s leaf prints. It came out so cute, I have to consider it for a swap. Thus, the “Leaf Swap”. Now, the question is… Spring leaves or fall leaves???

While looking at reproduction fabrics and original swatch books, a “Geometric Swap” stood out. I don’t think many of us think about geometrics showing up in prints from the 19th century. This could be a good way to look at them. I had been thinking about a “Patriotic Swap” or a “Centennial Swap”. I have to admit now… that one is hard. I need to know what you think about this one.

An idea stuck in the “I wonder” stage is Toiles. These don’t show up much in sewing cases of the mid-century. They would look so very cool if they did. Two other challenges are the scale of most toiles and the cost. I think some of us may get frustrated with cutting the prints evenly.

Whether you have already participated in a FanU Swap or are considering joining in, I would love to hear from you on ideas for the next swaps.

If you want to pick up a copy of Fanciful Utility (or give some as gifts), hop over to www.thesewingacademy.com to order directly from the publisher.

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