Sewing Green

March 7, 2017
Sheree McKee

sewfabsew.blogspot.com

🍀 Green Green Green... the color is fresh and cheerful.  It's also the welcoming spring hue of St. Patricks day.

I like to display my collection of swapped fabric postcards (FPC) during holidays.  They have replaced traditional holiday decorations in my kitchen.

🍀March in Michigan still feels like winter without any leaves on the trees plus cold weather

This window has a north exposure.  Since the postcard backs face outward, and they only display for about 10 days, I really don't worry about any fading from sunlight.

🍀 One of my favorite holidays is St. Patricks Day.  I try to join postcard swaps during this time of year, just to increase my collection of Green fiber postcards!

💚Recently, I completed these green postcards for an upcoming March swap.

They are dimensional pinwheels, inspired from a blog by Teresa Down Under called Sewn Up: 41 Fabric Manipulations

If you look closely, you will see a gemstone on each one.

Here is the link to Origami Pinwheels by Teresa Block #22

💚 This postcard contains 5 different prairie points.  It was an impromptu throw-together, without any planning.  Just a sew as-you-go project.  But I am happy with the results.

Speaking of green, let's talk about a few "green things" you might want to try on your postcard projects.

Knit-Cro-Sheen by JP Coats works nicely for "Couching" and "BobbinWork" techniques.  It is a size 10, cotton crochet thread that comes in solid or variegated colors.

This multi-tonal green has many uses and is one of my favorites to work with.

Pearl Cotton by DMC is another great alternative with a beautiful pearl finish.









COUCHING:

I have zig-zagged over stands of crochet thread to add surface texture on past fabric postcards.   I've also couched several strands at a time, using a specialty presser foot, along the outer edges of my postcards. This makes a unique looking edge.

BOBBIN-WORK:

1. While these threads are too thick to use in a machine needle, you can hand-wrap a bobbin with them.  
2. Then loosen your bobbin case screw to allow an easy thread flow.  
3. Now you can stitch on the wrong side of your project to create some "Bobbin-Work" techniques.  
4. With bobbin-work it's best to use airy, loose-style decorative stitches to prevent knotting.  
5. Select a longer stitch length and a tighter top tension to draw the heavy threads upward .  
6. Test a stitch sample to get the feel and look you want, for best results.

RICK RACK:

Or spelled Ric-Rac, is a craft braid trim that's flat, usually polyester and used for sewing and crafting.  This trim comes pre-packaged or by-the-yard.  It can add a whimsical addition to your FPC.  Some crafters and seamstresses prefer the vintage cotton versions when working with vintage fabrics.










COMMON RIC RAC SIZING:

•   Baby 1/4" width
•   Medium 1/2" width
•   Jumbo 5/8" width

HELPFUL and FUN BLOGS:

Attached to Rick Rack Blog

How to Sew with Rick Rack: The Most Terrific of Trims

How to Sew RickRack to your Quilt like an Expert

Fusing Rickrack Tutorial

www.etsy.com/shop/MakinPretty23

BUTTONS:
Buttons and flat embellishments are the perfect compliment to a fiber postcard.  But their thickness can add to the cost of shipping if your envelope is more than 1/8" in thickness.  

When I create highly embellished postcards, I usually ship them inside envelopes to protect the surface.  Sometimes I add a single layer of bubble wrap over top. And I automatically plan on using two-ounce postage rates.

Celtic Sisters Knot

treasurecast.com

CELTIC PEWTER BUTTONS:

Here are some beautiful Celtic Buttons created in fine pewter by Treasure Cast of Boise, Idaho.  

These USA made, pewter buttons have shanks to either sew on, or clip the shanks off with a wire cutter and glue the buttons in place with some E-6000 adhesive.







A handmade, St. Patricks Day postcard would make a nice surprise to send to your friends!


Pull out all your green fabrics and notions to stitch up your creation!







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Past Blog Posts that you might enjoy!

Irish Postcards

Marker Art










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Two-Color Oak Leaves for Fall

October 2016
Sheree McKe
sewfabsew.blogspot.com

I used a metallic green thread to sew the leaf veins on #1

Supplies: Four colors of cotton fabric, fusible web, fusible stabilizer, metallic or variegated thread, large rick-rack, feathers (optional embellishment)

We recently had a challenge titled "Fav Two Colors" at my Postcard MailArt group.  I am attracted to contrasting colors, so purple and orange are one of my favorite combinations.

Since it is fall here in Michigan, I decided to use an Oak Leaf theme.  The leaf template provided is 3.5" x 5' to fit on a 4x6" postcard.  Click on image to download it.

TEAR 3" crosswise strips of four cotton fabrics.  I used a dark and light purple and a dark and light orange.  If you use a full crosswise tear of fabric, you will have enough to make three postcards.

STITCH the lights together with 1/4" seam, and stitch the darks together, press seam to one side.

PREPARE (one to three) front postcard bases, by fusing the dark strip combination to stabilizer (center of postcard sandwich).  I trim these down to 4x6" at a later point.

TRACE oak leaf onto right side of paper-backed fusible web.  FUSE the leaf image to wrong side of strip and directly down center seam.  Use which ever color combination of strips you desire.  I used the light tones for my leaves and the dark tones for my backgrounds.

Fused to wrong side of light fabric combination

CAREFULLY FUSSY CUT the oak image and tear-off the paper backing. CENTER the two-tone oak motif directly over the center seam of your prepared front.  PLAN AHEAD so you can alternate the light side of leaf on top of dark background.

EMBELLISH your leaf with stitched veins.  I used metallic threads on two of them, then switched to a variegated thread.

I also used a small rubber stamp to apply some metallic leaf images, but I did not like the end results.

Copper metallic veins on #2 but this delicate thread
kept breaking and causing trouble

Variegated stitching on #3 was much stronger thread

FINISH BACK by fusing a backing fabric.  Here's a tip, you can use the right or wrong side of fabric.  Beware of too dark of backing fabrics as it is hard to read the text writing.

Wrong side of fabric on left, gives a better writing surface

FINAL STEP apply large rick rack to perimeter edges.  I sew from front side of postcard, aligning rick rack hills and valleys where I desire.  I used a multi zig zag stitch to bridge the trim and postcard together.

LAST - I couldn't resist apply a few small feathers with fabric glue for a little fluff!

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Links to more of my Fall Themed Fabric Postcard Ideas:

Fall Postcards

Puffy Pumpkins

Made it this morning

February 2014
Sheree McKee
sewfabsew.blogspot.com

Sometimes I just feel like sewing.  I got up early and headed down to my sewing studio.  It was Valentines Day and I was in the mood to play with something pretty or some pink and red fabrics.  Sewing can lift my spirits!

                                                                                      

A little bit of hankie, lace, and rick rack by ShereeSews

I owed a swap member, M.L.C. a postcard made from recycled linens, lace, or doilies.  The one she sent to me was very beautiful.  It had lace from an old dress bodice and lots of tiny, detailed hand embroidery and the tiniest of yellow seed beads.

It took me a few hours of play.  This is what I ended up with.  This postcard actually has the rick-rack sandwiched between two layers of Peltex.  It is real firm and will withstand a mailing to Canada. 

by Mary Lou Curry 2014

ShereeSews in Michigan

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