Saturday 31 March 2012

Another PIP, and signs of Spring

It has been over a week since my last post. I have been having a cold and an ear infection and not too much energy. That reminded me of a very relaxing project and a great stash buster: Chenille or slash cut doormats and pot holders. I have two boxes with selected recycled fabrics and knits marked Chenille Blue and Chenille Green/Red. I took the blue box, with two base fabrics already pieced from Mr.K's old chino legs. On top of one of them, on the wrong side, I layered and cut to size my old skirt front of black T-shirt tricot, sleeves and one front half of Mr. K's shirt with stripes, most of one of his father's thin dark blue woollen sweaters ruined in too hot washing, all parts of one dark blue shirt, and the rest of the first stripey shirt, with the biggest pieces for the top layer. It was over 4 metres worth fabrics! I basted the layers together, marked some guide lines at 45 degrees angle and stitched on my machine like this (picture of the reverse):



I used a jeans needle and my walking foot, and relaxed and stitched. After two sessions the stitching was done and the cutting began. This time I only cut the beginnings of each row at both ends and trimmed the edges and added the binding. But after that: cutting and cutting, between the stitched lines. Just remember: never ever cut the backing! I'm happy to own a pair of Fiskars Soft Touch spring action scissors which made the cutting easy. My Clover chenille cutter wasn't sharp enough, it only could do a couple of layers at a time, maybe because of the knits I had used.


With the cutting finished and binding in place, I tossed the doormat in the washing machine. Voilà!



The perfect wavy surface!


I only had to trim some corners pointing up from the uneven layers. I love this way of making use of even the ugliest fabrics and washing catastrophes. It makes a practical doormat, machine washable and soft. Some friends in the sewing class have also made bathroom mats in lovely soft light colours, or mats using almost only old jeans. They fray beautifully. This project is my fourth finished PIP this year. I'm glad Stephanie reminded everyone of those old unfinished projects in process many of us seem to have in our cupboards, bins and boxes. Finishing them frees energy and storage space.


Yesterday morning I noticed the first brave snowdrops had pushed their heads through the snow in my flowerbed! Some day the snow will be gone. I'm waiting.

9 comments:

  1. I hope you're feeling better soon. Thank you for sharing how you did your mat. I think it would make a cushy bath mat too. Pretty little flower with a perfect name.

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  2. Heino matto, oivallinen tapa kierrättää kankaita!

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  3. What a great project. Thanks for sharing the process. I think I will try this. Hope you feel better soon.

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  4. This is so cool; what a great way to recycle fabric!
    Hope you feel better soon!

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  5. Wünsche dir rasche und vollständige Genesung liebe Ulla! Deine Fussmatte sieht toll aus. Da hast du ja sehr viel Stoff aus deinem Vorrat auf eine originelle Art und Weise verwenden können. Super! Schön zu sehen, dass auch bei euch der Frühling angekommen ist (wir hatten bereits einige sehr warme Tage mit bis zu 20°C....ungewöhnlich für diese Jahreszeit).
    Herzlichen Gruss,
    Barbara

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  6. Hope by now that you have fully recovered! What a strange project you show,very good done!Love your "snowbells" there. Enjoy your Easter holidays,Ulla:-)

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  7. I hope you feel better now, Ulla! We've had the same thing going around the Squash House. I just love your chenille mate - what a great PIP! We woke up to snow this morning - what a surprise!
    Cheers!

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  8. Wow, Ulla, I just love your doormat! I tried to understand what you did, but couldn't really figure it out. It looks amazing though!!!
    So, will it be a white Easter for you? Love the little brave snowdrops!
    Happy Easter (o:

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  9. Get well soon Ulla.
    What a welcome sight for you- snowdrops.

    What a great idea to layer up old clothes quilting them and cutting them leaving the base layer intact. I hadn't seen that before. Thanks for sharing.

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