Share Your Thimbles December 2010

This month we have six participants with 10 thimbles/rings/ beading, despite the fact that it's December, one of the busiest months with holidays.  They are all very lovely and if you have not admired our work yet, here is a link to Flickr.  As you recall I have lifted the technical restrictions this month and you can see back stitches and weaving were used on a few thimbles/beading. 

We have six entry to the monthly lucky draw and the lucky winner of this month is number 4, quiltsummse, who shared her beautiful thimble named autumn forest with us.  

Quiltsummse, will you please send me an e-mail for shipping address? No hurry though, because the local post offices are now closed for New Years Holidays and won't be open until 4th of January.

Guess what?  I finally went ahead and made my own temari.  I have wanted to make temari for a long time but haven't got around to make one until now.  One of the main reasons why I didn't was the size of temari.  As I assumed that it was quite possible that I might be addicted to temari making, I feared I would need a lot of space to store temari.  One temari won't take too much space, but five or ten will require a substantial storage space, you know.

To save the storage space, I opted for a miniature temari.  In this size, I can store a score of them in a chocolate box easily.   

I used regular machine thread to wrap the ball and size 9 silk hand sewing thread (the same one I use for thimble making) and I am not very happy with the result.  It's quite possible that it is everything to do with my wrapping being so floppy (I know I need more work here) and nothing to do with the thread size being so similar but don't you think it looks too busy?   I am thinking silk floss for Japanese embroidery, the one untwisted silk fiber, for wrapping so that the background  would look much smoother.   Would temari experts kindly help me out?

a make a month November 2010

This is my latest pin cushion base ring, in detail.  I have finished stitching the pin flower (windmill) part months ago but never finished the background until two days ago. 

I used gold thread for Japanese embroidery and perhaps it's a little too glittery, don't you think?

A make a month October 2010

It has been a while since I last participated "a make a month group" at Flickr.  The object of the group is to make a dent in the hoard of materials/books/patterns/etc and share the finished work and/or on-going project with the group monthly.  I have just finished the ruffled scarf and would like to share with you, too, as well as the group.

If you are interested in the group, here is a link to Flickr for you to join or admire other lovely works.  If you are interested in buying one for you (or winter holiday gift), here is a link to my Etsy Shop.  Thank you.

A make a month February 2010

I am so proud of myself that I have finally finished the long (not so) forgotten curtains for a spare room. I do not want to say when I bought the fabric so you can assume it was a long time ago. A piece of the curtain consists of four 125m width of the fabric and I used the machine to put the fabric together but other than that it was all hand sewn, including attaching the lining and pleating, as I was taught in the curtain making course almost ten years ago. One of the reason I put off making it is that I have to use my dining table as a working space. It becomes a really big piece of fabric when you put 4 width of the fabric together and it requires quite a big space to accommodate it. I had to use only the very edge of the table for about a week and you can imagine how inconvenient it was.

This is not my first hand sewn curtains, but it's my first time I spaced the pleats so that the same part of the pattern appears at the same intervals; the big flower part always on the pleats and the narrow flowery stripes at the flat part. It took some time to figure out how best to space the pleats but it was worth the trouble.

I am not really good at sewing, machine or hand sewing, but I like matching pattern of the fabric and I did quite well this time, if I may say so myself.

This is the wrong side of the fabric and you can see the pattern match on the seam allowance, too.

I have joined the "a make a month 2010" programme and this is my make of the month of February however, there is still enough time to make something from the long accumulated hoardings, so I may be posting something else at the end of the month.

A make a month 2010 - January - plus number of stitches

Have you noticed a nice blog button? It's a make a month 2010 button. Helen of Angharad has challenged us to stop hoarding the craft supplies and actually make something. She is now hosting a Flickr group and of course I have signed up.

They are medium sized pincushions. I have already made rings months ago, but didn't come around to make cushion parts (the process I do not care very much) but Helen's challenge gave me a reason to finish them. Of course making these small (they are medium sized but still small, as you can suppose) cushions doesn't make any dent in my stash though, it's a start.

Meri asked me something about the previous post of number of stitches. I am sorry I didn't make myself clear and here is an additional explanation:

The number of the stitches you make in one section of course depends on the size of the ring, number of the sections you are having, and the size of the thread you use. What I was trying to say is when you compare with the two identical sized rings stitched with the same thread, the number of the over all stitches varied depending on the number of the sections. The less sections (wider sections), the sharper the angle of the thread, the less over all stitches because an actual coverage of the thread becomes wider at the middle of the ring body

As for the recommended size of perle cotton for thimbles, I am sorry but I have no idea. As a matter of fact I have not ever seen any perle cotton other than size 5. In Japan there are not many choice where embroidery floss is concerned; there are size 25(6-strand floss) and size 5 and that's all. Of course there are Japanese embroidery silk floss, sashiko cotton, kogin cotton, temari thread, and other "stitching" thread (manufacturer called them so, not me) available, but no perle cotton. All I can say is the thread size should match the size of the ring. Size 5 perle cotton is definitely too big for a thimble. On the other hand you can use one strand of size 25 embroidery floss (closely the same size as silk hand sewing size 9) for a napkin ring if you like. It takes long time to finish it but you can make more delicate and intricate design than the one made with bigger thread.

Debi suggested on the number of stitches post to include two pictures to show how there is a greater distance across the thread when the angle is sharper. (Debi, I now understand what you meant) It's a great idea however, sadly, as you have all witnessed, my drawing using Paint is not up to the task. Perhaps I can get better result by hand drawing and scanning afterward. With these two pictures, it will make more sense easily. Thank you, Debi

Sidhepro mentioned the other day when she uploaded her "share your thimbles" photo, that her edges were not up to her expectation, that her down stroke was better than upstroke and so the bottom edge ended up the better stitch alignment. How you insert your needle decides how your stitch looks (and so does how you pull the thread, too) so if you are happy with your down stroke, or upstroke for that matter, more than the other, why don't you hold your ring upside down when you are doing less favored edge? Hold it upside down, insert the needle tip, turn it to the correct side up, then pull the thread. However, I do not like to do so, because it makes threads prone to all tangled up, especially you use more than four, but it's my personal opinion. Many people do this way, so why don't you, too?

I am very slow to respond to comments left but I read all. When I didn't make myself really clear in my "how I do" or you have a question, or just say hello, please don't hesitate to leave a comment. I love it when people respond to me :)