Me!

autumn fires / settling in

Me!

It’s not a bad time of year to tuck in and do all of those little things. I’ve been sewing a great deal, and have even taken some time to cook. Two Thanksgiving meals right in a row this week!
Candied Pecans

Stuffing (Sourdough & Sage)

Beeps is, incredibly, almost done with another quarter at college. Inching towards graduation. Despite being perceived as rather intimidating, they seem to have a pretty solid social life these days. Meaning: I miss them, I don’t get as many cuddles as I used to. I still get them though, and I treasure each one.

Beeps

I finished up a quilt I started a couple years ago!Quilt (Goldfish)
And I’ve made a few cozy robes:Robe

Robe

More snuggles.13 Years Old

And some lunch dates.Beeps

Weighted Blanket Tutorial

tutorial: creating a weighted blanket

Weighted Blanket Tutorial

Many have heard of a weighted blanket; some even know their use by occupational therapists and other health professionals as a deep pressure methodology to assist patients with anxiety or sensory disorders, and those on the autism spectrum. You can find these online in both small boutiqes and big box shops, ranging from 2 pounds and 24″ square (at about a $100 price point) to a king-size version at about 30 pounts to up to $500. Last December a friend asked me to make one for her child; we selected two flannels the child liked, and purchased pellets, and she graciously let me hold onto the finished result long enough to write this tutorial up!

Making one of these blankets is slightly easier than a comforter. There were a handful of tutorials online but I thought I’d provide my own flavor, making it similar to a quilt with a bound edge (as opposed to a turned-and-sewn envelope-style comforter). Making your own will cost about 40% of what it would cost to purchase one; you can also buy the exact fabrics you like, and the method I’m showing here uses the prettiness and precision of traditional quilt binding, and very exact channels.

For a baby size blanket, roughly 36″ by 48″:

Weighted Blanket Tutorial

1 3/4 yards each of flannel (43″)
4 pounds pellets
1/4 yard quilting cotton (43″) for binding

For those who enjoy a summary, here it is:

We are going to mark all our channel lines first. Then we will affix the two layers wrong-sides together, and sewing along three edges with 1/4″ seam allowance, leaving one long edge open. We will then sew all our vertical channels, and fill each chamber one by one – sewing the next horizontal channel line after each row is filled. Then we’ll bind the quilt, and be done! Below is a diagram (click on it to enlarge):

Weighted Blanket Diagram (36" by 48", 4 pounds)

Prewash all fabrics; cut your flannels to the exact size; in this case, 36″ by 48″. Keep in mind if you use a flannel like I did, it might shrink quite a bit. This is why although fabrics are 44″ wide, I have provided a conservatively-size quilt:

Weighted Blanket Tutorial

Weighted Blanket Tutorial

Mark the channel lines first; this will ensure a more accurate finished product. For this quilt, I used 6″ squares:Weighted Blanket Tutorial
Weighted Blanket Tutorial

You can barely see the lines, but that’s okay! They only need to last, and be seen, for a short time. Obviously, don’t handle the quilt a lot or let your cat sleep on it, while you’re putting it together!

Weighted Blanket Tutorial

Time to pin, and stitch around three edges (missing one long edge), at 1/4″. Remember, you need a short stitch that will not allow any of your pellet’s to escape:

Weighted Blanket Tutorial

Weighted Blanket Tutorial

Weighted Blanket Tutorial

Weighted Blanket Tutorial

Pellet time! Already!

So, it is important each channel has the same amount of pellets. This is quite easy to accomplish, but depends on the total weight of your pellets. You can divide your pellets by weight, or in my case, by volume. At four pounds, it turned out this corresponded to 1/4 cup pellet per chamber.

But there’s a little more to it than that. It’s easy (especially when working by volumes) to use too little or two much per scoop. I found it advantageous to first separate the entitreity of the pellets into the eight vertical sections. As I worked with each, I would then split each one of these volumes into six, working with one vertical section at a time. This made sure I didn’t end up short, or with too much pelletude at the end of the project!

Weighted Blanket Tutorial
Weighted Blanket Tutorial

For each chamber volume, I used my pimento jar supply. I make a LOT of vegan nacho cheese so I have a billion of these pimento jars. Have I shared my nacho cheese recipe with y’all yet? Don’t worry. I will.

Weighted Blanket Tutorial

Okay! Time to sew up those vertical chamber lines. Use a walking foot if you have one. Flannel is lovely as it all holds together beautifully while you sew:

Weighted Blanket Tutorial
Weighted Blanket Tutorial
Once you have your vertical chambers, it is time to fill them! This is kind of a soothing process. Make sure when you pour the pellets into each section, to insert your arm and gently make sure each pellet settles into the lowest chamber. Flannel especially will try to “grab” pellets’. Don’t worry; this obviously gets easier as you move up the quilt.Weighted Blanket Tutorial

After each row is finished, carefully stitch it closed! I say “carefully” as you want to make sure not to strike a pellet with your needle, as you sew.That would probably make a loud, unpleasant noise. I don’t know, because I was careful! By the time you get to the penultimate row, the pellets are close enough to the open edge they may try to spill out – so take care putting the quilt on the machine. After you’ve finished all the chambers, go ahead and stitch the quilt closed!

Binding time! I use the same exact methodology as this utorial, posted on Sewn Into The Fabric. I first cut my strips (2 1/4″), piece, and press them wrong-sides together:

Weighted Blanket Tutorial

I then pin at the edge in the middle of one of the sides, leaving a long tail free before stitching:
Weighted Blanket Tutorial
Weighted Blanket Tutorial

(Shown below: the first seam in the binding, atop the original 1/4″ seam:
Weighted Blanket TutorialCorners! Sew to that 1/4″ from the edge, and backstitch…

Weighted Blanket Tutorial

Fold the binding strip completely perpendicular to itself:

Weighted Blanket Tutorial

Fold back down – again, forming a right-angle:Weighted Blanket TutorialAnd stitch, this time starting at the raw edge (shown below, underside):


Weighted Blanket Tutorial

After your binding is finished, you can sit and hand-apply the folded edge! (I favor a whip stitch:)
Weighted Blanket Tutorial

Gorgeous and snuggly!
Weighted Blanket Tutorial

mama’s #krafty

Some of my Christmas sewing. Some. Click on pictures to be directed to my Flickrstream where I detail a bit about how I made these items, what patterns I used, when I self-drafted, where I got my fabrics, etc.

First, and some of you got a preview here and there – the kids’ Christmas coats:

F*ing Frock Coat & YETI-riffic!

"Taking A Picture Of Me? Too Mainstream."

Nels is saying, “Taking a picture of me? Too mainstream.” For realz.

My Son Is Beautiful

Let’s talk about Nels’ coat for a minute. Please pause and take a moment, close your eyes, and emit a string of foul-mouthed oaths. That’s how I feel about this garment, which I choose to privately christen the “F*ing Frock Coat”. I will seriously not bore you with how much went wrong and how often. Some of this is due to the source pattern which I shall not publicly name. Some of it was just weird, and bad, luck.

My son enjoys the coat, though. He doesn’t have to know it almost made me resort to arson.

Natch, Phee loves her YETI-riffic coat. She wears it everywhere, including to sleep! It is warm and luxurious.

Some casual digs sewn on Saturday:

Plaid Skinny Jeans & Patch'd T42

Plaid Skinny Jeans & Patch'd T42

Plaid Skinny Jeans & Patch'd T42

While the t-shirt was a lot of fun, I am happiest with the Plaid Skinny Jeans (which aren’t “jeans” at all) – specifically the linen front yoke, the perfect welt pocket, and the back elastic. Most of the details I like the most are those I self-drafted, so don’t count on the source pattern helping you if you’d like to emulate my results.

“To Gir With Love” – made for a friend, who’s step-daughter loves a certain cartoon character. Phoenix and I made this yesterday. She did absolutely all of the design work, except for the basic hat shape, which I took care of.

"To Gir With Love"

Up close: 100% wool sweater upcycled for the black detail.

"To Gir With Love"

Skele-Quilt:

Skele-Quilt

Skele-Quilt

The backing: a brightly-colored spacescape – I love the intensity:

Skele-Quilt

Hand-bound:Skele-Quilt

I’ve been working on this quilt for five years. Fortunately, I kept it enough on the DL my daughter hadn’t yet seen it. Even more fortunate, both my daughter and I still love the fabrics, meaning she liked the gift and I liked working on it. I was sewing on a binding right up until Christmas Day. It just isn’t Christmas Sewing without the last-minute shite.

Finally, a hand-embroidered wrist pincushion for my brother’s fiance:

Wrist Pincushion For Jamila

Wrist Pincushion For Jamila

I designed the whole business here, including yes the Jack Skellington Shrinky-Dink pin and the safety measure of a plastic insert so one won’t accidentally stab oneself. Linen & cotton.

If you have any questions on how I made anything, please ask either here or at the Flickr photos. I love sharing the craftivism!

“does your thumb get sore?” – asked me, today, by a friend

Answer: No. I have strong hands from the time I’ve put in.

"Patience & Care"

Keeping it real, a bitch has been working hard to get her craft recognized in a world of Walmart and Target and buy-it-from-Martha-for-the-homemade-look-but-guess-what-it’s-made-in-China. And probably just the most insidious bit, the materialistic pursuit to own a bunch of stuff, willing to sell out others to get comforts, buying into that aspirational lifestyle.

This all used to bug me. And probably a half dozen other complaints. I can tell you I am no longer bitter about these forces, because I have accepted I can’t change any of it. But *I* changed. A while back now I stopped competing in this worldview. It’s just too damn depressing. And frankly, I could stop messing about – because Ralph’s salary pays rent and food [she said, flatly]. I stopped sewing things I didn’t want to sew. I stopped saying Yes to things I didn’t want to do, and I stopped listening to advice from people who didn’t understand artisan craft. The many Makers I’m blessed to know have given me the gift of valuing my work.

So yeah, I finished this wonderful quilt today. I already know my next item for Homesewn. In fact I can design and create stuff a little too fast, but I want to give people time to get some scratch together if they want to buy something. I know the pangs of waiting for a payday.

This & that:

A manatee baby bunting made for a family expecting a child in a bit:

Oh The Hu-Manatee!

I designed the manatee (or dugog, if you will) in all cotton and fully fleece-lined with an asymmetrical closure, carseat buckle window, and little foot windows because having babies in bags always seemed a little off to me, although it probably bothers no one else. Besides babies’ socks are always slipping and this way you can reach and snug them up. I’m most happy with the eyes and hand-embroidered eyelashes but I didn’t get good pictures due to poor lighting and all the hundred other things I had going on this morning.

A thread-drawn patch on a baby wrap. Designed the patch, overdyed the chambray, and sewed the wrap.

Thread-Drawn Patch:

& while I work – Harris, sleeping off a nap.

Harris After A Hard Day Eating A Lot Of Food, And Sleeping

Just before I finished the quilt – I picked up some lovely Dylon at Gray’s General Store for a not-so-distant future project.

"Patience & Care"

I’m truly grateful to get to practice my craft and it gets more satisfying all the time. I am aware at some point, my abilities may fall away. Old age, illness, calamity. Whatever. I meditate on my bodywork and enjoy the experience while I can. Funny, for many years I was declared the math & science type and some influential people in my life hinted like that was all I was good for. Now I’m like this crunchy-as-fuck unschooling mama stitching and spouting feminazgul manifesto.

That’ll work.

oh good lord have i told you how much i love to sew?

Hairband
(Quilt-age, being pressed)

Today as I made the bed I wondered why the heck I beat myself up that I don’t always catalog and take pictures of my many, many homemade creations. For instance since I last blogged about sewing I’ve made a ten-yard skirt and choli for bellydancing, a hairband, three pair of boxers, sewed up the Patterns By Figgy’s Beach Bum hoodie, finished a quilt top, and knit a hat.  And I’ve taken a picture or two, that’s it.

Taking photographs of my craft is another part of “after project clean-up” that I’m not always too thrilled with.  It isn’t just that I’ve got food to cook and people and pets to care for and laundry and scrubbing the toilet, etc, etc.  It’s that creations are springing out of my fingertips and I don’t want to slow down.  In fact my mind is like a runaway train and my body follows: I sew, sew, sew almost maniacally at times, threading and rethreading machines and slicing through the virgin beauty of smooth yardage.  It’s pure joy and industry.  There is no rhyme or reason to my methods: some projects are rather slap-dash and some are painstaking and detailed.  I unceremoniously pull shirts over the top of my kids’ heads, I give some of the work away to those who need or want.  I sew in a label with my name.  I re-fold and store yardage; smaller scraps I painstakingly cut into 3″ squares (I’m saving up these squares to make my kids a couple quilts, maybe upon their emancipation from my home) and the miniscule bits of fabric remaining are given to a local shop who sells them in wee bags to scrap quilters; the profits go to the local senior center.

Today I finished the Farbenmix Brooklyn shrug from a $1 100% cotton shirt I found at Thrift World.  It took about a half hour.
Brooklyn Shrug

I also used the same shirt for a hairband for myself.  And I still have quite a bit of the stripe left!
Hairband

One of the three pair of boxers I made Nels, all made from scrap and donated yardage:
Nels Poses

And finally: a visit to Olympia last night allowed me to buy some Fabric Porn (click on picture to know more):
Fabric Porn

The two fabrics that held a special place in my heart were the lemon and the Japanese-inspired waterscape. Today I look at the selvedge and sure enough: both of them are from Alexander Henry. I’d love to work for them. As in: they just give me a bunch of fabric and I say, “Thanks!” and sew with it. That kind of work. I won’t hold my breath.