Thursday, February 9, 2012

Journey into Burlap

It all started when we wondered into a dollar store. While my friend and I were on my little sewing vacation, we stopped there – just for fun. She found this fabulous book on how to make different kinds of bags, and bought one for each of us. We later discovered why they were only a dollar; the English had errors and the directions were incomplete. Never mind, we now each had a great idea book.

Inside the book were several bags made from linen or burlap. Actually, you can see one of them in the lower left on the cover. On our next visit to Walmart I purchased some burlap. My friend warned me that burlap sheds. I didn’t like the sharp fibers splintering into my dry hands. So when I get home I zigzagged the raw ends and threw it all and the washer. I made sure to throw a dryer sheet in when it went in the dryer. I don’t know if any of that helped, but it made the most interesting dryer lint.

Anyway, it was just sitting among my sewing piles. I just finished that heart wall hanging the other day and wasn’t sure what was next, so I started back on the brown strips. I made another 4 patches similar to the first 4. I had no idea still what to do with them.

I took some leftover scraps from that and tried to remember a sideways patchwork I’d seen. I even tried to search the web for something like it, but I couldn’t find what I’d seen. So I just tried it anyway. Then that little patch was done and squared up, it came to me – a table runner, or dresser runner! This time I’d do it nice and long, not like the other 24 inch ones.

As I started to sew the pieces together I realized the whole thing would be very long and only like 6 inches wide. It needed a boarder. Another light bulb went on, that’s when I remembered my burlap!

Ta-da –

I think this is my coolest creation on patchwork quilting yet.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Jan, that is SO beautiful!!! We are overdue for a crafty evening!