Showing posts with label lap. Show all posts
Showing posts with label lap. Show all posts

Sunday, November 18, 2012

Cajun Corner - Vol. 4, No. 44

 


 

Cajun Corner – Vol. 4, No. 44 – November 18, 2012

 

Bon Jour!  Welcome to Cajun Stitchery’s weekly email and welcome to our family.

 

ΘΘΘΘΘ

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This week we had the pleasure of entertaining our friend and embroidery technician from Central Florida.  She planned this trip to Pensacola and had four or five customers in the area needing their machines serviced.  She arrived on Wednesday afternoon and was anxious to see the new tablecloth.  Once she did; she loved it.  We all went out to eat each evening, drank wine, and talked about embroidery and crafts.  It was such a delightful time.

There were a few new embroidery techniques that she taught me.  One was using scrap thread in the embroidery.  It is pretty cool.  The center fill of the design needs to be changed to about a 20 point density. An outline of the design is run; then stop the machine and place enough scrap thread to cover the inside of the design.  Then you cover the thread with Solvy or Aqua Magic (any water soluble topping will do).  Next you let the fill stitch run.  Stop the machine and trim the threads outside of the outline.  Then let the machine finish the embroidery.  Once the stitching is completed, wash away the topping.  The light fill holds in the threads.  The threads are very colorful and make a unique and pretty appearance.

The other technique was a spin on the fringe technique.  We did not try this but she did digitize a sample for me which I will try out later.  Using a satin stitch, you create a small, simple design, let’s say an oval.  Digitize the oval very small.  Then digitize another oval over the first one but slightly larger than the first.  You can do this as many times as you like.  The important thing is that it is a satin stitch and there are no center stitches.  Use a different color for each round of stitches.  When you have finished stitching, take your scissors and cut straight down the middle.  The satin stitches fluff up in all of the colors that you used.

As we discussed puff embroidery, I asked how to use a hair dryer to shrink the puff that sticks out.  She explained that it is not a hair dryer but a heat gun.  It looks like a hair dryer but gets much hotter.  George bought us a heat gun and is going to try it out today on some practice puff embroidery.

She solved many of my embroidery issues and answered my questions.  When we get together, we usually create designs and techniques of our own.  It was a wonderful visit.

On Thursday, she decided to check out Clothilde and make sure she was running up to par.  Poor Clothilde blew her Z Motor.  We had a new Z Motor overnighted and installed on Friday.  That was unexpected but it could not have happened at a better time – when my technician just happened to be here.  We are up and running and purring like a kitten now.  Clothilde is a pretty fabulous and amazing machine.

Our embroidery technician departed Saturday morning.  We fully intended to attend the Wooly Booger Bawl at 3 p.m.  However, we were exhausted.  Three o’clock came and went and we just could not seem to get up and going.  Nevertheless, a hearty congratulation to our new Queen Sugah, Jayne Drees, who was apparently very surprised at her selection as Queen Sugah.

This morning George decided to make pancakes for breakfast.  I usually don’t eat breakfast at all but George makes some good pancakes.  He served me first and then, to my surprise, served the dogs pancakes.  He served himself last.  My mother would be appalled.  I was pretty amazed, myself.  Those dogs are so spoiled.

The lap scarves were finished, embroidered and mailed to the customer this week.  I haven’t heard from her since.  I asked that she let me know when they arrive.  Considering they were mailed, she may not have received them yet.  I think they turned out lovely.

This coming Thursday is Thanksgiving Day.  At 5 a.m. Thanksgiving Day, 2008, my Mama passed away, peacefully, in our living room.  Thanksgiving hasn’t been the same since.  I am thankful for so much.  In fact, it is because of Mama that Cajun Stitchery even exists.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING
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Check out this website for 100 Christmas gifts to make.

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Found this at:  http://frugalliving.about.com/od/clothingcare/ht/Laundry_Deterge.htm

Learn how to make your own laundry detergent, and enjoy clean clothes for less.

Difficulty: Easy

Time Required: 10-15 minutes

Here's How:

1.               Mix together two parts Borax, two parts Washing Soda and one part grated Fels-Naptha soap to create your own laundry detergent (You can make as much or as little as you'd like).

2.               Use up to three level tablespoons per wash load.

3.               Store the rest in a lidded container, out of the reach of children and pets.

- Recipe Courtesy of James77777

Tips:

1.               Be sure to label your detergent container, so others will know what's inside. Include a list of the ingredients as an added safety measure.

2.               Borax sells under the name 20 Mule Team, and can be found on the laundry aisle. You should be able to find Washing Soda and Fels-Naptha soap there too.

3.               Having trouble locating Fels-Naptha soap on the laundry aisle? Check to see if it's in with the bar soap.

4.               If the grocery store or discount store that you shop at doesn't stock these ingredients, try an international grocery store.

5.               Zote, Ivory or castile soap can be used in place of Fels-Naptha.

What You Need

·                        Borax

·                        Washing Soda

·                        Fels Naptha Soap

 
C’est tout, mes amis
Peggy Henshall
Cajun Stitchery
(850) 261-2462
P.S.  You are always welcome to stop by and look at all of the catalogs and pass some time with me, cher.

Tuesday, February 28, 2012

Lap Handkerchiefs and Lap Scarves


I'm usually the last person on the planet to find out new things.  At least, I feel that way.  It is not surprising that I just discovered lap handkerchiefs also known as lap scarves.  I received a convo from our Etsy Store from a lady who inquired about lap handkerchiefs.  I had never heard of such a thing.  She was concerned about her size because she felt she was a large woman.  She wanted a lap handkerchief that would cover her entire lap while she was at church.  We started off during the Mardi Gras season and I explained to her that I would be glad to do this but I wouldn't be able to begin this project until Feb. 25th.  She agreed.  In the meantime, we discussed fabric, size, and design.

She wanted something very elegant and lady-like but her main concern was that the handkerchief completely cover her lap and drape down the sides.  After perusing the internet for lap handkerchiefs, we found the normal size is about 22 inches square.  This customer wanted 30 inches square, plus 2 inch wide lace surrounding the 30 inch square fabric for a total of 34 inches square.  Yep, that is just 2 inches shy of a yard square.

I purchased some very nice handkerchief fabric.  It is not 100% cotton, but rather a cotton blend for the permanent press capabilities.  Then I searched for 2 inch wide flat lace.  She did not want the lace gathered.  Oddly enough, I could not find 2 inch wide lace anywhere.  What I did find was 4 inch wide lace, which I purchased. 

Once at home, I washed and dried the fabric to pre-shrink.  Then I took the lace to my serger.  The serger is such a remarkable mahine.  I serged right down the middle of the lace, creating two pieces of lace each 2 inches wide.

The next step was to cut out a 30 inch square of the fabric and serge all four sides.  

Then I serged the lace onto the fabric.  I did not just take the lace and serger around the fabric.  Instead, each side of the fabric had a separate piece of lace with tails dangling at either end.  The reason for this was to make the mitered corners with the lace.  Had I serged the lace around the fabric, the corners would not lay flat.

Moving to my sewing machine, I top stitched around the edge of the fabric and lace causing the little hem to lay flat and give a neat appearance.


Next each corner of lace was mitered.  It was simple enough.  I just laid the fabric flat on a table and folded the ends of the lace into a mitered edge, pinned, sewed and trimmed. 

Voila!  One lap handkerchief was made.

Next came the design to be embroidered.  The fabric is so delicate that any heavy embroidery pulled the fabric threads apart.  I lightened the density of the small design as much as I could without compromising the looks of the design.  The pretty gold cross and the word "Faith" were then embroidered hooping some water soluable stabilizer underneath the fabric.  Once that was done, the lap scarve was soaked in warm water to remove the stabilizer, dried and ironed.

It turned out beautiful.  We never did find a lap handkerchief online that was 34 inches square.

C'est tout, mes amis.