Rolling Out the Old

So this last day of 2007 came upon the Howes household and what do you think we did? We let it crawl in slowly, and lazily go about it's duty of counting down the hours while the whole household just did the same. We had our last family breakfast of 2007 at 12 pm and just a little heads up for everyone...6yr olds do not get the concept of eating brkfast for lunch. Nada, nope, no way!

I decided though that I should end the year as I want the new one to
start, by making ART! All thru the months leading up to Christmas I saw boxes being made and decided I'm supposed to make one as well. I'd created a fabric collage made from pink strips sewn to a base and then covered with an irresdescent sheer and quilted the heck out of it. It had been staring at me for a couple of weeks and I was tired of it's accusatory look that said "DO SOMETHING WITH ME, DARN IT!"

Whether it wanted to or not, it was going to become a box and it had better be glad I didn't turn it into inchies, doggone-it! Anyhoo I figured out sizes for each piece and started cutting - 1 bottom (4" sq), 4 sides (2 1/2" x 4"), 1 lid top (4 1/4" sq) and 4 lid sides (7/8" x 4 1/4").

I also cut the same from Fast2Fuse.com and a lining fabric. I sandwiched the Fast2Fuse between the top and the lining fabrics, right sides facing out, and fused all three layer between two pressing sheets (no need to get the iron all messed up on what is supposed to be an easy art day). Then came the tedious part of satin stitching all the edges (40 of them to be exact).

You've got to understand something, for some reason, unbeknownst to me, I can't stand doing satin stitching. I don't know if, in an earlier life, my only job was to satin stitched garments (probably by hand, no doubt) or that I resent the use of all that gor-gee-ous thread just for the darned edges or that I could be reading a new issue of Quilting Arts Magazine during that time or what. I just don't like to satin stitch! I'd rather do needle turn applique (which I've actually come to like). When one actually convinces oneself that raw edge applique is now one's favorite form of applique then you really really know that I strongly dislike (I save "hate" for really good stuff) satin stitching.

Okay, don't laugh, truthfully it wasn't all that bad. I got thru it anyway. Above you can see the pieces set up to be joined. I butt the edges and, increasing the length on my machine, I ziz-zag stitched the edges together. I did this in one continous stitch and broke the threads only when I reach the beginning threads. Then I turn it over and re-enforce the stitch form the inside by zig zagging over the butted edges again. Repeat same with box lid.

When finished, the sides of the box and the lid easily fold up. As you can see from the photo above I cut the box top sides in a curve before I satin stitched the edges. Gave it a little more pizzazz I thought. I then folded up the sides and whipstitched the sides into place. I even remembered to hide the knot by starting on the inside of the box (below).

It's fairly easy to hold the sides whilst you sew them up. No pins are needed at all. Be careful when stitching though cause the thread kept getting caught and I'd realize this 4 or 5 stitches away and notice that the thread wasn't pulled all the way thru. No matter, I really like what I ended up with. I really really like the way the irrisedescent sheer fabric is frayed all around the box.

A few hours later here is my finished fabric box. The year 2007 has passed along a great treasure. I am grateful for all the good that rained down on me and mine in 2007; a family to love, a new direction to follow and a belief in myself and my art that was a long time in coming.

In my 2008 Dream Box I will put all my dreams and goals for the coming year, a special space for all the good things to come.

I wish all my friends, and the many more friends I will make in 2008, a wonderful New Year filled of lots of love, happy contentment and creative success thruout the year. Hurrah!

See ya next time, "In the Hayloft",