Braiding A Mat

 These past few months I have had two mandates in my sewing life:  use up stash, and experiment with different weights of Aurifil thread to see what each can do.  One thread in particular I've enjoyed is 28 weight, so when I decided to dig into my scraps to make a rag rug, it was my first choice to use.  My mat is not yet complete (the end is tucked under for the picture) as I am still unsure how large I'd like it to be, but I've got a good handle on the process now.

Polly and I had a great time going through boxes and boxes of fabric scraps (all cotton) to pull colours to include.  The mat will go in a room which has a red and blue quilt on the bed so in addition to those colours, we included grey, black, and a bit of off-white.  We were not too picky about what we used, and you can see some of the prints have yellow and orange.  Having never braided a mat before, I read lots and lots online about how to proceed.  Naturally, there were many different - and sometimes contradictory -suggestions.  Nothing to do but jump in and see what works and what doesn't.  

We decided to tear our strips, and had a ball doing that.  There is something so satisfying about that sharp RIIIIPPPPPP!   Polly loved playing with the braided strips.  

We braided and braided and kept rolling it together to see how big it was getting.  I had no clue how long the braid needed to be.

Finally we decided to start joining.  The online instructions I had read all recommended sewing the braids together by hand.  Ha!  Not this gal.  I was hoping for the mat to be oval so I didn't curl the centre into a circle.  Next time I will make the centre longer before turning the corner, as my mat is only slightly ovate.

The thread I chose for the job is Aurifil 28 weight, heavy enough to be strong yet not too thick that it will show.  The colour is # 2775 Steel Blue. which is now my favourite shade.  It blends so well.

Joining with the machine was no problem at all.  I set the machine to the widest zigzag possible - in this case only 5.5 mm.  If I could have set it wider I would have, as I had to watch carefully to ensure the needle grabbed each side evenly. A 9mm width stitch would be perfect.  The key to joining the strips is to make sure you add the braid in a counter-clockwise direction so that the mat grows to the left side.You also need a totally flat surface so the mat doesn't curl up into a big bowl.

We have used almost a full small spool to join 29 m of braid.

The mat measures 26 "x 28", and will no doubt go at least a big larger.  After this is finished, I will figure out how much yardage was used.  I marked the braids in 3 m increments with a piece of masking tape (you can see the one on the right says 26) and measured the mat after each addition.  A bit of math will be involved

I do know it made a noticeable dent in my scrap pile (yay!) and I can't wait to make another.  With the raw edges and many threads from ripping, this has a rustic look for sure, but it will be perfect in the intended room. 

You can find Aurifil 28 weight - and many other weights - in my online thread store.

Contact-less Pickup Available

 

If you are a local, or passing through Amherst while taking advantage of our "Atlantic Bubble", don't forget that we offer contact-less pick-up on Aurifil thread orders. Simply choose "pick-up" at the checkout, and in the comment section let me know when you would like to pick up your thread.I will be in touch with directions. If you prefer to use e-transfer instead of going through the online checkout, kindly email your order and I will send you an invoice. You can see and order all the gorgeous threads here:
https://sew-karen-ly-created.square.site/

We deliver across Canada! 🇨🇦🇨🇦
(Pictured is machine quilting on cotton batiste using very fine 80 weight thread.)

Tula Pink Collector Tins

Yay!  They are here!

It was so much fun when the long-anticipated box arrived from Aurifil, filled with Tula Pink's "Homemade" colector tins.

The thread colours were curated by Tula Pink herself to coordinate perfectly with her Homemade fabric collection. 

The beautiful gold tin is perfect for storing EPP projects, or a classy way to carry tools to your next workshop! 

The collection includes 14 spools of thread in the following colours:
• Four large spools (1300 m each): 5004 , 6727 , 2026, 2835
• Ten small spools (200 m each): 2220, 5002, 2479, 2535, 2582, 5015, 1231, 2860, 1320, 2730

If you are participating in Tula Pink's "Homemade Challenge", you're going to need matching thread! The fabric is available at Mrs. Pugsley's Emporium. 

You can order your Tula Pink thread tin here.  We ship anywhere in Canada, or can arrange local delivery.  Thanks for looking - I am off to sew!

We are Auri-FILLED!

We are having snow again today and I was anxious the delivery man would not arrive with the new order of Aurifil threads.  But he did!  We have restocked some of the favourites, and have added a few more items to our ever-growing inventory.

New in are small spools of 50 weight cotton Mako, in an assortment of colours.  These will take awhile to get added to the checkout, but you are welcome to email if you are looking for a colour. We may have the perfect shade! These are small spools in comparison to the larger Aurifil ones, but still hold a generous 220 yards of thread. 

Collections are popular, so we have added Strawberry and one simply called The Bright collection to our offering.  You can see pictures of the threads inside on the website, as well as the other collections currently in stock.

No doubt you've see the Colour Builder series;  three spools in a coordinating palette to help build your thread stash. So far, we just have Carrara, which has black, natural white, and a medium grey.

This brilliant selection of colours are the best-selling shades: white, beige, light grey and black.  You can't go wrong with these.

You can find all these threads here.  We deliver across Canada, and local pick up is available.  Thanks for looking!

We Have Thread - Glorious Thread!

It's so exciting when the boxes of Aurifil you have been (im)patiently waiting for finally arrive, and you open them up to find...

...all of this!  Do you see what's there in the middle?!?

Kaffe Collective thread sets!! These collections are a hot ticket item and won't last long in the shop. These are the 50 and 80 weight sets; the 12 weight Kantha Collection is on its way as well.

Glorious Handwork is a collection of 20, very fine 80 weight threads. The 80 weight is wonderful for hand work (like English Paper Piecing) but it also works well in the machine. I have recently used it to quilt on silk, as well as on batik.  It adds the texture of quilting without distracting from the fabric.

Look at the colours. ♥♥♥♥♥♥

 This is the 50 weight set, a go-to collection perfect for both piecing and quilting.

Variegated threads are also in high demand, and this set by Michele Scott comes in two sizes.  It's a 12 weight thread, which can be used for hand or machine quilting.

Back in stock are these 50 weight sets from Tula Pink.

There are also new variegated colours in individual spools, both 50 and 12 weight and a couple of new collections of 80 weight thread, as well as new colours in individual spools. You can see everything here.

AND...there is another carton of the thread/case specials! You get a spool of 50 weight white thread plus a case which holds 12 spools for $14.99.  Normally the cases are $9.95 and the thread is $13., so this is a great deal.  These sold out in less than a day last time, so if you are interested please don't wait too long to order.

I am working away at adding the new stock to the website, which you can find here.  Please note that the prices you see in your cart INCLUDE the sales tax.  We ship across Canada, and if you are local, or passing through Amherst, I am happy to arrange pick-up so you avoid shipping charges.   On this snowy, grey day this thread has been a glorious explosion of colour.

Aurifil For Christmas!

Just on the cusp of December, we have new threads which have arrived at the shop!  In addition to refilling the stock of basic colours in the individual spools, there are also some of the brand new collections introduced at Quilt Market this fall.

My favourite among these is this group of 50 weight variegated, curated by Tula Pink. I love how these multi-coloured threads quilt.

 The collection comes in two sizes.  One contains 12 large spools, and the smaller contains 10 spools

TULA PINK PREMIUM COLLECTION  includes colours 4660 – 4668 – 4656 – 4658 – 4653 – 3320
4662 – 4647 – 2843 – 4060 – 5004 – 4670

 This collection is available from my shop for $139.00 + tax. 

The smaller collection  contains the following 10 colours: 4660 – 4668 – 4656 – 4658 – 4653
3320 – 4662 – 4647 – 4670 – 4060

This collection is available at the excellent price of $43.00 + tax.  What a perfect gift!

If you like, I am happy to gift wrap your purchase and mail it directly to the gift recipient, with a tag marked from you.  How easy is that? :)

Stitch Witchery

The witching hour is fast approaching, and this little stitchery is a fun and easy project you can whip up in no time!

Optical illusions fascinate me, and this super simple drawing trick is one we learned in elementary school.  I started out with plain white Kona cotton, and 12 weight Aurifil cotton thread. It stitches beautifully with a size 100/16 topstitch needle. Regular 50 weight cotton was used in the bobbin.

I began by tracing the outline of my left hand on the fabric with a removable marker.

 Then I added straight horizontal lines across the background. 

 The lines were stitched once, but I did a double pass on the hand to make it more distinct.

 Stitching slightly curved lines within the hand itself gives it a raised illusion.

Just to be a bit gruesome...I added a little stitching with red thread at the bottom of the wrist for effect.

 I think this would be a fun way to quilt a background in a Hallowe'en quilt!

You can watch a You Tube video here for inspiration on drawing the hand.  The 12 weight thread is available from my online store.  Happy Hallowe'en!