balance

As an alternative to a new year resolution

I've chosen a word to live by instead.

My word for 2013 is balance.

It's a fairly self explanatory word,

so I'll let you do the thinking.

Over the years I've blogged about lifestyle, gardening, crochet and quilting.

Last year after changing my name to selfsewn

I concentrated on breaking into the quilting world,

with a few flickr groups and some good tutes

I found I soon gathered like minded folk.
Connect was my word for 2012,
and thanks to blogging
the world has become a smaller friendlier place to be.
My blog is my diary so it's only natural that it evolves..
as do my tastes in blogs.
I therefore look forward to sharing my 2013 well balanced blog with you.
Clare xxxxx

wordless wednesday

the rag trade

 I have been itching to make a rag rug forever!!

The Dresden block was great for small scraps 

but rag rugging is great for those huge 'unloved' pieces of bedding etc.

in fact I think you can use anything and it will look good.

 This is not a tutorial, but I will help out with a few tips along the way.

I searched online and found a number of tutorials,

I didn't follow one strictly speaking.

 This is a braided rag rug project,

not to be confused with crochet.

My materials are mainly from old bedding with some fabric purchase mistakes.

I cut my strips roughly 1.5 inches by 2 metres.

Start with 3 strips sewn or tied together at one end,

pin them down to something and begin to braid or plait 

making sure the right side (if there is one) is folded outwards.

The style of braiding is the same as plaiting your hair,

but when you plait you need to pull your fabric all the way through,

otherwise the other ends will plait themselves.

(the reason why you shouldn't make your pieces to long).

The next bit I sort of made up as I went along.

I did find some strong thread,

which is advisable, though I'm almost out of it now.

I started coiling and stitching.

To change colours I used a method from one tute,

but after some lumpy joins I

resorted to machining instead.

I am braiding, stitching and then adding fabric,

this way I can work out roughly how my rug will look as I go.

Before you all tell me how clever I am 

I will point out that at this stage the rug looks more like a Mexican hat,

as the middle keeps popping out...

I think it's something to do with my braids being to tight?

I imagine practise makes perfect.....

I'm already wishing away the green bullseye!!

edit

I have found that to achieve a flat rug
you must stitch it on a flat surface like a table or the floor!

We've been chatting on facebook if you'd like to join in?