As a result, the weaving page in the 12 books is the only page that will not be the same in each. Because there are several different ones I am going to spread the examples over two Fridays.
Most are very simple ---- a couple not so.
And, once again, I have put something to be discovered when the weaving is "un-weaved." Just like I did with the snake page. It is totally unnecessary but it is one of my things.
I will start with the simple.
The first thing I did was "to put whatever I decided to have discovered" on the felt page.
I found it easiest to cut the strips, pin them in place and weave them before sewing them. I cut them longer than needed and trimmed them after the page was finished. I discovered that if you have the same colors of strips vertically and horizontally the pattern is different than if you use all different colors. You will see what I mean when you look at the pictures.
#1 - Weaving with White
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| Weaving with vertical colors and white horizontals creates a simple checkerboard pattern. |
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| The "discovery" is simply a piece of printed felt sewn to the base sheet. I used matching colors for the strips. |
#2 - Weaving with mainly matching strips.
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| Notice how using mainly the same colors across the top and sides creates 3-color -block rectangles. |
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| This "discovery" is simply a section cut from a sheet of scrap-booking paper (which was on sale!) covered in one layer of a plastic sheet protector and stitched in place. |
#3 - Weaving with all different colors
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| Using all different colors for your strips results in a simple checkerboard pattern. The "discovery" in this one is another section of the scrap-booking paper above. |
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| Using only one color, this time vertically, creates a regular checkerboard look, as in #1 where I used white strips horizontally. |
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| This "discovery" is a section of flannel I had originally purchased thinking I would use it to make a match-the-paw print page. I made the strips from the same colors in the fabric. |
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With this one I hand-stitched the strips. Notice each strip is sewn in it's matching color yarn!
I know that sounds like an insane undertaking ---- and it probably is ----
but I want to show you a cheap trick on how to accomplish this without needing to buy a bunch of different colors of yarn.
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| Multi-color skeins! The length of each color is long enough to be of use. I used the muted colors for tails, etc.on page 4 Mix and Match. This little trick might come in handy several times over time. |
While I really like the look of the matching yarn on the strips I don't think I am up to doing it 12 times.
I looked into multi-colored thread (which I hadn't known existed until I read about it on a quiet book blog) and thought that would be fun to use so I took my 40 percent off coupon and headed to JoAnn's. I figured it would be expensive but hadn't imagined how expensive. Over $8 per spool. That is when, while I was creative with the yarn, the cheapskate part of me kicked in and I did the others with plain white thread!
If you scroll back up, you'll find white looks okay, and it's a lot easier than changing the thread on the sewing machine.
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| This "discovery" is another sheet of patterned felt. I tried to match the strips to all the colors in the pattern. It may seem like a lot colors of felt "squares" (they are actually 9x12") to buy but when you are just making one of two books it only takes an inch or so of one length of the the piece, leaving a lot of felt to use in the other parts of the book. |
When/if you do need to change thread here are a couple of hints
I use:
This sounds complicated but it is not. I will use blue as the thread you have been using and red for the next thread you want to use to see if that simplifies the instructions.
1. Leave the sewing machine threaded with the blue thread, and cut that blue thread off near the spool.
2. Remove the blue spool and replace it with the red spool.
3. Using a square knot (granny knots will pull out), tie the ends of the blue and red threads together.
4. Carefully pull the blue thread through the workings workings and through the needle, until the red thread comes through. (It does waste some thread but for me, with my declining eyesight and increasingly shaky hands, it saves my sanity.)
For these books, I have not found it necessary to change the color of the bobbin thread when changing the top thread. Another time saver!
And, in hand sewing and working with several colors, I thread needles in the needed colors before I start. This may not be an issue. This may not be a big issue when making one or two books but it is a big help when making many of the same at the same time --- as in. . .probably the final pages I will post will be the companion center pages of the book. Those involve 12 approximately 2-inch-high stop lights with red, yellow and green circles hand sewn on each!!!
'til we stitch again....
