Slow Stitching Needs Resolved
I'm often asked how I organize my projects and how do I carry my OTG (on the go) and Slow Stitch projects. Until recently, things have been a bit messy. Just being honest.
I like everything to have its place, but I have been teaching a lot and find that I need to carry different tools and supplies for each of the classes. I needed some items to keep things organized and easy to grab when heading out the door. Between teaching and traveling, I have been heading out the door a lot!
Supplies
Most of my Slow Stitch projects require the same tools: needles, thread, snips, pattern (sometimes), thimble, and fabric. Given the size of these items, they need to be contained so I'm not depositing needles in precarious places! Wouldn't that be a surprise to sit down on the airplane and get a needle stuck in your hiney?!
Kokka fabrics gifted me yardage Bloom by Bookhou which is Arounna Khounnoraj's first collaboration with the Japanese fabric maker, Kokka. Sidenote: if you don't follow Arounna, you should. Her designs and handwork are spectacular. This was a very sought after fabric, so I felt very fortunate to be gifted some from Kokka. You can click here to purchase Kokka fabrics directly and use the code TannaMade15 for a 15 % discount off you purchase!
Since I knew that I was going to be making several items, I wanted to pair the Bloom yardage with other fabrics that were of similar weight and also had some texture. Enter my stash! Hubby may not be thrilled with the size of my stash, but it certainly does come in handy when I want to make a project. Shopping from my stash is so much fun!
I did some "auditioning" which is a fancy term for grabbing fabrics, moving them around 1 million times, feeling them, and then taking pictures of different combinations. It looked a little like this:
Patterns
Next, I selected some patterns that I had been eyeing for awhile that I felt would be great for organizing and holding my supplies. I chose to make the Side Handle Gusset Tote by kzstevens to hold all the things, the Split Pouch (to contain things that I didn't want moving around) and Thread Catcher (so I don't look like a thread catcher myself) by Carolyn Friedlander, and Fabric Boxes by Aneela Hoey to contain items in the tote. I also created my own patterns for a pocketed pincushion and a needlebook with pockets to hold thread, scissors and thimble.
Adjustments
For the most part, I like to follow the instructions and make a pattern as written. Afterall, I'm guessing the pattern writer wrote the pattern the way they did for a reason and to suit their needs. Since I had specific uses for these projects, I did choose to make a few adjustments to the Side Hande Gusset Tote to suit my own needs.
I wanted the tote to be able to hold a book. I use books with patterns for my sashiko and kogin stitching and I also take books to recommend when teaching at Sew Magarbo Slow Stitch Club each month. To accommodate this, I increased the size of the exterior by one inch. I also wanted additional pockets to store bits and bobs that I gather along the way. I added a row of open top pockets inside and an inset zippered pocket on the exterior. Both were great additions, but when I make my next tote, I will lower the placement of the inside pockets and maybe make them deeper (they are 4 1/2" deep). I also chose to use leftover leather strapping for the handles which I LOVE.
Making the tote an inch bigger not only allows a book to fit inside nicely, but the tray that I made fits perfectly in the bottom of the tote, keeping everything from rolling around and I can very easily pick the tray up from the tote and sit it beside me on the couch.
I also adjusted the size of the thread catcher. This was a free tutorial on Carolyn Friedlander's blog. I have made it small and larger than the one on her blog. It works great as a thread catcher, plant holder, catch-all for my bathroom, trash bin for the car.....the list goes on. Adjust the size and the interfacing to create a bin to hold whatever you need!
My Patterns
I am sure there are lots of patterns for pincushions and needlebooks, but I felt these were simple enough to make what I wanted. My pincushion has a pocket which is handy for holding scissors and clips. I also added a piece of cotton tape at the bottom to hold the thread catcher. This allows me to place the pin cushion on the arm of my couch with the thread catcher attached and hanging down to catch all of the threads that I snip off. It was a good idea, but when I make my next set, I plan to put a snap on the tape to snap the pincushion and the thread catcher together. I feel like it would be a better design.
My needle minder is simple. I wanted pockets to hold small snips or scissors, thread and sometimes a thimble. I also wanted pages of bamboo felt to hold my threaded needles and needles not in use. I contemplated making a labeled page for each type of needle that I use, but chose to leave the pages blank for now. Maybe for my next version. To give it a tannaMade look, I added my label and some big stitches using my kogin thread. I like to create X's in a row and large stitches in a circle.
What I Learned
Full transparency here. This was the first time making any of these projects and this is what I learned.
The cotton linen from Kokka is a dream to work with. It is durable, yet soft. It holds up wonderfully and presses nicely. It also pairs perfectly with Essex linen by Robert Kaufman and Fableism fabrics. 5 stars.
kzstevens patterns are genius. They are simple, adaptable, and have so many uses.
If you are looking for a pattern to organize your sewing notions or projects, buy Aneela Hoey's book, "Stitched Sewing Organizers". It is full of great projects to hold all your things.
I need to read pattern directions better (this is rich coming from a teacher!). I placed the zipper tabs on the inside of Carolyn Friedlander's Split Pouch. They don't help much on the inside, but it is still functional an incredibly useful project.
The Split Pouch is great for traveling. It opens up like a tray so I can see everything clearly and it can sit on the tray table of the airplane to keep things from getting away from me. When I am done, it zips up and can be tossed into my backpack.
I can never have too many pouches, trays, or bags to hold my sewing projects.
I love experimenting.
I am a Maker at heart.
Have a lovely day and make what your heart desires!
xo, Tanna
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