Sewing – Sunrays Creations and Yarns

Posted on April 24, 2014 by mindovermanasa — 4 Comments

My very First QUILT!

Its been some time since I blogged. And that’s definitely because I didn’t have anything to blog about… but because I didn’t have time with the amount of crafting that’s gotten done!!! 😀

I’ll start with the latest creation (as in completed last night). Its a QUILT! Yes, I can now proudly tom-tom the fact that I have made my own quilt. And NO, I refuse to make another… ok maybe if u twist my arm some more.. 😉

It started off on Watsapp with a couple of crafting friends, and so we thought, why not?! Google searches were started up, designs dug out.. and in my case, all with the additional word of “easy”. 😛 But we started off.

I though the fat quarters (18″ x 21″) seemed nice for a starter piece. Big pieces, not much of cutting. I still had to use my brand new rotary cutter and self-healing cutting mat. I hauled out my stash, and got to work.

First I pulled out all the fabric and got measuring. Having done that, I figured the best 4 for the blocks, the plain/neutral for the back, and got cutting.

Once I got all my pieces set, suddenly I decided it was all too boring. Huh?! you say? Yes, well, that’s what happened, and out came the searches for other “easy” patterns. Finally zeroed onto something that seemed easy, and called for “charms”. These turned out to be 5″ x 5″ pieces. Back to the cutting board.

It took me a couple of days and serious boredom, but I finally got the pieces cut. Next step was to join pieces into motifs, and then join the motifs to make the sheet. After about the 30th block, I realized that this didn’t seem to look nice at all! Work stalled for a week.

Finally, I got all my pieces together (large and small) and decided to just completed… however it was. Once that was decided, things moved a lot faster. The sewing of the top and back took a single day. A shopping trip for batting later, the combining of the various parts took a couple of days, and a lot of sit-ups. I now have a shapely backside from the sit-ups and a new set of biceps hauling the whole thing through my itty-bitty sewing machine. 😉 😀

The interest panel (?) on the sine — The interest panel (?) on the side

The whole thing, well, it now sizes to approximately 6ft x 7ft. 😀 So

Now the wait for the cool weather starts!

Posted on September 18, 2013 by mindovermanasa — Leave a comment

The Search for a Perfect Design – Kobo Cover

I have made 3 covers as yet. One was knit and the other 2 were sewing projects. While the knit project as well as the first sewing project were carry-covers, the 3rd cover was basically a stand to put my reader so that I’m not constantly holding the reader directly. But I wanted something that covered both these functions nicely.

So here’s the latest attempt:

I think I’m too enamoured with the written word fabric. I really need to stop putting it front and center… I think that’s what spoiling the effect! 🙁

But overall, the dimensions are a bit short. But hey! This is a learning attempt!

Posted on September 12, 2013 by mindovermanasa — Leave a comment

Cotton Apron

When I got up this morning, I promised myself that I’d get cracking on the sweaters that are pending work. However, once I finished breakfast, I suddenly decided i wanted a new apron. I’m not really sure why I want one though, i hardly use it!

But one thing was sure: the apron I already own has strings to be tied at the back.. and I’ve been enamoured by the professional chef aprons that tie right around to the waist in front. It’s just so cool! So that’s what I decided to make.

Another reason is that I desperately need to use up my fabric stash if I intend to buy more fabric.. So my project was for a good cause: to create space for more shopping! 😉

While I havent reached the level where I’m comfortable showing off my haphazard sewing /cutting skills in photographic detail, here’s the final product. Though there are a couple of things I’m proud of:

The neat way I managed to make the borders without having fabric lift up after the stitch line
My stitched apron strings. This is my second attempt, and I’ve done a great job (even I say so myself)

What I’m not happy about is the fact that the armsyce is different on both sides. I’m not really sure how I managed that, though I do remember thinking that one side seemed easier to stitch than the other…

Without any further ado, there’s my apron!

Final apron with the disbalanced armsyce — Final apron with the imbalanced armsyce

Posted on July 27, 2013 by mindovermanasa — Leave a comment

Yet Another Attempt!

My goal of having a nicely done cover for my Kobo Touch still seems far away!

This is my latest attempt at making a cover. Though I must say, the cover is definitely better than my last one, not to mention the amount of folds of fabric have made it pretty sturdy! 🙂

While I may have not reached an expert level, I did find that my sewing skills have improved, as has my planning-for-sewing skills. Early on, I used to wing it in terms of size approximations and kind of stitch required. Now I found that measuring and noting down everything has given me a better perspective!

The reverse: my not-so-nice attempt at free-motion quilting

The folded up cover: not sure how to jazz up the front... — The folded up cover: not sure how to jazz up the front…

Case for Kobo Touch (sunraysartyarns.wordpress.com)

Posted on July 10, 2013 by mindovermanasa — 5 Comments

Case for Kobo Touch

Hubby gifted a Kobo Touch recently. An e-Reader has been on my wishlist for so long, and I was thrilled to get it in my hands! However, with Kobo, you don’t get any covers attached to it. This meant I had to make one.

Now the decision was actually whether I should sew one or knit one. Well, my decision was both! But sewing gets done faster, so the first cover was to be the stitched one.

Being a novice in the sewing department, I turned to the internet for inspiration. There were a few tutorials but:

I didn’t understand the instructions as they were geared for someone who knew what they were doing. I didn’t.
The instructions were geared towards cases for Kindle or Sony. I wanted spoon-feeding! 😉

Finally I found a tutorial here. This was truly a life-saver! And I got down to the serious business to making a quilted cover for my Kobo. However, I did not make the quilt with pieces from various fabrics. Instead It was a single sheet with design that I quilted using batting and lining material. I finally got to use it after a major shopping trip at RC Puram almost a year back!

Hmm. Batting. Not to mention that fancy lines ruler. I had no clue such things existed before this project. But then, I again wanted this cover now. So I managed to find some sponge sheet left over from some project. I used this in place of batting. Seemed to work well, but I really need to get to the market for some serious quilting material shopping if I have to get this right! I remember seeing something similar to that ruler at some store a long time back. Need to get back over there and check it out again. Ahh, my shopping list takes shape again! 😀

With the help of the tutorial, I managed to make my case. And here it is! 🙂

The finishing did leave a lot to desire. But then again, this is my very first sewing project (mobile pouches and repairs don’t count). So, I forgive myself. 🙂

The front - after quilting — The front – after quilting

the back - no awards for neatness though! — the back – no awards for neatness though!

And the final product! :) — And the final product! 🙂

Posted on September 25, 2012 by mindovermanasa — Leave a comment

Basic Mobile Pouch

This is my first project on my new sewing machine. 🙂 YAY!!

Actually I have done other stuff with the machine. It’s only that most of them comprised of repairs of clothing and bed sheets, and new pair of pillow covers. So I finally mustered up some courage to get sewing projects.

I have some self-knit mobile pouches. But, like handbags and shoes, a girl just can’t have too many. So with the left over fabric from the pillow covers, came this lovely mobile pouch. 🙂

The pouch came out fast enough. The problem lay with the handle and the deco. For deco, i zeroed on some leftover flower sequins which could be pastes on. The handle was tougher. I decided to do a ragged-y braid with the same fabric. It’s not the neatest look, but I kinda liked it that way.

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