Starting Something New

Not that I go off on tangents or anything... 😄 but, I've begun a new handwork project. 

I'm giving a Big Stitch Quilting and More program to members of Jacksonville (Florida) MQG in August, so I thought to have another sample handwork piece to share.

Seems I'm always late to the game though - a late adopter. This is the start of my first Japanese Rice Bag.

Recently, during a South Florida MQG bi-monthly, online Sip 'n Sew, after I inquired as to everyone's favorite rice bag pattern, we had a chat about them. Most modern versions of a rice bag will likely not be used for transporting rice. 

After much Googling of patterns, I satisfied by frugal Germanic background with the perfect FREE Japanese Rice Bag pattern. It's a pattern and a PDF download on the Utah State University website, offered by a 4-H Educator. Happy, happy!

I went through all my linen fabrics, and pieced them according to the pattern. What I've done differently is use a piece of flannel (prewashed) as batting, on top of a solid cotton. I want the bag to be sturdy, and stand up on its own.

Then, I went through scraps to choose coordinating colors. I've turned the edges under and pinned the pieces in place. I'll use three colors of 12-weight Wonderfil Spagetti perle cotton.

I plan to quilt this Boro-style. Even though scraps for Boro are traditionally raw-edged, for durability (machine washing) I turned under the edges, in more of a Kawandi style. I've made a small start.

In between sewing, I'm happily diamond painting. My ocean scene is coming along nicely. The top part is almost done. The shiny part you're seeing at the bottom are pieces of white release paper that protect the sticky, unpainted part of the canvas. While you're working, you really don't want your forearm glommed to the design!  

This is the remaining top corner that needs to be filled with diamond drills.

In this close-up you can see the painted and unpainted parts. 

My first, 6" X 6" diamond painting, is ready to hang. It's painted with painted round drills (versus squares). I glued it to a 6" X 6" canvas and wrapped it with cording. 

I'm enjoying diamond painting very much. It goes especially well with audiobooks! Linda