Influencing Your Style

Have you seen those French inspired linens that have written words as a motif? I really like that style and decided to use it in my latest project...new place mats for Shabbat. I designed the place mats using fabric scraps left over from other projects. The word Shabbat was first planned out and written on drawing paper. This was taped to the desk and the scrap of fabric was placed over it and also taped down to the desk. The word could be seen through the fabric and I proceeded to trace it using a #2 calligraphy tip and acrylic ink. I tested several colors of ink and decided to use black.

I added other sections of fabric and finished them off.

I had just enough fabric of each color to make two place mats. Since it's just my husband and me, two place mats are just perfect.

The word I chose to use for my place mats may not be in French but it does give a sense of the style I'm trying to achieve. I'm hoping that my readers will be inspired to take the style they like and make it their own.

As an after thought for non-sewers or those who don't want to, consider using ready made place mats and write your thoughts and/or designs on those using fabric markers. And add words to pretty napkins to match.

What About Tzitzit?

Num 15:38 Speak to the children of Israel, and bid them that they make them fringes in the borders of their garments throughout their generations, and that they put on the fringe of the borders a ribbon of blue:

 Num 15:39 And it shall be to you for a fringe, that you may look on it, and remember all the commandments of the LORD, and do them; and that you seek not after your own heart and your own eyes, after which you use to go a whoring:

Num 15:40 That you may remember, and do all my commandments, and be holy to your God.

Num 15:41 I am the LORD your God, which brought you out of the land of Egypt, to be your God: I am the LORD your God.

These are tzitzit I made for my own prayer shawl. There are many instructions on the internet to make your own tzitzit. Here are a few links:
http://torahteachers.com/how-to-tie-tzitzits/
http://www.ajudaica.com/guide_tzitzit.php
http://www.aish.com/jl/m/mm/Tzitzit.html

An instructional video on YouTube:
  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fGCpZk_zw-c&feature=share&list=TLyGLhGfY1o68

A Necessary Item...

...or how to keep from loosing your needles in the pincushion.

Along with fabric I ordered on the internet earlier this year came some delightful fabric samples measuring about six square inches. After pondering what to do with them I decided to use them in a needle case.

It doesn't show up but the stars are outlined in guilted gold.

First I matched up the pattern and seamed the two pieces together. Then I sewed the patterned fabric, lining and interfacing together and topstitched it.

You can faintly see the seam near the middle.

Two pieces of felt were cut to fit inside the case and attached by sewing down the middle.

A button and loop was added for the finish.

Now to gather up all my needles and place them in my new needle case.

A New Tallit Bag

I've been contemplating making a new  pouch for my prayer shawl. Another blogger that I have followed makes tallits, tallit bags, challah covers, etc. and decorates them with Hebrew calligraphy. I find them delightful and decided that I would attempt the task for this week's post.

When my sweetie and I were married more than 43 years ago, I wore a blue velvet party dress. I still had that dress tucked away in a drawer.

Our wedding photo. Me wearing the blue velvet party dress.

Out came the dress and I set about steaming or trying to steam the wrinkles out of it. Then I proceeded to cut out sections for my bag. The dress also had a lining which I used to line my bag with.  A zipper was installed and I further thought on how I wanted to decorate the bag before I finished sewing it together.

I had a length of  bridal satin that I had been given many years ago that served as background for the script I wanted to use. I confess that I used a Hebrew letter stencil for my script instead of doing my own. The process I used started with stenciling my words on copy paper and filling it the letters with magic markers. Then I taped that paper to my desk and overlaid it with a piece of waxed paper. Over that I placed my satin and taped it down. Using acrylic paints, specifically Luminere by Jaquard and Pearlescent liquid acrylic, I outlined each letter and filled it in with my base paint (blue) and outlined each with silver.

Close up of letters. Blue outlined in silver.

After attaching the satin to the front of the bag with Heat and Bond, I sewed a border of glitzy ribbon around the border. Next I assembled the bag and added the lining.

Barukh attah Adonai Eloheinu melekh ha-olam. Blessed are you, Lord our God, King of the universe.

I love that fact that this was made from a dress that was so important to me. Now it's truly a treasure to be handed down in our family some day.

Last Thursday's Project

I finally completed the project slated for last Thursday. It was one of those overwhelming weeks. But now hopefully I'm back on track!

I designed the following as I went. Some changes took place as I worked on it from what I had originally had in mind. Back I went to my old standby cross stitch for this project. It's a simple design, very straight forward. Look closely and you'll see that I outlined 'Shema' in shiny gold thread. And notice that I stitched each line in a different color. I think it adds interest to the piece.

I took a picture of it before it was framed because the glass in the frame tends to glare when it's photographed. I'll be adding the framed piece to a wall arrangement that I'll share in a future post.  And I might even get another project done for Thursday to share with you.