Ice Pack Covers

Ice pack cover

     A friend wanted some covers for her ice packs for her knees.  She had read that having the covering wet, makes the ice pack colder.  I had some extra hand towels in my stash from when I bought two packs to make napkins for everyone for Breencation in 2023.  

Getting the right size

     Turns out they were just the right size.  This meant I didn't have to cut anything or worry about raw edges.  I folded in the one towel be the right size to hold the ice pack.  I marked for the Velcro placement but before sewing it in place I unfolded the towel.  That allows for there to be a flap over the icepack so it won't fall out even if the Velcro gives way.

Getting the Velcro in place

     I used my large Wonder Clips to hold the Velcro in place on the over flap and some Jewel's Tape to hold it in place on the under flap.  After I sewed the Velcro down, I refolded the flap and then pinned the two towels together and stitched around the edges.  

Finished ice pack cover

     Should be a soft, durable cover for her ice packs.  It would have been fun to maybe embroider something on the towels.

Top Down / Bottom Up Shade

 

Shade in powder room

     Back in October/November of 2020 I took an online class with Workroom Tech to make a TDBU (top down/bottom up) shade.  I wanted to replace the shade in my powder room as the cord was broken.  Because the window is near the neighbor's front door, we needed privacy but I also wanted light.  Thus the desire for a TDBU shade.

Adjusting the stops

     I did get the shade made and mounted on the headrail but I was having trouble setting the stops.  I got frustrated and just put it into the closet.  Finally three years later I decided I needed to just finish it up.  I got the shade working properly but it still needed a valance.

Selvedge for the valance

Lining pinned on

     I had been thinking about several different valances I could do and thought I just need to make a decision.  I was thinking about doing some embroidery or using a pretty floral print or a fancy shape.  In the end when I looked at the fabric I had left over I really thought the selvedge edge with it's fringe would be cool.  But there were holes in the selvedge from the weaving process. 

 

Jewel's Tape to the rescue

     I found some ribbon in my stash that would pick up the wall color that I could apply over the holes but I didn't want stitch marks showing. I used Jewel's Tape to apply it.  Nice and straight and smooth.  Then I cut a piece of blackout lining and sewed the short ends.  Turned it right side out and using more Jewel's Tape I secured it in place and also applied the Velcro to the top.  

Back of the valance

     Then my husband removed the old shade and mounted the new one.  The valance just Velcro'd onto the front of the headrail.  Now I have a pretty functioning shade for my powder room.  

TDBU in the top down position

TDBU in the bottom up position

End of an Era

 

     After teaching sewing for over twenty years and hundreds of students, both kids and adults, I have decided it is time to retire.  I will definitely miss the kids.  It has been 'sew' much fun to see them go from being afraid of the sewing machine to sewing garments for themselves.

     I will spend more time with the grandkids, sew more for myself and do a little sewing for others. I still hope to sew pillows and cushions for others.  I plan on still taking classes and maybe join a quilting group.

     I am headed to San Francisco at the end of the month for the ASG Conference.  Looking forward to learning new things and doing some fabric shopping.

     Here are some photos from the last month of teaching.

Ellie and her coin purse

Emma and her hoodie

Maya and her skirt

Ximena and her pajama top

     Ellie did one last quick project on the last day of camp, a coin purse.  She learned one technique for sewing in a zipper and how to add stops when you cut off the other ones.  Maya finished her skirt.  She did persist in the hand sewing which she didn't enjoy but it looks great.  Emma finished her hoodie with a zipper and in seam pockets.  Ximena didn't quite finish her pajama top, it still needs hems, but like she said it still works to wear to bed.  She did need to add a contrasting band because she didn't have quite enough fabric.

Colton and his journal cover

Maggie and her journal cover

Racine and her jumpsuit

     I did have a one day 'camp' Finish it Up.  Racine was the only one who signed up but my two oldest grandkids decided to come also and make some journal covers.  Racine worked really hard on her project.  It had a lot of pieces to cut, she had to sew bias tape around the pockets and collar, she learned how to sew buttonholes for the tabs that would hold the rolled up sleeves and she sewed on buttons and had to do a zipper.  Whoa, that is a lot for a first project after finishing up the 12 Avery Lane projects.  

     I'm sad but also excited as I head into my next adventure.  I enjoyed my nursing career and my sewing career.  Now on to my retirement/grandkids career.

Double Pleated Turkish Corner Pillow

 

Light tulip centered

     I had seen a pillow Susan Woodcock made and had posted directions on it.  The leftover fabric from the office valance seemed like a good fabric to try this new to me design.

Pattern made

     I made the pattern with pattern paper, following her directions.  Then I cut two squares of the fabric, centering a different tulip for each side.

Cutting the fabric

     I pinned the pattern to the fabric squares that I had placed right sides together.  After cutting the face fabric I pinned it to squares of lining fabric and then serged around the edges.

Serged to the lining

     Then I cut small snips at the marks I needed to make the pleats.

Pleat markings

     Once again following the directions I pinned in the first pleats and then brought those to the center snip.

First pleats pinned

     I stitched across the corners to hold everything in place.  I then made covered cord and sewed it to one of the pieces.

Cord sewn on

     I then placed the two pieces together and sewed around, leaving an opening for turning.  I stuffed in a feather/down pillow form and sewed the opening closed by hand.

 

Corner detail

     I like how it all turned out, I may need to make some more of these.

Dark tulip centered