Sashiko Fabric Box

Here's a little something I made as part of a gift, a fabric covered box with sashiko (Japanese embroidery) bellflower accent.

I didn't take step-by-step photos but maybe these few will inspire you to make your own!

 

The purple and flower are representative of September. An excellent month if I do say so myself.

I traced the box that was going to be wrapped onto the wrong side of the grey fabric, outside of box against wrong side of fabric. Before cutting it out I hand embroidered the bellflower and added a 1/2 seam allowance. Then flipped the box so the inside was against the wrong side of the lining purple fabric, again adding 1/2 seam allowance all around.

Using Modge Podge in sections on the outside of the box, I glued the outer fabric to the box. The longest part of my creation here is the snipping of all those corners and the then carefully gluing down the flaps. I made sure to dab all inner corners with fabric glue to keep them from fraying out. Especially on the lid!
On the lining, corners were snipped, flaps pressed down and glued in place.

There are two little flaps that go under the lid which you'll see later. I cut them off because it just made it easier to wrap the box. I covered them separately, leaving the bottom (where they were cut off from the box) seam allowance hanging down and glued together. I then added them back, sandwiching that bottom seam allowance of the flaps between the box layers.

I placed and, in the case of the front ribbon, hand stitched the ribbons and reattached the side flaps before gluing the lining in place.

Binder clips came in really handy through this whole project as you can see from the above pics. They hold those corners and seams good and tight while drying, which is a must with all those layers bulking things up.

Here is a finished front view with the lid up.

 

This is all inspired by, and for, my Japanese grandmother if you couldn't tell. I filled the box with 2 dozen homemade cookies she likes (plastic wrapped!), a maneki neko, a bookmark, and origami. ♥

Feel free to ask any questions about the making of the box!
xx ~Static

Create 365 - Day 119 to 129

Where have I been? In a land far, far away. No, not really. I had a job interview and guests which combined to throw me off my (creative) game for a hot minute. But, I'm back on track and I have a stack of pretties to prove it!

There are nine reversible headbands on the left and two fabric origami on the right. I have three new fabric combos for the headbands but you're just going to have to wait for the individual pics to see them. The rest are remakes of sold out combos, and just as spooky cute, of course.

As for the fabric origami, they are folded just as if it were paper. No stitches! I love how they turned out.

Well, it's finally time for some shut eye. I need my rest since I've got a cheesecake to bake tomorrow and I might possibly be seeing Star Trek at the IMAX (squee!).

xx ~Static

Create 365 - Day 63

At the time of the pic, two chairs have been recovered in stripey goodness and I drafted a quick pattern (under the scissors) to make matching tiebacks for my lovely but boring black curtains. The leftover strip of fabric, after cutting the pieces for the seats, was just shouting to be used. Why not coordinate?

The only problem is I want vertical stripes and the left over isn't quite long enough in the correct direction for that but... a seam at the center fold might go unnoticed if I do it right at the edges of the stripes. Yes, I think that is the plan for tomorrow. Finish the chairs and then make those tiebacks happen.

xx ~Static

Why am I up so early?

The answer is the cats are out to get me. No, really, they are! *Looks around nervously* Whew, they're sleeping. For now.

Since I'm awake I thought I'd show you a couple things from my perspective. First thing in the morning...

That cup is full of delicious manna (coffee). Notice how nothing can be focused on until that nectar of the gods has been consumed? Powerful stuff. The tilt of the photo is due to my face being strongly attracted to the table top. The attractions wears off after awhile so no cause for alarm.

After a few sips of manna I was able to take a few more snaps. Here's the amazingly bright turquoise fabric I mentioned on FB along with some combos I'm probably going to go with for headbands (top matching to bottom).

You like?

And, last but not least, a pulled back view of what my kitchen table looks like when no one can hear me scream...

See that? Poor Hobbes won't even look.

Well, I'm off for more manna and then hopefully I'll work on my Tiger Buddy there for a bit -- I can only work on him a little at time for fear of hand cramps-- and then stitch up those headbands as a breather from His Stripeyness.

xx ~Static