Thursday, July 21, 2011

Salvage a Selvage



Make a pretty chiffon flower with your fabric scraps to decorate a headband, hairclip, cardigan, or blouse!
Top: Salvaged selvage flower. Bottom: Regular scrap flower.

sal·vage
  [sal-vij]  noun, verb, -vaged, -vag·ing.
–noun
1.
the act of saving  a ship or its cargo from perils of the seas.
2.
the property so saved.
3.
compensation given to those who voluntarily save  a ship orits cargo.

sel·vage
  [sel-vij]  
–noun
1.
the edge of woven fabric finished so as to prevent raveling,often in a narrow tape effect, different from the body of thefabric.
2.
any similar strip or part of surplus material, as at the side of wallpaper.
3.
Also called margin. Philately . the surplus paper or marginaround a sheet of stamps: The number of the plate blockappears in the selvage.

I’m talking about definitions 2 and 1, respectively.

Cut off selvage (about 1.5 inches wide, ¾ yd or so).  Stitch along the edge. Gather. Sew in place. Done! (The second flower is made in a similar fashion from a long sort of weirdly triangular scrap.)
A less beautiful, but more instructive view.

Monday, July 4, 2011

A Patriotic Place Setting

I haven't posted much lately.  I've been on vacation. I tend to blog as a fun, sort of stress relieving activity.  On vacation there is little stress to be relieved, therefore I have neglected my blog.

Today is Independence Day, and I'm very glad to be an American.  Don't tax me without representation. Don't tread on me.  

A table always looks nicer when it is set. So, without further ado, please check out my subtle Salute to America in the form of....ceramic, silver, crystal, and linen.