Directions for making a pin keep

If vacuuming doesn't help, have you tried reversing the machine and blowing air through it from back to front? A high-powered hair dryer would do the same. Then follow with the vacuum. Otherwise, there is the good old method of beating it.

Oh dear! She probably thought you were fishing for a compliment on your stitching.

I can completely understand that. We've been in the construction zone for most of this year. With really good air filters. The house still gets dusty - but it's better than the old house with the more leaky windows. I end up wandering around with microfiber cloths all the time. And, yes, we have an all glass except the frame largish curio for the sitting room - so that all the pretties (mostly it's art glass, crystal, and some of my pretties) can be protected from dirt and Puckster. I keep most stuff in cupboards - never been happy with dishes out in open cabinets. I feel for you with your dusty cat. When I'm framing stuff it's always a debate - glass or no glass - bbecause of the dust. But, I do use the Dyson on all the pillows, etc - sometimes with the old pantyhose on nozzle trick.

That's pretty funny. I'm sure it's gorgeous. And, well, you do stitch a lot. All I've found recnetly was a little piece I did for one of the SILs, finished the stitching, put on the little buttons, and bought some fabric to make it a little pillow - totally forgotten. Unpacking one of the tubs from the garage - there it was. Wow - it had been sitting in a drawer for about

5 years! Silly me - but I'm sure they won't care. Didn't you have a tea cozy that you'd done on your website back a while ago? I remember thinking it was beautiful. My poor tea cozy is in much need of replacing - the one I use. But I can't decide what to do - stitch something, quilt something, just throw some fabric and batting together or what - so I procrastinate. DH "accidently" caught the side of the cozy in the flame from the stove. My cozy looks like a tiger stripped cat - a friend in England gave it to me, and I've had it about 18 years - so this made me sad. OTOH, it's done its duty.

ellice

ellice wrote: > Hmmm, I can put you on

I just relocated an old favorite baby sweater pattern when I was looking for something to make for a friend's coming grandchild. Succinctly, first you knit a long striped rectangle. Then you turn it on its side, and pick up stitches for the yoke along the long edge.

The hat is done the same way.

Interesting. I got a really nice pattern that's done without seams from the shop. An old - from the 50s pattern - ends up with a lovely openwork bottom and yoke - you knit trom the bottom, then split it into 5 sections, knit the left front, then an arm, then the back, then an arm, then the right and finally just have to seam the arms. The original pattern maker, or who supplied the pattern to shops, etc did so with the intent that you also make the sweater for charity. It was I think anly 2 skeins of yarn, and done on pretty big needles - 10s - but worked fast and is really pretty. If you're interested I'll look for the directions - I know I have them to do again. I'm sure I did the sweater in about 2 weeks. It's pretty much in a 1 yr kind of size - more or less.

ellice

I've had two. One ended up an EGA course, the other got wiped out in a hard drive crash.

That's where I'm at. I need to make another every day one. My old cosy pattern is too large for my new pot. I'm just not in the mood to fiddle with a pattern. I just keep using the old one. Looks pretty ratty. I'm sorry to hear you lost yours to flames. These gifts can mean so much to us.

Dianne

Lovely, but how do I construct them!

Cheryl

After about age 5 you can start leaving the stitching around. Before that, just put it away. I've been stitching along and he's 14 and she's 8.

Cheryl

I'd cut two circles of cloth, two smaller cicles of batting and a cicle of corrugated cardboard the same size as the batting. Sew the cloth circles (right sides together) half way around, stuff them with a batting/cardboard sandwich and finish up by hand. No guarantees, but that's how I'd approach it.

Elizabeth

Making a pin keep is very easy......stitch up something ornament sized

- round is usually the best shape. You can back it with a little batting if you want to and mount it on a piece of cardboard. Cover another piece of cardboard the same size and shape with some coordinating fabric. Sandwich a piece of quilt batting between the 2 covered cardboards and glue them all together. Cover the exposed edges with some cording or ribbon. After the glue has dried, stick pins into the corded edges, all around the ornament. WALA - pinkeep!

Anne :)

There are 2 of the circular keeps in past JCS ornament issues, one pictured on page 26 of the 2002 issue and one on page 25 of the 2005 issue. One says to follow included instructions for an ornament, the other follow instructions for an ornament pillow, and then insert pins at even intervals around the edges. I'm still looking for the cube.....

Carolyn

Cheryl Isaak wrote:

Found it! The Christmas pin cube is in the JCS December 2004 issue. The description says pin cubes were quite common at the turn of the century for advertising but were made out of cardboard. This particular cube is modeled after one of those vintage boxes, substituting the Christmas design for the advertising.

Carolyn

ellice wrote:

Those plastic canvas rounds are easier than trying to cut out a nice circle in cardboard.

Dianne

Ah, but I have a secret weapon: the cutting system from my scrapbooking equipment makes a very nice round cut that can then be followed with scissors.

Elizabeth

We usually put foamcore in the center, rather than cardboard. The foam core takes the pins sticking into it better. Just wrap the foamcore with batting, I usually lace the decorated front over the back,then you can either cover another disc or just glue a piece of backing fabric over the laced side. Do the ribbon around the perimeter - and stick pins in. The foamcore is easy to pin in and out of.

ellice

Can I place an order?

Cheryl

Giggling madly! (what can I say - 3 rinks yesterday, 2 today)

I would love to make a useable etui and have a gorgeous one just sitting there to be admired!

Cheryl

Wel,, hey, if , and I say IF, I come up to celebration or some such - we could do an etui class. As for practical ones - I think Tanya Berlin sells a kit with the box, fabric on her site. I keep thinking of buying one. We sold some nice ones in various sizes at the shop - gave one to the mean SIL that stitches. Plus, I think that either one of the stitching mags, or maybe Threads, had an article a while back on making an etui. I have plenty of fabric stash - hmmm, maybe this is an easy project.

Take a look at the Tanya Berlin ones - if you're interested.

ellice