Hi Readers!  It is that time again; i.e., it’s time to cleanse the sewing palate, so to speak.  By that, I mean that after sewing clothing continuously, it’s refreshing to make a quick, cute item. It just puts an extra spring in my step to change the sewing lanes for a little while. 

Enter the fabric bowl. These books have been sitting on my bookshelf for years, and I made just one project featured therein.  Shame. So here is my fabric bowl, which I love — it’s just asking you to put car keys, wallet and a mask in it, isn’t it? 

While I will not violate the author/designer’s copyright by divulging the book contents, I will add some tips here should you want to make a fabric bowl.

= Prep with a full thread spool and full bobbin, and be prepared for much satin stitching. Be prepared to go over the satin stitching if it looks sad, as I did on the outer perimeter.

Needle size – is an anomaly — with the thick layer of Peltex or Timtex (the recommended stiff, interfacing) the expected needle size would be a large (thick) needle. But no, the book recommends a small (thin) needle; the reason given is that the smaller needle will make smaller holes. I totally get it — with so much sating stitching means a lot of needle pokes in the Peltex (or Timtex) and fabric. That situation is to be avoided. 

Well, I’ll share a tip from the author anyway. To keep the outer satin stitching neat looking, hold a cording at the outer edge to be enclosed at the outer edge of the sating stitch. This gives it a crisp look; I used perle cotton that was languishing in my thread stash. Worked well!

Not that the bowl is meant to be an heirloom item — if it messes up, throw it away and start another one. Or, if the error is on the bowl edge, cut it back all around and start finishing the edge again – a lower pitch to the bowl, but it beats other corrective options. 

Here’s a bonus share!   If you use Instagram or Twitter, be sure to follow @KateStrasdin.  She is a fashion historian from England, and her posts are a delight to behold.  I am sharing this 1860s “pumpkin” dress from her recent post, the dress being from the KSU Museum. When I looked closely — what seemsed like a lace drape, is actually embroidered on; like trompe l’eoil. 

Have a great week, friends! Until next time…

Samina