seeing an oft disliked color differently

there are a lot of superstitions regarding the new year and one in particular comes to mind; what you're doing on the first day of the year is a premonition of the coming 365 days. so i decided to get to work on a new cushion instead of lazing about mindlessly watching the tv and playing games on the computer.

while taking a workshop at my alma mater this last spring i was rummaging about in the scrap bins looking for some lovely bits of discarded fabric when lo and behold i came across two narrow pieces of a fantastic vibrant silk pattern. i looked deeper, but couldn't find anymore.

i've been keeping the two pieces but didn't have anything quite like it in my collection until i bought some liberty tana lawn. one of the prints that caught my eye had similar colors to the silk strips, so yesterday i finally put everything together and created a long narrow cushion mirroring the horizontal patchwork center.

i have to say that this one is a bit of a departure for me, what with the darker hues and use of black. but i rather like the vibrancy of the composition.

others to join the party

i'm running out of all the pretty scraps, but i still managed to make two more pins. yesterday i was making felt for the backs and got some pin mechanisms. so all 6 of the pins are ready to go. one of them is for keeps, the yellow one; it's my 1st and favorite.

i'm not sure if i'll hold onto them for the trunk show or put them up on etsy. if i make many more perhaps i'll do both. i guess that means creating new cushions so i can stockpile scraps.

i like using tulle in each one, it makes them feel light and it adds another dimension. they kind of remind me of little hats one would wear in the past.

to give an idea of their size, here i am holding my favorite:

and the second part

the pin branch of pincushion came about while i was thinking of something to create for the smaller budget. what is more fun then pins? i know i've got quite a few in my jewellery box.

i love funky, bright, cushy pins. and this was an excellent way to use up the bits of fabric that were too small to incorporate into the pincushions but too big to go into the itty bitty fiber scrap bag. (yes, i organize my scraps; thread scrap, yarn scrap, itty bitty 5mm or less fabric scrap, and small fabric scrap)

for these pins i used buttons, sequins, beads, feathers, tulle, and both the small fabric scrap and the itty bitty fabric scrap. it was really fun to be so free. just choose the scrap, sew it onto a puffy pillow form stuffed with bamboo fiber and away you go. a snip here and there for length, but generally working with the shape of the scrap. i think they're really cute! power to upcycling!