Wednesday, December 09, 2009

Recycling the Bits and Pieces

In the past whenever I finished a sewing project I tossed all the tiny snippets into the trash and bundled the big pieces for possible use in another project but now I find myself saving all the snippets to recyle into the building of journal pages and collages. I spent most of the day sewing some Christmas Eve gifts for my family and I'm really proud of what I accomplished but since some of the recepients may read this I can't tell you what I made.. just that each one of pretty wonderful, if I do say so myself. At least you can see a few of the remains of the day and how I used them on this page. It's 8.5 x 11 inches, done on heavy kraft paper that had a former life as a protective surface on my big work table. This is the paper I clean my brushes on, where I practice mark-making, and after a few months it takes on the character of lovingly worn jeans. I couldn't throw it away so I cut it into pages on which I intend to record my days in some way or another. When I have a big stack of finished pages I'll bind it somehow, either into a 3-ring binder or with a big fat coil.

7 comments:

  1. Glad you saved the remnants!! This is wonderful, especially like the brown and floral fabric. You are beginning "remains of the day" without the class starting yet! :)

    Oh, and after Christmas you must post what you made.

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  2. First off Jo, I love hand made gifts - your family is very lucky. I hope they know that! And then I must say you are such a great journal keeper. I know how beautiful they are. I still should get that tool to install coils - so much less fuss and than other bindings. I like that they will lay flat.

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  3. Oh my this is way wonderful and cool! I can't WAIT to see the finishe peice! I just wish we could turn the pages and touch them! They looks so cool & tacktly(is that a word???)!

    Enjoy!

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  4. This is so very cool Jo!! I'm sure your recipients will be thrilled!!

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  5. I'll be sure to show you all what I made for my lovies after they see them first. This journal page is a big hint but you'd never figure it out from looking at this.
    Leslie, the coil hole punch is a great tool but perhaps too expensive unless one can amortize it over a long time and make lots of journals like I do. I'm liking the idea of 3 holes, heavy covers made from old books or binders board, and some of the colored rings found in scrapbook stores these days.
    Brian, I think the word is tactile, and yes this page really is that with the paper, fabric, card and sewing thread.

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  6. It's fun to see what you do with your scaps of fabric.

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I appreciate comments and questions.