Fiber Monday

 

Owie

Something you have to keep in mind if you're going to do anything in the fiber arts is this: pins & needles are sharp, and sometimes they can hurt you.

I stabbed myself in the finger today lol.

Now, usually, this isn't much of a big deal. I would just work through it. And this one wouldn't have been a big deal if I hadn't apparently jabbed right into a nerve on the knuckle of my ring finger. Because it felt like I was stabbing myself every single time the thread passed over the wound. It literally only bled for a second, but the ouch remained for hours. I didn't get the next batch of rounds done on the Secret Project.

I did bind off the ends of the zipper, though!!!

End #1

End #2

The Honkin Huge Needle (owie)

The cannibalized ribbon

So here's how I bound off those ends (which were fraying like mad!):

Step 1: Find yourself a binding material. I used a ribbon off of an Amazon gift bag. Feel free to use any fabric ribbon you have!

Step 2: Snip off two sections, making sure they're long enough and also wide enough! This part can be hard. You can kind of tell that this ribbon was maybe a little thin and the pieces I cut a little too long.

Step 3: Fold in the cut ends so they won't fray! This took some finessing because I cut them long, but basically, you just want to make sure there are no raw (cut) edges. I made sure there was a tiny bit of wiggle room so that I could sew through all 4 layers of ribbon more easily (hopefully you don't stab yourself...)

Step 4: Fold in half over the end of the zipper, making sure the end is fully covered. For me, it was a bit of a squeeze, since the ribbon was so narrow, but if you chose 3/4" or 1" ribbon, it'd probably work better.

Step 5: Sew the ends of the ribbon shut so it sits over the zipper like a little hat. This is where I stabbed myself. You are going through four layers of ribbon and maybe even some zipper band if you're being very adventurous. Your goal is to make sure that those folded ends on the ribbon don't pop out and fray, and also to fully encapsulate either side of the zipper. And yes, it'll basically be a little hat/endcap on the zipper at this point.

Step 6: Sew along the bottom of the ribbon, affixing to the zipper. This was the hardest part, despite it only being two layers of ribbon and one of zipper band. The problem is the zipper itself! It's big and chunky and right in the middle. So I skipped it. Literally, I just stitched up to one side of the zipper teeth and then made one long stitch from one side of the plastic zipper to the other. If I was being even more careful, I'd have made that long stitch several times, but I'm lazy and by then my finger hurt (and I didn't want to bleed on the project!), so one stitch it is. Then I finished stitching along the opposite zipper band and ribbon edge until I reached the end. 

Boom. Endpiece sewn. Fraying abated. Repeat on other end.

Now, if I'd found my thimble, the stabbing wouldn't have happened. I have 3 - an antique steel one for pushing needles through thick material, a newer steel one that doesn't fit anything but my pinky (I can't even find it - it's probably in a box somewhere) and another missing one, this one made of silicone and bright freaking green. It may have ended up in a project bag I lost. I'd use the silicone one as a "catching" thimble to stop needles coming out of fabric so fast lol.

I have also been thinking of making a thimble, but I'd need to find a single or damaged leather work glove for that and also I'm lazy.

Stupid injuries and blather aside, I have another fairly easy sewing project I could do a mini tutorial on, if anyone's interested. If you'd like to see me sew up a draft-dodger/draft-sausage/door-blocker out of old towels, drop a comment either here or on the Tweet I post this on (or my FB if you're friends/family ;) ). Let me know if that's something you'd like to learn how to make!

It's shockingly easy, and if you have actual sewing skills, they might even be a durable, affordable option for blocking cold air in the winter!

That'll about do it for me today.

Go Enjoy Something!

FC