Contain It! English Paper-Pieced Accessories Book Anniversary Blog Hop & Giveaway!!!

When Laura invited me to take part in her blog hop as part of Prairie Sewn Studios' one year anniversary from when their book was first published (Contain It! English Paper-Pieced Accessories), I was thrilled because I am such a container freak. I love making and using bags of all kinds, and coiled fabric bowls, and knit bags too, so making more containers was right up my alley.

When the book first arrived, I looked through it and thought that this was a really nice looking book. The photography and the diagrams were very well done. Then I sat down and actually started reading the book to get a good understanding how to make a container. I like how the book is organized from the simplest project first and then each project in the book gets progressively more difficult. Even though I fell in love with the look of the convex shaped vase, I knew I should start simple and make something flat first as suggested in the book. The flat projects get you used to the concept of how to wrap the fabric and press it to the heavy interfacing with strips of fusible material, such as Steam a Seam fusible tape or Stitch Witchery. It also is good to start flat so you know how to sew the pieces together flat before moving onto the 3-D shapes. So I did start simple and I made a coaster out of a hexagon shape. Then I moved on to make a flat pentagon star shape and finally made 3 different 3-D containers.

There is a lot of information packed into this book. I was impressed with the quality of the book and the fact that this is something unique and not just another book about how to make a log cabin quilt for instance. You won't find other books like this one out there! The instructions are excellent too!!! So many possibilities. The items I made from the book I made entirely by hand. I will definitely be creating more containers from this fantastic book in the future! In fact, I am working on more as I write this post and will share them later this month. This post is already long enough, lol!!!

Okay, now let me show you what I created using the instructions from this book:

Hexagon Coaster.

This is the other side of the hexagon coaster.

I fussy cut these 5 fabric pieces so they are all alike. I wanted a Stack 'n Whack affect. (That's another book and technique). It gives it a kaleidoscope affect. The fabric is actually a knit jersey fabric. I fused a lightweight interfacing to the wrong side of the jersey fabric first and then followed the instructions for making the rest of this star. Later I added a purple flower button to the center of this star, as you can see in the next photos:

I used this yellow fabric with tulips for the back of the star.

Here is the first 3-D shape I made using the square shape. 

I must admit something. I made a goof. I cut the interfacing with angled corners by mistake. I was supposed to cut the fabric at an angle on the corners for easier folding and pressing onto the interfacing, but I goofed and cut the interfacing instead of the fabric, LOL!!!

So to deal with my mistake I pinched the corners and sewed buttons on each side of the corners to keep the corners pinched in place at the top. And I sewed it pinched in at the bottom corners. It worked and if I hadn't mentioned it you would never know this was a goof, LOL!!!

Laura wrote at the beginning of the book, as she was talking with her mother, "I have an idea..." Like Laura, I am always thinking and coming up with ideas about how to do things and what if I did this or that. Since I make a lot of bags, I use various stabilizers and so I had a "what if idea" moment. I decided I would use fusible In-R-Foam (similar to Soft and Stable, only In-R-Foam comes fusible or not) instead of Peltex (or Timtex) interfacing. The In-R-Foam worked beautifully for this Convex Vase. It was easy to work with. Plus since it was fusible I didn't need to use the Steam a Seam fusible tape or Stitch Witchery to fuse the fabric onto the back side of the interfacing. 

This is the Convex Vase with a Hexagon Base. I chose a batik fabric for the outside and a hand dyed fabric for the inside.

Looking inside the vase.

If you want to put fresh flowers in the vase, you need to place a glass or plastic vase into the fabric vase. But since I am going to place some fake flowers inside, I placed a floral foam block inside the vase.

Then I put some glass marbles (both flat and round) in the vase so that it weighs the vase down a bit.

I trimmed down the height of the fake flowers so they would look better and stuck them into the foam block.

They now sit on a small table with a crochet doily underneath.

Next I made a Scalloped Bowl with a Pentagon Base. I used Peltex interfacing in this one. But I did try something else that was different and that was to use a glue stick and a wooden iron or bone folder to stick the fabric to the back of the interfacing. It worked really well and no burnt fingers from using an iron, LOL!!! The glue did feel a bit stiff in some areas that I may have added a bit too much. There are other glues that might work better like an applique glue. I might give that a try too on the next container I make.

Inside the bowl.

You can put all kind of things inside this bowl like candy, or sewing notions. I put some marbles in the bowl just so you can see what it would look like with something in the bowl.

Thank you Laura and Linda for writing such a fabulous book!!! I had a wonderful time creating several things from this book and I know I will be making many more too. To Laura & Linda: is there any chance that you will sell some companion plastic or acrylic templates to accompany this book? I would love to have accurate templates for making my favorite containers. It's an idea right? Another way to promote your book or if you are planning a second book with new shapes, you could include plastic templates or offer templates separately? 

Below is the Blog Hop Schedule:

Blog Hop

April 13~Daryl Perry of  Patchouli Moon Studio (That's me!)

April 14~Debbie Voigt of Strawberry Patch Quilt Works

April 15~Christa Watson of Christa Quilts

April 16~Andrea Taddicken of Knitty Bitties Sews

April 17~Terri Schurter of Hexy Lady

April 18~Ren Murphy of The Inspired Wren

Now onto the giveaway part. Laura has offered to send the winner of the giveaway a copy of her and her mother's fabulous book, Contain It! English Paper-Pieced Accessories.

Due to postage costs this giveaway is limited to residents of USA and Canada only. Please leave a comment to be entered in the giveaway. If you are a no-reply leave your email in the comment. Not sure if you are a no-reply? Leave your email just in case. I will reply to your comment and let you know if you are a no-reply if you leave your email, otherwise you won't hear back from me since I won't be able to contact you without an email address. I will pass along the winner's info to Laura so she can send you the book. Good luck everyone! I will choose a winner on April 24, 2015.
Be sure to visit all the other blog participants too for more chances to win this book.


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