Completing my sample book.
The previous post on the start of my sample folder is here:
https://feltingandfiberstudio.com/wp-admin/post.php?post=60081&action=edit&classic-editor
For the pages of my folder, I have used some more pieces of the linen sheet that I had discovered in a charity shop. The pages I have made are double sided, so I have eight pages in total, along with the front and back inside covers.
I stitched some more pieces of fabric, and the fabric elephant shapes to the pages. The fabric pieces are hexagon shapes from a previous project some years ago.
I have also used 2 fabric placemats, and I stitched these to 2 of my linen pages. These are not really practicable for use as placemats, but they are very decorative items. They had been gifted to me by a family member following their visit to Japan some years ago. So I have more of them for other uses – I wonder if I could use a couple for nuno felt? An experiment for next time perhaps.
The linen sheet is really interesting.
There is a line of fine mending on the linen that is not immediately noticeable, but on closer inspection it is more visible. See below photos. The repair to the linen is lovely and gives further life to this fabric. It can be imagined that it’s life was not part of a ‘throwaway’ culture that is often talked about today. The cloth can still be used as bed linen or to make clothing, and now, many years later it remains useful to me. I think this repair shows how skilled women and girls were at mending and needlework. Fabric may not have been as plentiful or affordable perhaps, world conflicts will have impacted many people, and make do and mend became the norm.
I have placed some of my flat felt sample pieces in my folder.
The pages are attached along the centre of the folder using a few stitches with embroidery floss and tied to secure.
I am really pleased that I have a place to keep these little pieces, and that I will know where they are in future rather than rummaging around in various drawers/boxes. I may add more pages in due course.
18 thoughts on “Completing my sample book.”
Such a good idea Marie, useful and attractive.
Here’s the link for your Fabric Folder post that WordPress wouldn’t let us into on the one above. https://feltingandfiberstudio.com/2023/10/10/fabric-folder/
Ann
Thank you Ann, and for fixing the correct link too. I am grateful.
The linen is a lovely backdrop for your folder pages and a great way to store precious bits of work. And it’s expandable so you’ll never run out of space 🙂
Make-do-and-mend was the norm when I was growing up and I’m pleased to see that it has been revived by embroiderers using colourful stitching to mend holes in clothing.
Thank you so much for your kind comments Lyn.
That is some fine needlework! Beautifully done!!
Thank you.
Great idea for storing samples Marie. It’s nice to be able to find your samples all in one place.
Thanks Ruth.
Marie, I went back to your last article, and fell in love with your folder. It’s absolute perfection! What lovely pieces you have, to showcase as well. And, what an amazing idea, to think of doing something like this. Pure innovation!
Hopefully you won’t mind me (secretly) doing something similar, with my own creations. Mine, may have to be an embellished suitcase 🧳 though. 🤔 (Hmmm, that’s an interesting idea!)
Thank you Capi. I look forward to your interpretation too, and these little suitcases are a great idea!
This is a lovely way to store your samples and any precious little pieces. Nice to see the elephant made it into the book!
Thank you Karen. I am really happy with it.
A lovely book . I especially like the elephants. A great idea to save precious bits. I wish my needle work was as fine as that mend. Linen is amazing stuff and so tough. My cotton sheets seem to give out all over all at once.
Thank you Ann for your kind words. I agree that bed ‘linen’ does not have the same quality or longevity, as in years gone by.
I do like the elephants too.
What a beautiful way to store your samples….not only being able to see your work but also the work of previous needlewomen….a real collective.
I hope the ‘make do and mend’ ethos comes back for so many social and environmental reasons. But sadly, for cloth, the needle skills that we so value and treasure are no longer seen as ‘exciting’ enough to be taught here in our schools 😢
Thank you Antje, I did enjoy making it, and the linen sheet had a real nostalgic feel to it.
There’s so much history to your sampler Marie. The mend on the linen is quite humbling in ways, sad too when one thinks that these skills are possibly now confined to the upper echelons of haute couture seamstresses.
I love that you are adding your beautiful work to this history and in turn creating your own historical pieces.
Thank you so much Helene. It is strange to see that clothing designers eg ‘Toast’, and others now offer repairs to their already very expensive clothing; I think too that some offer classes showing how to repair. Schools are definitely missing a trick when they stopped Home Ec back in the day.