Unframed Embroidery

Isn't it fun to finish those projects that somehow never were completed when they were first started?   
I was excited to finish 3 embroidery projects at my house this week!   

After an embroidery is completed, the next question is how to frame and hang it.   The three options I considered were:

 framing, hooping or using bias tape.

1. Framing: Okay, so I already have lots of framed pictures around the house and didn't feel like spending money on more.   Plus, that hard and defined look is not what I was going for.    

FRAMING

2. Hooping:  Hooping is popular right now and can be very cute.   My three projects were the wrong shape, though. 

  3.  Bias  Tape:  This seemed like the right answer.  Bias tape is inexpensive and can be purchased in all kinds of colors and patterns.  It is a narrow strip of fabric that is cut at a 45 degree angle from the selvage edge of the fabric.  It has been folded into the center, so there are no raw edges to deal with.   It is very easy to make your own bias tape.    

  Here is an excellent tutorial with pictures and instructions on how to make your own. 

Below are pictures of my 3 finished embroidery projects, framed with bias tape.  It was easy and fast to attach the tape. The tape was attached to the front with my sewing machine and then simply blind stitched on the backside. 

It gave me a result with a softer look, than either the frame or hoop would have given me.  

Coats and Coverings

I was surprised to learn from my favorite blogger Flossie Teacakes, that a majority of people really don't care if most things around the house have a label slapped on it.    I am one of those odd people that notices things like that.  I will be happily washing my hands and my eyes will inadvertently wander to the DIAL label on the plastic soap bottle.    I want to stash the little bottle under the sink so I don't have to stare at it!

Not only that, sometimes you have to live with a color that you would never choose.  Purple, orange  and yellow are not colors that I have ever decorated with.   Yet those are the colors that seem to crop up on tissue boxes and even vacuum cleaners.  

I love the look of glass jars filled with rice, flour or even laundry detergent.  It brings me genuine pleasure to pour honey or maple syrup into a shiny glider bottle.  Some things are easy to decant but others are easier, just to cover.  
 So next, enters the lure of the donning of coats on various items.   Tumblers are an easy fit.  The fussy cutting is fun and a little quilting makes them sort of puffy. These below are 1 inch tumbler paper pieces sewn into strips.  Four strips cover a tissue box rather nicely.

   Watch out though, because donning coats on things can get pretty addictive!   There is the added portability benefit of grabbing this project for a trip in the car, too.   Friends seem to like them for presents - so it's all good.   For now, I will keep my needle, thread and tumbler handy and ready to grab and go.

What to Put Inside?

Do you ever start sewing but have no idea what you are going to do with it?

Then I got an idea and found a helpful tutorial Thank you, Craft Couture!

I found the purse clasp at Michaels for $2.99!  

And looked through my scraps and cut out this linen piece, for the other side.  

Now, what to put inside??