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Monday, October 3, 2016

Scissor keeps

As I finished my 3 beaded scissor fobs I chose a pair of scissors to go with each. I had, I discovered, at least 7 pair of embroidery scissors without fobs - and more importantly, without cases or keeps. The scissors with new beaded fobs needed, I thought, a case to go with the fob. For Anastasia i made a case out of the Italian felted wool coat left-over fabric.





For the black fob I chose a scrap of black silk from which I had once, I think, had a dress. For the purple Anastasia I chose a piece of cotton Bali ikat from which I still have a smocked dress.















That would, you might think, be enough to keep me going.  I was, however, by now well and truly on a mission, spurred on by the thrill of using up scraps of treasured fabric.


In the hunt for further suitable fabric I came across a set of embroidered linen serviettes I bought in 1972 in Chiang Mai, Thailand. We had used them throughout the 70s and 80s before wear and stains pensioned them off - but I couldn't bear to dispose of the meticulous, tiny cross-stitched embroidery.


So here was my chance. I cut the embroidered sections out and made them into both a scissor fob and a scissor keep.


I searched through the pieces of fabric I had overdyed in the Futonji class. I don't think I will ever put these to their intended use, so one piece fell to the scissor mission.


This lovely piece of shot silk is from a sari I bought in India in the 70s and had made into trousers and top for my daughter's wedding.
 It now houses my purple scissors



















This Paisley scissor keep with the crocheted edge I made earlier this year as an off-shoot of my teabag holder project, was enhanced by a fob with a crocheted star.

I experimented with the stiffening agent - in some using the plastic from milk cartons, as we did for those we made in Back to Basics, in others I used a variety of interfacing - from quite stiff, to felt, to much  lighter. All were successful in their own way. All the fobs were weighted with coins, some of them old, some contemporary Australian and some foreign. I do hope none of them were valuable - or if they were, that some future embroiderer one day takes them apart and benefits!

So now I have fobs and keeps for most of my embroidery scissors. I didn't expect to end up here when I decided to try Japanese beading!

4 comments:

Monica said...

Gosh, they are all so great, Jillian. I love the coordinating fabrics you were able to find in your stash. And the fact that some are old treasures is even better! They are really lovely. I am not surprised at all that you decided to run with this. Great job!

margaret said...

love cob=vers you have made and your scissors now have protection, what a good idea like you I have fobs on mine but no pouches. Good to see you used the old seviettes too excellent recycling there

Jillian said...

Thanks Monica. It feels really satisfying both to use the old and have the new!

Jillian said...

One day, Margaret, when you get the urge, it might give you a buzz to do the same. I'm really happy to have done it.