Oh, this is too much fun! I make pouches for small bits of sewing gear out of pieces as small as 2" x 4". Also, pincushions and needlebooks -- wool is very kind to the steel, so I stuff with wool or use wool felt if I don't have scrap flannel for the pages. I've started lining and fitting boxes with pretty velvet and brocade scraps, and then once they're fitted out, of course THEY need a little drawstring bag to protect them.
Er, I also make drawstring bags for my modern stuff, like the GPS and the iPod. Helps to disguise them if they should stray into a re-enacting event, too. Bigger pieces make lovely drawstring workbags. It is great to have multiple workbags, so I can have one for each unfinished project. Fancier pouches are nice, too, and a nice way to show off really lovely scraps. Hats. Doll clothes. I am planning to make mitts from an old silk half-slip and from some linen off-cuts. This requires enough fabric to cut the mitts on the bias, and these mitts are 18th C (I don't know if they were worn in other periods.) Pieced, sewn hose. Gussets. Aprons. At least in 18th C there's a rumor of wool aprons, which would indeed be great for hearth-cooking. A number of my linen aprons are pieced from off-cuts. Since I do 18th C, anything a yard square or bigger can be hemmed for a neck-handkerchief. A lot of my linen scraps end up being employed as bands and ties and things to try to restrain my hair under caps and wigs (it's growing out but still needs some help.) I keep meaning to make some coifs for this purpose; I wear a nice big linen headrail when I'm medieval, but it's nice to have something tied down underneath to pin it to. Napkins, cozies, towels, coasters, hot-grabbers (period and otherwise.) Did I mention drawstring bags? I make scraps in drawstring bags for tableware, too. Basket-covers. Nearly every woman I know who does any kind of historical playing uses a basket to stand in for a handbag; at minimum it's nice to have a piece of fabric to throw over the contents. I keep meaning to make some bags fitted to the interior of the basket so I can easily shift contents. OK. Back to work... Lauren -------------- Original message -------------- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > I've been cleaning/reorganizing my sewing area, and have found myself > wondering just how small a piece of fabric is useful. I have a bunch > of high-quality upholstry reminants and samples. I have tons of linen > off-cuts (actually, fewer since I gave all the tiny bits to a > paper-making friend), since everything I make these days seems to be > flatlined. I have a good amount of wool in odd sizes, thanks to many > trips to the local Pendleton outlet. I have no idea what to do with > it all. > > I'm curious how other people on this list use smaller pieces of > fabric. I'll admit it, I'm looking to steal ideas. Since most of the > fabrics are brocades and damasks, I have a strongly 16th Century > inclination. I'd love to see uses in other periods for other fabrics. > > Here's my breakdown, in descending order of fabric size: > > Doublet, for myself or my husband > Jerken (sleeveless doublet; brocade)/liripipe (wool) > Sleeves (used where contrasting sleeves are appropriate) > Coif/caul > flatlining for pickadills (linen only) > > I could probably insert tall hat between sleeves and caul, though I > haven't made enough of them to say that I do it often. > > Curious what others do, > Emma > > _______________________________________________ > h-costume mailing list > [email protected] > http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume _______________________________________________ h-costume mailing list [email protected] http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume
