Summer Sewing
Summer Book Cover Technically summer starts here in the northern hemisphere on June 22nd with the Summer Solstice, but I am from New Jersey and summer here revolves around beach season, which runs from Memorial Day Weekend to Labor Day Weekend, so as far as I am concerned summer is only a couple of weeks away. This for me is the time of year that I really enjoy piecing tops, making bags and working on other sewing projects. With the heat and humidity I am just not thinking about wrapping up in a nice warm quilt,and I want projects that I can use immediately. But you can only make so many quilt tops (okay, so really you can make an almost unlimited number, and I should know, my WIP list is huge, but wouldn’t it be nice to get a few more finished projects in there?) So what do you work on instead?
In some cases you keep working on the same projects, you just make them work for summer. One of my favorite things to do is take a larger quilt top that would be the perfect size for a picnic blanket and use a canvas or duck cloth for the backing. That extra strength layer on the back really does make it an ideal picnicking quilt. And this is a project that isn’t limited to going down the shore; it could be used for a day at the park, a family hike, or even just a backyard adventure.
Another one of my favorite projects is to make large tote bags, or beach bags. Having struggled for years to find a bag that had pockets for everything (so you aren’t constantly digging in the bottom of your bag for phone and keys), I finally decided to just make one. And the best part is that you can customize to exactly the right size for you and what you are doing. I have a few different ones. There is the smaller one which is perfect for when I am just going to relax on the beach by myself. It has spots for phone, keys, bottle of water, sunscreen,ID, and the main section holds a towel and book. I also have a larger size so when I am down with family - there is space to hold extra snacks, water bottles, etc. for my niece and nephew. The other part I love about this is that I get to choose my own fabric, so I can pick patterns that are as wild as I want and can choose when to use quilting cotton, and when to use canvas (adds a little more bulk but great for the interior and holding cold water bottles).
My other must-have summer make for me is a book cover. Now I know some people love bringing an e-reader with them on vacation, but I look at a screen enough everyday and don’t want to deal with the extra glare from the sun, so I love having a real book in my hands, but that doesn’t mean that I want everyone commenting on what I am reading. Sure sometimes it’s nice to read the latest best seller, but it can also be just as fun to read an old fashioned beach read that doesn’t take any concentration to follow the story. It’s also nice to have a book cover if you are like me and borrow books from the library. Sitting out in the sun the plastic covers can get very hot, a book cover cuts back on that issue (the lighter the color the better!). Since most books fit either a standard paperback size or a standard hardcover size I have come up with a great pattern in two sizes so that you can make either one. You can find that pattern here.
So these are just a few ideas and some of my favorite summery makes. There are still a lot of other options out there, from beach wraps to backpacks and so much more. And don’t forget your furry friends! This is also a great opportunity to make them a special quilt or toy of their own, especially if they will be traveling with you this summer.
Well that’s it for now! If you are inspired to make any great summery projects I would love to see them - please share on Instagram using the hashtag #cdm365studios.
Until next time, Siobhan
