Thanks, Alice. I thought this would be about what I would need to do. Building the container is no problem once I get the blocks covered. My DH is a whiz in his wood shop and will build whatever I specify :D (yes, I'm lucky).
I have an extensive fabric stash as I'm also a quilter, so finding lightweight, pretty fabric won't be a problem, either. I guess I lucked out, huh? <LOL> Ruth R. in Ohio [EMAIL PROTECTED] -----Original Message----- From: Alice Howell [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Friday, April 18, 2008 11:11 PM To: Ruth Rocker; 'arachne' Subject: Re: [lace] Pillow help needed - block pillow --- Ruth Rocker <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Hello, all > I recently purchased a set of ethafoam blocks to > make a block pillow. They > came to me naked :D and I need to know the best way > to cover them for use. Hi Ruth. You have two projects -- cover them and have a container to put them in. The ethafoam can be a bit rough on the fingers, so we pad the top and bottom with a square of felt or tightly woven wool. Then wrap a piece of strong, thin fabric around the block. Have the seam on one narrow side so top and bottom are smooth. I specify a thin fabric (as opposed to velvet or other thicker fabrics) because you want the blocks to fit very snuggly together without gaps. A thick fabric could leave a space without foam and create a problem later when working a pricking. You may still have to put a pin or two at an angle if it hits directly on a space between blocks, but it's not a big problem. Choose a fabric in a color that you like to look at. It should be comfortable for your eyes. Usually a plain or slightly moddled colored pattern works better than a print or plaid. A little color/shade variation is pleasant to the eyes but it should not have distinct shapes. Most people use a solid color. You have the choice of sewing or pinning the fabric on each block. Sewing is neater, pinning is faster. I must admit to the fast way...pinning. Use small short pins. On a 5" block, I put 5-6 along the 'seam' when the end fabric meets the beginning. Then I fold down the narrow ends on eacg side and put one pin on each side of fabric to hold it tight and square to the block. A third pin is needed where the 'seam' folds over so it won't slip. Pin only into the sides of the blocks. When the long edges are folded down, the ends are neatly mitered. Tuck under the the edge of the top fold, and put several pins down the edge of the fold. To hold the mitered angles tight, I add a pin to each angled fold, right in the middle next to the fold. There shouldn't be any fold of fabric flopping around. It's all snuggly fastened down. I have several pillows put together just with pins. They seem to wear just as well as the sewn blocks. The other part of the picture is a container for the blocks. They need to fit very tightly in the container. You don't want any air between the blocks. You can build a container out of wood or cardboard. My friend used a cardboard box. If you have 5" blocks, the container will be 15 inches inside. One way is to cut two corner pieces from a large box -- 15" on a side and square bottom 15x15". Insert on corner piece into the other and you have a sturdy box. Fasten the cut corners together temporarily and test by putting the blocks in it. Are they snug? They should be very tight. If not, trim off a bit from the cut edges of each box bottom and test again. When you have the correct size, tape the corners. and the bottom edge where a cut side shows. Cut down the sides of the box to less than the depth of your blocks. The entire box can be covered with colored duct tape or fabric. I also suggest putting a one inch hole in the middle of the bottom to give a finger hole for pushing up on the center block when you need to move it. A suggestion for later... consider getting a spare block. In a pinch (or at a conference when you want to take two classes or start another pattern), you can bundle your bobbins and lift out the block with your pricking. Insert the spare block and you are ready for another class or pattern. (A story, for fun: My friend was going to a conference and was to take three classes. She borrowed my block pillow with two extra blocks, and started all three of her projects but only had to pack one pillow. Now that she has three projects started on my pillow, I don't know when I'll get it back again. <G> She's on the Arachne list also, so she knows just whom I'm referring to. No rush...I don't need the pillow yet.) Have fun with your new pillow. Alice in Oregon - where snow is predicted tonight and is already falling on the coast. This is April???? - To unsubscribe send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] containing the line: unsubscribe lace [EMAIL PROTECTED] For help, write to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
