Kitchen Tux

I finished Kim Diehl's Idaho Lily small quilt and thought I would show you that first....

That is Edyta Sitar's new book in the left hand side of the pic. It is called   "Handful of Scraps".

I am decorating a kitchen towel , which is black and white with a red gathered band that is reminiscent of the ruffled shirt from a 1970 Tuxedo!  (Remember Seinfeld's episode of the ruffled pirate shirt? I don't want a pirate shirt!) Back to my kitchen towel....

First I needed two wof strips, then A seam needs to be sewn down (right sides together )length of each strip.... the seams are ironed open.  Then each strip is turned right sides out. Ironed flat with seam in the middle of the back.

I mark the path of my ruffled strip with my frixon pen (disappears when Ironed) in preparation for laying down two rows.

The strip can be gathered by two running stitches lengthened, running side by side and pulling threads to gather. Most of the time I usually have one or more break. So I use gimp cord and wind one end around a pin so as not to pull it out. I zig zag it down the middle not hitting it with my needle to the seam side of the strip. The gimp cord is very strong and is extremely hard to break.It is used as stabilizing in  buttonholes ,for instance,in coats and finely tailored blouses and shirts.

Then I gather it up until it is the same length as the width of my towel and then I pin it down on the previous marked line.

I then sew it down the middle with a short stitch turning under each beginning and end.

My tuxedo towel...

After unwrapping gimp cord from the pin , once towel is sewn down, you may just pull gimp out. I don't bother pulling out my zig zag , I just am careful of color of thread I choose to sew with.  Chit chat later, Martha.