Another month, another project! I’m sharing my last Try Something New Every Month (TSNEM) project for 2016- this month didn’t have a theme, it was just a “choose your own adventure”. You can see more about the year-long adventure and what else I’ve tried in this post.
I tried making faux chenille, with this special gadget I bought almost 3 years ago and never used. I am so embarrassed that I bought this forever ago and it has just sat in a drawer. I waited until the very last day of the month to try it (holidays & an umbilical hernia repair threw me off!) and I didn’t realize that flannel was advised, so I just did a rough experiment with quilting cotton. I am plotting a real project to use it on with the proper supplies, later in 2017.
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You can see how it works here – you sew the channels and then slide this underneath so the bottom layer stays intact and the top layers are cut. The different pieces jutting out are for small/medium/large width channels, and then you can turn the handle to get a fresh side of the blade to cut. I used an Olfa chenille cutter*, there is also the Clover “slash cutter”* that is half as much and looks comparable.
I just used junk fabric scraps to test it out, and show the technique.
And here it is, a little fluffier from being washed and dried! I used this tutorial from Aesthetic Nest as a guide – let me know if you’ve seen any other great projects with faux chenille! I’ll be picking up some flannel and trying to use this again sometime soon, though I’m not sure it will ever end up in my regularly used tool arsenal.
Jennie
Wednesday 4th of January 2017
Ok, I love this tool. You know the panels of fabric that end up being in the sale bin at every store and web sight. They are perfect for this. Buy 4 identical panels. Layer the 4 panels, batting, and your backing fabric, sew all the slots, chenille, wash, brush (that's what gives you the fluffy look) and bind, they are perfect little throws, or you could match a baby room. You can also do squares that you sew together after slicing them, but before washing.
Karen
Wednesday 4th of January 2017
I didn't even know that making chenille was a thing! So "real" chenille is tufty--and this makes a tufted row, right? Sounds like it'll be cozy in flannel :)