"I’m a hoarder of antique silk fabric. If I’ve used silk in a quilt or another project I keep all the scraps as they’re usually too beautiful to throw away; but also because it feels inherently wrong to throw out something that somebody else has spent so much time and skill making. I wanted to use these scraps to make something precious. A quilt would take far too long with so many small pieces, so I thought a wheat bag would be perfect." Cassandra Ellis.
Materials & Tools You Will Need
- Scraps of silk – vintage or new (these can be velvets, brocades or silk linings).
- You need to cut pieces into one of three sizes:
- 7cm × 7cm,
- 17cm × 4.5cm
- 12cm × 7cm.
- 100% cotton thread in a neutral colour
- Cotton fabric 40cm × 40cm for the lining
- A piece of fabric 37cm × 17cm for the backing (this can be silk, cotton or velvet).
- Buckwheat hulls
- Dried lavender (optional)
- Iron and ironing board
- Ruler
- Tailor’s chalk or dressmaker’s pencil
- Rotary cutter and cutting mat (optional)
- Fabric scissors
- Sewing machine with a fine sewing needle and a walking foot attachment Pins for delicate fabric
- Kitchen funnel
For more projects from Cassandra Ellis please see Cloth: over 30 beautiful projects from linen, cotton and silk to wool and hide (2013).
