BARAKAH LIFE handmade

Annual Sew Giving

Please join us!

This year we are shifting the dates for our 4th Annual Sew Giving event so that the blankets can be delivered when they are most needed.

Children's Felt Balls

These balls are a really fun and quick project. 

• Cut 6 orange shaped wool felt wedges.
• Sew them together with a whip stitch leaving a small opening for stuffing.
• Stuff the ball then sew it closed.
• Embellishing is optional.

I usually stuff my projects with wool fleece but this time I tried bamboo. I was pleased with the material itself, its delicate and light and almost feels like silk. It's just a little on the spendy side but it is a renewable resource so it's a much better choice then poly fills.

Cotton Florals

Solid Framed Flowers

The images on these simple pillows were created from photographs copied on to cotton copy sheets.  The sheets were them framed with white cotton both on the front and back with a side zip added.

 

 

Tan Bolster Pillow

 This cotton bolster pillow was made by Isaa,  one of my sewing students.

 

Blue Pillow

 

These pillows were created by my students Isaa & Ayah in our machine sewing class. The decorative fabric was cut into a square and then strips of a small accent print were sewn to frame the main panel. The pillows are made with cotton fabric and filled with wool batting.

New Studio for a New Year

Barakah Life has a new studio for its sewing and craft’s classes which is located at Cedarwoods School House in Zaytuna’s former offices in Hayward.

Our January Children’s classes include; Hand Sewing, Introduction to Machine Sewing and Weaving.  For Adults we will be offering Beginning Clothing Construction, Natural Toy Making (Waldorf Bunting Doll) and Beginning Knitting (Winter Scarf).

I’m wishing you peace, health, happiness and a very creative New Year.

 
If you have any questions about the upcoming classes please feel free to email me at barakah@earthlink.net

Children's Sewing Book

To Begin Hand Sewing  I teach 6 basic stitches; the running stitch, back stitch, whip stitch, blanket stitch, and the satin stitch. The work is done on wool felt with cotton thread, the weight of the wool makes stitching easy for children and an embroidery hoop is not needed. The book then becomes a visual reference to help them remember what each stitch looks like.

Running Stitch 

Back Stitch

Whip Stitch

Blanket Stitch

Chain Stitch

Sewing Book, Side Binding

 

 

Swirly Quilt

At the Ilm Tree event months ago, I donated a custom handmade quilt for the fund raising auction. A friend bid on it but it has taken till now to actually make it. It feels so great to have it done, now only 3 other late sewing projects to go.

From Camel Bag

to Cushion Covers

 
A while back some friends shared some textiles with me that they did not know what to do with and one of the objects was a large bag. It was actually beyond large it was huge, and I could not imagine what it was made for. I came to find out it was a camel bag, since I really did not need a camel bag I decided to have it made into something a little more practical and  sent it with Habeeba when she went back to Jeddah. She had  cushion covers made for me and I just received them, 11 total. It felt a little wrong to cut something hand woven but they will be much more appreciated as vibrant pieces of  usable art.

Children's Handwork 3

Sewing
YoYos made by girls 6-8 years

The girls created these old fashioned yoyo's and then sewed them together into long garlands for their rooms.