Random.org picked #1: so Linda at Lewmew is the winner of the emery.
I plan to do frequent giveaways over the next few weeks. I'll post the next one tomorrow.
To make your own emery:
I purchased strawberry emeries from Hancock's of Paducah. I think they're filled with silica not emery filings, but they seem to work well. For a pattern I cut a half circle and then trimmed it a bit so it looked like a broad v with a rounded top. When I laid the emery on top of the pattern with the pointy ends together, the top of the paper was about 1" longer than the strawberry. I made sure it went around the berry with enough for a seam. It was pretty-much seat of the pants.
I cut the hanging loop off the emery (it was too short). I added my own loop by a combination of sewing and glue--the purchased emeries had a glued on green top and it was hard to stitch through.
For most covers I cut the pattern shape from fabric, added embroidery, pinned the seam with right sides facing, stitched the side seam and turned it right side out. I generally poked a bit of batting into the tip and some around the top if needed to fill it out. I pushed the emery inside. I folded in the top edge and gathered it, pulling it tight around my hanging loop.
To disguise the gathers, I added a frill of lace, rickrack, a bunch of ribbon roses, etc. around the base of the hanging loop.
I often added beads or additional stitching at this point.
To make the crazy quilted emeries, I drew the pattern onto muslin and pieced onto that, embroidered it and then finished it like the other.
You don't want the emery to be overly embellished--it's a tool and you're going to be poking your needle into it to polish and sharpen it. You don't want to have trouble finding a place to use it. The fun for me was to try and find the perfect fabric and trim for the recipient.
To start from scratch, you can purchase emery powder or filings and make your own emery. Use a very fine cotton or muslin for the inner fabric. I also have enclosed the emery in the cut-off corner of a plastic bag before inserting it into the inner muslin berry, for extra security. Sew the top of the muslin tightly closed. Then make an outer covering as above. If you make your own you can make them any size and shape. Generally they are small so you can pass your needle completely through from one side to the other to polish it.
