Bookcase Start

 I started this project with the fabrics I had collected for the Cookbook section.  This is "Pies".  Partially because I found good fabric for this and also because it's a memorial for my dad.  He loved pies.  It was the cooking I perfected in my youth.

I learned a few things from this section.  1) I think there is too much height variation b/w the books.  In real life, I would have put the tall things and short things together.  2) Just b/c you have it doesn't mean you need to use it.  In retrospect, there is too much yellow/tan in this section for it to be interesting.  I added a few darker neutrals, but it could have used more.

I am much happier with the next section of "Entree" cookbooks.  Better color variation.  Retrospectively, a thin bit of solid with some contrast would make the others stand out more.  Concepts to remember for the next sections.

I rather like the jar of marmalade.  I'll improve the jar lid with quilting.

I like the tipped books.  But next time I will take the extra step to tip each one, not a duo.

So I moved on to the paperbacks section.  Selvage edges which I usually use to tie up tomatoes in the garden.  I cut them wide with a bit of the print remaining.  Sewed them onto a 3" black strip then cut into strips.

Sewed them together, making it a point to starch and trim to square up every 3-4 strips.  These are typically 1/8" seams to take advantage of the selvage prints.  Learning from previous mistakes, I kept all of these top distance variations w/i  1/2 inch, but more typically 1/4" variation from it's neighbor.

For beginner sewists (ROBIN), that narrow of a seam allowance is pretty tricky.

But I am super Happy Chuffed Psyched about how this turned out!
When I sewed the selvages to the black strip, I tried to make the most interesting bits show near the top.  The Chicken and Flower color dots are my favorite!

I am just winging it on this project, but have several friends who are doing this project at the same time, so I hope to keep giving insights and ideas so you don't have to make the same mistakes I do, and hopefully benefit from my happy results.