Finally, a Sewing Kit!

Mondays always seem to get so cluttered with jobs that need doing and errands that have to be run. After a stinking hot couple of days at the end of last week, yesterday we experienced a day of cloudy weather coupled with a thousand little showers of rain. It feels so crazy to have such hot, hot weather one day, and to be drying a family-sized quota of washing in front of the gas fire on the following one. By this morning all that washing had been sadly transfigured into baskets of folding and ironing *sigh*. I really couldn't abandon myself to stitching until it was all done and dusted, out of the way, back onto hangers and into cupboards. I take inspiration from one of my very dear friends, who declares that she doesn't have ironing baskets. And so I occasionally assist myself on the road to virtue by doing the same.

Ironing was followed by foraging for food at the local grocery shop and feeling smug about having something in store for an evening meal for a change. So now, as I sit here writing, I am anticipating a succulent roast lamb and glazed root vegetable dinner teamed with a glass or two of a smooth red wine. The reality might be more like crusted shoe leather with vegetable charr, but I'm sure the wine will make up for any deficiencies in the meal.

By afternoon I felt at my leisure to make my way to the top of the stairs to sit in my quiet space, to sew, and to drink tea, and to sew some more.

Hexagon pincushions are so cute and easy to make!

After finishing my sewing project bag yesterday I really wanted to add a couple of accessories to make it into a more usable kit. These little hexagon pin cushions are very sweet and don't take too long to put together. I had fun fussy-cutting flower motifs from this soft grey print and playing with different ways of arranging them. This one is made from 1 1/4 inch hexagon papers, and the finished pincushion is about two inches in diameter finished. This size is great for holding tiny little applique pins.

Mini Thread Roll - this one holds up to seven reels

The thread roll is based on a larger one that my DS made me for Christmas last year. I find it so handy, and I never have rolls of thread flying off the table and rolling across the floor anymore. I thought a mini-version would be fantastic for a project bag, as you rarely need your whole thread collection at once.

So here is the finished kit - ta da! I made a simple needle pocket as well. The flip side has a couple of wool felt flaps for holding your needle as you work, or for those extra large flower pins. I reckon this bag would be great for those paper-piecing projects, or for stitchery or cross-stitch bits and pieces. I get to give this gift away at the end of the week, so I really hope my friend will love it as much as I do. I think I might need to make another one for me ...

Evie

Some Kind of Wonderful

Sometimes it's hard trying to find just the right Christmas gift in the shops, especially if you are looking for something out of the ordinary. We all seem to have so much stuff these days and unless I come across something that is just perfect I am loath to buy just for the sake of it. I suppose that's what I love most about giving hand-made gifts. It certainly takes more effort, but you can't go past the pleasure and enjoyment of planning and making, and hoping your offering will be enjoyed.

But with all this gift-making to do it really does pay to have a few good resources up your sleeve (that's my excuse). I picked up Anni Downs' Some Kind of Wonderful project book at the Sydney Quilt and Craft Fair last year. This one really is kind of wonderful, and it has lots of useful gifty-type things that I seem to come back to time and time again. 

 It is now Day Two of the Christmas month and for my next trick I have turned my hand to making this handy little sewing bag for one of my quilty friends.

I decided to forgo the pieced and embroidered version, but used the pattern dimensions and rummaged out these classic burgundy and grey fabrics that I collected on a trip to the NSW Hunter Valley earlier in the year.

Construction in progress - adding the linings

 

 

 

So after my first coffee of the day and a leisurely Sunday breakfast of bacon and eggs, I spent the rest of the morning stitching at the machine. This was followed by a relaxing afternoon catching the cool breeze and the welcome smell of rain from my sewing room window while hand sewing all the lining pieces into place.

Finished Case - Front

Working out the finishing touches took a bit of playing around. There were buttons and hexagon papers on hand, but trying to decide what sort of embellishment would work best was exhausting. [Insert short nap time here.] In the end I found a FQ of fabric printed with vintage French sewing notions and pretty labels. This was teamed with a piece wool felt, and and hand-stitched to the front of the bag.

Finished Case - Back

The little hexagon flower was saved for the back. Tres chic methinks! Now to whip up a pincushion and needlecase to match. But that will have to wait until tomorrow ...

Evie