#IGminiswap Extra...

I have bought a couple of extras for my #IGminiswap partner, but won't show you until they have received the parcel on the off chance that they are looking in.  However I have just stitched up the last bit of the bundle…

I used my boxy pouch pattern from Love P&Q, and am rather taken with the grey home dec bottom and patchwork top.

As mailing has now begun, I will be off to the post office at the weekend, and then my side of the deal will be done.

Mother, look away now!

It's my mum's birthday coming up, so I decided to convert my finished embroidery, from Jo-Bearpaw's FQR class into a little pouch.

The embroidery is on white Essex Linen, so I backed the panel with some fusible fleece, and then followed my pattern that you'll find in this month's Love Patchwork & Quilting.

I adjusted the pattern for the flat pouch to fit the size of my embroidery, and I am really rather pleased with how it turned out.

A bit more of that home dec on the back, and it's all good.

This was all made up before 9am, I couldn't sleep!

I also finished up some commission work today, which is always nice to get under my belt.  By my reckoning I only have two more stitchy 'commitments' to complete this summer holiday, and I am hoping to get one of those finished this evening, then it's all me me me!

Give Me Liberty Please!

When Krista and Nicole threw down the Liberty-lined gauntlet to stitch up some Liberty last month, they didn't have to ask me twice.

As soon as I saw Ayumi's Embroidery Pouch in Patchwork Please! I knew I would be making one in advance of the sewalong - it's near the end of the book, so it'll be months before that one gets the treatment, so I started formulating a plan immediately.  A Liberty-Heather Ross plan. 

The sew-along booted my butt into gear!

I showed you the cover a while back, and I know I have already put the finished shots on instagram as I was so happy with it and couldn't wait to show off; but today I am linking up with Nicole's blog for all to see...

I am so in love with this pouch.  It finishes at 9.5" square, which is perfect for a nice sized hoop to fit inside.

As you were party to my vinyl dilemma, you may like to see a bit closer how I managed to incorporate one of those 50 pence pencil cases, zip 'n' all...

Instead of the second side pocket, I cut open the pencil case, unpicked the vinyl from the right-hand side of the zipper, (with the zip closed and pull at the top), and then trimmed to size; I amended the pattern slightly so that my pocket was lined was some Klona jade, and attached a strip of Liberty to that, and the other side to the edge of the zip sandwiched with the linen, the same way as you would sew the first side of a zippy purse.

Apart from not dividing the other vinyl pocket, this is my only real deviation from the published pattern.

Having a transparent pocket, or rather two, is so useful, and I am glad my gamble paid off.

Due to all the vinyl, I machine-stitched the binding to the inside first, then hand-stitched it down on the outside.

So there you have it!  Thank you Ayumi, your pattern is brilliant, so it really would have been difficult to make a duffer!  And a final thank you to Krista and Nicole for getting me to make this sooner rather than later.

I am over the moon with every inch of this pouch, it's another favourite thing ever!

***

Don't forget to pop over to yesterday's post if you haven't entered my Sew Mama Sew giveaway for the chance of winning your own bit of linen and Liberty. 
PS. No Reply Bloggers have been prevalent - if you discover you are of this ilk, email me before Friday, and should I pick you, I will be able to contact you - I know Blogger likes to randomly bump people!

Sew Mama Sew Giveaway Day!

*** The Giveaway is now closed ***

Hello, hello, hello!

I am going to cut to the chase, you have so many places to go, so many giveaways to enter, I am not going to keep you here for too long; I know you just want to know the what, and the how eh!?

The what is a small (8" square-ish) zippy purse made of Liberty Lifestyle and Essex Linen, my current favourite combo...

There is also a key fob in matching Liberty; you can never have too many purses and keyrings nor too much Liberty in my humble opinion!

If this is your first time visiting, it would be nice if you came back again; I know today is all about the goodies, not going to kid myself about that one, but if you are liking my style, (stop sniggering at the back), please think about coming back and clicking the follow button.

So anyway, the how...

Leave me one comment, (any additionals will be deleted), telling me your current favourite combination of fabrics; things that were born to be together, or others that probably shouldn't work, but actually do; it would be nice to try something new.

The giveaway is open internationally; Random.org will be used to select the winner; and I will say it again, if you are a 'No Reply' blogger, please leave your email address in the body of your comment - if I cannot contact you, I will click the generate button again.  I will not be responding to individual comments, but may well give credit for fab combos in my Winner post.

I will close the giveaway as soon as I wake up on Saturday (11th May), because 5pm PST, or DST or whatever Friday, is the middle of the night in the UK, and I'd rather give you a couple of extra hours than disturb my beauty sleep.

Thank you Sew Mama Sew for the hosting, and thank you for stopping by.  Good luck everyone xxx

PLPS6 - job done!

As promised, here are some pictures of my completed Pretty Little Pouch Swap package...

I used Anna-Noodlehead's Open-Wide zipper method, and boxed the corners so the finished pouch measures up at c.11" square, scraping in under the 12" limit. 

This is my first time in the PLPS.  I thought I might find it intimidating, but it's actually been fine, maybe because I am familiar with a lot of the swappers and I opted for the Intermediate, rather then the tempting Advanced level, maybe because I have come a long way in the last year or so and am getting confident in my ability.  Either way, I loved the quick turnaround, got given a super easy-going partner and can't wait to see what is coming my way.

I just have to wrap it all up nicely and pop it in the mail this week.   I am hoping my partner is as pleased with it, as I am with how it turned out.  Time will tell.

Geese on Sunday...

The sun shone, the kids went to the park with Daddy, (armed with a thermos of coffee, it was about 1'C); I sat in the warm conservatory and sewed.

And sewed, and sewed; made a spot of lunch, then sewed some more.

The second commission quilt for Sizzix now has a completed top...

OK, it needs a good press, and some decent lighting.

I really do love how it has turned out.  I hope it is not too modern.  I have the idea in my head already to maybe make another, some day, for myself, but reversed, using patterned scraps and just white for the geese... maybe.

And as I was feeling so buoyed with getting so far, so quickly, I signed up for round 6 of the Pretty Little Pouch Swap.  I have been 'umming and 'arrhing all week about joining in.  There's still time if you are interested; it's a quick turnaround swap, with rather specific skill categories.  I opted for Intermediate; no uber-fancy-pants piecing or embroidery required.  I am good with that.

Here's my mosaic...

With the prospect of no snow here any time soon, I guess it'll be business as usual tomorrow.  Hey ho...

Travellin' Pic Stitch...

It's my turn at last!!  It seems like an age ago that Laura and Katy asked for volunteers to join them on their travels, and what travels they have been!


So I had a ponder, as is my way, and tried loading a few pics into the Play Crafts palette builder to firstly come up with my colour scheme.

I thought I would stay local, a local block for local people everyone!

For those who don't know this part of the UK, I live on the beautiful South Downs about 10 miles north of the West Sussex coast.  I work and previously lived in Worthing, a seaside town, predominately inhabited by the older generation.  On a sunny day, coach loads of even more older people descend to look at the sea.

Anyway, I tried some pics from my village...

 

A bit dull?

Some of the autumnal foliage...

A bit too, um, yellow?

A trip to the beach on a cloudy day...

Too grey, and too brown.

Another trip to the beach on a sunny day...

Perfect!

So I showed you my first attempt before...

Shocking to say the least!  But there was deep thought going on here, see those little diamonds on the front of the beach huts and everything!  I don't usually throw away any fabric but these, once they were partially sewn, were so horrible, dear friends, they went in the bin!

And so to my beloved Sizzix-cut hexies.  Now these I adore.  There was no plan other than fabrics I love and random.  So much more me...

A bit of a cheat?  Well the text print is from Crabtastic, and we all know that the British seaside is where you go to eat fish & chips out of old newspaper!

I immediately made this into a whopping Open Wide zipper pouch and have been using it for hexying on-the-go ever since!

So there you have it, my interpretation of my locality at its best.

Thank you for stopping by if you are new to my blog, and thanks to Laura and Katy for a superb idea, even if they were the only ones who actually got to gad about the Wiki-wiki Wild Wild West.

Tomorrow my lovely friend Sara of Sew Sweetness takes the TPS baton, and I cannot wait to see what she has come up with.

Don't forget that on 30th November everyone can link up for a chance to win these fabulous prizes!

Sponsored by Paperpieces.com, Fabricworm, Pink Castle Fabrics ,  Marmalade Fabrics, the Fat Quarter Shop, WantItNeedItQuilt, and Aurifil.

Full details for competition entry can be found here.

xxx

Little Thank Yous

Two of my secretive makes arrived with Susan and Trudi over the weekend.

I embroidered these a couple of weeks ago, taken from Aneela's Little Stitches book, and didn't really think through what type of gifts I was going to make with them; thank goodness inspiration struck...

I used Anna Noodlehead's Open Wide pouch tutorial and Pezzy charms, that's how teeny they are.

It is a great tutorial, I had a little bit of random with the sticky-out zip-end but they turned out nicely, so much so, yesterday I made another, a huge one, but that's for another day.

So that'll be my first 100% completed FAL tick too; my Mouthy Stitches tick will come after mailing and mama-ing are complete, and the Sizzix project upon 'publication' - not bad for the first week!

Sew Mama Sew Giveaway Day!

*** The giveaway is now closed***
***Winner post here***

Well if I said I was ready from the get-go to join in with the fantastically awesome giveaway spectacular that is the Sew Mama Sew Giveaway Day, then that would be a fib; but on Saturday I knuckled down and got making.

My 'inspiration' if I could be that bold, was to make something a bit British!  Surrounded by Jubilee and Olympic preparations, how could I not at least tip my hat in that direction?

So my contribution to the Giveaway madness is this collection of Cath Kidston-inspired makings...

I have been pulling out, stroking, the folding away a lovely piece of the CK print for too long, (a prize, probably my first EVER from my dear friend Annabelle), so what better time to use a small piece of it and share the love.

The pouch measures about 8" x 6.5" and had to combine with my current love of Essex Linen...

The big pocket on the back will comfortably hold a 6" hoop, if a bit of embroidery is your current stitch-craft of choice.

The purse is lined with some pink and white star fabric of unknown origin, but it keeps with the CK theme rather nicely.

I had to make a matching needle book and pincushion.  A word of warning on the pincusion though; having interfaced and added a piece of batting as well as the (poly) wadding, you may have problems actually getting your pins and needles in - the linen side is the better option; but it looks pretty anyway!

I also have these that came with a newspaper...

I already have all the books, which include all the lovely patterns they contain, so maybe they can inspire you too.

So what do you need to do to get your hands on this little piece of Brit-ness?

Well you could follow me, that would be polite, but you don't have to, honestly; so one comment only please telling me 'what you think of as typically British'?

Whether you are Brit, or maybe looking in from overseas, it matters not - I will mail internationally.  However, if you are a 'no-reply blogger' without a means of me tracking you down, I will re-draw.  Mr Random will do the deed.

The giveaway will remain open until Friday 25th May - 9pm British Summer Time.  NB. This is a little earlier than 5pm BST, but that's the middle of the night, and I'd like to pick a winner before I go to bed.

Jolly good luck to you all xxx

Just a bit busy!

If I told you that yesterday I finished 14 needle books, made 2 zippy pouches and a pin cushion, you will hopefully believe me!

All bar one needle book are headed for Retreat...

I won't show them in too much detail as I want there to be a little surprise element, but these were fun to make.

The first zippy pouch is headed overseas to Danny.  Having put a call out for either zippy or drawstring bags for disadvantaged kids at camp this summer - please, please, please read all about it here, how could I not join in?

So as I was on a stitchery roll last night I put this 7" x 9" purse together quick smart...

I haven't made a zippy since the Mouthy Stitches swap I think, and I had forgotten just how satisfying whipping up a little beauty (or 2) can be.  I hope this will make a useful addition for a young girl this summer.

If you would like to help Danny reach her goal of 24 drawstring bags and 40 zippy pouches, then please check out the requirements and get stitching.

The final pouch, needle book and pin cushion will be revealed tomorrow, because the Sew Mama Sew! Giveaway bus is rolling into town!!  Woo Hoo!

3 is the magic number...

So another week and another Zakka project under my belt.  Rain-induced productivity yesterday at its best!

Fortunately I was able to stave off the onset of rickets though today and enjoy a rather nice hour in the sun this afternoon and I got some photos taken at the same time, bonus.

My deviation from the Zakka Style pattern was to fussy cut my panel for the front rather than using 3 strips, but Kerry's full-on adaptation makes me kind of wish I had waited to see how she had interpreted the pattern.

Like Sheila, I can fit my regular glasses in, but my sunnies are too big, and as they seem to spend more time in my bag than on my face at the moment, maybe I will attempt a larger version with some wadding in the future.

You won't be surprised to know that the orange Heather Ross froggy one is mine!

I ended up using medium-weight iron-on interfacing as I was all out of lightweight, and that made for a little trickier turning-through, but it works. 

Again, the pattern was foolproof to follow, although I was having difficulty imagining how it all worked from the diagrams, but these are definitely something I can see me making for the girl's friends and teachers as birthday pressies and whisper it, Christmas gifts. 

Retreat Treats part 2!

Over the last week I have been playing with the treats; I sewed the final button on this morning, having pretty much swam back from helping at school, and now they are done.

I am really pleased with the results.  They are all subtly different, as well as the colour, because that's obviously different!

Mine is the orange one, and I won't show too much detail of the others now, so there is a little surprise left at FQ Retreat.

The Pretty Linen Pouch pattern is another of the more simpler ones in the Zakka Style book; the time consuming bit putting these together was deciding which embellishments to use or disregard.

I hope my, as yet unknown, swap group like them.

They measure up at 5.5" x 7" and I think I will be using mine for all my machine feet and gubbins that currently reside in the original classy little plastic bags that came with my sewing machine.

I'm still waiting to hear of the safe arrival of the name tag, then I will relax and probably make a few more bits for Retreat just for the fun of it.

And because it would be silly not to say anything... there's still just about time to cast your vote for your favourite HST creation over at the  Canoe Ridge Creations - Festival of Half Square Triangles x

Hexie-gone!

Well, hexie-done, but that doesn't sound as good.

It was listed on both my Winter Stitching Plans, then my first and second quarter FAL lists and now I am so pleased to tick this one off!

I loved having some hand sewing to pass the time during all those winter ballet lessons, however I stalled at the cushion-making stage for way too long, which is ridiculous, as it only took me a couple of hours to make up.

But it is finished, I am really happy and so is the twin who seems to have adopted it already, (the poorly one who I had to pick up from school just after I got to work this morning!)...

I used the lovely Jade Klona for the borders and binding, adding a couple of laps of stitching round the edge for fun; I love how the jade hexies make the panel dissolve into the background...

... and I used some the left-overs from my Mum's Rose Parade/Summer House D9P for backing; it goes really well with the Pips; see, I really am trying to use up my stash.

So one more for the Winter Stitching finale this weekend, and 3 out of 5 FAL projects completed for the second quarter already - nothing like a little pressure to get me going!

As I mentioned yesterday, my hopes of a mega productive day off disappeared into surfing the net, drinking tea and making a bit of a mess...

... and receiving goodies...

Thank you Ella for these great H notecards and notebook, and also this fantastic boxy pouch...

When I spotted her moustachioed pouch during Mouthy Stitches, I mentioned that I knew a man who would love one of those... lo and behold Ella made my husband his own - and love it, he does!

... oh and there was a bit of prize winning to distract me too!!  Thrilled?  Completely!

I did eventually manage to get all the decorative 'bits' for my Retreat Treats cut and ready to sew though; so these should be quick coming together now... maybe I'll get some sewing in whilst Little Miss Slapped Cheek rests her rosy face!