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!

Mouthy Pouch!

Well let's just ignore this scene of disappointment shall we...

... and I'll show you something far more satisfying!

So for my partner, wannabee partners and other interested parties, I am pleased to present my Mouthy Stitches Zippy Pouch...

1" HSTs

1/2" HSTs

I will add a split-ring and clip before posting.

Magnetic snap.

Lined outer pocket.

To say that I was feeling the pressure as a Swap Mama is an understatement!  I had an idea where I wanted this to go, but I was  really winging it the whole way.  I must admit that I wasn't keeping to any particular size; it turned out very approximately 9"x7".

I really hope my partner is happy with this after all the build up; I am just pleased that I was able to make something, without a pattern, that looks better in reality than it did in my head.

I just need to go check out my partner's mosaic again, as I think I may have ended up as a bit of a deviant!

Day Off...

Today I am blogging early as I am on my day off, not helping at school, but not sure I will have the energy to blog tonight as I am exhausted already and still have the school-ballet-Beavers runarounds to look forward to!

I have already re-sealed the bath, sewn on a Beaver's badge, done 2 loads of washing, quilted a little more of the Constellation (such hard work!), and made this...

 

The old zipper tabs are not so technically perfect, but it used some of my stash and has a much needed purpose, so that's good enough for me.  It measures up about 10.5" square, and is a pretty nifty size for a storage pouch.

I used some of my old Kokka Matryoshkas, lined it with the same Klona Teal as the Constellation and uses one of my new 9" zippers.

And this is my current view...

I am sorting the charms required for my Made In Cherry, and making the most of the floor before the kids get home, so can't stop, must get back on my knees xxx

Saturday Stuff!

Remember I mentioned getting zippers for Mouthy Stitches from Zipit; well I ordered a bundle of 25 on Monday, and they arrived all the way from the US of A this morning - how's that for amazing service and a round of applause for the postal service on both sides of the ocean!!

I bought 9" zips this time; my Christmas purses were all made with 7"s, which were totally fine, but I would like the option of going a little larger, and also reducing the chance of stitching over those needle-breaking metal bits, which has to be a bonus!

I can't wait until all preliminaries are completed for the swap, so Susan, Cindy and I can get matching then bring on the making!

After the posty, we went out and dropped the kiddies off for a MacDonalds birthday party, so hubby and I got to have lunch together without the children for about the 3rd time in a year!!  I also got a lovely long grey sleeveless cardigan in the White Stuff sale and a few other bits and bobs, so that was a result.

Then this evening I started to quilt the Constellation!  Last night I basted the beast - almost managing to match all edges perfectly.  By the time the binding goes on I may lose a few edge star points, but I don't think that will matter in the scale of things.  The bit I have started quilting is very hard going, but it will get easier, just not for a few more days.  I think I will keep you in suspenders until it is all done, then reveal my mad and difficult quilty vision, but so far it's looking good!

Hope you are having a good weekend, it's turning out to be 'snuggle on the sofa with a quilt' weather round these parts, and tomorrow I will willingly oblige!

Anybody ready for a SWAP??

Ladies, there's a new swap in town, and now is the time to reveal all!

For months, my dear bloggy friends Susan, Cindy and I have been chatting away, plotting and scheming, and now the Christmas makery and New Year excitement has passed, it's the perfect time for a swap to share the love with a stranger!

We have called this venture Mouthy Stitches.

The clue is in the name; we are aiming for a chatty, actively creative, fun and friendly flickr-based group.

Obviously it won't be much of a mystery swap if there are only the 3 of us, so please come and join in!

I suppose you need to know what you could be letting yourself in for this round, (yes, we are thinking long-term here!), we are having a:

Zippy Purse & Scrap FQ Swap.

A purse, by my definition might be what you call a pouch, or a clutch or a wristlet.  We are not talking a full handbag, more something to hold a little money, cards and phone when you pop out, or maybe to keep some hand sewing gubbins, or your pens and pencils safe in style just like these...

You will be assigned one partner to make for, but they will not know you are making for them, likewise you will not know who is making for you.

We also want to limit the 'extras' which are customary with such swaps, to a simple fat quarter of scraps, be that 2 fat eighths or 20 smaller pieces; you should ONLY send those, along with a handwritten message.  We want the purse to be the focus, and no competition or anxiety about what else to send.

This swap is open to international participants, so you must be prepared to make and send to someone anywhere else in the world.

What you need to do:

• Join the flickr group here and express an interest in the sign up thread.
• You MUST then complete the sign up questionnaire, signing over the rights to your children, car, home and more scarily, fabric stash, should you renegue on the swap rules.
• You MUST also post a photo mosaic in the group pool.
• This part must be completed and uploaded by Sunday 22nd January.  NB sign ups may close sooner if we reach over 90 swappers before the 22nd.
• Partners will be assigned and notified by Sunday 29th January.
• Posting must be during the window Saturday 25th to Wednesday 29th February.

That gives a month to stalk, ponder and make for your partner.

In the meantime if you do not have any zips, or need to practice, maybe get a bundle ordered from Zipit or any other retailer you prefer - pick a multi-colour bundle and there's bound to be one to match your partner's loves.

Please feel free to add discussion threads about great deals, tutes and patterns or ask any questions in the flickr group even before the making starts.

Please note, we want this, above all, to be fun and stress-free.  We do not approve of silent partners, we want Mouthy Stitchers.  We do not want anyone worrying that theirs is the partner who hasn't uploaded any pictures or commented on any of the marvellous creations that we are hoping will appear.  We want to have a laugh, inspire each other and produce beautiful, thoughtful makes that our partners will love.

You do not have to comment on every picture or thread BUT you will be expected to join in, plot your progress and to let your swap mama know if anything is conspiring against you as early as you can.  If you prefer to work quietly, without any interaction, this is probably not the swap group for you.

Susan, Cindy and I will be cracking our whips if we think you have gone AWOL!

If February is not a good month for you, or you already know you cannot make and post in the above time-frame, don't worry, we want to run regular swaps, so you can join the next one.

Think carefully if you have commitments that may impact your ability to meet the requirements, if you have unpredictable computer access or are off on your holidays.  Please do not leave it until the last minute to start making, that's common sense; life happens, we do understand that, but 'sloppy swappers' will have their cards marked and may be excluded from further swaps if they don't play fair!

Do you think the power is going to my head?

Well what are you waiting for?   Please come and join the fun, you know you want to, and we want you too xxx

Doin' It For The Kids...

Poorly twin slept right through the night (in a cinnamon and menthol coma) and woke up raring to get back to school - so the flipside was, I got to go and help again, dashing my plans of shouting "Are you OK?" periodically from my sewing machine for the day. 

I was tasked with supervising the making of paper chains, and in true 5 year olds' Christmas style, easier said than done, and the less said the better!

So having posted parcels to New Zealand and Brighton, I dashed round Tesco (alone!), and was left with a whole hour to play before pick up time.

I pulled out the next-in-line from my zippy pouch pile; it didn't start too good...

But I managed to get this for one of the girls, finished just in time...

The sun was so low it was hard to capture the true colours, especially the Kona something-or-other lining, but I expect you all know the Heather Ross FFAIII guitars.

The zipper ends were not as perfect as my last attempt, too bulky, but fine nonetheless.

For those that have asked, I always refer to Kat's tutorial when making up these zippy pouches, purely now for the order to layer the fabric/zip - priceless xxx

Hubby did his bit, helping out at Beavers this evening, and I have just ironed more school polo shirts than I care to remember. 

Now for another evening of teacher-related Christmas makes, with a little Kirstie's Handmade Christmas and CSI for balance...

I don't like Mondays!

...and today started even more despicably than usual!

In the shower, shampoo a-bubbling nicely, then the lights, electric shower and everything else went OFF!

So a lot of shouting to the kids finally produced a plastic jug from the kitchen, to finish the rinsing and then I had the delight of the school run with very cold wet bad hair and the realisation that it wasn't a full-on power cut (outage), just us.

All credit due, the Electricity guy was here within an hour, just when I had resigned/consoled myself to a morning off work and some owl action; and he had it all fixed in about 15 minutes.  I was in work an hour late but all was illuminated and switched on in the FB homestead again, phew.

So I only have these Christmas pressies that are destined for my sister to show you today...

A laminated/PVC zippy pouch, made from an A4 sample and Kona Aloe...

Check out those zipper ends!

And a muted heart brooch, which I promise to put in the post and not keep!

Tonight I am planning to go bigger than owls, for my Dad's birthday, so hopefully I will have something fun to show you tomorrow.

Confidence is a preference...

... for the habitual voyeur of what is know as...  Parklife!

I'm sorry, this song has been in my head since I started on this little purse this evening.  The fabric is part of Sanderson's re-issue and re-interpretation of their 1950's fabrics, called, surprise surprise 'Park Life'.

Please excuse in advance the night-time photography, it was these or a picture of the latest Beaver badge which I sewed on earlier (no smut, thank you!).

It turned out a little 'puffier' than I had hoped, and the bulk at the zipper ends could have been reduced if I wasn't too scared to cut through the wrong bits, but as it will just be a little extra for my Mum at Christmas, I can live with it.

Archie, did you see the little dog?

Tardis - part 2. Birthday Season Finale!

I was so happy when I finished this, I immediately sent a picture message to my husband and Dad, and for the first time ever showed a picture to one of my mummy-friends at the school gate - so I think you can tell I was just a little bit pleased with the result!

OK, so here are some sunny pics of dear son's new Sonic Screwdriver case...

I based it on the numerous zippy pouch tutorials that I have pinned, picking and choosing the best bits to make a 9"x12" finished case. 

I stitched in the ditch (well almost) along some of the seams around the Tardis to attach some thin cotton batting, giving it all a bit more 'body'.

The back fabric is the same Kona Windsor as the Tardis, with some grey pinstripe quilting, backed again with batting.

Geek alert  The 10th Doctor (David Tennant) is dear son's favourite and wears a pinstripe suit - when I quilted the man quilt, his first comment was 'oh it looks like the 10th Doctor's suit', so what else could I do!?

I only had a 7" zipper, so I extended the end tabs to match the size of case I wanted, and it all adds to the 'bigger on the inside' illusion!  The lining is Kona Orange. 

I added the tag on the side, because where else will he keep the key to the Tardis?

Fez's are cool, but will no longer be needed for storage!

The Birthday Boy will get this and too much more in the morning xxx

"All the leaves are brown, and they sky is grey..."

The Mama's & Papa's song has been going round in my head ever since I decided on the fabric for a quick bit of stitchery yesterday.

I pinned a really simple pattern for a reversible bag a couple of days ago, and decided to pull out some of my bargain fabrics from Pink Castle and make one!

So as the hailstones pounded the conservatory roof, I cut and stitched my Jenean Morrison California Dreamin' fabrics, and in under 2 hours I had this psychedelic beauty!

I love it - one side might be a bit loud, but I don't care!

'Oh she could have ironed it before taking the photos!'

It really is an easy to follow pattern, you can download it from Very Purple Person; it requires very little fabric, no interfacing, zips or fancy business, and would definitely make a quick Christmas present, (oh did I really say that!?).

And as if that wasn't enough colour for one day, my zips arrived from Jennifer at Zipit.  Thank you everyone who suggested this was the place for zippers.  You were right!  I ordered 25 x 7" and 10 x 4" for the delivered price of about 5 measly zips from my local fabric shop.  Sorry local fabric shop, but this is too good a deal to pass up.

So I am all set to make an incomprehensible number of zippy purses in the run up to Christmas.

See, now that's two posts in two days mentioning the 'C' word - there really is no escape is there!

I seem to be blogging a day in arrears too - but today we went indoor ice skating and I am pleased to say that all three kiddies, their friend and 'us mums' all had a great time and I didn't fall over - so total success!

If you haven't yet voted in the Pings & Needles Japanese Scrap Bag Challenge - whataya waiting for?!  Thank you for all your words of encouragement so far - don't forget you can have up to 3 votes, so use them wisely.

Zippity-doo-dah!

Today I seemed to flit from one thing to another without any discernible 'results' for a while, so I thought I would battle those niggling fears and go for the zipper!

I bought a couple of 4" zips the other week, and reckoned I would try to make a lined purse, just to see if I could. 

I could.

So I made two...

These are both made from charms from Cindy's Japanese Fabric Swap, and lined with some left over Just Wing It.  I wanted to keep the first attempt small and simple, so I didn't go for the fancy zipper-ends.  I used Ayumi's tute for the zip bit - and I will definitely be making some whole fabulous pouches once I get some longer zippers.

I am pretty pleased with the results; I still need some practice, but I don't think the recipients will be too critical on their 5th birthday.  I think bigger will definitely be easier, and to be honest, the zip bit was the easiest part.

Before I forget, in the turmoil of school runs, ballet, Beavers and parent's evening, trying to find a birthday party venue and remembering to have cup of tea, I received this parcel from Pink Castle Fabrics...

... some great sale bargains and more Little Apples.

I also decided on the man-quilt pattern, but as the 'man' keeps a beady eye on this 'ere blog, I will show you, and him, this one picture and no more until a birthday in a months time!

Time to cut all the other pieces now!