A Christmas Present

My mum collects anything to do with The Twelve Days of Christmas. The local quilt shop near mum's place had fat quarters of this cute fabric by Anni Downs
I decided to make a place mat and two coasters to give to mum for Christmas this year.

The fabric has the cutest pattern.

I FMQ'd 'Christmas 2014' and 'valspierssews' on the bottom corner. It is visible but not a feature. I still have to soak out the marker pen.

You can just see where I quilted with a pear and a partridge over the centre.

I put a corner label on so the edges are sewn into the binding. The angle is on the fold and I just stitched across it. The backing fabric is cute too. I wish I could afford several metres of this collection.

The coaster is a bit bigger than normal so a cup and a biscuit fit on.

I pieced it with two pieces back and front. I left the diagonal seam mostly open on the back so I could sew all the way around the outside then turn it through the gap. I quilted with a cross, catching the seam in the back.

My other sewing has been doll related. I am supposed to be making some vest samples for the next pattern but just couldn't help making a little tote bag. I hd the idea drawn up in my notebook and I had some new pink fabrics. The bag is about 5" square.
I also had some fun making a little bag decoration.

The back has a zipper pocket perfect for a little girl to use as a coin purse.

My latest doll clothes pattern publication is a dress. See the link in my right sidebar at the top.

I am quite pleased with my finishes this week.

Happy Quilting and Crafting,
Val

Sewing and Other Things

It is so exciting to see the house coming together. The kitchen went in the other day and the tiler is doing the floors this week too. I am really happy with the open plan.

The yard just up the road has some nice grass.

The Bushfire Brigade have been burning off along the edge of the national park. The smoke the last few days has been pretty bad. I think they probably timed the burn so the fire was blown towards the road and the town rather than into the park. There is already a wide ditch between the bush and the road so a controlled burn blowing that way is not a problem for the firies but a nuisance for us.

I found some pretty grosgrain ribbon at the cheap shop while I was in Brisbane. It is perfect for doll tote bag handles so I have been making a bunch of cute tote bags.

I called this bag the Resort.

Dolly hasn't changed her clothes for a while. She is waiting for the witch costume. She had to stand on a moving box for the photo shoot and I had to level her up with a snack pack of rope. It is hard to find places with good light.

Happy Quilting and Crafting,
Val

Sewing for my doll

I have been closeted in my sewing room trying to perfect a pattern for another doll tote bag. I decided I would make a pattern for sale so I have been taking my time to make sure it is up to a standard I would expect if I paid for something. Fingers crossed my step by step instructions are clear enough.

I have also been working on doll clothes patterns where you can interchange many of the pieces. The sleeves from the dress can be used on the blouse as well, or the collars can be swapped. It is quite a lot of fun working out how many things I can interchange. So far I have 2 blouses, a pinafore, a dress and a set of vests. I just need to write up the construction steps.

I am visiting mum again next week so the Welcome to the North Pole post will be a bit late. I will post on Saturday 29th June.

Happy Quilting and Crafting
Val

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