Sewing update

I have been sewing a lot and loving it.
I have a new block keeper with zips down both sides so it opens out flat but zips up to make a secure tote bag if you want to pop some sewing gear in.

I also made a little shell purse. I put a seagull on it in felt. I have been wanting to use this seagull for a  while. It is from a Bustle and Sew magazine.

I started a bag from a book I got from the quilting group library. I used 2 inch strips and the centre piece is 6 1/2 inches x 8  inches. All seams are 1/4 inch. I don't want to publish the pattern but if you are keen I can give better instructions. Just let me know.

Phone and lipstick pockets

I finished block three of the Who Knows BoM at Fat Cat Patterns. (See my side bar.)

I have been working on my Debbie Mumm sampler from 2012. I have been really enjoying making the cute pieced blocks. The fabrics are nearly all scraps so between this and the owls I am using quite a lot of scraps.

I made a cardboard curve ruler for doing curved corners. It will make do til I can buy the plastic one that I can use the rotary cutter with. I love gadgets.

I worked on Nanna's farm a bit doing the applique on the next column. I have already sewn the other columns ready for applique.

I bought two new books and have made friends with Shirley at Colours of a Butterfly  who wants to try making the quilt with the watering cans on it to match the pillow on the front cover of Country Cottage Quilting.

Shirley is great at cross stitch but hasn't done any patchwork so we are starting with the sewing set that has the drawstring bag from the same book. We are going to start the needle book in May and do the bag and scissor keep over a month or two. Then we will do the pillow then the quilt. If anyone wants to join in or post pictures of what you have already made I will have a go at setting up a flickr group. This is a first call. I will post about it again.

Happy Quilting,
Val

Friends handbag and Mug bag

I bought the Lynette Anderson book It's Quilting Cats and Dogs. I love it. I made the little satchel handbag using images of my dog and cat. My dog was a Newfoundland with his distinctive forehead and big size. My cat has cute cheeks and a bobtail that doesn't show when he sits. They loved each other and I know Stumpy is a bit lonely now he has gone. You can see them on Stumpy's page.

You are welcome to download my dog and cat.

I also finished the mug bag I started a while back.

The cross stitch makes a pocket for a tea bag and I made a little coaster that fits in too.
The pattern is at Redbrolly. It is at the bottom of the really long post.
Happy Quilting,
Val

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A Dumpling Challenge ! Plus Update

What was I thinking!!! I have challenged the zipper purse queen to a zippy challenge. I discovered that Sandra from Suddenly Sandra has been wanting to make a dumpling purse for a while now. I too have been eying off the tutorial and doing dry runs in my sleep. I figured I just had to make the leap like I did with my Nanna's Farm quilt so the challenge is on.

We will be using the dumpling pattern from Michelle Patterns. It is a free PDF download pattern and a good tutorial.

Everyone is welcome to join in. We plan to make them this weekend but I am thinking a week may be a good idea. This challenge will be fairly low key since I know nothing about linkies. Perhaps this is a good time to learn and maybe there can be more zippy challenges in the future.

Update: On Friday 7th Dec I will do a post with a name linky so you can share a post about your dumpling.

A new skill. A new purse.

I bought one sew on coin purse frame at the Brisbane craft show and now I feel all sorts of patterns and applique designs bubbling up. My husband wants to make leather purses but I still like fabric. My first purse is made from Japanese cotton.

 I drew up the pattern and to make it special I appliqued a little kimono girl on the front.

One thing that I have found difficult is getting the purse to look perfectly symmetrical. Careful markings on the fabric should fix this so I can sew it perfectly.

Feel free to download the drawing image. I used felt for the face, hair and hands.
(I downloaded it to my desktop then opened my word processor and dragged it onto the page. It came out small size. Printing from 'preview' made it bigger).

Link it up Friday

Link a Finish Friday

Can I get a Whoop Whoop

Christmas Through the Year

I can't believe how busy everyone has been leaving comments on my blog. I love it but I am being a bit slow in replying and now I am posting about my second Christmas item and all the lovely ladies in that Christmas club like to visit and leave comments. I will just have to sacrifice some of my sewing time to attend to my blog and do some visiting of other blogs. I think today has to be the day ... after I go out for lunch I will come back and see what everyone else is up to.

I found a very simple purse pattern in my pattern stash and made one up for myself in the pretty vinyl coated fabric I bought in the US then I thought a purse like this would be a good present for the Christmas box. I used a couple of the fat quarters from my new fabric stash. It only uses a strip off the end of each one and I found a button to put on the front. The trickiest bit is getting the zipper tidy. There is a zipper pocket for change and a pocket behind for the folding stuff.
You can still get the tutorial from Sew Christine blog spot. 
Scroll down the picture list to the blue one with the dragonflies on it.

 You can also join in Christmas through the year any month. See what is happening at Darlene's blog and Cheryl's blog. Darlene has the Mr linky at the end of the month so you can see what everyone is making.

Happy Quilting,
Val

Monday's Show and Tell

I made this bag more than a year ago I suppose. I loved the pansy fabric and I went to quite a lot of trouble but I just haven't been able to use it. It tends to clash with everything I have. Now that I have dragged it out to take photos I am determined to find something or buy something to wear it with because I still love the pansies.

It has a magnetic purse clasp ...

... a zipper pocket and phone pocket...

... and outside pockets on each side.

I saw something similar on the www and just copied it for myself.

The spider is from Dreamworld and has sat on this lounge in my sun room for quite a few years. I have to put it under something when my eldest daughter visits cause she says it gives her the creeps. I think he is pretty cute.

If you pop over to Cookies and Cream Craft you can see who else has show and tell.

Happy Quilting,
Val

A New Wallet

I got busy and finished my new wallet this morning. It has a contrasting embroidered flap and a safety loop. It closes with velcro. Inside are 4 card pockets and a money slot. I put a zipper on the bottom pocket to stop things falling out when it is flipped up. It is wider than my usual wallet so I thought it would be safer with a zip. Change is always a problem so I made a little change purse with the bottom corners sewn across and sewed it on the back before I sewed the wallet together. There is room for change, my phone and keys.

I now have two old wallets. I will keep the small wallets for a while. They are hardly used and I love the buttons.
They are made out of linen and polyester. They close with velcro. Inside is a coin purse also with velcro closing. My cards fit behind the coin purse and folded money fits in the bottom pocket. The small size is handy. I put zipper pockets in some of my clothes and they fit in nicely.

As well as my wallet in my handbag I have a handy little fold that holds all my other cards like Spotlight and Lindcraft and Coffee Club. Some are in the slots and most are in the pockets behind. I attached a loop of elastic to the back that loops around to keep it closed. I made it ages ago and haven't thought about making a new one yet.

 

It doesn't look finished? It was my first and I must have been keen to

show my daughters on email.

Anyway I probably should do some quilt making soon.

Happy Quilting,
Val
PS I just got my Old Country Store Fabrics newsletter and they have the cutest bunny materials.