Lunch/Snack Bag...

I have had this pattern...Grab Some Grub from Patterns by Annie...for a few years but hadn't gotten around to dealing with how to source the particular batting that it uses. I have plenty of usual bag batting but not the Soft & Stable type the pattern was designed for (and had never used batting of that sort so nothing to compare it with).

I spent some time googling a few months ago and found an alternative that I was able to source.  I used Bosal In-R-Form Plus unique fusible foam stabiliser - a bit scary as I was worried it would be hard to manipulate and P-faff is a bit picky and choosy sometimes about what she wants to sew but it was a breeze.  Definitely a convert.  I'd already bought some mesh fabric a while back in anticipation.   The food label fabric found in a rummage of the on-hand stock put its hand up and why not, seems pretty apt.

A mesh pocket on the inside "back wall" to hold cutlery or whatnot...had never sewn with mesh fabric before but again it was easy as...

Because of the way the bag is constructed...rectangles are quilted and then cut down to size, there was a bit of wastage and considering the cost of that batting I didn't want to put in the bin...trimmed up with a bit of binding and two small padded mats to live in the bag for cup and/or plate when out and about...

The set ready to go...

Its inaugural outing was going to be to pack snacks (lolly bags and the like) for a recent patchwork group camp but we were locked back down and it was cancelled, so it waits for an opportunity.

Happy Stitching

Mug Handbag...

I have a couple of particular mugs that I take to sewing group/days but nothing to protect them from being chipped or broken in transit, as generally I just kept them in the cupboard and popped into my basket on the day...which also meant remembering to pack!

 

One now has its own wee handbag to live in so can stay in the basket and not be left behind. It's the perfect size for this particular mug, fits snugly and doesn't jiggle about. Not that it has travelled much since I made it a couple of months ago because of lock down cancellations but it has had a couple of outings. Just about everyone would have seen this mug bag pattern as I know lots of people whose mugs travel in this style...

I have that coffee mug fabric in two colourways, bought for something in the past and not used (whatever something even was!) and it seemed very apt for a mug bag...have to love it when the motivation hits to make a particular something and all the ingredients are already in the house just waiting to be used.

Happy Stitching...

Zooooommm Marathon with Chookyblue...

Had the best day yesterday...Zooming with Chooky and the blog ladies from around the world...I joined at around 6:30AM (06:30) and we logged after 9:00 PM (21:00)...I spent probably all up 12 hours of that time doing prep work (allowing for time spent wandering in and out of the sewing room over the day)...you know the boring but necessary stuff that has to be done or the fun part can't start...three quilts now can be moved on and I again have handwork to take to Patchwork Thursday nights...my feet are killing me, my body is still aching but I had the best day...and cut something like 400 patches - triangles, squares and hexagons...no pictures because not really photo-material...

Thanks Chooky...had The. Best. Day. and thank you to the lovely ladies who dropped in and out and back in again! for your inspiring company ... 

Happy Stitching...

Flannel Chevron...

A few weeks ago when the weather started turning I couldn't find a flannel quilt that I knew should be ... somewhere! ... turned out it is, in the press at the K house so I left it there (it's even colder there most of the time) and decided I could just make another one for here.  The thing is though I don't have large pieces of flannel in the stash...while the flannel tub is not at all verging on the side of being any where near short of fabric it is pretty much all fat quarters and scraps.  I decided to do a chevron pattern but didn't have enough of any one fabric to use a constant background or constant main colour so mix and match it was...working with the one fabric I had enough of to use as a border...so pink and green it is...

Pieced a backing of fabrics in the tub that used up checks and tartans that I honestly probably wouldn't use in a top no matter how small the pieces were cut to hid the "ugly"...bonus of clearing those fabrics out of the tub...

 

Simple echo quilting following the chevrons and it is doing its job on couch.

Happy Stitching...

Kalamazoo...

I found this post languishing in drafts from 2015...yes folks, six years biding its time in drafts...Kalamzaoo...a Quilt As You Go by Michelle Marvig...

It had progressed from this to having its sashing strips sewn on and applique shapes vlisofixed down but that is where it had been left...and forgotten about.

 

A few weeks ago I quite randomly unearthed the quilt in the bottom of a tub on a Saturday night and left it out in the light determined that I should just get it done...the next morning my darling friend A texted me to say she was remembering us talking about this quilt years ago and was returning to hers...and I laughed and replied look what I found last night!!!!!

Nothing else for it, the Universe was telling me it had to be finished.  I sucked up the courage to do the applique on the machine (definitely not my best skill - let's face it I generally suck at machine applique) and after a little consultation with another friend for back-up went for it...and...

It. Is. Done.

Absolutely nothing near perfect or even worthy of being viewed from any closer than two kilometres down the road on a foggy day but done it is and it will do a job as a knock-about quilt.

And...it's out of the tub!

Happy Stitching

Pocket of Happiness...

Because last year was such a non-event we decided as Committee to give everyone at our Guild Christmas lunch a little giftee...the local (well, next town because we don't have anything here) craft shop was visited and bits and bobs purchased and wrapped.  My parcel contained a pattern by Marg Low - Pocket of Happiness - and the makings - fabric, felt, ribbon.  Over this last weekend I made it up...

I thought I'd use it as a hanging scissor keep but the interfacing I used didn't make it sturdy enough and the scissors are too heavy for the pocket but not to worry, it's decorative.  There is no way I'd have chosen black/grey fabrics but I'm actually quite happy with how it has turned out with the supplied fabrics...

Happy Stitching...

Redwork Guild Block...

(Found this languishing from end October 2020)

To keep our members engaged last year, as the Committee of our Branch of The Embroiders Guild, Victoria, we organised some background fabric, thread and a theme and mailed out the doings to those members who wanted to participate. The rules were simple...must use the fabric and thread provided and a design that fits in the theme of "garden" but otherwise...choose the design and stitches you fancy.  I used an old pattern that had been waiting a long time for its turn...the pattern has four designs and the trick then was choosing which one?...

The Busy Gardner by Designs by Dot Craft, a pattern from 2003.

The plan is to put all the blocks together into a red/white raffle quilt for "later on".

I like the four stitchery designs a lot and think it would make a nice small quilt in green or blue...one day...

Happy Stitching...