Sunrise Makeup Bag

I have got to the end of the month and realised that I have not done a patchwork project for this month.  I saved lots of ideas most of them really need to be incorporated into a quilt to get the full effect and I am not wanting to get into that at the moment it feels like more of an autumn project.  I am still hoping that the weather will turn warmer soon ( I live in hope!) rather than snow, so the plan is I won't be needing quilts just yet. 

One idea that I liked was that of a sunrise design so rather than put it on a cushion again I thought it could go on a makeup bag with a wrist strap.

I used a decorative stitch to give the impression of rays coming off it, I had also thought about some beading but that can always come later, lining wipe-able for any makeup spillage.

It is only a small project this time but I had such a run of furniture and dress making on my last break from work that I haven't really got around to anything bigger on this front. I will have to choose something exciting for May.

Another picture inside, with the fading light I couldn't decide which was best.

I picked up some books from the library today that I had on order, a few of them on crochet as I need to get back to a bit of that as well before I forget how to do it.

Those Russian dolls are so cute I must give those a try, I also like some of the chunky baskets from the book bottom right.

The materials used in the makeup bag above were all recycled and leftover pieces, nothing new was bought.  The zip had been unpicked and saved in the past, looking back over a lot of the things I make a lot of the same designs on fabric come up again and again.  I don't like to waste any of it, I was joking with my husband that he should tell a colleague of his who I made a vintage dress for that the scraps of cherry fabric were being used again.  I made a dress for someone in that print eighteen months ago and there are still little bits left.

If anyone has any ideas for the really tiny bits I would love to hear about them.

March Patchwork, Maple Leaf Cushion

This last month I have looked at so many images on pinterest trying to decide what to have a go at for this months patchwork.  As I have mentioned for me this is all about trying out different designs in  addition to my clothes making.  I don't intend on having a house full of quilts although I do intend to make one later in the year when I have decided on a favourite design. 

So after much searching I saw some fabulous images of the Maple Leaf design, all of which were in quilts but I thought I would have a go at a few for my cushion cover collection. (You can never have too many for when some are in the wash!)

Here is my cushion, followed by what I did.

Now I didn't see any precise instructions although there are probably some out there, I just zoomed in on an image and then had a play around with a bit of paper folded into 25 small squares. Funny that is the same way I worked out the placings for the windmill pattern, is that the magic number for a block? I really need to get a book from the library on this but in the meantime it is fun to just figure it out for myself.

I am sure there is an easier way but I sat and drew it on some paper, one to refer to and one to cut up.

Now mine weren't very big as I was not making a quilt so this also added the problem of how small I was going to be working with lots of tiny overlapping seams. What I decided to do here was cut the pieces as the size they would be and then applique them on with a small zig-zag  stitch.

Here a few test runs and I would say be careful what you use for the backing as this shirting had a lot of movement so just stretched out of a square shape.  You can see in the wobbly sides,  I did want all of this cushion to be recycled materials however so I pressed on with the stretchy recycled shirt.

So this as another design that I love and such a super way to use up the tiniest bits of fabric. In fact I will be saving even the smallest offcuts from now on with this in mind so friends may be getting gifts with maple leaves on them.

 The base of the cushion is recycled denim (one of my favourites) old shirts, fabric bits from various projects and the ribbon came around a throw I was gifted.  All in all a lovely new from old project, I do need to quickly run up and stuff with oddments a smaller cushion pad for it, as the one in the image was a bit full and that doesn't make for a soft cushion. 

These would also make really nice gifts I think, the outlay would be just the cushion pad if you re-use fabric for the cover, they are really time consuming though so I would suggest gifting to those who appreciate how labour intensive handmade is.  Has anyone else made anything different with this design?

February Patchwork Challenge

Well another month is nearly over and I can't believe how quickly! I browsed a number of ideas of what to try in patchwork this month and then I saw a design called windmill 2 on a pinterest pin and I thought I would have a go at that.  I am not sure if it has another name or if the pinner just called it that, it did say it was Japanese.

I opted for another cushion mainly because my puppy is still nibbling and has chewed the corner of one of my cushions so I was one down and in need of a replacement.  Here is a picture of the completed cushion.

I really like the folds because it gives it depth.

I used some of the new fabric which I bought last month, the rest was deconstructed old shirts belonging to my husband.   I didn't have any instructions I just cut up some squares of paper and marked on them where each piece should overlap to make it even.

I pinned all the folds as I didn't want them falling off while I was sewing, it also helped to lay them out on the table to see how I wanted to arrange them.

I have used the same colours in each piece but this would be a great way to use up odd bits.

This was a time consuming piece but I would use it again, it is much more interesting than the flat designs but I can see there being a problem with my dogs getting their paws stuck in the folds and potentially tearing something.  I will have to keep an eye out for that!

I am going to see if I can find more folded designs,  the only issue is what to do with the pieces when they are finished as they are not the kind of styles that you can use in clothing and I don't want to be limited to cushions and quilts.

Aside from sewing that I have read another book this week  ' A Year of Marvellous Ways' by Sarah Winman.  I really enjoyed it, it didn't take me long to get through it which is always a sign I am enjoying a book, but then a little sad it's over. Does anyone else get that? 

Before that I completed ' The Next Time You See Me' by Holly Goddadrd Jones also a good read.

First Cathedral Window Panel Finished

Well I finished my first cathedral window panel yesterday, it took longer than I thought due to it being hand stitched but I really like the effect and I would imagine that that this style could make even the most dull fabrics look interesting.  I'm not sure what to do with the panel, whether to put a border around it and make it a cushion cover or to turn it into a bag I'm leaning towards a bag as it has the denim shades already in it so it will go well with the denim scraps I have.

My shapes are not perfect I know but I'm very pleased with it as a first attempt.

I had a suit to alter today for my mother in law, as skirt to take in and up by 6 inches (she is only small) and the jacket needed sleeves taking up. Then they came here for lunch along with my mum.

While I was in the mind for sewing I had another look at my sprocket cushion because I felt the cover was a big for the cushion I made. So I took that apart, I made the side panel smaller and also gave it a bigger button at the centre.  It looks much better now and gathers in nicely at the centre, I want to make a few of these for the caravan.

I changed the colour of the button in the centre also, I did like the yellow one but I didn't have one big enough the other other one looked a bit out of place.

Here is the back, it is good to get some daylight photos.

After continuing with a few more crocheted squares today I thought I would share a couple of the patterns I have seen that I might try next. They are from the same library book but I have instructed my mother in law to keep an eye out for any books that come in the charity shop where she works as this one is getting looked over quite a lot.

This one is pretty and a bit different I thought.

After everyone left earlier we went for a rainy walk with the dogs, we called in Tesco on the way just because they always mark stuff down on a Sunday at that time.  We got three veg curries with rice for 50p each and two of those posh soups that we never buy at full price for 20p each not bad.  I took a picture of these bargains but it came out blurred each time.

I also made a soup for my lunch tomorrow using the leftovers from dinner today ( the bargains from the Tesco had chicken in the soup).  I used carrots,fried onion, red lentils, veg stock and tomato paste.

So as January comes to an end I feel I am on track with what I set out for myself, I have learned a few new things and I am enjoying looking at ideas on pinterest for what to try next.

  I often get asked what I did at the weekend and sometimes I feel a bit err.. what to say, because people tend to want to know where you have been, what events you have attended and so on.  I really must stop feeling awkward about this, unless it is the summer and we are taking the caravan places we are not people who go out a lot.  However I am always busy with something and these are the things that I enjoy, learning new skills and creating things, listening to music,  reading, walking and reading blogs by people who share my interests.  All these things take time but they don't all take me out of the house, they are often very low cost too and that is ok.

A New Year Patchwork Challenge

In addition to making clothes this year I wanted to do something a bit different, I have done a bit of patchwork before but aside from a quilt I made years ago (that I no longer have and really wish I'd kept) I don't usually work to any set design.
having looked at some of the gorgeous stuff others are doing in this area I thought I would set myself the task of trying at least one new item of patchwork a month and try out some of the many designs out there.
If I have more time or the items are quick I may do more but I thought one was a realistic starting point in addition to the clothes making and alterations I do.

I have completed my first item today and I copied this from this blog cluck cluck sew and here they are referred to as sprocket pillows. I love her fabric choices and the ones there look much neater than mine but hey first attempt so I am pleased with mine.  I can see it needs a bit of tweaking my home made cushion is a bit small in the case so the side needs to be made narrower I think.

As you can see it is a bit loose in the case I also think the button needs to be bigger and be pulled more tightly through the other side but I did not have the tool to do it properly. My husband made me something when I re-upholstered the old caravan but I don't know where that has gone!

The cushion inside I made from my old bathrobe and some toy filling that I had left from ages ago so I don't know how this will hold up under constant use, we will see.

I also didn't use the instructions from the website above I just made a circle then divided it up using old newspaper and added a seam allowance when I cut out the fabric.

I found this quite a relaxing make and you can use up lots of odd bits this way so I think I will be making more of these.  I did two pieces of each fabric but you could just do one and do more or less triangles.

Last night while watching the T.V I got a few more cards done, I'm going to store them in a box so I have a good supply for the coming year.