Pouch Tutorial

Remember way back in Feb I promised a little Sewing Pocket Tutorial here on my blog?  Well, I have finally got around to doing it :)  If you are in need of a quick gift, then this is it!  Its quick and easy to whip up...

First things first, you will need to cut your pieces:
Outer:  10" x 22"
Lining: 10" x 21.75
Flap: 2 @ 9.5" x 6.5
Pellon:  10" x 22" & 9.5" x 6.5"
1x Sew in magnetic clasp

You can choose to cut the inside of your flap piece the same as lining, or same as the front.  I chose to have the same as lining this time. 
I found that you don't want 2 'busy' fabrics for this pouch, so I chose to have the beige flower for the pouch, and the owls for the flap.  You could mix it up and have a plain on the flap and a feature for the pouch... its up to you!

 

Iron your pellon onto the pouch outer and one flap piece:

 

Place your 2 flap pieces on your cutting mat, right sides together.  Place a saucer on the BOTTOM 9.5" edge and cut with your rotary cutter.  Repeat for the other side.  If you are using directional fabric, make sure you are cutting the bottom.

Pin together:

 

And sew together, leaving the 'straight', top 9.5" edge open.

 

 

Turn right way out, press and top stitch around the seam with a 1/4":

 

 

Find the centre of your flap and outer and pin together.  Your outer and flap outer should be right sides together.  Sew approx. 1/8" along the edge - this is just to hold it for now.

 

Bring the 2 short sides of the outer together - right sides together, and starting from the TOP edge, sew along the long edges on both sides using a 1/4" seam.  Sew both sides.

 

Turn your outer right side out.

 

Bring your lining 10" edge to meet the top 10" and sew both side seams from the top using a slightly larger seam allowance than 1/4" - leave a turning hole in one side, in the middle, approx 3" wide.  This will make it fit nice and snug and not baggy.

 

Place your outer INSIDE your lining.  You should have the right sides of both your outer and lining together:

Make sure your flap is inside.  Pin.  All raw edges are ready to be sewn together:

 

Sew around the whole top 1/4"

 

 

 

Turn through:

 

 

Then place lining inside the pocket:

 

 

Press so that the top seams are nice and flat:

 

 

Top stitch around the edge you have just seen (you have already done the flap):

 

 

Attach some magnetic clasps - I used the sew on ones from HERE.  Or you could use some Velcro or press studs.  Sew them approx 3" down on your outer, and 2" from the edge of the flap.

 

 

Sew up turning hole and add a big button to the front if you like.  I am leaving mine plain as I think the flap is busy enough.  I did put a button on the other HERE.

 

 

Its now all done.  For the printable pattern, click HERE.

Told you it was quick and easy!

We've been Painting

Easter weekend flew by so fast!  We had lots planned, but due to the weather, we didn't manage to finish what we started!!  We got the outside of our shop painted FINALLY on Saturday (it was started Easter weekend, and we had been waiting for a clear, sunny day that coincided with a day off)!  We had wanted to do it ever since we moved in, but the carpark next door needed to be fixed and sealed as dust and dirt flies all-over the place!  Poor Dennis is always cleaning the outside, and its good for one day, then dirty the next!  A call to the council to complain sprung them to action!

So, here are some before shots:

 

The outside was white

 

 

Now, all freshly painted a similar colour to the inside:  Green!

 

 

We are pretty happy with how it turned out. 

 

 

Now to organise some signage for the sides of the awning....

Hubba Hubba

I have finished my Juggle quilt and I am pretty pleased with it!  Made using a Moda Honeycomb of Hubba Hubba - nice and cheery!

 

I have some Minkee in stock, and had wanted to use some for backing for AGES!!  It works perfectly with this quilt.  And talk about snugly!!

 

 

Quilted with Flower Swirls design:

 

 

Binding this quilt on these cool nights has been great! 

Butterflies

I still have this creative spurt happening.  I have numerous projects on the go at various stages!  I have a little pile of night stitching at the ready!  With today being miserable outside, we have the heater on, I have ironed the overflowing basket of clothes this morning, only due to the fact Hubby couldn't find a clean pair of jeans in the robe LOL  - why is that we enjoy ironing/pressing for our craft, but hate the ironing of clothing?!  Tea is in the slow cooker, and I am ready to sew for the afternoon! 

Today I wanted to share a couple of new finishes.  Yes, another Gail Pan project!  This is the Butterfly Dilly Bag.  Super quick and easy, the red stitched with Cottage Garden Threads 'Running Postman':

 

The blue version was stitched with the 'Latte' thread:

 

 

 

 

I just loved making these up. 

 

I have nearly finished a little tutorial for you.... Just needs a little tweaking then I will share with you all.

Happy Easter!

Happy Easter everyone!!

 

I hope you all have a wonderful, happy and safe one.... Don't eat too much chocolate :)

Have you heard the news?

The lovely Gail Pan has just received shipment of her brand new book from the Simply Christmas range!!  Yes, this one is number 2!!  And, its anything like the first one, its going to be a bit HIT!  I have listed them on my website now, as a special PRE-ORDER price. 

 

We expect some stock hopefully next week..... Hop on over and pre-order yours now :)

Raw edge applique

I have had quite a few emails asking how I did my raw edge applique on my Baby Showers quilts.  I thought you might like to see some close up pictures. 

For each pieced 'droplet', I straight stitched around the whole piece about 1/8" around the edge 3 times.  I like the effect that its not perfect.... Its not messy (well, I don't think it is?!), but I like the effect:

 

Also, I didn't use the heat n bond like the pattern states.  I thought as I was making 2 quilts, with 16 droplets each, I would have quite a bit of waste (as you cut out the centre to make it more 'snuggly' that stiff).  I just cut them out with a template, and pinned them to my background, and stitched them down:

 

 

With my solid droplets, I went around the shape twice:

 

 

I kept the thread colour the same on each applique, cream:

 

 

I plan on quilting over the whole quilt with an edge to edge pattern - Umbrella's, so fitting!!  So, it should be pretty sturdy.

 

What do you think of raw edge applique?

Raining

As most of you know, I am such a Bonnie and Camille fan.  I keep a little collection/kit from every single one of their ranges from right at the beginning!  Cotton Blossoms, right up until now.  If I haven't made a quilt from their range, I have a kit aside....  When April Showers arrived, I saved myself a Layer Cake - with no plans.  I usually have plans!  Then I found THIS on the Moda Bake Shop recently - PERFECT!  So, Monday a week ago, I set to work.  By about 1pm, I had 2 flimsy's done, all from one Layer Cake and 1.5mts background for each quilt!  Raw edge applique - super quick.... I have been wanting to have another go on a bigger project since my Mini Raincheck (which I cant seem to find the post on that, so maybe I didn't share?), so this was another reason why I just had to make them.

I think I love this one the best - the staggered Baby Shower quilt using aqua background.

 

And here is the other one, white spot tone on tone background:

 

 

Pretty good from one Layer Cake don't you think?!

Adding these to the 'to be quilted pile'!  And, I have the PERFECT quilting pattern too.

Juggle-ing

A little something I whipped up recently is this cute Moda Honeycomb quilt.  Pre-cut hexagons are SO much fun to work with!  I planed to make this quilt with Happy Go Lucky AGES ago, but as soon as this cute Hubba Hubba arrived in stock I knew I needed to make it in that range instead!

Sophie wasn't at all impressed I was sewing instead of playing with her one night. 

 

I managed to get the top together in 2 nights.  The pattern is called Juggle, and I chose to make the smaller size with just one pack - plus 5 extra hexagons cut from the template included with the Honeycombs. 

 

 

Trimmed, borders attached and now all ready for quilting.....

 

 

 

 

Easter sewing

I have been busily sewing Easter stuff recently, and this cute Melly and Me bag is SO cute!  It takes so little fabric and can be whipped up in a jiffy!  Itty Bitty Bunny Bag:

 

I had planned to make Belle and Burt too, but I don't think I will get over the line in time!!

Another Owl quilt

Recently our niece had a beautiful baby girl.  When she told us she was expecting a little girl, I hunted in my stash for the perfect girly fabric and came across this bundle of only 5 fat quarters.  Would this be enough?  YES!!  I cant believe how much I got out of 5 FQ's!!  I cut each fq into 5" squares, but there was some waste - but if I were to do it again, I would cut them into 4 3/4" square and it would end up bigger and NO waste.  This ended up a great cot size.  Anyway, I made Snowball blocks from each square.....

 

Here it is all completed.  I quilted the Chubby Owls pattern on it too - looked great!

 

 

This one has been secretly hidden away for a little while.  I don't think I shared even a sneak peep :)

Among the Flowers

One of my most recent finishes is this gorgeous table runner by Gail Pan Designs!  I've made this as a shop sample in some of the reproduction fabrics I have.... Jo Morton's ranges!  I've also stitched up the stitchery for the bag as well, though am waiting on some ric-rac to arrive before I make it up.  I just love these little birdies:

 

And hand quilting.... SO much fun!

 

 

Its a great size this one:

 

 

Among the Flowers by Gail Pan.

InstaBee block 1

I am participating in the Instagram Block Swap - called the InstaBee.  We choose a block from the Modern Bee book, and what colour way you would like, then each member in your little group of 12 (called a Hive, I am in Hive 1) makes you that block.  Usually with this sort of thing, you get all your blocks in one go, in the month you are allocated, but our Queen Bee Lisa, decided to split it up so you get one per month - much more fair and exciting!

Anyway, here is a block 'Painters Pallet' for Angie.  She wanted Low Volume background and her blocks of colour to be improv..... First attempt at this.  Not too bad! 

 

I chose 'Staked Windmills' and decided to go with a Low Volume background with happy, modern brights for my block.  Pretty chuffed with my first received block!  Thankyou Leonie!

 

 

Looking forward to starting my second swap.....

Birthday gifts

Yesterday was the lovely Sandi's Birthday, and I made her a little gift on behalf our FIS Group.  The theme this year was a 'Black and White' bag with a trim.  I chose to make her one of my Prairie Point bags in black and white, with red Points (the trim!). 

 

Also, we were to put a little something inside the bag, and I made her a 'S' mini quilt in French General fabrics..... I just had to add the mini 2.5" star.  They are SO cute to make!

 

 

Along with a little button and a couple of chocolate bars (not pictured) and her gift was complete!

 



Happy Birthday for yesterday Sandi!  I hope your day was awesome xx