Facebook group purse swap

I've joined in a swap with one of the wonderful Facebook groups I joined nearly a year ago.

I love the idea of doing a swaps, the excitement of making something special for someone, the research to find something different, choosing the fabrics and the fear of making something not wanted. As you can see the positives total outweigh the negatives.

I have done looks of coin purses in the past so I had plenty of different things I know I can make. 

Ruler fabric metal frame purse

Rocket Rascal purse

Lace and ribbon coin purse

I know what my swappee likes and now I need to decide what to actually make. I have had a look at lots of tutorials and here are some that I want to try.





Very Berry Handmade

Little quilted purse



Macaroon purse



Piper purse frame

Well that's enough purses for now, Once I have sent my swappee their very special purse I'll show you all.

 

Zoe xx

More cushion ideas

You may (but probably may not) know that I have just completed a set of Dresden plate cushions for a close friend of mine who was leaving our hometown for the spray of the seaside, well after making them I thought about making more so when I was thinking hard (which I dislike as it hurts) I remembered but middle child's best friend's (who moved last year) birthday was in the later part of March so that was my inspiration for my latest cushion.
I decided to do a patchwork all of my own, I started with squared paper and a pencil I draw the actual size of the cushion and place a panel in the centre for a panel to add a name (after naming my children with less common names I was inspired to personalise) then I divided the two sections (top and bottom) with a patchwork sequence, I picked my fabrics, added the actual size (with 1cm seam allowance) each patch would need to be before I started cutting, then I began to cut and stitch it together.
I found it quite quick and addictive to make and within a few hours the front was completed then I had to sort out letters which was so much harder. In the end I found some fabric and some lettering I liked and added them to white felt before adding to the central panel. The back is a basic envelope closure again so is suitable for young children as well.

Here are some pics of my cushion and I'll be making some country cottage style ones for my shop (hopefully)

Amy's birthday cushion

Patchwork cushion using a mix of fabrics

Some fabrics are from fabricrehab.co.uk and FAVOURITE-FABRICS eBay shop

Zoe xx

Hiya. Sorry! Note to self keep on blogging

Hello I'm sorry for the lack of blogs, I have had a bit of a low time after falling up the stairs (yes up the satirs) I'm still not sure how I managed it but I had to stop some of my stitching because of it which did make me feel sad but I'm getting the swing again after buying vintages fabrics and making some new items.

I have a thing for fabric but you may know that from my fabric challenge when I challenged myself NOT to buy any new fabrics and use what I had to make eight different items for my children in two weeks I did complete it without to much trouble and I still have more fabrics handy. Recently I have got five new blue fat quarters from one onf my favourite ebay shops FAVOURITE-FABRICS to make up a pair of cushions for a leaving present, two completely different vintage fabrics, 2yds of Polly goes to Paris by Henry Glass for a long awaited coat for my daughter using Woolen fabric for outside and Polly fabric for the lining (which she chose herself as she is called Polly)

I've been making dresden plates with my new wedge ruler and the blue fabrics stitched to pale blue cotton.

Not bad for the first go, and I will be making more I've got a taste for it now but might do smaller ones these cushions are 46cmx46cm and look lovely.
I've also made a cute vintage gadget case for one of the mum's at the primary school.

I didn't want it to go but luckily I can make more so I can have one or make a new wallet (there's an idea)
I have made a set of passport wallets using up some of my left overs, and some of my pink vintage fabric (only a bit of it I'm thinking of making a new pop over dress from Sew hip magazine like my purple spotty one)

Now I'm getting back my need to stitch my folksy shop will have a load of new stuff as of April and I will be re-starting my Folksy Fridays again.

I'm going to go now and eat food and tidy up before I fall asleep at the computer.

It's been a long time, how are you?

WOW! OMG! It's been ages, how are you, I'm fine I have been busy working on items for my shop, I finished my fabric challenge, here are the rest of my items that I didn't post.

No'4 in my challenge a Gypsy skirt using Emma Hardy's pattern
(easy to make even when using squares, just add squares until each panel matchs the length in the pattern)

No'5 in my challenge a Sew Hip's popover dress
from issue 6 (very easy to make)

No' 6 in my challenge a sleeveless top (another Emma Hardy pattern)

No'7 Emma Hardy's Smock top (a bit of a elastic problem for me

and the straps there too big but with a little adjustment all worked out well)

 

No' 8 My very own designed head scrap

No' 8 Emma Hardy's headband

So there you have it my challenge was finished in time (just!) sorry for the delay of nearly 6 months.

But now I'm setting myself another challenge, as my youngest is getting his first bed I'm going to make him a quilt and pillow set before the end of january and finish my eldest's quilt that I sadly start far to long ago really all I have to do is add the binding then it's done and I also want to make my middle children her coats (one waterproof and other woollen coat) from the lovely Oliver and S pattern and somehow make a quilt for my new sofa I'm getting in a few weeks possibly using Amy Butler fabrics and charm packs I got from http://www.cross-patch.co.uk/.

 

So my jan/feb challenge is to complete Summer's quilt, Make Elliott new bed set, make 2 coats for Polly and a quilt for me and my man.

I have a bad feeling about this as Han solo once said. 

Wish me luck.

Part 3 of 8

Today I have now finished the 3rd item in my challenge, its a denim hat with a blue cotton with white spots.
The denim are legs from a pair of jeans I'd made into a bag that can fit a laptop in which is on sale at my  folksy shop. I had aimed to use the fabric for a hat but hadn't got round to it but with going on hoilday its always best to have 2 hats so I made it for my challenge.
Now this hat is another item from 'making children's clothes' but as I'd already made a vintage one for my daughter I had a good chance of making it, all went well but as its for a boy I found the brim a bit long and looked a bit girly on him so I took a few cms off then continued as the book said.
When it came to topstitching the brim I stitched extra rows instead of the one in the book, it has worked well so I'm happy. Here are some pics.

Boys repurposed denim sun hat.

Light blue cotton with white spots for the lining.

Top stitched outer brim.

Top stitched inner brim

Now its time to start entertaining the children then back to find more fabric for the next part of my fabric challenge.

Part 2 of 8 completed.

Late yesterday evening I completed another item from my challenge, I have finished a wonderful pinafore dress from Emma hardy's book 'Making Children's clothes' using some fabric printed with pictures of Cicely Mary Barker's Flower fairies and sweetpea flowers. The dress is lined in a plain green cotton.
This pinafore is easy to cut out and assemble, within in a few hours it was ready (with the ocassional mishap of not quite having enough fabric for the lining which I sorted out by making the lining 2 cm shorter that indicted then made the hem smaller to make it match the outer fabric once made).

Here are some photo's then I'm off to make plans and find what fabric I can use next.

Flower fairy pinafore dress front

Flower fairy pinafore dress using an Emma Hardy pattern.

Picture of Cicely Mary Barker printed fabric.

Green button etched with a flower.

Part1 of 8

Here is an update of my fabric challenge, so far I have actually made one pair of pants from Making childrens clothes by Emma Hardy the pattern is fairly easy but I would prefer to add the pockets to the fronts before making up as its a bit fiddley trying to do it once its mostly made up and I didn't add the pocket bows.

My attempt.

From Emma Hardy's book Making Children's Clothes.

My new challenge

Wow a few weeks in to the school holidays now and I've hardly done any sewing. I've had three lots of birthdays to deal with two for my girls who share the same day and then a week later my own birthday so with buying presents, wrapping them and entertaining three children and visitors I've done only bits and bobs until now, because I have challenged myself to make 8 different items for my childrens holiday in two weeks. You may say thats not a hard challenge but theres more, I'm not allowed to buy any more farbic as I've got loads and its all waiting to be used plus I need t save money for the holiday itself.
Most of my items are from a little book called 'Making children's clothes' by Emma Hardy, in which must of the items are fairly easy to make but will wait and see if I make them well.
I'm starting the challenge today Friday 13th August (may not be the best day to start) and have to be complete by 26th August ready to be packed.

Well I wish myself luck and I'll be back in a few days to tell you how well its going and the items I've made so far and the countdown of items to be made.