Craft room storage

I have been busy clearing out the garage today and thought this book case needed a little attention as it looked sad and neglected. 

After a quick browse on the internet I found out what to use to clean it, a mix of 1 part white vinegar to 3 parts olive oil. Needless to say I didn't have either in the cupboard! A flying visit to the shop soon sorted that. 

Half done - what a difference! 

It just needs to dry overnight and I can then start the huge task of sorting my crafty stuff and arranging some of it on here. 

Another project to show tomorrow.....

A bit of lippy

Just a quick make today..... I discovered the instructions to make a key ring lipstick holder earlier so had to have a go. It took 2 attempts as the first one was too narrow to put a lip salve in. I can see me making more of these - think they would make lovely little gifts. 

Feeling a bit blue.......

My first finish in ages..... A messenger bag in blue, lovely denim blue shades, it looks more of a purple shade in the photo. I have been looking for a cross body bag for a while now and when I found the pattern for this I was really pleased.

Now I've got my machine warmed up, there's no stopping me, there's fabric all over the dining table and draped all over the chairs......

Off to catch up on the Facebook BOM group I'm part of!

Sam x

Work In Progress Wednesday

Another blogging break..... I have been away on a lovely holiday and then had a week of builders in so not had much opportunity to blog.

Here's my WIP this week, a lovely baby quilt made with fabric from the Riley Blake 'Giraffe Crossing' range. It's so cute and I love how well it works with the orange spraytime fabric. The pattern by Elizabeth Hartman, is here. I just need to order the backing and binding fabric now.

I am linking up with Leigh at WIP Wednesday @ Freshly Pierced

My first attempt at dressmaking

Good morning, I thought it was about time I posted on my much neglected blog. I just don't seem to have got much crafty time lately and even less to blog, although I have been visiting your blogs, I just haven't got round to posting on mine! 

I've made a few cards, photos of which I will try and post later but this is the latest project which has been on my sewing machine. There were a few set backs along the way and I think I much prefer patchwork and quilting but this was 'an itch that needed to be scratched!' 

I have got another pattern in my to do pile, which may make it to the top this holiday but I definitely need to get some p & q in soon.

VW Camper van cushion front

One more day of the half term holiday to go and I have been making the most of it! I caught up with a friend over coffee this morning, had a mooch around a lovely gift shop in the village and some sewing this afternoon and evening.

As I managed to get my hands on some double sided fusible yesterday I made a start on the VW camper van cushion kit I bought at the Malvern show recently.

I have cut, stuck and sewn all the pieces on, so tomorrow I need to quilt it, and make it into a cushion. Think I am going to have a practice at stippling to see if I am up to FMQ a cushion - if not I guess it will be the usual straight line quilting!!

Every time I look at this cushion it will remind me of the Sunday afternoon outings we used to have when I was a child with my sister, parents and grandparents. They had a camper van although I can't remember what colour, and we would go and have a picnic of sorts - happy days......

       

WIP Wednesday - Almost a drawstring bag!

This is what I have been working on today, after a visit to the LQS to buy some fabric to line this. I bought the 5" squares from the Creative Quilting stall at the Malvern show recently. As soon as I saw it I planned to make a drawstring bag, I had hoped to get the fabric from the range to finish it but have been unable to locate any locally.

While in the shop Mum found some dark grey fabric in the oddments bag that we love to have a rummage through. I should have bought it as now I have to go back there tomorrow to buy it or some off the bolt to make the drawstrings.

Really pleased with how this turned out, I wasn't sure whether to do the sugar bag thing with the bottom corners but decided not to as I didn't want to lose any of the lovely fabric.

                                                      

Linking up with Lee at Freshly Pieced

Finally a finish!!!

Woo hoo - it's been a very long time in the making, but finally here is my plus quilt made with Winters Lane fabric from Moda.

At last I can get on with another project which is just as well as I went to the quilt show at Malvern last weekend and bought lots of lovely new fabric and patterns.......

I had hoped to start the camper van cushion today but didn't have double sided fusible and the local shop that is open on Sundays didn't have any either :( 

It would have been rude to come out of the shop empty handed don't you think? So I found these FQs and a metre of white muslin.

As I had ironed the fabric for the cushion I didn't want to start anything else do have been browsing the www for sewing ideas - my head is now buzzing with things I would like to make! 

I have been in a bit of a quandry since last weekend, I had a play on a Juki TL98P as I struggle quilting large projects on my Bernina. I love love love my Bernina but it is just not big enough to get a large quilt through without wrestling with it at some points. The Juki has a lot larger throat space, which would make life easier and may encourage me to get on and quilt the other 4 or 5 tops I have folded up in the corner!! I really would have to get my sewing room sorted then as I could totally take over the dining table could I? 

Enjoy the rest of your bank holiday weekend - whatever you are up to. 

Almost a finish - WIP Wednesday & Let's Bee Social

It's been a long time in the making, lots of stitching, unpicking, redesigning of borders, a problem with blue chaco marker, I think there are a few faint marks left, hoping they will go when I wash it.

I had difficulty sleeping last night so came downstairs to make a cuppa and watch a quilting programme I had recorded. I decided to trim the wadding and backing of the quilt instead and then thought I would make the binding as I still wasn't tired. 

My mission this evening was to sew the binding on and start hand sewing it to the back, one of my favourite parts of quilting because its very relaxing, you can watch tv while doing it, keeps you toasty warm and it means another project is almost finished - time to start a new one! 

Just need to sew a few ends in as well but its time for bed now. 

I am aiming for a Friday finish on this one. 

Linking up to Lee at Freshly Pieced WIP Wednesday

& Lorna at Sew Fresh Quilts Let's Bee Social

Avoiding the issue!!

I had promised myself that I wouldn't start another project until I had finished binding my Winter Lane quilt. Well I have only got the binding to do........ I jarred my back last week so have found it uncomfortable to sit to my sewing machine never mind manoeuvre a big quilt around so this weekend thought I would have a go at a few smaller projects that have been on my to do list.







I was very restrained when I took Mum to our LQS on Friday until I discovered the lovely sewing accessory fabric. I decided on the tan fabric to go with it until I spotted the red fabric which really lifted the sewing accessory fabric, sadly the tan one had been cut so I had to have that also, then there was the issue of getting a reduced price if you bought 4 FQs.

The first projects are thread catcher pots, really quick and easy to make. I couldn't decide what fabric I wanted on the outside, once I had sewn the side seams I wished I had done it the opposite way round so quickly ran up another in reverse colour ways. Thank you Tina at Seaside Stitches for the tutorial.

My Mum was making peg bags recently for a couple of her friends. When I was doing the ironing this weekend I pulled out a couple of the wooden hangers to have a go. A quick dash to The Range before closing to buy this lovely fabric and this is what we ended up with....

What can my next avoidance project be - reorganise my fabric ..........