Open wide Zippered Pouch

Feel sure you'll remember this fabric by French General for Moda "La Petite Odile" which I used for my Sewing Basket and Sewing Accessories Kit.   I sometimes take these with me to Group Meetings, but felt I needed something larger for storage of cutters, scissors, pins, pens and pencils etc and another for my current project's  threads.

The large pouch measures 14" x 8" and the smaller one 10" x 6"and are taken from an online tutorial by Noodlehead.  Vilene H630 was used to stabilise the smaller pouch and H640 for the larger one, which gives slightly more body

Certainly a bag full!!

Chateau Hexagon Mystery Button of the Month

In the middle of 2013 I enrolled for Lynette Anderson's new Mystery Button Block of the Month Club.  Lynette chose a French feel for this project, which featured garden scenes each having a hand-painted button from Australia.

The wallhanging measures 26" x 37"
Cosmo threads have been used throughout.
Quilted using a very thin wadding and invisible thread

Month 9 - Chateau Hexagon

Who lives in this grand home somewhere in France?

Month 1 - Birdhouse Corner

"Such a pretty part of the garden, the birds are singing, the flowers are blooming and Mrs Cat is prowling"

Month 2 - Sampler Block

A little alphabet sampler style had to be included on this quilt.

Month 3 - Flower Barrow

This old wooden style wheelbarrow reminds Lynette of the one her Grandad used to use in his garden. "Grandad was always outside, he used to grow lots of vegetables and flowers.  His garden fork often had a bird sitting on it watching and waiting for a worm"

Month 4 - Cranky Geese

When Lynette was 9 she says the school she attended had geese to guard the lawns, they were very cranky geese and no-one put a toe on the grass for fear of being hissed at.

Month 5 - Hollyhocks & Roses

Lynette's grandmother used to grow hollyhocks in her cottage garden.  They grew tall and pretty against her flint and brick walls. 

Month 6 - The Flower Patch

Lynette says she loved watering the flower patch, running out to see if the seeds had sprouted and then as the little plants grew strong and tall waiting and hoping that they would have flowers"

Month 7 - Lilypads

"Little pond with its lily pads and flowers in the middle of the driveway that leads to "Chateau Hexagon"

Month 8 - Welcome

"The entrance to Chateau Hexagon has a grand but neglected feel to it, which is why there are wild flowers growing by the entrance gate.  The French poodle button looks so proud with her pink collar and sweet French haircut". 

Can you see the date and my initials added to the wrought iron-gate?  I have so very much enjoyed making and stitching this gorgeous quilt - thank you Lynette.  It is now being offered as a kit with patterns, fabric and buttons at Little Quilt Store.

AnnAKa - Pa Quiltelaup

Having had the pattern for AnnAKa's Pa Quiltelaup for sometime and following on from my Annas Sminkepung marathon I really wanted to have ago, but again, sadly, the instructions were in Norwegian.  My friend Margaret of Solstitches and I decided to have a "bag-a-long" and, thanks to her, my bag is finally completed.

The stripe and flower fabrics are by Westminster for Kaffe Fassett and have been taken from my stash whilst the lovely Stoff  brown/green lining, strapping and handles fabric was purchased specially for this project as was the small amounts of purple and lilac for the prairie points - Spraytime from The Henley Studio for Makower.  Fabric wise, I thought it was quite a greedy bag.

Margaret said she was going to have a go at inside zip and slip pockets and, not to let the side down, I followed suit.  The instructions were taken from Perfect Quilted Totes by Elizabeth Hartman and you will see the result.  Apologies for the poor photo, but my camera was pointed into the bag!  Yes, yes I could have turned the bag inside out or photographed the pockets before making up the lining - next time?  Margaret and I are delighted with our bags and feel sure we will use this method again.  

Travelling Companions

A weekend spent celebrating a friend's special birthday.  Gail was 70 today and we've enjoyed a weekend of birthday celebrations.  A formal dinner at an hotel on Saturday evening followed by a buffet lunch at her home today.  Gail holidays very regularly and a trio of bags will be useful - hopefully.

You'll recognise Emily's Accessories fabric!

The tote bag was taken from a tutorial by S.O.T.A.K Handmade 

Gail's Ipad will fit inside and perhaps a book/magazine/travel info in the front pocket. 

Here it is again!  Annas Sminkepung

- good to keep her leads and adapters safely stored

Well, using this fabric, a Shoe Bag had to be included

"Happy Birthday, Gail"

Rita's Birthday

When making AnnAKa pouches I always had in mind creating one using "vintage" style fabrics with the addition of lace and beads - well here she is all ready and waiting for my friend's birthday.

The base fabric is calico/muslin, to which I attached stamped fabrics purchased from the USA  

                                                           Homestead Treasures on Etsy

My lovely swirly backing fabric shows a little of the quilting.  Some planing was required here choosing seams to sandwich the fabrics together. 

The pretty coloured threads are Lecien Multi Work 322, which are purchased either by skein or on spools and the beads are size 15.

Chateau Hexagon

Month 6 - ...continued

After stitching The Flower Patch the six blocks are joined together

Month 7 - Lilypads

 

"The Lily pond with its Lily Pads and Flowers are in the middle of the driveway that leads to Chateau Hexagon".

 

You will see that the Lily Pads and Flowers have been appliqued and embroidered and my next task is to place onto the larger check circle adding ric-rac around the edge as I sew.  The check circle and driveway then have to be sewn to the 6 blocks adding strips of hexagons along the top 2 seams.  Pleasurable for sure and a lovely way to spend any free time over Christmas.

Yet another AnnAKa pattern - Annas Sminkepung!

This time a Christmas gift for Wendy

 

Wendy's daughter and her family recently moved to Switzerland for a couple of years.  She is so looking forward to visiting them for Christmas and I thought this little pouch would be useful to pack in her suitcase.

 

The fabric is, again, Emily's Accessories and I cut out one of the small panels and, using iron-on adhesive HeatnBond Lite, attached this to the front.  My thread choice around the little square panel is Madeira Metallic and the scroll fabric along the zipper has also been used to line the bag.

 

Now to wrap and tag.