mini travel sewing case

I have created my mini travel sewing case and I love it. It has a zip pocket and a slip pocket, optional felt needle minder and all fastens with a ribbon. 

I have made two so far, one to keep my sewing essentials in at home. The second is this scrappy patchwork one, that I'm planning to keep in the car with a small cross stitch kit in. Its super neat and perfect for travelling.

If you don't want to use it for sewing, fill it with what ever else you fancy, it also fits a passport and money nicely. 

 

You can now purchase the #minitravelsewingcase pattern in my Etsy store!

Mx

Birthday stitchers swap 2020... what i made!!

I decided to take part in the birthday stitchers swap on Instagram again this year. I was so pleased to be making for one of my close friends again too! I had so much to choose from the inspiration mosaic Zena made, it was full of fun ideas and I was quickly excited to get started. 

For the main make I chose to make a quilted tote bag with strawberry patchwork. I used similar construction to the previous one I had made, but changed the measurements (I'm hoping to do a tutorial blog for this soon!). I knew Zena had already received a larger grey tote, so it would be nice to make something different and a bit smaller. The smaller size also made more sense to fit the size of the patchwork strawberry

To make the bag I used red and green scraps for the strawberry patchwork and Everglades by Betsy silver for Michael Miller for the white. I added an Essex linen in ‘midnight’ to finish the bag outer nicely. For the lining, I used Strawberry tea by Axelle design for Michael Miller and added a slip pocket inside. This print felt like the perfect match for the patchwork design on the outer. I picked the Aurifil thread in shades 2745 & 2021 to use as I thought the colour matches were great

For the small makes, I started with a medium sized sewing case as Zena had included a few similar ones on her mosaic. I didn't want to purchase another sewing pattern, so I just made it up as I went along. I'm pleased with how it turned out, (although I'm sure there was a lot easier way to make it, so I wont go into that!) 



The main feature of this make for me though was the EPP. I didn't want to do just regular hexie shapes, but I don't feel quite ready for anything as fancy as clam shells. I decided a honeycomb was a nice option, it was a little different but still in my comfort zone. It also worked very well with the fussy cut images that I wanted to include. I felt it would be too much to make the entire case from patchwork, so I opted for a panel on each side instead. I joined my EPP shapes together, appliqued them onto the linen, then quilted over the top. This was the first time doing something like that and I'm so happy with how it looks. I used several prints from the Penny Rose fabrics 'bunnies & blossoms' by Lauren Nash range, some cream/ natural linen (I cant remember the shade colour) and Aurifil thread '2311'. I know Zena likes to add extra details into her makes, so I thought it was only right I did the same when making for her too. I made zip charms using some strawberry shaped beads and handmade hearts. I also used a single honeycomb shaped piece of fabric, appliqued on to the inside with stuffing in, to create a mini pin cushion!

Next was a small drawstring pouch with a pocket on the front. To make it, I used some cotton + steel fabrics. Zena said she likes neon's and I knew I had some prints that I had bought without a plan of what project to make with them. This seemed like the perfect opportunity to use them. I liked using the different prints but felt like they blended a bit to much, so I went in search for some trim and ribbon. The neon was a struggle to find and it isn't a perfect match, but it's close enough to make the pocket look pretty and fasten the pouch.

The last little make was one of my mini travel pinnies.  I used the Riley Blake 'little sweetness' range by Tasha Noel, which I know Zena loves and managed to fussy cut the little dresses for the front to really make a feature of the print. The extras that I bought for Zena was a Cath Kidston mug, a 'z' candle and some charms. The best gift wrapping for any sewist is fabric of course, tied with a big ribbon. I also made a little scrappy keyring that served as a gift tag! 

It was a pleasure making everything and I'm pleased to say Zena loves her gifts. More photos of her gifts are on my @craftylilmouse Instagram account and you can go see all the beautiful things Zena makes on her account @mycreativepottylife too!

As for my birthday stitchers swap parcel, I still have a while to wait. I am already getting excited and will share those as soon as they arrive...

These projects were on my finish-a-long list, so I can tick them as complete!!

Mx

Sally’s choose and sew supply case...

 

One of the gifts I choose to make for Sally (my birthday stitchers partner) was a choose and sew supply case. She had suggested needing a sewing case for her EPP supplies. When she made herself the case I was planning on, I decided to make my own pattern.
 

I had already started planning the supply case, but thought Sally would prefer different options to me. We are good friends on instagram, so without giving it away that I was making for her, I asked what she’d prefer. I planned and worked out measurements. Next was fabric choice, cotton and steel was an obvious choice. I picked some patterns and colours I thought Sally would like, but wasn’t convinced by any for the outer of the case. I decided I’d join the #100hexies100days challenge on instagram and join them together for a cute fussy cut panel. Since I was making a large case, it took more than 100 and I was quite a long while hand stitching, but I’m so pleased I did now. 

For the inside of Sally’s supply case I decided to make a vinyl workspace with 2 pockets and a piece of felt, then a zip vinyl pocket at the back for storage. I did the binding with a flap closure construction method on this case. Of course, I made one of the snap in pouches and have sent the measurements to Sally for her to be able to make as many more as she wants. 
 

 

I also made some beaded zip pulls to finish it nicely. I really hope Sally likes her choose and sew supply case and finds it useful.
 

The pattern for the choose and supply case is now available in my Etsy store. It is a large pattern with 2 sizes and has lots of pocket options and 2 construction methods. It means you can make tons of different combinations, so that you can make the perfect case for you and maybe even one for a friend!
 

This project was also one of my finish a long projects, you can read  more of my list here.

Mx

Choose and sew supply case

It's release day for my latest pattern and I’m so excited, I thought I’d share a little more about how and why I designed this choose and sew supply case.

At the beginning of the year, I started an EPP quilt. I knew it would take me a long time to sew and would mainly to sewing while traveling, so of course, it needed its own pouch. I picked the 2 in 1 designed by aneela honey and it’s a great pouch but unfortunately not for this. It wasn’t long before I was getting frustrated with it and decided to design my own!

 

The main problem is that there isn’t anywhere to put the pieces your working on, other than on top of the vinyl pockets. This was fine until I was sewing in the car and my fabric and papers ended up going down the side of the car seat. I knew I needed somewhere to tuck my pieces safely whilst still having easy access to them when sewing.

The second thing was, since all my tools was in the same pocket, I was constantly in and out for my scissors. They would get lost amongst the other tools, plus I couldn’t leave the pocket open for easy access since everything would fall out.

This workspace section of my new pouch was the solution I came up with...

 

The next problem I encountered was when I started putting my pieces together. Once sewn together, they no longer fit in my pouch. This was ok if I was at home but, when out I didn’t want to spoil them. Since I didn’t have anywhere to put them, it meant taking another pouch. I decided one large pocket was the solution on the other side of my new pouch...

Next was some storage to take my fabric and papers with me. I thought a simple pouch would be just fine. Then I thought about it a bit more and remembered how annoying it is when you fancy something else for a change. I’d either have to take all of my quilt pieces out or find a different pouch for the new project and have to move all of my tools. I came up with the idea of a removable pouch. This way I could keep my tools in the case but make multiple pouches to store different projects. Even better they just snap in or out whenever I fancy a change. This one was a tester, adding kam snaps to a premade zipper pouch...

For the outside, I chose to make a patchwork panel with a mix of cotton & steel prints around this fab sloth scrap I had. I finished this one with some pink binding to tie in with the inside and an open ended zip fastening. To make it portable, the whole case folds neatly in half with all the supplies inside.

 

If you like this idea, I have written it up into a new pattern so you can make your own. Not happy with just one version though, (since one pouch isn’t for everyone) I have made several options within the pattern. It actually includes 4 workspace pocket options, 3 large storage pocket options, 2 construction methods, in 2 sizes and I even added optional handles to make your supply case more portable! You choose how you would like your workspace and storage, from the different pocket variations and fastenings and follow the instructions to sew up a case and snap in pouches to suit your needs... Hence why I decided to call it the 'choose and sew supply case'. I hope it gives you plenty of choice and I can't wait to see everyone’s different versions!

The pattern is available in my Etsy store here...
 

Mx

Epp on the go

 

 As part of the #100hexies100days Instagram challenge hosted by @sewfoxymama, I was encouraged to baste 100 hexies. I chose to do all cotton and steel fabrics, although it was hard to find fabric to fit the weekly themes I just managed to do it. I was so pleased I completed all 100 days and on time! I was determined to make them into a project for me to keep and use. I originally thought of a bag but decided on this 2 in 1 pouch designed by aneela hoey. I actually had too many to just make this one pouch so I chose which hexies I wanted and gave the other half to my sister, for her to make a pouch too.

 

 

I decided on this layout and set to hand stitching them all together. Once stitched, I added batting to the reverse and did some straight line quilting going diagonally through the hexies. I chose my favourite girl with balloons fabric and used a medium/heavy interfacing on the reverse to line. Sparkle vinyl was an obvious choice for my pouch. I found a couple of bits from my scrap bag for the fastening tab and decided on a bright pink kam snap. I picked pink zips and the wonderful teal sprinkles fabric from cotton and steels basic range as my binding.

 

 

I must admit that I didn’t follow the book instructions completely. After making this pouch as part of the sewalong last year, I had a few little adjustments that made things a bit easier this time.

I am so happy with this pouch, all of my fabric choices and the cute fussy cut hexies makes it perfect. It is also super handy and has been used to hold my supplies for my ice cream soda EPP quilt I’m making. I will be doing most of the sewing on the go so it’s great to be able to pick this up in a rush and know I have everything ready to see, well apart from my glasses!

Mx

How I EPP

I recently read a great blog post by I'm studio lou (you can read her blog post here), explaining how she stores and does her EPP/ English paper piecing. I was inspired to share my own solutions with you in this blog.

I started doing an EPP quilt last year and am really enjoying it. When I started, I decided I would do 1" hexagons (I got some papers free in a magazine and couldn't wait to get started.) I chose a lovely fabric range called Sophia by Andover/Makower. I worked out how much fabric I would need to (hopefully) complete a double quilt, bought my fabric and got started. It is slow progress but I always knew it would be... I wanted a project which didn't have a deadline, so I would take time and not rush. It is also great that I can do some on the go and swap between different stages of prepping and stitching.

 I prefer the more traditional thread basting method and mostly like to do this on the go. I have a small pouch that I can take with me that has my essentials in. It holds a stack of pre-cut fabric squares, hexi papers, scissors, red thread (its contrasting so I can see it easily for removing later) and a small tin where I keep my pins and needles (I put a magnet into the bottom of the tin so the pin don't fall out as well!)

 

This pouch is a lot larger and stays at home. It holds extra supplies, like binding clips, 100% guttermann cotton thread, more fabric squares and pins with numbers on. It is also the perfect place to store the hexies I have basted.

 

 When I am ready to sew my hexies together I transfer them into this. I lay out my pattern on 12x12" cardstock, making sure all the patterned hexies are in the direction I would like to sew them. Because it takes me a while to get them sewn together, I had been wondering how to store them. I wanted them flat, dust free and to make sure the pattern didn't get mixed up while I wasn't sewing. I found this 12x13" clear box at a craft show and knew it would do the job perfectly. It is just the right depth to keep my cotton, binding clips, scissors and a hair bobble in, as well as my hexi layout. To sew my pieces together, I hold fabric right sides together and whip stitch over the edge making sure I don't catch the paper in the stitches.

 

Finally, I have this larger box. It's the start and the end box really. When I have completely sewn a sheet together, I add a numbered pin and move it to this box. It also holds all the fabric I purchased to do this quilt, some already cut into squares for basting and the rest just waiting to be cut when needed. There's spare needles (size 8 quilting gold eye needles are my preferred needle), and another set of hexi papers in there too.

 

Please forgive me for using the loccitane pouches, I had quite a few going spare and even though I sew, I still like to use them. I don't often sew for myself but I am planning on that changing this year... I really want to make some storage solutions for myself using the aneela hoey book.

Mx

patchwork ball

I love hand sewing, so this patchwork ball was the perfect project to make for a friend. this is easy to make using the English paper piecing (EPP) method of patchwork. I used some very retro fabric that my mum bought in the 80's for this one. i decided that i wanted to make a fragrant hanging ball, instead of just a standard toy ball. to do this, i just added a piece of ribbon in to one of the seams to create a hanging loop. i using dried lavender and a little toy stuffing to fill out the shape. i think this makes a great little gift that can be used by anyone, (personalised by simply choosing a different fabric to suit the person)...

i have included a link to a tutorial on how to make a DIY patchwork ball...

Mx

(thanks to my friend Marcus for the picture as i forgot to take one!!)