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

my finish along list 2020!

It’s time for another year of the finish a long, and a fresh start, (although most of the projects are carrying over from last year and some from year before!) The finish a long is going to be more instagram based this year, but I might still try and blog my progress.

I have decided I will write my full work in progress list for reference and in case I just fancy a change of project. I am also going to just pick a handful of projects I really want to finish this quarter.

So Q1:
First is my catty corner quilt. I am pattern testing for @stitchandyarn so I have a definite deadline for the finish. I am making good progress and it will hopefully be finished for mid-end of February!

Next is my #birthdaystitchersswap2020 parcel. I have made one thing this month but have another 3 to make before my partners birthday. As much as I’d like to post sneak peeks and progress photos, I just don’t want to spoil the surprise. They will stay a secret until opened and then I will share.

I’d really like to make a new #snappyzippouch for my phone. I cut it out of some meadowland left overs ages ago but have been distracted by other projects.
I’d also like to make a large fabric basket with my meadowland fabric to keep my hair dryers tidy. Hopefully I will have enough fabric to do it, though I think a bit of patchwork may be required.

A banner for my pin badge collection has been on my make list for ages. My collection has grown so much, I have bought a basket from ikea for them. Now I need to make a fabric basket/liner to go inside and make it easier to use. I will still need to make a small banner for my disney pins too!

Last picks are a couple of pouches. I have had a unicorn retreat pouch cut for a couple of years now and have just been putting it off. It scares me for some reason, a friend recently posted one on Instagram though and it has made me want to give it a try. The other pouch I want to finish for myself is the liberty baby cord and pink cord pouch I started last July. After it looked bigger than I expected during making, I decided to add some hardware and make it into a bag. I have since bought the hardware, but still not finished making so it joins the list.

Now the projects I will probably be leaving til next quarter:

• A father's day gift: I have bought the fabric and have a pattern I’d like to try. Since Father’s Day isn't until 21st of June, there’s no rush.
• A case for Millie’s cool mat: Since Millie hates laying on just the mat, we had to use a old postman pat cover last summer. I have bought some lovely summer fabric to make her a new cover this year.
• A Tasha Noel seaside skirt: I bought a panel in the summer and really wanted to make a skirt. I didn't get it made in the summer ,but hopefully I will this year before all the hot weather comes.
• The Adele dress: I cut a toile ages ago to check the fit and then never stitched it up.
• Halloween cushion: I bought the ghost pattern from then came June but don’t fancy an entire quilt. I found some lovely fabric in the sales though so want a cushion or two.
• Makers mat: I have been wanting to make a makers mat for a couple of years, the pattern designer hosts a sew along for it too. I am really hoping to finally join in this year (about October time) I have my fabric planned and ready. Really I should make 2 but will see how it goes, or if my old sewing machine gets claimed by my sister then I'd only need to make one!

Christmas makes:

• A Christmas cross stitch: This was started ages ago, so hopefully I will just keep doing a little bit throughout the year and have the finished stitching to frame in time for Christmas.
• My advent calendar: I started this last new year and didn't get it finished. I joked that I would end up sewing one a day this December, but with gifts still to make, that didnt happen either. It has been put away and will hopefully be out and finished ready for the 1st this year.
• Christmas bunting: my mum encouraged me to buy a cute panel. I have all the supplies I just need to put together. It shouldn’t take too long, but will be a project for later this year.
• Polar bear cushions: I can't even remember when I started these! I will try and get them finished this year though.

Quilts:

• First I need to finish the car quilt I started in July 2019. I finished making the top, just didn't have the right batting to finish it. I have bought the batting but just not gone back to finish the quilt. I also want to make a couple of extra cushions and seat belt cosy.
• I want to finish the heather ross sugar plum and trixie quilt, it is a big project but I'll hopefully have time to finish it this year.
• A liberty HST quilt: This has been waiting ages. I started cutting and then it got pushed to one side for other projects. It would be really nice to make it though, especially since I managed to get a big piece of liberty in the sale for backing.
• A quilt using the doll house range: This wouldn’t be my first choice of quilts I want to finish, however, my mum is redecorating and I think it could look really nice in the lounge so it has been pushed to the top of the list.
• Ice cream soda quilt: Obviously I still have this to be working on. I am doubtful it will be finished 2020 though, but I'm happy to keep hand stitching them in between other projects and see it grow.
• Green & cream quilted blanket: I started this years ago, but never completed the quilting.

*I wont bore you with a list of the other quilts I want to make. I have bought the fabric and picked patterns for quite a few. I highly doubt I will finish all the ones above, never mind these but I can always add them later this year depending how things go!*

Lastly I must learn to crochet! I was bought a couple of toft kits to make crochet animals. I really want to make them, but am not having much luck actually learning to crochet. I am really hoping I will manage them this year though.

I think that is everything although I am only planning the get the first few bits done this quarter. I will be posting my finishes on instagram and will try and use the #craftylilmousefal2020 to track my progress. You can also check out the @finishalong account if you want more details on how to join in.

Mx

Butterfly cross stitch

 

I made this little gift using the butterfly hoop kit from cross-stitch crazy magazine I got a while ago. I followed the kit to stitch up the butterflies on the front, but didn't like the plastic hoop supplied with it. I decided to paint a wooden hoop the same size using my own custom mixed lilac shade of Annie Sloan (I'm afraid I can't remember which colours went into it!).

 

 

I added the coordinating fabric to finish the back of the hoop, first glued and then ladder stitched to secure it in place. The final touch was some organza ribbon to create a hanging loop and bow to cover the screw.

 

 

I finished this project earlier, but couldn't share until now as it was part of a Christmas gift. It is on my Q4 finish-a-long list which you can find here ....

 

Mx

Easter bunny hoop

 

I bought a daffodil patch cross stitch kit from hobbycraft and thought it would make a lovely Easter decoration. I stitched it last summer but since Easter had already gone, I didn’t finish it til now. 

To make my hoop art decoration I firstly chose my hoop size and drew around the hoop onto some card, I used this to make a template for later. I took my finished stitched panel and placed into an embroidery hoop. I pulled the fabric nice and tight into the hoop and used a screw driver to really tighten the top, then trimmed the fabric to be an even size all around. I added glue to the inside of the wood frame and stuck the fabric down neatly. 

I then made sure my card circle was the right size to cover the back of my hoop and cut a piece of yellow fabric, adding a good 1/4” for seam allowance around the card template. I did a running stitch around the edge of the fabric and pulled the ends to tighten the fabric around the card. I ironed this then let it cool. I removed the card to be just left with the fabric circle. I laid this onto the back of the hoop and stitched in place, using a ladder stitch with some neutral cotton. I had to bend a needle to make it easier for me to stitch it neatly. 

The final thing to do was add the ribbon for it to be hung up. I took a length of yellow gingham ribbon and tied a knot to secure both ends together creating a loop. I then threaded the ribbon loop through the gap near the screw and hooked it through itself to secure to the hoop, with the knot positioned under the screw. I cut a second piece of ribbon and wrapped it around, to cover the knot and most of the metal bar that would be on show, and tied it into a cute bow with the ends trimmed to size. 

A friend celebrates Easter much more than I do, so I have decided to gift this decoration. Since I am gifting this, it needed a box. I used kraft card to make a square base. The hoop is slightly longer than wide due to the fixings at the top, so to stop it shuffling around in the box I used cream card to make an insert. This holds the hoop snugly in place. I made an acetate lid, to just slot in between the 2 pieces. I’m really happy with how this turned out and think it looks quite professional. 

This was also one of my finish-a-long projects, although I finished it in Q1 I am going to enter it into Q2 since I didn’t want to spoil the surprise. You can read more about my finish-a-long projects here.

Mx

Pretty little mermaid

Last year this pretty little mermaid cross stitch kit was a free gift with a magazine. It was a fun little project to stitch in the car. I then left it unfinished til today. I added some pink felt on the reverse and used DMC threads (E316 & 48) to stitch around the outside of the mermaid. I then trimmed both fabric layers to the same size. 

This is one of my finish-a-long projects and I’m so happy I finished it. It looks so cute, especially in its gifting card, that was supplied in the kit.

To see my other finish-a-long projects click here!

Mx