New Beginnings

In the next few days my friends daughter will be having a baby girl. The first grandchild of the family. They asked if I'd make the bedding for the new arrival and I was only too happy to oblige.
My friends daughter provided the fabric for two mattress covers in two sizes, two pillowcases and two bumpers.
One is for a small rocking crib that had to be finished first as this is the one the baby will be using initially.
She wanted the mattress to fit inside the cover rather than have a sheet or fitted sheet.

The closure is a strip of plastic poppers. Quick and easy to sew on.

This is the pillowcase.

And this is the bumper for the crib. Three pieces that are wider at the top than the bottom.
The crib and larger cot were both made by the grandfather of the baby and is beautiful. When the baby arrives I'll take photos for you to see.

Don't you just love the stitching. Thanks to my new heavy duty industrial sewing machine I was able to get perfect stitch length. The inside is stiff foam which I stuck to the fabric so I wouldn't get any puckers when stitching it and also it's easier to handle.

This is the mattress cover and pillowcase for the larger cot.

Next I have to sew the bumper for the large cot which is pink with hearts on it. This one will be big as it's going all the way around the cot and she want's it in four pieces.

My gift is a cot quilt and pillow set that I made. I'd like to post it but I'll have to wait until I've given it to her as she checks my blog. 

I'm also working on a test pattern for a wallet another test pattern will be coming in the next few days for a bag and so many other projects that I don't know if I'm coming or going so I'd best go and get a move on.

~ Maria ~

I've Been Featured

What a wonderful surprise when Pam wrote me to say my Genevieve Bag had been featured. I was surprised because I had completely forgotten I'd posted it to Pam's blog over at Threading My Way.
Be sure to pop over to Pam's blog to check out all the other gorgeous features and also look around at all the wonderful creations people are linking. Pam's linky parties are ongoing so you can add whenever you make something, no waiting for a certain day of the week.

Thanks Pam.

                                                           

 

This is my Genevieve bag that I tested for Christine at ChrisW Designs
Go over to her blog and see the lovely bags the other testers made.

~ Maria ~

Genevieve Bag Pattern Giveaway Winner

Today's the day I announce the winner of this beautiful bag pattern by Christine at ChrisW Designs.
I know it will be morning in some parts of the world where you're from but here it's 7.15pm and my internet is very unreliable so I'm going to post before something happens and I can't get on.

I also want to mention that Christine is now selling the hardware kits for her Genevieve Bag and other bags too. You can check them out here at her etsy shop.

Thanks to everyone for stopping by to leave a comment, of all the bag giveaways I've done to date this has been the one with the most comments. I also want to say hello to my newest followers, thanks to you and all my followers for your support. Without you this blog wouldn't be much fun.

Ok time to announce the winner.

The winner is:

Bethany who commented

Congratulations!!!!!
I'll forward your email to Christine and she'll send the pattern to you. Bethany also has a blog Sweet Bee Buzzings and at the moment is doing a bag sew along which I'm taking part in. Pop over and join in.

For those of you who didn't win don't despair because Liz at Moments also tested the Genevieve Bag for Christine and she is having a giveaway for the pattern on her blog. The giveaway is open until 26th April so you still have time to go over and leave a comment and even better is that Liz is giving you three chances to win.

If you can't wait that long to get your hands on the pattern then  to go over to Christine's pattern shop here where you can purchase the PDF pattern for this or any other of her bags.

Lastly you may have noticed I've managed to put up the Random Generator number up on my blog. In the past I just gave the name of the winner. Thanks to Karen at Sew Many Ways who has a tutorial I was able to figure it out. If you want to know how to show the Random Generator number also or want to know more about blogging Karen has some great tutorials that you can find here.

Thanks to everyone for taking part and a special thanks to Christine for letting me be her tester and offering the pattern for the giveaway.

~ Maria ~

Fabric Pan Lid Steamers

Another part order completed. These are fabric pan lid steamers. Where I come from we eat rice nearly everyday.

 The bottom has batting.

The rice is parboiled, drained and then put back in the pan with a little oil and water in the bottom. The pan lid is put into one of these steamers and placed on the pan.While the rice cooks the steam collects in the fabric steamer so the water doesn't drip back into the rice.

These are fancy ones for the bride to be. I had never made any before so before making these I made one for myself as a test run. Good job I did too as the elastic I used went hard with the heat. I bought some different elastic, tried it again and it was fine so I was able to finish these. Good job I did a test run. It never occurred to me the elastic would stiffen.

I had some problems with my internet today so it's late now to make a start on the sew along bag being held by Bethany at Sweet Bee Buzzings but will make a start tomorrow.

~ Maria ~

Starbucks Coffee Fabric Dish Drainer & Tea Towels

It's been slow going with this order. I feel as if I've been sewing it all year. It's part of a kitchen set that I'm making for a lady who is going to get married. I still have some more things to complete which I'll share with you as I finish them followed by the whole lot together.

For now I've finished this fabric dish drainer which measures 42" x 29".

 

And these three tea towels with flower Velcro ties. I love the ties because once they are hung on the oven door handle they stay in place.

This is the back of the tie.

I love the combination of these three colours which were chosen by the lady I'm making them for but I've been sewing them for so long now that I can't wait to start something else.

Tomorrow will be that day as I'm hoping to join the bag sew along over at Sweet Bee Buzzings. Check it out and join in if you can. It's going to be fun.

Right now I'm off to do a bit more on this order. I still have an apron, chefs hat, potholders, some fabric pot lid steamers and a fabric skewer holder.

Thanks for stopping by.

~ Maria ~

Dresden Plate Table Topper

I just finished this table topper this morning for a lady who ordered it on Monday. She gave me the fabric for the Dresden plate and left the rest to me. I didn't think it would look nice all in one colour as she specified but I'm surprised how well it works. She'll be here to pick it up tomorrow so I hope she's as happy with it as I am.

It's not very large. She wanted it to measure 45cm x 45cm.

 

~ Maria ~

Genevieve Bag & Pattern Giveaway

Yayyyyy!!! It's time for another giveaway.
This one is fantastic, you'll see why as you read this post.

I just finished testing this bag for Christine at ChrisW Designs. What can I say. A beautiful bag as a result of a fabulous pattern. It's amazing how much time and effort Christine puts into her patterns and this one is no exception. It's a gorgeous bag pattern that includes instructions and loads of photos, for not just one, two but three versions. I don't know how she does it but the next is always better than the last and to show you just how versatile this pattern is I've changed it only slightly to show you a fourth version. I'm pretty certain more versions could be made from this pattern. You're all so clever and imaginative.

Christine has posted photos of the other testers bags on her blog so be sure to go over and see them. They've all done such a good job.

Ok here's my version.
As usual I used upholstery fabric for my bag but I advise you to stick to the fabric suggestions of the pattern if you don't have an industrial sewing machine. I couldn't have done it otherwise. The actual bag wouldn't be a problem but the straps and tabs would be too thick for an ordinary machine to cope with.

 I'm really pleased with the result. I've managed to control the speed on my industrial sewing machine going forwards but making it go backwards to finish off seams is still a bit tricky.

On the strap tabs it went through nine layers of upholstery fabric plus the lining. Impossible with my ordinary machine.

This bag has a magnetic button closure with a large pocket under the flap.

 

Inside the pocket is a smaller pocket for your cell phone.

The main part of the bag has two slip pockets a pen pocket and on the opposite side a zipper pocket.

The pattern has an adjustable strap but I wasn't able to get hold of the buckle in time to finish so I made an ordinary strap.

Christine even give's instructions on how to quilt the bottom of the bag.

Now for the giveaway. It's very simple, just leave a comment on this post and I will announce the winner on Wednesday 17th April.

Please, please, please make sure that I can get in touch with you either by leaving your email with your comment or make sure that you are not on noreply. If I can't get in touch with you I will have to choose another winner.

UPDATE:  Quite a few comments are on noreply, please remember if I can't get in touch with you I will have to choose another winner. Check your settings to make sure noreply is turned off or include your email in your comment.

Thanks for stopping by.

~ Maria ~

Join in the Sew Along

Just wanted to tell you all about a Bag Sew Along being held by Bethany over at Sweet Bee Buzzings.

I've wanted to make this bag ever since Bethany blogged about it. It's a gorgeous bag that you can make in patchwork or plain. Bethany has just posted the requirements for making the bag and on Monday 15th April the sew along will begin. I can't wait to start.

Bethany's tutorials are excellent. In fact if you take a look at my blog header there is a photo of the Wavy Top Bag on the right that was designed by her. I enjoyed making it so much so I'm really looking forward to this next one.

Hope you'll go over to Bethany's blog and join in. I think even a confident beginner could attempt this bag.

Coming up: I have a wonderful bag to show you that I have just finished testing. It's designed by Christine over at ChrisW Designs and I'll also be doing a GIVEAWAY for the pattern so make sure you don't miss that. As soon as Christine has posted about it on her blog I'll be able to share mine with you.

Thanks for stopping by.

~ Maria ~