Makeup Bag

This makeup bag is designed by Gary Fletcher. The design had a magnetic button closure but as I want it as a makeup bag I thought the zip would be much better for holding everything in.

The tutorial for the pocket tissue holder can be found HERE.

These zip ends are some new ones I found while I was visiting my daughter. The ones I originally used were press on ones but these are like a little tube. The zip goes inside and is secured in place with a tiny screw on the under side.

Pencil Case & Pocket Tissue Holder

After making so many wallets I wanted to stick to making small items and loved this pencil case and tissue holder.

You can find the tutorial for the pencil case at Nicola Forman Quilts

The tutorial for the tissue holder is so quick too make. It takes just minutes. I'm going to be making loads of these, they make good stocking fillers.  The tutorial doesn't mention to use fusible facing but I added it to mine to give them a nice crisp look.
You can find the tutorial HERE

I made the second one with the stripes going in the opposite direction.

~ Maria ~

Last of the Wallets

At least for now this is the last of the wallets that I've been making.

I went to visit my daughter last week for a few days and took one of the blue wallets for her. She had shown the photo to her friend who also liked the blue one so I quickly made another one for her as a gift.

I've enjoyed making these but for now enough is enough. It's time to move onto something new.
I've had a lot of emails asking where the pattern can be found. It was a free tutorial on a blog but the blog has since changed to 'by invitation only' so it can't be accessed.

~ Maria ~

A Giveaway

My friend Karen over at laugh yourself into Stitches is doing a giveaway for two beautiful quilt patterns.

The Stars for Every Season quilt which can be made into a quilt or as a table runner, as I'm planning, is absolutely gorgeous and would look great in any colour.

 

And the second one is this beautiful quilt called Poppa's Tree Farm.

 

If you check Karen's blog she's made one in a different colour and it's stunning.

The giveaway will run from 15th November and end at midnight on the 17th, pacific standard time and while you're over at Karen's blog make sure you check out her wonderful tutorials.

Best of luck to all of you. If you can't wait until then to find out if you've won then you can go over to Karen's Craftsy store HERE or Etsy shop HERE

~ Maria ~



It's Raining Wallets

Another seven wallets completed and still three more to go.

I'm getting pretty tired of making these now and am keen to finish the last one so I can start on a couple of patchwork runners.

Although this wallet is getting a bit tiresome now I'm enjoying working with bright colours for a change. I've made the wallet in this fabric before.

I've always wanted to make a bag or wallet in red.

I love these cool colours.

I cheated on this one. I didn't patchwork the fabric, it came ready patchworked.

This next one is for my friend Suzanne who's Scottish. She wants to give this as a gift to her daughter.

Here's the last one in this collection. This floral fabric is reversible. The other side is checked as you can see on the inside of the wallet.

And that's it. These were the last of my two weeks sewing while I was offline. Although these were just cut out during those two weeks and were sewn up after.

For the past week I've done a post a day. Wow that's a lot for me and a lot for you all to cope with too I guess. So apart from the other three wallets I want to show you when I've finished making them I'm going to give you all a break. LOLLL

Hope these posts have inspired you to sew more. I know when I see other bloggers sewing away it gives me that little bit extra energy to do more myself.

Happy Sewing to all of you and thanks for stopping by.

~ Maria ~

Stars For Christmas

I was over visiting my friend Karen's blog yesterday admiring a beautiful quilt she designed. Don't you just love it and perfect for Christmas which by the way is 46 days away according to Karen. I thought I had much more time.

Ok, I have to be realistic now. First of all I've never made anything this size before and I'm not sure if I would be able to quilt it then I have orders to finish so time is short but I was thinking it would be the perfect design for a table runner. I was mulling the idea over in my head when I noticed Karen suggested the same thing in her post so it's decided I'm aiming for a new table runner for Christmas.

Karen has beautiful patterns for sale in her Etsy shop or Craftsy Pattern Store. Another one I had my eye on for Christmas is one called Poppa's Tree Farm quilt but this star quilt will be first.

What are you all planning on sewing for Christmas? Have you given it any thought yet? I'd love to hear your holiday sewing plans.

~ Maria ~

Net Curtain Washies Tutorial & Wip

Talk about not throwing anything out!!  I'm not normally a hoarder but when it comes to fabric I just can't bare to throw anything out. I've been keeping this piece of net curtain for the past 18 years LOLLLLL. It was left over when I cut my nets down to size.

Sixteen years on and I used some of it to make laundry bags. The kind you put your undies in for the washing machine. There was loads left so I held onto it just in case it came in useful and useful it was. I discovered that it makes excellent dish washies.

Here's how I made mine.

I folded mine into four layers. You can do more or less depending on the thickness of your net curtain.

I then cut the top band off.

I then folded the four layers of net curtain in half

like this to give me eight layers.

I then stitched around the four edges approximately 1 inch from the outer edge.

Then I finished off by trimming the edges with pinking shears.

It took minutes to make these five. I'm keeping three of them and giving two to my daughter.

I've been using them to wash dishes and they are brilliant. When one gets dirty I rinse it out and put it in the washing machine with the other washing and it comes out as good as new.

This is what I'm working on at the moment.

I cut these wallets out while I was offline and am now sewing them up. One left to do and they'll be finished.

~ Maria ~

Pencil Case & Potholders

These two projects took no time at all.

The pencil case I had ready made from a long time ago but was never happy with it just being black so held onto it until I could decorate it a bit. A pretty flower and some buttons was the easy option.
You can find the tutorial for the pencil case HERE.

 

And you can find the tutorial for the flowers HERE.

 

 



 These potholders are really quick to make and you can find my tutorial for them HERE.

Stay with me I still have more to show you.

~ Maria ~

Two Sets of Chair Seat Cushions

These two sets were for a couple of customers from the furniture shop where I sell some of my runners.

The first customer wanted 6 chair seat cushions in this lovely lilac floral fabric.

Doing all the ties is so tedious.
These are the projects I did while watching tv. I folded all the ties and tacked them in front of the tv. If I had just used pins it would have ended up a mess. The fabric is quite thick and has a velvet feel to it.

Six down, four to go.

This next set was the same quality fabric as the ones above but a different pattern. Really pretty.

The lighting on the photo above was poor. The one below is more like the true colour.

The back of the cushions are plain.

I was really pleased when all these were finished so I could concentrate more on the things I enjoy sewing.

~ Maria ~