Little things to sell

I'm hoping to take part in a craft fair before Christmas, so figured I'd better start sewing to make some stock. These are the results over 2 days.

 I made 4 coasters with fruit fabric. They were fat 8th already used a bit on another project.

 And then I made 4 peg bags with wooden hangers, child size from Dunelm.

That's a beginning for a stall. I know I need to make many more projects, but I reckon that small and inexpensive things will sell better than a small quilt for example.

Wish me luck.

Enjoy your sewing.

Pascale.

Presents from Secret Santa

As for last year, I took part in a Secret Santa exchange of quilt related presents on BQL. I received this very nice and clever square, with the hanger. It is quilted and the elephant is a little button. The black tree was appliqued. I should cherish this for a long time.

I myself made a present for a lady called Sue S who lives in France. Kandy who runs the group, told me the choice was made quite by accident as she uses the computer to determine who should send to who.

 She chose jewel colours as her preference, so that's what I used. I made a jewellery roll and 6 coasters.

The coasters and the back of one.

There is space for rings.

When open you can see the red fabric flap which I designed to pin earings, or brooches.

I believe she liked her present, and I hope she will use it for a long time.
This Secret Santa exchange is really a great idea.

Secret Santa

This year for the first year, I am taking part in the Secret Santa swap with BQL. I have received my parcel, and it is waiting neatly, still in the envelope.

On Friday I sent my own parcel and am allowed to show its content, without revealing who will receive it.

I embroidered the front of the needle holder with a design found on Cynderberry Stitches by Natalie Lymer called "Sweet and spotty Needle Wallet". If you look on the website there is a free download of this project in the column on the right.

The pin cushion is made with 2 squares sewn in a strange way.

You start with one corner sewn on the middle of the side of the other square. You keep going like this all the way around. I then added a button in the middle.

The 6 fabric coasters you have seen before in a post.

Coasters

This is a simple project, you can use whatever size of fabric you have at home, or some remnants or bits left at the end of another project, which is what I did.

I assembled the fabric to make squares 4 1/2"

unfinished size. Then very simply you cut a square the same dimension for the back, put them right side together on a piece of wadding. As a remark I can add that I used leftover wadding, and didn't cut it until after I had sewn around my coaster. This is easier.

So you put the walking foot on the sewing machine, start 3/4 down one side of a square, and sew 1/4" all around your square, leaving a gap at the end to turn everything right side out.You cut the corners to reduce the bulk there, and turn your coaster out.

There is some hand sewing involved now, to close the gap. I use a ladder stitch that disappears in the fabric.
The last step is to quilt each square 1/4" all the way around the top. They should finish close to 4" square, but that's not very important as long as they are all a similar size.

I can say it is a quick project, but it depends how many coasters you make, and how long it takes you to make the top. You could choose to piece it with a small block, or embroider it. I had 2 bits of trees left from another year, and used them.

I chose not to be too precious about it, because I want these little coasters to be used, and washed. They will be little presents ready to go, I don't know where yet.

I love the batiks and their colours.

I hope you find this inspiring and start yours. It could become a little Christmas present...