Sew Pretty Purse

So what do you do when you have several projects on the go, and you receive a new book through the post (it was difficult to obtain as 2 famous websites were out of stock). You start looking at a few pages, and then one strikes you and you have to start right away.

That's what happened yesterday afternoon, and then I was busy with other things and couldn't get on with it, so it was my first thing to do this morning. And it is finished.

The book is one of the Tilda series. They are all very inspiring, in a cute way.

And this is the little purse that I made in an hour and a half. The outside is a bit of japanese fabric bought in April, and the inside was some left over fabric from something else (I can't remember what, honestly). I bought the little snap buttons last week, because I liked the effect on the top, a bit iridescent. You need a hammer to close them down, but it's OK.

The size of the finished purse is about 6" wide by 5"tall. I really enjoyed this small project.

Still here,

I realise that I haven't posted this week, but it is difficult when nothing is really finished.

I do some hand quilting in the evenings on my log cabin quilt.

I started yesterday some embroidery and ribbon embroidery, but there is still a lot to do to finish that one.

And I have started work on my November bag for BQL. There is quite a few little blocks to piece, and I need to start the quilting next, by machine this time.

Should I mention that it was DD2's birthday this week as well, and she had her party at home on Saturday. She turned 13 and the teenage years don't look like they will be easy. At least she was a lovely baby.

And of course I have a few projects in my head for Christmas, bought some fabric, I just need a bit of time I suppose.

I hope you all manage to do a lot of sewing at this busy time of year.

Block 3 in "Nature et Petits Points"

I am late on this project, I think there are 7 blocks published, but it is not like I'm doing nothing, right!

So 3 days ago I felt guilty and started working on this little embroidery for the block number 3, and of course I greatly enjoyed it. You can have a look at the project led by Pascale in France on her website "Au bout des doigts". The explanations are in French, sorry for the english speakers.

The result is quite small so difficult to show in a photo. I have this dark corner but the colours are good, and the photo is not fuzzy.

There is some embroidery and ribbon embroidery. I had to check some of the stitches, not having done them before.

Problems with colour

Do you remember this bag I made for my daughter to go to school. I've had problems with it.

I won't mention that she put really heavy things in it. No my real problem is the colour discharge. It started when she came back in the rain one day. Her books had all their corners turn blue. You guessed it I didn't pre-wash the fabric, and the colour is running like mad.

I tried to wash it now and all the white and pink border fabric has now turned a bit dark, horrible. I will have either to change that fabric or cover it with another one.

Now I wonder what to do with the rest of fabric I have in a drawer if I want to use it later. I can wash it as a first measure, but how could I fix the colour so that I can use it safely in a project. Please if you have any idea, leave me a comment.

Otherwise I have started making some Christmas project, and so sadly I can't show them to you yet. You will have to wait after Christmas. You can just have a peak.

The fabric is from the line designed by Kaffe Fassett, and I quilted around nearly every little circle.

I am working on something else, and hopefully I should be able to show it soon.

October bag with BQL

It is amazing that this challenge has been going on for nearly a year now. 2 more bags to go, and I still really enjoy it. Although for this one I finished at 11.45 pm on the 31st October, so nearly late, when I wanted to be more organised this month.

The quilting was made free hand.

There are ties on the sides of the bag to make it smaller, and on this photo they are undone so that you see the bag fully open.

And as this bag is for DD1, we used a handmade button that she made, white with sparkly grey. Love it.

And there are 2 pockets inside, and my name tag, the lining is blue (reduced my stash a bit).

Malvern Autumn Show 2

And more photos.

This quilt was designed by Lee Brown but made by Chalybeate Quilt Group, "Kamon".

I do love japanese inspired quilts, and their simple lines, and sashiko embroidery.

This is "Quilt in a day...yeah..right (2005) by Lee Brown. Even if it took more than a day, the result is really nice.

A bit of humour, by Lee Brown "Blythe Spirit", panels and figures hand dyed.

I loved the perspective achieved by this quilt, made by Lee Brown, again, called "Byzantine", with silk, calico, and organdie.

I will spare you any more. I had a fantastic time, bought lots of fabric. The prices were down probably because of the economic crisis, so I helped support fabric merchants.

And now I need to get down to doing some actual sewing, in addition to the hand quilting that I keep for the evenings.

Malvern autumn show

On Saturday I was very lucky to be able to go to the Malvern Autumn Show (I wanted to go Friday but too busy with Halloween and a bag to finish, that will figure here soon).


I took my camera and am happy to share with you all the treasures I have seen. And this time I even have the names of the authors of owners for antique quilts (yes there were antiques, how lucky ).













This is an old quilt called "Old Strippy" and owned by Joan Nuttall, from Chipping Norton, Oxon. She didn't know the origin of this quilt.Just look at the handy work below.

This quilt was made by Pam and Nicky Lintott, from Dorking Surrey, who own the shop "The Quilt Room" to illustrate the book Jelly Roll Quilts. It is called Pandora's Box.

And another one made by the same for the book, it is called "Garden Trellis". The fabric is from Garden Design by Moda.

Another one in the same series, they called it "Bars of Gold" but this pattern is sometimes called Stacked Coins or Chinese Coins. So simple but so effective.

This quilt is called "Williamsburg (2)" and was made in 2008 by Lee Brown from Tunbridge Wells, Kent, from the name of the collection of fabrics by Windham.

I liked the idea of keeping the fabric. It is sometimes difficult to cut a piece you love.

I have more photos but feel this post is long enough, so will publish the rest later.