Little fabric boxes

I have 3 books written by the author of the Tilda series, Tone Finnanger, and I must say that I have used them quite a lot recently.






This one I bought in France but it is also published in English, it is called "La maison de Tilda" or "Sew Pretty Homestyle". Tone has a new book ready, just waiting for a translation, so far you can buy it in Finnish I believe.



So this project is the fabric boxes. I adapted the size to fit a certain shelf, and made a mistake while doing so, but I am sure you can manage, or just keep to the same size.



They are easy and fast to make, one big rectangle of fabric is needed. This one comes from Ikea, again, but I liked the design and the price is good. One of my boxes is made with wadding, as in the pattern, and the other without (on the right). Because the fabric is thick enough I don't think I would need wadding for the next ones.














































I hope this gives you the desire to try it...

10000 viewers

I am very pleased to notice that I have had 10 000 visitors on my blog.
You mustn't doubt that I am very grateful that you think it worth coming to have a look.
I shall try to continue with my little bits of creativity.
It has helped me concentrate on making more, to try to have 2 posts per week. It doesn't work all the time, life comes in the middle, but I still enjoy this.

So again, thank you to all my visitors.

Washing basket

Sometimes you have to sew something for the house. This project is better than making curtains, if a bit challenging considering the shape to be covered.

We bought this lovely woven basket last summer on holidays in the North of France, and it has been waiting for some fabric cover to protect the clothes to be carried in it. In my patchwork group, I was given some long strips of fabric, probably cut from some curtains. This seemed the perfect occasion to use them.

It took me a bit of thinking to properly cover the basket, and I am quite pleased with the result.

I wondered about having a tie to keep the fabric in place, but I think the weight of the fabric is enough. Otherwise I can always sew a fold on the outside to make a channel for a tie.

I've put some tea towels inside to give a better idea of the size.

Bag in an hour

Wandering around the net I found this tutorial for a bag in an hour, from the blog " Vintage Ric Rac", and tried it.

Of course it took me more than one hour to finish the bag, what with choosing the fabric for the outside and the lining, but I like the result.

This is synthetic fabric, so I ironed some fusible interfacing to give it more body and stop it fraying. There is also some wadding, and a magnetic clasp to close the bag.

It would be good to use in an evening, the fabric being slightly shiny.

Block 4 in Nature et Petits Points

I have finally done block 4, where 8 have been published, so still late. I enjoy it but there are just too many things I want to do at the same time.

I have started on block 5 already, but stopped as well. It will come in good time.

To follow other people's work, visit "Nature et Petits Points".

Here is a photo of my 4 blocks so far. They won't stay like this, but will be mounted with some fabric sashing in between.

February Calendar

In the BQL challenge this year we have to make one little quilt per month. This is my February block.

I used the technique of Quilt As you Go to make the 4 triangles, including the lining at the back. So there was no quilting at a later stage involved. But the result is not perfectly flat, which is a bit disappointing.

I also think that the white to represent the snow that we have at the moment, doesn't show off much with a cream wall in the background. So I am wondering about some improvements like some embroidery to enliven this piece, or buttons, ribbons...

I need to find the time as well as I want to get on with other projects.

Cool bags

A week ago I did a workshop for the Golden Lion Quilters in Swindon, Wiltshire, on some cool bags. I prepared 2 samples to show the process and have now assembled the bags.

I call them cool bags because they are made using some insulating wadding, to keep their content cold or warm. I think they will become presents.

The cream one is quilted with diagonals that made losanges, and on the black and white I quilted around each seed.

As the fabric is quite clear I put some feet under the black and white bag. I will also use a protective spray to waterproof the outside.

And the black lining is a fabric used to make kites, so a bit waterproof also. The only inconvenient is the sewing as it is slippery.

If you remember I made the blue bag a few months ago in my BQL Challenge with the same kind of wadding, but the outside was made of patchwork blocks that took much longer. The workshop I was doing was aiming at finishing a bag in the day, or just about.

I will try to take some photos of the other ladies bags when I see them finished.

Future finished project

I am currently working on a small quilt, to be put on a very nice table inherited from my grandmother. In fact it is a sewing table, with little compartments to put your things away. I would like to use it but at the same time I know it is too small for all the little things I use for sewing.

It is currently covered with a Christmas theme little quilt, made with the technique of reverse paper applique, and has been for 2 years. It is time to change it, until next Christmas.

This new project I found in Quiltmania n65, spring 2008, and it has a little Japanese air to it.

I have made 6 blocks so far, so am halfway there. Each little flower uses a bit of my left over fabrics.

I copied every piece on freezer paper (in my case the paper wrapping copier paper), which is then ironed on the fabric.

The flower is hand sewn together, and then appliqued by hand again, not omitting to take the freezer papers away before closing the last petal.

I hope to be soon able to show you the finished product.