A new make-up bag {Scrappy Box Pouch}

I do love a scrappy project and my scrap bins are overflowing. So I was looking for a project that was suitably scrappy.  Lately, I find I need to bring a little make-up in my handbag with me, something I've never really done before. The joys of hitting 40! So I decided I needed to make myself a little makeup bag to bring with me, something suitably pretty and happy and with a little room in it for more than just a lipstick and a compact.

I've had a look at the Triangle Patchwork Box Pouch in Patchwork Please a few times over the last few years and I kept putting off making it because it looked a little fiddly and complicated. Plus it required photocopying the template which is just another barrier in front of me making things. But when I decided I needed some fun projects to get me back sewing again, I couldn't go past this one, it seemed like it was finally time to tackle it and it was a good size for the pouch I was looking for, perfect for a some brushes and a few necessary touch up products.

I'll be honest, it was a tricky little make. The triangle panels required foundation piecing or cutting out loads of tiny off-set triangles. So I opted to foundation piece which I never really get on with, being completely lacking in spatial sense. I ripped a lot making this. All those angles and piecing it back to front were so challenging for me. Some seams were sewn multiple times. But, in the end, it was worth it for the colourful scrappiness that I ended up with.

The rest of the construction was pretty straightforward although I think if you were not used to making pouches, it might have been a little tricky, as the instructions were sparse on some of the steps. Plus the seam allowances did not match with what was specified - I used a quarter inch seam throughout, rather than the 1/2" specified in the pattern. I left the foundation paper inside and applied my fusible fleece and interfacing over it and it made the sides so lovely and structured, and the quilting works so nicely on it.

 I originally cut the lining wrong, and was freaking out at the start of making it, but a bit (more) unpicking my seams and recutting and it fit nicely. Handsewing it in place was quick and easy.

I used some colourful selvedges at the ends of my zippers as I had no twill tape.

I really love how this turned out and how bright and happy it looks. I used lots of my favourite scraps in it, and every time I look at it I smile.  I'm linking up to Scraptastic Tuesday with this one

Triangular fun

Last week I started a new project. It started with this mustard and grey bundle:

Primarily from Lotta Jansdotter's Echo, with a copule of other prints thrown in too.

I want to make placemats as a housewarming gift for my brother. Its long overdue - I should have made them 6 months ago! My brother is not into quilty stuff, so I decided to try and go for a minimalist, modern kind of style that would fit into his apartment. The Scandanavian feel of the Echo and the restricted palette works perfectly for what I had in mind.

I also discovered that I had an equilateral triangle cutting ruler in my sewing basket which I had totally forgotten about until just before Christmas. So it was quick work to cut the 3" triangles. I also wanted to make the placemats in a triangular shape. For no other reason than I thought it would be a bit different. So I added some white solid triangles and went for a random arrangement.

These came together very quickly for me and I soon had 2 done. Each with different fabric arrangements.

I slightly stalled after the first two - more to do with busy family weekend than anything else. I'm halfway through no 3 which was bundled into my sewing box mid way through sewing yesterday afternoon when baby woke up.

But I'm hopeful of getting this and the 4th one done this evening and then I need to decide how to quilt them. I could do a diagonal cross hatch, echoing the seams. Or I could do some type of concentric triangualar pattern. If any of you wise peeps have suggestions I would love to hear them. The one thing I want to be sure of is not to mess up the quilting, because this is the 2nd set of placemats I have made for him and the last lot were ruined by un-rescueable quilting mistakes!

Don't forget my destash giveaway for these FQs is closing this evening so make sure to enter here.

Modern Christmas Table Runner swap package - done!

It's a lovely feeling, having your swap package done. Finished in perfect time, and feeling pretty happy with it too. It's always when I'm packing my package up to post off that I remember that I am going to get a package in return from a secret partner...I know that we all comment in the Flickr group and are watching each other's creations but somehow, it never seems real that one of them might be coming to me until I have upheld my part of the bargain!

So, without further ado, here it is, my little Christmas swap package for my secret partner.

I got the quilting finished up after putting the backing on. The long strip is from the fabric I bought for Emily's Christmas charm swap - a happy accident that this fell out of my sewing basket when I was trying to figure out what to do for the back as I had forgotten I had it. The blue fabric is also a Christmas fabric and I think they are good together.

I auditioned a few different fabrics for the binding and did wonder about my red choice as it really brings the red up in the runner. But I hope my partner likes it!

So here it is in all its finished glory - and thank you to everyone for all the lovely comments on in during the making of it. I really like the combination of handquilting and dense machine quilting in the negative space and I hope that my partner does too.

I know some people have asked for a tute for this one, but, honestly, the triangles were an experimental kind of process and I didn't find them easy. With everything going on at the moment in the run up to Christmas, I just don't have the time or the patience to figure them all out again. Nor could I put my family through a 2nd bout of the swearing that accompanied them!! But I will try and do a tute in the New Year for it, as I think it would work really well in non- seasonal fabrics too.

Once I finished hand sewing the binding on last night (yes, handsewing my binding, you read that right, I always handsew for swaps even though I usually machine my quilts) my thoughts turned to my ornament. I had pinned about 20 different inspiration ideas on my Christmas Pinterest board and the one in the top left corner really appealed to me - particularly as it tied in with the trees on the runner.

                                                                       Source: megatropolis.tumblr.com via Sarah on Pinterest

So, I had a little fun running it up. I added some stars at the tops of the trees, and handstitched them down with perle cotton rather than doing it with the machine. I think its pretty and must do a couple for the house here before Christmas - I can see a row of them hanging on my wall! 

I also made my partner a super simple little heart to hang on her tree - I have a few of these on my tree every year and just love them.

So, it is ready for the post office which unfortunately I don't think I will get to tomorrow as I have to travel for work and have to leave earlier than expected in the morning. But it will be there first thing Tuesday and from there it will be a mystery as to how long it takes to get to its destination!

I want to say a huge thanks to Susan who has been a fab and totally inspiring swap mama and has run a brilliant swap. She gathered a great and incredibly talented group of ladies so I really can't wait to see which of the fab runners arrives at my house.

And finally - thanks to everyone for the congratulations on reaching 1000 followers on Google Friend Connect, I'm totally thrilled!! I seem to have roughly the same again through Reader and other feeds. It's still quite amazing to me that so many people like to pop by and look at what I'm making and read my ramblings, but I just love that you do, and I adore when you're interested in chatting too :-) So, well, what else can I say other than I am organising a little giveaway to celebrate so stay tuned in the next couple of weeks!

Also, don't forget to pop by for my block tutorial on Wednesday for the 12 Days of Christmas Sampler QuiltAlong - even if you're not taking part I think it would make a nice little doll quilt type wall hanging or table topper and I promise - it's easy peasy and fun!!

Ok, so I'm linking up as always to some of my absolute favourite linky gatherings - {Sew} Modern Monday, Manic Monday and Fabric Tuesday. Go have a peek for some great inspiration! I'm also entering the runner in this month's Celebrate Colour pool: