Goody Goody Binding Kit for Modern Quilters - Another Finish!

Over the summer I participated in yet another swap. I am saying "over the summer", but that's not quite how it went.

Organised by the Modern Quilters Ireland (who unfortunately no longer exist now - how did that happen?!), we were going to make and swap a Goody Goody Binding Kit from a pattern by Lella Boutique. In June the swap was opened and after a short deliberation I signed up. After all, the deadline was only early September. Plenty of time wouldn't you think?!

You can guess what followed. I posted a mosaic to help my partner decide what to do. Which probably was no help to her at all, because I liked any picture of any of the binding kits in question. No surprise there really, anyone who has a look around here will see how eclectic my makes are.

And I added it to my Finishalong list for the third quarter.

Then I went on holiday. Which, by the way was absolutely brilliant! I should have posted about it... maybe I still will? Oh yes, let's check on my partner and finalise those plans...

The boys were home for the summer months. The sewing kitchen table was continually occupied. And inspiration hadn't really struck though I did have some vague idea. I should look up that pattern again...

Exam results came and went, debs/balls were prepared for and attended, college places awarded, accepted. Oh yes, I need to really look at that pattern...
Student accommodation was finally arranged (housing crisis, anyone?), college supplies purchased... My idea needs to be firmed up...

Suddenly the deadline was about a week away!
I wanted to go for a dog theme since my partner loves her Bassets, but how?!

I considered sewing small squares with doggy fabrics for the outside of the kit, but someone else seemed to be doing squares already. I thought of a pieced star for the front, but it would have to be teeny, tiny to fit onto the front. And how would that incorporate a dog?
Maybe the dog should go on the inside?
And what fabric to use? Bright. Solids?

Then I started drawing. A dog. Mmmm.
And I took out my bag of solids, not too much there. Though plenty of small scraps.

Finally I made a decision. And posted this on Instagram as a teaser:

The  Goody Goody Binding Kit has quite a few pockets inside, and is ideal to use several coordinating fabrics in one item. I used a piece of fox print by Tula Pink for the outside together with some coordinating prints:

(fuzzy photo - sorry!)

Then I made an appliqué basset to serve as the scissor pocket. I had such fun making that!

The inside is made up of several sections, and I was able to add some more dogs there, too. A zipped pocket, an open pocket, thread holder, and needle patch are all included:

The kit was finished in time. It was even done a day before it needed to be sent off! Enough time to add a themed zipper pull (adding little details like that make me so happy)!

Picture taken from Ruth's Instagram, zipper pull visible top left

Sent off... and received... I hope Ruth will enjoy it for many happy sewing sessions!

And then, of course, I was due to receive one, too. With all the focus on making this one, I had forgotten about that! So I received a most stunningly quilted version myself from Erin, who had recently returned home to the US after spending some years here.

She chose to use all the colours of the rainbow, and each colour is quilted with a different pattern. Perfect!

Thank you so much, Erin, it is truly treasured and in use a lot!

Linking up my finished Binding Kit with the Finishalong.
By the way, there is a Finishalong Quarter 3 Linkup at my blog, too!
Back in July I posted my Finishalong Quarter 3 list.

Sandra

Notebook Covers

This is a busy time of year, and the blog is one of the things that moves down on my list when I'm busy. Which is why I haven't been checking in here for a while.  I'm still around though and sewing, don't worry...

My most recent project has been for the Modern Quilters Ireland Christmas swap.
It was decided that we would make a notebook cover for our secret partner. Last year I made a first notebook cover, which turned out lovely. Technically it did not go together as I had intended, but who is to know...

Not wanting to struggle with the technicalities of construction this time, I decided to use Cindy's notebook cover tutorial over at Fluffy Sheep Quilting. First I made a basic notebook cover using a different fabric for the spine, but no further elaboration, to get the feel for the pattern.

The tutorial is great, and this cover went together so quickly!

Now, my assigned partner wanted a pen pocket/holder in the hope she would not lose her pen as easily. And I wanted to add some nice features as well. So out came paper and pencil, and I divided up the cover front and back areas to accommodate some different fabrics. Working out how wide to cut the strips took a little while since I kept getting confused...

Did I add seam allowances to all these measurements?

Oh, those flanges don't add to the total width...

Ah, and the background fabric goes behind the flange as well as needing the seam allowance twice!

Would 1/4" seam allowance be enough for the slightly thicker linen?

etc.

In the end I got it written out. By then this was becoming quite a last-minute project... nothing new there, I must admit!

Then sewing it up, at least that worked as planned. 

I used fabrics from the lovely Radiance collection by Beth Studley combined with some neutral linen, and it worked out so lovely, I wanted to keep it for myself!

Fortunately I managed to convince myself to just drop it off at the post office to send it on its way as intended. And my partner is very happy with it, so again, I'll just have to make another for myself to keep (one day...)!

My partner posted the content of her parcel on Instagram, so hopefully she doesn't mind if I show her image here. It does show a bit better where the pen pocket is...

And with all that I would almost forget that someone was also making a notebook cover for me. Just as I came home from the post office to send my gift on its way, my swap notebook cover was delivered to me. Of course I could not wait to open it, and I was soo pleased!

Not one, but TWO notebook covers, one with an lined notebook, and one with a small sketchbook to put down all those inspirations! It was just perfect, so thank you so much, Anneliese (for the notebooks as well as for the goodies you included)!!

Thank you to everyone taking part and organising the Modern Quilters Ireland Christmas swap. And if anyone wants to feel inspired to make a notebook cover, do check out the hashtag #mqichristmasswap2016 (Instagram), there are many wonderful notebook covers to admire!

Now I have to go back to my sewing, I have an urgent project to finish!

Sandra

Sending and receiving

At the beginning of the month I showed you the One Hour Basket that I made for the Modern Quilters Ireland summer swap. I also told you how happy I was with my make. I even wrote a tutorial on how to make a tartan panel like the one I used for my basket.

Of course it is exciting to participate in a swap. Getting a partner assigned to make for, seeing her (it is usually "her") mosaic, thinking of what to make, and how, and in what colours, and which exact fabrics to use. Then the making. And the being pleased. Followed by thinking about the extras. What should be included, and what is too much - you can guess that this was my first swap, and I did worry about getting it right...

But in all that I did forget about receiving!!
Of course I was one of the partners, too. Putting up my mosaic. Stating my likes and dislikes - this also wasn't done without a lot of thinking. This time about how to describe accurately what I do and don't like, but at the same time not putting my partner into a spin with (perceived) critical demands... Oof!!

Anyway, of course it all came right in the end. I did receive a basket for myself. And it was PERFECT for me! Thank you again, Beatrice @frogsandsprogs!!

I love the colours, the prints, the structure. And the cards and scraps were just brilliant!
I have it in constant use, too, with a new project:

But I have to tell you about that another time. She (another "her") definitely deserves her own post...
 of course!

Sandra

Far friends

Some time ago I got into contact with Lara B. of Buzzin Bumble. We had been following each others' blogs for a while, commenting now and then. And then, some months ago, we got into conversation by email, and from that grew the idea of a person-to-person swap. Since we both had other things going on, we decided on a small swap without pressures.

After some discussion, we decided that a pin cushion would be a very welcome gift to both of us. While I pondered what to make, we kept up our email correspondence. And I tried to find out from her blog what she would like. As she must have done for me, because she got it exactly spot on!

Look at these lovely goodies I received:

The parcel Lara sent me was seaside themed, isn't it wonderful?! I love the sea! And batiks, yum, I love those colours! Even the card was well coordinated. Can you tell how happy I am? The pin cushion is filled with saw dust, which gives it a lovely weight and sturdiness. And this makes the star fish shaped so perfectly, the body stands proud from the surface it sits on, and the tentacles curve up slightly. Very clever!

The lovely appliqué pins she included (very sharp and thin) make a pattern on its body. When I use them, my youngest warns me to put them back into place! Because I do use it, of course! It gets used all the time!

The very best thing though? Because of the swap, we got into a correspondence that otherwise probably not would have happened, and we became friends! Gradually we have gotten to know each other, and emails are still regularly crossing "the pond".

Thank you so much, Lara, for the pin cushion especially made for me, but even more for your friendship!

Sandra