My sewing space

I have had to clear away my sewing space, as we are having visitors. I had to take a photo, as it may never look as good again! But how has this transformation been achieved?

 By the simple expedient of transporting it elsewhere, to clutter up the bedroom!

Here are my three sewing machines!

 And most of the fabric is here, one way or another!












Other rooms look unnaturally tidy too,



A lack of clutter in the hall!

 An unnaturally tidy bedroom

And where is the mess in the living room?


This cannot last!     so the photos will remind me of what is possible!

And look what else I have been given! All four are hot, or medium hot chilli peppers. So now for some cooking! Oh and there just happens to be some chocolate there as well!
Not sure how long that will last!

one elephant went balancing...

 on a spiders web one day, he thought this such tremendous fun, he called for another elephant to come!

Don't panic! NO spider pictures today!



 Sorry, this may be heavy on pictures,  we are to have visitors next week, and I will be sewing machine free until they go, but I have some past projects and a wonderful swappy thing to share!

First, I had a wee PIF to organise myself for. The recipient, is one of the most fun, kind and funny ladies I have encountered. She has a lot of mischief lurking, and, although I have not yet met her, she is chock full of glee, and I cannot wait to get to know her in person. She knows who she is!

So I wanted a mini project that would make her laugh, and that I thought she might enjoy receiving. 

I think you all know how I feel about elephants. I am not exclusively gone on elephants, I also love frogs, owls, cats, lizards, and have a very soft spot for pigs.  But elephants are so satisfying! They have nice big flappy ears, and seem so  much in tune with their matriarchal groups. So, elephants seemed liable to get involved.
I had made a wee dumpling pouch. and it was fun, and easy, and I felt I could combine dumpling and elephant.


 I made the big size first. Spotty fabric, bright ellie.

then I made a little one. Scissor fabric, and a yellow ellie.

These nest nicely together, but a nest of three, would be more fun?
So I made a bigger one.

More scissor fabric, and a green ellie. All with flappy ears.






Little starry eyes, and contrasty linings.

But you cannot send three nesting pouches with nothing in the middle?

 I have been intrigued by 'biscornu' . So I made a mini pinnie, biscornu fashion, and that went in the middle.












 The two sides are slightly different.

and here in the mess of working, are the main ingredients of the PIF. See, Nicky- your zippy pouch lurks in the background- very much in use!

so that collection of ellies, all zipped one inside t'other, has winged its way to a new home!




My mouthy stitches partner has been stalking me quietly. Giving no clue as to her identity. Watching and trawling through my blog. And a beautiful tote, and key fob turned up at my house today!  Ready for more piccies?

 more ellies? I guess someone noticed my affection for ellies!

But are these not really beautiful ellies. All shimmery and flowery powery!

 pretty wrapping!












and, on opening, the first sight of what has been lovingly made for me! see that subtle stitchery? and the pretty grey linen?

 Just look at that! beautifully pieced, beautifully quilted! I can tell you, this is a really well crafted piece of work.  Sorry, I have just cut off an ellie attached to that keyfob!
I love everything about this bag. The colours chosen, the piecing, the quilting- oh everything!

and the liberty lining! signed in there at the base- such  a clever and lovely thought.

Thank you Territee, I am a winner with this one!

And it goes to work with me tomorrow!

Hush of panic!

 First, an apology. I have not been looking at or commenting on any blogs lately, as I have been busy. Mouthy Stitching.


 After a lot of thought, this is what I have come up with for my mouthy stitches partner. Unfortunately the colours do not look true on my computer, the bird is a rich 'pomegranate' colour, and the linen is teal. I think I got my placement of the mosaic a little awry, as I had intended more of the birdie fabric to be on show, but, having done this, and being tight for time, I have left it as is.

A little hand stitching on those leaves, only because, by the time I decided it was needed, I had sewn together the outer of the bag, and did not intend taking it apart again! You are honoured, partner!











And the back was designed to echo the front- boring, possibly, but it pleased me at the time.
Straps done in teal and pomegranate, for extra cheeryness, ( spell that? no leave it alone.)
And then the quandary of the inside. Now, I know we only needed to piece one side, but my stash is such that the two parts of the lining would need to be different fabrics, or very boring. And I knew I wanted to put a pocket in. A hidden pocket appealed to me. And, I was worried that my partner would not love the outer of the tote. My latent paranoia showing through!
Some folk love rainbows. Well, who doesn't love a rainbow? I love a rainbow, so, let us find what we can.








Quilters Cache to the rescue again, and a paper pieced block. Why do I choose to do paper pieced blocks when my inner brain says 'NOOOOO! It is not eco friendly, It is hard work, and unpicking, and you do not want to go there!'

So I paper pieced this. I found a solid and a print that worked together, for each side, and had that rainbow print for the middle.There is actually a very pretty blue near the blue floral ... Black makes it pop, and there we go.


A little hidden pocket, with a D ring sewn into the seam, and sew it all together, a bright cheery butterfly print for the other side, and we are done.

And the only thing left is the key fob.  Oh yes, I got ambitious, and turned my first effort into a coaster.... so I started more simply, and produced....

 A very plain key fob, and a card- the colour is all wrong- the card is actually a pale green!

So that is where I am at the moment. It still needs packing up to send, but other than that I am done!

Next on the list? October blocks for stash bee, and another project to come too!


And now I can go and see what everyone else has been up to!

Finish along- results!

Ok, I joined the Finish along, way back in July, and this was my list

1.    Bookbag- Alex

2.    Cover for notebook-kitty

3.    Kindle cover, Kitty

4.    Kindle cover, me

5. quilt to put together from Skill builder blocks. 

6. use those lovely charm packs I have! 

7. the pretty Japanese fabrics need making into a pretty quilt!

8. do tutorial for Augusts Stash block!aaah important!

 

 

What did I achieve? 

 

Well, Number 4, number 5 and number 8 have been completed. 

 

 this is number 5!



All bound and completed, and now residing on the back of my sofa!

 

The others? well, sadly, no!

So thank you Rhonda,  This is my entry into the finish along finishes!

Ok, so I decided a complete change of tack was required for the mouthy lot!
Perhaps lighten things up a little? Now, I really do not want to have to go out and buy new fabric for this. My addiction does not need feeding! It has already become disproportionate! My OH thinks there is a limit to how much fabric I should keep!  He is, of course, in error, but we will gloss over that.

So bearing in mind certain comments I have received, I dragged these out of my stash, and have a new plan. But we shall have to see whether it is a viable one.

Comments are decidedly more encouraging this time, but can I get it done? I am away for the weekend, so no sewing on it then, and I have to get it all ready by the followingSsaturday. So, it may be a case of, whether or no! 

Today I finished costumes, and they have been collected. I was very scared about one in particular, but, having finished all the others, I took hold of my courage in both hands, and Made the Big One.

For better or worse, it is now done, and the teacher knows, I have no time to redo it- if it is wrong, she will have to sort it now. I do not like to be like that, but, this is where I am at the moment. Next on the list, is the mouthy Tote!