Not One, But Two

I was all set to make another reversible skirt from my recent fabric purchases when I remembered that I had actually bought some fabric a couple of months ago that was also destined to become a skirt... except that after I had I pre-washed it ( a lesson learned because my original skirt is now just a tad too small!) it then got tidied away in my pre-open studios clear up and promptly forgotten about.

 

 

So, there was nothing else for it really... but to make two skirts this week! This was my first one made from a lovely duck egg blue/green fabric printed with French Patisserie images (bought from The Creative Sanctuary) ...

 

And lined with pink spots...

 

Although pleased with the results, my favourite part of all are the buttons which I absolutely love.

 

And so to my second lot of fabric bought last Sunday (from Little Laura's Haberdashery), in very similar colours...

 

And now I have skirt number two, finished this morning.

 

Also with rather fabulous buttons!

 

By pure coincidence, whilst knitting with friends yesterday morning, Pam presented us all with a gift of fabric with instructions to make a drawstring bag... and the fabric she had picked for me just happened to be the same pink baking fabric I've used for my skirt.

 

So when I finished the skirt, I knew I had to make myself the matching bag.

 

I'm now feeling very pleased with myself having finished off two projects in one day... although the bag was super quick and easy... so thank you Pam! Perfect for keeping my knitting tidy! You can find the tutorial to make the bag here.

 

All this playing with fabric does mean that I've now got to get my head down and get some actual work done in the next couple of weeks. I put aside August for catching up around the house and garden as well as finishing off some of my own projects and so far I've not even started... and August is half way through with very little to show for  it...

 

Except of course, there are some rather nice buttons... speaking of which I got carried away with the little blue/cake buttons and I made too many...

 

So if you could make use of a little set of cake buttons than leave me a comment to let me know and I'll pick out a name and send you some!

Secret Sewing Project

You may have caught wind of a secret sewing project!

A few weeks ago at the beginning of the summer Celia send me an email to say she was designing her own fabrics... very exciting! But even more exciting, she asked if I would like to recieve a sample of the fabrics to make up into something. Yes please!

 

 

The fabrics arrived and the colours and prints were beautiful.

 

So beautiful that I dithered and dallied not wanting to cut into them - so many decisions about what to make and which combinations of the fabrics to put together.

 

Eventually I took the plunge and made a tea cosy featuring a lovely print (Ruby Hearts)  taken from Celia's woodblock "The Birds' Wedding".

 

Different birds front and back.

 

And fully lined with one of the other fabrics (Sea Sprigs)

 

I know that it is not terribly modest to say that it is quite lovely... but it is and I think that is more to do with the fabric than my sewing/design skills.

 

There was still plenty of fabric left so I embarked on a second project which took me right out of my comfort zone...

 

a pieced and quilted cushion cover.

 

With rather cute little buttons on the envelope back.

 

I'm sure you can see that these really are beautiful fabrics and they are available to purchase from celia here:

 www.spoonflower.com/profiles/celiahart

However if sewing is not your thing, both the tea cosy (sold!) and the cushion cover (sold) are in my Esty shop. Rather reluctantly I must say as I would quite like to hang on to them.

 

And because there was still some fabric left I have made a little padded purse to give away.

 

Finished with a zip and fully lined...

 

Perfect make up bag size (18 cm x 14 cm)

 

Just leave a comment by next Friday, 11th October and I'll pick a winner.

You can see what the other secret sewers Su and Tracy have been up to today too!