Ten Easter Sewing Projects

I've been searching around Pinterest and other sites for some Easter sewing and have found some really gorgeous projects! I thought you might like to see some of the best ones I've found in case you would like to do some Easter sewing too.

Here is a round up of 10 fab free patterns and tutorials.

Economy Block Cushion

It's been a cushionpalooza around here lately! After my Spike the Echidna cushion that was quickly adopted by Anna, Lucy decided she wanted a special cushion for her bed too. Who am I to refuse? There will come a day when my kids will probably be embarrassed by me making things for them, so I'll embrace their enthusiasm for now!

Raspberry Kiss Cushion

Could this be one of favourite projects EVER? Yes I think so!

As you might remember from this post, I found a gorgeous mini quilt on pinterest that used these blocks. After some detective work I discovered the maker and followed her information over to the Raspberry Kiss block tutorial by Wooden Spoon Quilts.

What is Fussy Cutting?

Some feedback I've been getting lately is that many people who read here are beginners or intermediate beginners. {Welcome! *waves hello*} Knowing that I've decided that every now and then I'll write a blog post based on simple skills that can really take your quilting and sewing projects to the next level.

Confession. When I first started sewing I had to google "what is fussy cutting" and I wish someone had written this blog post for me!

How To Choose Fabric

I've had lots people ask me about how I put together fabric combinations and choose my fabric for different projects. A few of very lovely people (Hi Fiona! Hi Mum!) tell me I have a knack for putting fabric together, which is a lovely compliment! So I thought I'd share a few tips and tricks I have for choosing fabric combinations that look great together.

Frocks and Cocktails

It may not be true for everyone, but I am going to generalise and say that the art of dressing for an occasion is dying. But last night, it returned in all it's glory when I went to dinner and drinks with a group of about 20 fellow Melbournian sewing enthusiasts.

Most of the group were women who sew for themselves, and almost everyone was wearing a dress that they had made. It was brilliant. All the dresses were classic designs, often with a nod to vintage style.

I'm sitting 2nd from left between Abby & Liz

A favourite moment was when a few of us were at the bar and a guy tapped Abby on the shoulder and asked "Are you girls having a Mad Men themed party?"

Prettified Pincushion

After my successful first attempt at paper piecing (this strawberry), I was inspired to get into it and try another project.

I've had the book Patchwork Please by Ayumi Takahashi sitting on my shelf for over a year and I'm ashamed to say, I hadn't yet attempted any of the projects inside. I suspect this was because when the book arrived, several of the projects relied on simple paper piecing and I was completely intimidated. So I let it gather dust for a while...until now!

This pincushion project features on the front cover of the book and it was a nice little project that I completed on a rainy afternoon.

Bubble Pocket Shorts : Shorts on the Line

The Shorts on the Line series is back! Seriously is it that time of year already?

Reflecting on my Sewing

Willit from Will It Never End invited me to participate in a blog hop called Around The World, and I thought the questions were really interesting so here it goes!

What am I working on?

Right now I'm putting together some handmade items for a swap I'm participating in, called the Strawberry Swap. I'm sure you can guess the theme! My partner said she would like a zipper pouch, a strawberry pin cushion (which I've just finished today) and finally I am planning to make a cute cushion cover using this paper pieced strawberry.

It's the first thing I've ever paper pieced and I'm really happy with how it turned out.

Small Big Tote Bag

This is the second Big Tote Bag I've made and I LOVE LOVE LOVE it.

The difference this time is that I reduced the pattern to 75%, as I liked the shape but wanted something a bit smaller to take my lunch to work.

Saturday Sewing Inspiration

After my creative slump confessions from last week, I completely ignored everything related to sewing and blogging until today and enjoyed the week.

I spent some time with old friends who were visiting us from Wagga, their kids and ours had a blast together. I had a fun girls day out with Anna as a special school holiday treat and we went to a really delicious sushi train restaurant for lunch. Yesterday the girls and I lazed in bed and watched episodes of Ben & Holly's Little Kingdom (anyone else's kids obsessed with that show?) on the iPad until 10.30am. So a good time was had by all.

A busy week with the kids means this pouch gets a work out. I keep baby wipes, tissues and band aids in it!

Online Sewing Events

There is quite a few great things happening at the moment so I thought I'd share some of my favourites with you in case you'd like to get involved too!

First up is a swap - which I know lots of you will be keen on - hosted by Jenny from Mend & Make New.

Those of you who have kids and love to sew for them will love this swap! Check out all the details here. One catch - it's only open to Aussie & NZ residents.

Next up is the Sew Fab pattern bundle sale. Available for a limited time only, you can get 20 patterns for $29.95 - bargain!

You can buy the pattern bundle through Abby from Things for Boys - check out all the available patterns and the link to buy the bundle here.

And last but not least, Jane from Lil Pip Designs is having a monthly sewing challenge. Well, not a challenge as such, just a suggested pattern or tutorial every month so anyone who wants to can make the project and share it. Sometimes it's nice to sew as a community, and all the projects are simple and small. I love the idea and I'm looking forward to joining in.

The first project is this gorgeous bowling set designed by Birdiful Stitches.

Photo source: Birdiful Stitches

Read all about Jane's monthly sewing challenges and check out the upcoming projects here.

So which ones are you planning to get involved in? What will you make first?

I'm in a Magazine!

I've been meaning to share this with you for a while and I know some of you have already seen the April issue of Homespun magazine!

I called the quilt Neon Pop due to the mix of colours and the cassette tapes print that are the main feature fabric of the quilt. It was great to see the pictures when the magazine was published, to see how they decided to style it.

The design is fairly traditional but given a modern twist with the fabric choices. All of the fabric are homespun solids apart from the print which is Cassettes in White from the Riley Blake Geekly Chic range. Amy Adams is the designer, you can check out her lovely blog post about this quilt here on her blog Penny Candy.

The article I wrote for Homespun is a full tutorial sharing how to create the quilt yourself.

On the final page of the article is an interview and profile of me! Very cool seeing myself in print!

It's been lovely to share this achievement with family and friends, especially my Nan who isn't online so she doesn't really see what I blog about (although she does see all the finished projects!)

You can check out my Neon Pop quilt in the April 2014 issue of Homespun, and for those of you not in Australia you can download the digital version quite easily through the app store. Feels like so long ago - I made this quilt in September 2013 and submitted it in October. I've kept it a secret for so long it's nice to be able to finally show it to everyone!

Shhh...don't tell but occasionally I do bring out my old cassettes and listen to mix tapes I made as a  very young teenager. Digital play lists just aren't the same!

A Collection of Cushions

I've been busy making new cushions lately. Cushions are great fun - you can whip one up in an afternoon, and you can really get creative with design and colour. They are a great way to showcase your favourite fabrics, as they are on display and you look at them every day!

This first cushion was a scrap busting project. I stitched together a couple of batting off cuts, then used the quilt as you go method to create a log cabin type patchwork front. It all came from my scrap basket apart from a few fussy cut favourites, like those Heather Ross goldfish. I love how it looks - although the fabric selections were quite random, they all seem to work together.

I enjoy working with my scraps as the project becomes something that reminds you of all the projects from the past where each fabric came from. Like that floral underneath the fish - it's from Lucy's first birthday outfit.

How could I resist this pink galah? With the added bonus of a reference to one of my favourite films. (I adore a good film reference - 10 points to Gryffindor if you get it!)

The galah is a Cat & Vee panel, which are perfect for cushions, all I had to do was trim it up to the size I wanted. The galah needed a little something extra, so I added pom poms. Because who doesn't love a good pom pom?

I had a special helper during my impromptu cushion photo shoot. Soooo helpful...although I don't really mind, she loves that cushion so much she takes it to bed sometimes. Nice to know my handiwork is appreciated!

This cushion is a 5" square patchwork using some charm squares from a V&Co Simply Color charm pack. I've had so many comments about this one on facebook and instagram that I thought I might host a sew along in the next couple of weeks. It's really simple and a great one for beginners. So do you want to sew a cushion with me? Keep an eye out for the announcement and dates, and in the mean time get some 5" squares ready!

Where I Sew

Today I'm joining the fabulous Sewing Spaces series hosted by Christina from 2 Little Hooligans. I have shared my space here before but since then many of you may be new readers, so you are probably seeing it for the first time!

I would love to tell you that I have a professional studio with huge windows overlooking a river, that create a beautiful, light filled space that I work in every day of the week...but that would be a total lie. My sewing area is actually a corner in our dining room.

The desk and shelves are from the Ikea Expedit range and have been the perfect size - they fit the corner nicely and the desk is sturdy and deep giving me lots of room for both my machines.

The peg board is a bespoke item made especially for this space by my father in law, who is a very talented wood worker. It is made completely from recycled materials and is a fantastic storage space. It's a great way to keep all my sharp tools out of reach from little hands. As well as being functional, I also like to use it to display vintage threads and notions I've collected along the way.

I have changed the way I store fabric since I took these photos. I only kept small pieces and fat quarters on the shelf, but now I have boxes there so I can store them horizontally instead of vertically. Keeps it much tidier - nothing more annoying than pulling something from the bottom of the stack and have the whole lot topple out!
 

Our dining and living rooms are open plan so when I sew, I can be in the room when the kids are playing, or sew on Friday nights while my husband watches the football, and I still feel like I'm part of it all and not shut away. I use the dining table directly behind the desk as a cutting area, which works well.

It's a small, busy and colourful space, which works really well for me. I am forced to keep it tidy because it's located in a common area, but that's a good thing. I find it easier to work in a tidy space - when things get too messy I feel creatively blocked and overwhelmed.

Make sure you pop over to 2 Little Hooligans and follow the series - I always find it fascinating to see behind the scenes of some of my favourite blogs! Make sure you also check out Christina's stunning sewing room - such a beautiful space with a mix of vintage and modern pieces, it looks like it's straight from the pages of an interiors magazine!

Sweet Pouch Swap: My Gift for Lynda

Round 3 of the Sweet Pouch Swap has come and gone, but don't worry, if you missed it, it will be back later in the year for Round 4! I always release details in my newsletter first so if you are keen to get the announcement straight into your inbox, make sure you subscribe!

My partner was Lynda from San Diego, and in her 'about me' info she said how much she loved the fabric line Indian Summer. Perfect - I had a fat quarter bundle of Indian Summer so I cut some of my favourite prints from the range and put them together to make a very simple patchwork zippy.

I love the blues and aquas in this range and I teamed it with some Kona Ash grey solid for the base of the pouch. When I finished the it I felt like it needed something extra, so I made a little beaded zipper pull to add to the zip. I've since tinkered around with my jewellery making supplies and have posted a tutorial on how to make one - check it out here.

Love the fox and toadstool print - I think that and the teepee print are my favourites from the bundle! I still have a lot of fabric left over and I've got plans to make myself a quilt.

And what would the Sweet Pouch Swap be without the treats? Here is my selection for Lynda - mainly Cadbury chocolates as they aren't widely available in the US. The shops are full of easter chocolates already so I picked up a small pack of mini eggs - yum! It's mostly chocolate but I also added a couple of packs of Fruit Tingles which are also an Aussie favourite (and personal favourite!)

I know it's a bit of a cliche but I couldn't resist this cute Koala postcard! I'll have to make a resolution to send my next Sweet Pouch partner a card of one of the more obscure Australian animals. Koalas are actually pretty grumpy, they don't really live up to their cute and cuddly reputation. I personally prefer the Platypus, and have a very soft spot for the Frill Necked Lizard - we had a family of them living in our backyard in Brisbane in 1984. We named them Leonard, Leo & Baby Suzie.

It's been another round of amazing zipper pouches and generous treats - you can check out what people have made on the instagram hashtag #sweetpouchswap and in the flickr group. I'll post a couple of feature round ups soon and share mine when it arrives - can't wait!

Linking with Alyce for Sew Cute Tuesday!

Pencil Skirt Plans

It's been a really busy time of year for our family with lots of change. I'm not getting to spend as much time on my creative pursuits as I usually do which is frustrating me a bit, but I know this is just a phase and I'll get back into it soon.

So what's been happening? In December I returned to the paid workforce a couple of days a week. I'm working as a medical receptionist at a local radiology clinic. It's great and I'm enjoying it, and it fits in well with the girls and their routine. My husband has been deployed for a short period for work so that adds some extra pressure as many of you service / fifo / military families will understand. And finally, Anna starts her very first day of school tomorrow (don't worry I'll share pics!) I'm excited for her but also I feel a bit emotional about it.

Despite my best intentions, all these busy things have meant that the sewing machine is gathering dust (well not really because I have a fancy cover haha!) but I have some plans for my next few projects.

Now that I have returned to work, my office wardrobe is a little drab and old as none of it has been used in five years. During the Craftsy Black Friday sale last year, I picked up the Sew Ready: Garment Basics with Brett Bara* class, which is a beginners garment class focussing on all the steps to make a pencil skirt. I bought the fabrics above in the January sales at Spotlight for this particular project.

I love pencil skirts, they suit my body shape much more than a-line. I've watched the first couple of classes so far and Brett Bara is a great instructor.

The class uses the Butterick B5466 pattern, which they provide and mail to you (they send it from the US so mine took 6 weeks to arrive!) and the class covers a lot of information about working with commercial patterns, which is a really big help for me. I tend to shy away from using commercial patterns, but I'd like to learn as I have a nice little stash of vintage patterns that I've collected from thrift stores.

For the first skirt, I'm hoping to inject some colour into my wardrobe by using the Lisette fabric above - it's kind of an ikat print, and I love the bold orange and pink.

I also bought some of this goldfish print fabric - it's a heavy cotton duck so not sure how it will go for garment sewing but I just couldn't say no when I saw the big roll of it. And you know how it is when you shop at large fabric stores - if you don't buy it when you see it, you'll go back and it will be sold out! When I posted this fabric on facebook & instagram a while back I got heaps of comments about it - the selvedge says it's a Japanese bozuku cotton duck bought from Spotlight. It would be ideal for bags, cushion covers, home dec projects...and hopefully for pencil skirts!

* I'm a member of the Craftsy affiliate program.

Getting Ready for Selfish Sewing Week

Are you joining in with Selfish Sewing Week? I am and I've got some new stuff to share with you later on in the week. If you are follow me on facebook or instagram you may have already had a sneak peek! I love the idea of Selfish Sewing Week because I always put my own sewing projects to the back of the list. I'd say 95% of what I make is destined for other people so it's fun to think about what I would really like for myself.

To kick off the week, I thought I'd share some selfish sewing projects I've already done - who knows, they might be projects that are just what YOU are looking for! All the details and links to patterns / tutorials are in the posts I've linked to.

Colette Sorbetto top - the weather has warmed up and I'm starting to get some wear from this top that I made a few months ago. 

Open wide zipper pouch. Zipper pouches are handy for EVERYTHING. I tend to make them for other people but this one I loved so I kept it for myself. It currently holds a stack of fabric that is waiting to be fussy cut for patchwork.

My Cerisy skirt. Ahhh the yoga waistband. The perfect garment to wear to an indulgent lunch or dinner ;)

Perhaps something like a Sewing Machine Cover has been on your to-do list for ages? Well, this is the week to get it done!

 

I've noticed lots of people are planning to do some bag making this week. Here is my Tohoku Tote that I made a couple of years ago but it still remains a favourite! I just love that Amy Butler Daisy Chain fabric..

Selfish Sewing Week is the brainchild of my blogging buddies Jill and Rachael. You can check out more details and grab buttons here.

Are you going to take part? What projects do you have on your to-do list?

Sewing Machine Covers

Recently a lady named Rebecca contacted me through facebook and asked if I would make her a Quilted Sewing Machine Cover like the one from my tutorial. She said that the range on Etsy was fairly limited and weren't colourful and modern, which is what she was after. She felt that my machine cover tutorial was a bit beyond her skills, so could she commission one from me? I said yes - I was looking forward to an excuse to make a few more.

I made three - one for her and two more just for fun, with a plan to experiment with some fabric combinations and put the remaining two in my Etsy shop. A couple of times I forgot what to do next and had to refer to my own tutorial - haha!

Rebecca didn't have a particular fabric combination in mind but she told me that she really liked my original one in the aqua, grey and red. So I recreated it, but using a range of different fabrics because Half Moon Modern is virtually impossible to find now. (Puh-leeeeeese Moda, reprint it!) You can spy some Little Apples, Chevrons, Denyse Schmidt and Cuzco in this latest one.

The second one I made using some sewing inspired prints.

I included a measuring tape and selvedge print and teamed them with some coordinating bright solids, spots and chevrons. It's really bright and fun.

The final one I didn't even get the chance to photograph except for a quick upload to instagram. I made it using exactly the same fabric combination as I did for this quilt, so this picture will give you an idea of what it looked like. The only difference is that I didn't include any pink fabric, it was mainly green and blue.

They never made it to Etsy...a couple of ladies who follow me on instagram and facebook snapped them up very soon after I shared them! Which was wonderful and they have now jetted off to new homes in Illinois and Maryland in the USA.

I'm thinking I might make a few more every now and then and list them on Etsy. Watch this space.

Top Tips for Thrifty Fabric Shopping

I've been thinking a lot about buying fabric lately - where I shop and how I can spend the least. I've got a bit of experience in fabric shopping now, and I've worked out a few little tricks on the way. Here are my top tips for making the most of buying fabric on a tight budget. From what I've discovered over the years, you NEVER have to pay full price!

Your local fabric store (chain store)

• Check their website before you go. Have a look at current catalogues and check for any printable coupons.
• Write a list of what you need. So many times I've gone to the fabric store and been immediately distracted and forgotten one or two crucial items.
• Start at the clearance section.Some days you won't find anything you like. Other days there will be heaps of awesome bargains.
• Go on the first day of a sale. That will maximise your potential to find something that suits your style or project. If the sale runs for a week, chances are all the great stuff will be snapped up in the first couple of days. All the new stuff for clearance will have just been discounted.
• Sign up for a store card. A store card often gives the card holder additional discounts to reward regular customers.
• Sign up online. Join their online mailing list, like their facebook page or follow them on other social media. You'll be first to know when the next sale is happening. 

Online Fabric Stores and Local Quilting Stores

• Subscribe to their newsletter. Most online and smaller fabric stores have newsletters they send out regularly. They often include details of discounted fabric ranges, coupon codes and details about free shipping.
• Follow them on social media. Online fabric stores and small businesses don't have the big budget of the well known large chain stores. They often use facebook, twitter and even instagram to promote their new stock and sale items.
• Save up and make a large order. Many online stores will do free shipping for larger orders over a certain value.
• Not sure? Ask. Smaller stores rely on a high level of customer service - that good service will keep customers coming back. If you are looking for something in particular, send them an email or call them. Most will go out of their way to help you. Many of them will be fabric lovers themselves and will have really in depth knowledge of their products.

Thrift Shopping

• Visit regularly. Thrift stores like to have a quick turnover. Items will come and go and you need to be around to pounce on that lovingly laundered vintage sheet that someone's Grandma has kept since the 1960s.
• Prioritise stores with direct donations. Many of the larger charities with several outlets have a central donation depot and stores are allocated clothing and linen by weight. Chances are that the good stuff has been picked out well before it arrives at the store. The real gems are more likely to found at smaller stores attached to churches and in small towns, where donations come directly from local people.
• Chat to the volunteers / employees. Tell them what you are looking for and what you'd like to do with it. They know what has come in and they can show you what they have. The ladies who volunteer at my local Baptist Church thrift shop now ask me to show them pictures of what I've made lately! 

Great items to look for when thrifting: 

Sheets, pillowcases and duvet covers - vintage bedl inens are great for their good quality fabric and for their pretty  floral and retro prints. The yardage in sheets is brilliant. Plain colours are great for muslins and making something for the first time when you are not too confident. Also great for linings and facings - elements of a garment you don't see but are against the skin. Old sheets have usually been washed over and over, so they are lovely and soft.

Craft and Haberdashery: All sorts of bits and bobs usually get thrown into one basket or onto one shelf somewhere in the store. This is where you will find patterns, buttons, zippers, thread and endless other handy things. If you can't find this stuff, ask for it. It will be there somewhere.

Books: Pattern books like the famous Enid Gilchrist books, and big sewing bibles like the ones by Reader's Digest can often be found in the books section.

Clothing: Large tees and shirts have enough fabric to make a child's garment or a smaller adult garment. Large t-shirts are particularly good for knit fabric for kids clothing. Adult jeans are perfect to upcycle into kids jeans.

Napery - tea towels can make fabulous cushion covers and tablecloths can be made into skirts, or whatever your heart desires!

Other Stores

• Look at seasonal clearances. It's winter here so stores are starting to sell off their winter stock to prepare for next season. I've noticed that flannelette sheet sets are heavily discounted - perfect for next years winter pjs! Craft stores are also having big yarn sales - great for knitters to build up their stash. Christmas clearances are always good to pick up some bargains for next year!
• Always browse the bedding / manchester departments. So much yardage in bed linen! Many are cotton / polyester blends so check the labels and see if you are happy with it. Stores are increasingly selling jersey knit sheeting which is great for making kids clothing. As I've mentioned, flannelette sheeting is great for pjs. Cheap pillows are good to cut open and use the polyester stuffing for softies and dolls.
• Check the bathroom department. Towels are great for kids robes, backing for burp cloths and small hand towels are perfect to embellish for small gifts. There are always towels on clearance. Shower curtains are handy to use as lining for make up and toiletries bags, or to make tote bags for swimming at the pool or beach.

So that's it! I hope some of those tips give you some good ideas. I bet some of you have some great tips too! I'd love to hear them - leave a comment!