Show and Tell ~ Joe's Santa Sack

A bit of Show and Tell today. I made this Santa Sack last year for one of Maya's friends Joe. I adapted a pattern from the Chook Shed Pattern Co for the design for the applique, and used lots of scraps for the bag.

I've got the bag back, as Joe now has a little baby sister, so I will be making a similar bag for her very soon. This is the back of the sack - lots of little squares!

Lots of excitement as 6 year old Kane is have a class sleep over at school tomorrow. He has hardly sat still all week :)

Beautiful things .. from Italy!

When I rang Ayden from work last night, he said that there was an international parcel waiting for me at home. It made me wonder a bit, thinking that maybe it was my secret santa being very organised!

But it was another parcel from Angela, my Stitchers Angel. Angela has sent me 3 parcels filled with the most beautiful stitching accessories and I just can't believe her generosity. Thank you so much Angela. The little scissor keep and pin cushion from the last parcel I have been using every day, and I have used the fabric and some of the buttons from Angela's first parcel.

Just look at the beautiful detail in this stitchers caddy!



It is really just perfect, and Angela said that the stitcheries were a new technique for her, she is a cross stitchery. Can you believe it, it's so well done and even has tiny beads sewn in.

Thank you Angela. I'll treasure and use each of your gifts. x

Tutorial - Gift Bags to Make

Gift Bags to Make

*** The stitchery I have used for this bag is not my design. I has been designed by Bronwyn Hayes of Red Brolly from a pattern called Christmas Bags.

My bag pattern used for this tutorial can be used to feature a stitchery, appliqué or fabric panel. Great to make for Christmas or Mothers Day gifts.

All seams unless stated are ¼ inch

Cut from red spotted fabric
(2) 2.5” x 5.5” – stitchery sides
(2) 2.5” x 8.5” - stitchery top and bottom
(1) 8.5” x 9.5” - bag back
(2) 2.5” x 12” - handles
(1) 2” x 29” – bag gusset

From the lining fabric
(2) 8.5” x 9.5” - lining front and back
(1) 2” x 29” - lining gusset

From Pellon
(2) 8.5” x 9.5” - bag front and back
(1) 2” x 29” - lining gusset

Ric rac
Cut 4 10” pieces

Trim your stitchery to size, 4.5” x 5.5”

Sew the two side pieces to the stitchery and press.

Sew the two top and bottom pieces of fabric to your stitchery section and press

Following the manufacturer instructions, iron pellon to the front, back and gusset sections of your bag

Lay ric rac along the two long sides of your bag front and back touching the edge of your fabric. The ric rac will be slightly longer than your fabric. Using a larger machine stitch, sew along the edge of your ric rac with a scant seam to hold it in place.

Trim the ric rac to size

Adding the bag gusset.

Find the centre point of your bag front and the gusset strip and pin. Then pin the corners. Carefully fold the strip so it continues along each side. Pin.

Sew together. In the corners stop about ¼ inch from the end, and with the needle down, lift the foot and turn the fabric, adjusting the fabric as necessary. Repeat with the next corner. Use your scissors to clip your seams.

Your gusset strip will be longer than your bag and this will need to be trimmed later.

Repeat with the bag back, Turn and press, the trim the extra gusset strip so you have a neat bag top, with a cute ric rac edge.

Make the lining in the same way, leaving a 2.5” gap on one side of the gusset for turning the bag.

Make the handles by sewing along the long side of the 12” fabric, turn and press with the seam positioned in the centre.

Pin handles 1.5” from the side seam on the outside bag, with raw edges aligned

Place the bag inside the bag lining with the right sides facing and the top edges and seams aligned. Stitch around the top of the bag. Turn the bag right way out though the gap in the lining. Push the lining into the bag, press. Top stitch around the edge.

Slip stitch the opening closed.

Ta da! A gift bag that can be made in an afternoon! Great to give to teachers and carers, family members and friends.

If you would like this tutorial as a printable pdf pattern, please email me and I will send you one. Happy to answer any questions too. x Rachel

Up and Away ...

My Stitchers Angels package is finally done, all ready to go. This little project bag is stuffed full with crafty goodness. This bag was made from two designs by Bronwyn Hayes. I think I used both the books Sunshine in Your Pocket and Flowerbed. It opens out to be a sewing caddy too! More pic's when it arrives in ..... The Netherlands.

Last night I finished my Chookyblue Secret Santa gift, all but putting a label it, so it's back to stitching my santa tonight - yay!

The boys all have the day off school today and I'm working from home. I'm juggling like mad and took them all off to McDonalds at lunchtime. Ahhh, McDonalds. Any break from cooking is good for me :) Back to work now, have a great weekend all!

What's in my hoop today..

It's Santa! From a pattern by Red Brolly called Christmas Baskets. Well, he is in my hoop for now, but as of about 8.30 tonight he will be out and the hand quilting on my SSCS swap will be in.

I know, I'm running late with it, but I decided to add some extra detail and it's not finished yet. And it is big! So stitching and stitching in front of the tv tonight.

Bits and Pieces..

It's been another busy weekend with the monkeys. Lots and lots of running around after the kids on Saturday and family up today.

Most of my crafting has been finished a couple of swaps so no pics yet. I have added the stitchery antenna's on the scrappy butterflies, and started on a Christmas stitchery too. The butterflies are from a pattern called "the Butterfly Collector" by Lynette Anderson Designs.

I managed a bit of time out in the jungle of our front garden and cleared a heap of weeds. I even let the visitors have a go!

10 years today xx

10 years of Marriage, already, today!

Beautiful..

When I arrived home from work there was a packaged propped up against the back door ... the second parcel from my stitchers angel - Angela!

I hope my photo shows how lovely this is! Perfect embroidery and so pretty! Angela has stitched tiny bullion roses and added beads and ribbon roses. I just love the sweet little scissors too. Thank you Angela. Please Angela, can you let me know who you are, so I can email you a thank you too, or visit your blog in Italy.

If that excitement wasn't enough for my day, we have just chased the rabbit around the garden while he ran about 8 laps of freedom. I swear he was laughing at us!

Did you smile at a crocodile?

I'm starting to get on top of my sewing, and picked up a few bits and pieces today that should help to finish some of my projects on the go.

And this is how some of the fundraising money has been spent at the childcare centre! The kids had a visit today at creche from some reptiles. They could get up close to lizards, turtles, a boa constrictor and this crocodile and even pat them if they were brave enough. Maya didn't. Even the local tv turned up to film the kids and the reptile show.

Thank you too, to Kathryn, who has nominated me for two awards. Thanks Kathryn you gave me such a smile!

Loveliness from Lucy!

Last week my mini quilt arrived from Lucy and I just love it! I appreciate every minute and every stitch that Lucy has made, knowing that it was made just for me, with pretty fabrics, bunnies and spots. And it's very cute too!

And being such a star, Lucy also sent me this cute bunny bucket that is already in use, and all these spotted fabric pieces from her own collection. I'll be using heaps of these in all the pinwheels on the butterfly quilt. Thanks Lucy. You know me so well.... just love scraps and small pieces of fabric. And your post card is gorgeous!

Thank you all for so many welcome comments about my stall. It's really hard. The main reason I said I would do a stall is to support the creche. All my kids have attended this small childcare centre over the past 14 years, and it's amazing. I worked out that Jenny the Cook has made my children nearly 4,000 lunches (never mind snacks) over the years. Anyway, I managed to fill my table and sell a few things, not heaps but enough to cover costs and buy some lunch and buy a few little things for the kids.

I couldn't charge much, like $10 for a kitty bag and $15 for elephants and bags, but it still looks expensive when people are looking for bargains. People did have very nice things to say and I'll have some presents now for kids parties and family, and Maya might even have a robot in her Christmas stocking! It was very nice to clean up all the fabric and patterns and bits and pieces last night, and I even put the sewing machine away for a little while. It will be lovely to finish off some of the embroidery on my swap gifts and have a bit of a break. It's hard work sewing for stalls!

Have you seen Jodie's big reveal? Amazing!

Robot love ....

Tomorrow is the day, and at 10 am I'll have my second ever stall at Maya's creche. Yes, if you are in Ballarat it is open to everyone. There should be a notice in the local paper about it.

Maya has fallen in love with these very cute robots designed by Audrey and Maude.

I'm hoping that she will let me sell them....

The dining table is absolutely covered in bit and pieces of projects, with my work laptop in the middle of the mess. It's adding to the franticness a bit. I'm just going "14 more wings and I'm done!", 5 more pinwheels to go.

There was a lot of excitement here too today when Lucy's mini quilt and package arrived! I am so spoilt and lots of pics next post! Thank you Lucy. I appreciate just how much you have though of me. Perfect stitching, pretty colours, spots and bunnys xx

See the Elephants..

I thought I might post a pic of the elephants before they go off for sale at the creche market day on Saturday. I've made 7 from the Audrey and Maude pattern for Edward and Eloise, and one has already been donated as a door prize and is sitting next to the sign in book at creche. Just so Maya can yell, "that's MY elephant" everytime she sees it.

I'm at the desperation stage now and feel like I will have nothing on my table. I know that I should be just finishing things off, but I keep wanting to try and make something else. I'm running out of time (never mind the 'real' job)!

The kids are back at school today after 3 weeks of holidays. The house is quiet ... for a little while at least..

Fun and Fabric Pinwheels

Sometimes 6 year old models are not really into it! Poor Kane is showing all I have completed this week, fabric pinwheels from Rosalie Quinlans book, Gift.

I was lucky enough to catch up with some of the Ballarat bloggers at Jodie's place. No fake blood though ... I was too busy eating to take some pics but there are some up on the other bloggers sites, Annie from Flowergarden, Kathryn from Our Shabby Cottage, Bernadette from the Quilting B, Kate from What Katie Did, and Jodie, hostie from Ric Rac. Heaps of laughing, swaps and show and tell. I came home with fabrics and scraps, patterns, buttons and inspiration, and a little bit of stitching done this time.

I even managed a rummage in Jodies scrap basket and came home with some treasures! I can't wait to make something from them soon. Thanks Jodie. thanks girls!