Let's Make A Quick Basket!

The One Hour Basket

Are you in the mood for sewing, but don't have half  of a day to sit down and sew... sew ... sew?
Then we have a fast and practical project for you!

See what we have made in our Sew Along { Here}

The project:   One Hour Basket  Tutorial        by Kelby Sews  {here}

Photo courtesy of KelbySews

This is the One Hour Basket that I made:

Fabrics:    Denim bottomweight fabric
                Le Cerise Blueberries fabric by Susan Winget 
                Pellon Fusible Fleece  PFF987

Basket size:   7 inches tall x 11 inches x 6 inches deep

Quilting:  3/4" wide lines on the diagonal (one direction).  I wanted to add a little texture to the outside of the basket, and a little stiffness.

I love using denim for baskets

A perfect home for my finished 6 1/2 inch Farmer's Wife Sampler Quilt blocks

This truly is a fast, and FUNctional, basket to make.  I think when I make another basket, it will go even faster, because I will have had my material chosen already!!

Amanda, The Patchsmith, will be making her own One Hour Basket next week ... in her beautiful Patchsmith style, I am sure!!   You'll want to hop on over to her blog to see what she has whipped up when it is completed!

If you are making your own One Hour Basket, or any other Across The Pond Sew Along project, share it with us in our Flickr group!!  {here}

Well, I ended up making a second One Hour Fabric Basket already...
I am giving my Blueberry basket as a giveaway at our family reunion this weekend.

I decided to make the replacement basket for myself with orange fabrics and black denim.  I had some DS Quilts fabrics, from my Farmer's Wife Sampler Quilt blocks fabric stash.

Orange DS Quilts fabrics and black denim make up a bright basket .... for me!

I better not leave this on the windowsill...    it's just big enough to fit
 a little black kitty cat!

Linking up at:     

I'm off to my sewing room!

Pouches To Go!

On The Go With Across The Pond Sew Along 

See our past projects  {here}

Are you going on any trips this summer?  Maybe you'll find something for travel, or things "to go"  , that you 'd like to make!

Amanda, The Patchsmith, has made herself some beautiful  patchwork book carry covers! 
Isn't this so pretty!!   You'll see another book cover idea, as well, over at The Patchsmith!
Her patchwork  and stitching are so delicate and lucious!

      Amanda's Book Carryall        {here}
photo by The Patchsmith  

I love using pouches when I travel... "There is no such thing as having too many pouches!" (You can quote me on that!)   So I made  myself a Dumpling Pouch,  by Michelle Patterns.

Dumpling Pouch  by Michelle Patterns  -  free tutorial

I wanted it to coordinate with some other travel bags that I have made in the past.

Dumplings Zip Pouch Tutorial:   by Michelle Patterns  {here} - the easier pattern
  
Fabrics:   Dab Of Jazz    Maywood Studios  ( I had a lot of the Dab of Jazz line in my stash)
               White Brussels Linen

Thread:   Aurifill   Color Me Happy     the variegated light green
Zipper:   Apple Green        I get my zippers from Zip It!
Dimensions:  about 6 1/2 " wide  x 4 " high

Come to me,  my little dumpling!!

I used the  linen for two rows of squares in the middle. (They turn up in the bottom of the pouch.)

Oh, this  little pouch is super fun.  The only fiddly part was adding the binding in the lining for the ends of the zippers.    I took my time, and hand basted where Michelle suggests to hand baste.

The other side of my dumpling

The bottom- I love seeing quilting on linen... this is the  Aurifil " Color Me Happy"
  light green with variegations

The lining    

Next, I made an Eye Mask.  I usually want to go to sleep, while my husband reads awhile longer.  I like using an eye mask.

Erin, of Dog Under My Desk,  wrote a great , and free,  tutorial for an eye mask-

Free Tutorial at Dog Under My Desk

My Dab of Jazz  Eye Mask                      by Susie's Sunroom

My Travel Set      Susie's Sunroom

Are you curious about the other items you have seen in the pictures?

I'm ready for a trip!      Susie's Sunroom
(far left): The Linen To Go Pouch,  Eye Mask (in front pocket), The Dumpling Pouch  &
 Tote with Zipper (design by Taylor Made Designs- Totes with Zipper TMB-155)

The tall linen bag on the left is a tall zippered pouch, with handles and oodles of pockets inside. It is new  pouch that I created . I call it the "Linen To Go Pouch."    It has handy pockets on the front, as well as the inside.   ( If anyone is interested, I will try to make a pattern for it.  Let me know.)

Linen To Go Pouch - Dimensions:  10 1/2 " across  x 11 " high x 4  "  deep
Pockets:  4 outer  /   3 small ,   1 medium,  and 1 large pocket inside
Zipper top enclosure

Linen To Go Pouch  design by Susie's Sunroom

Inset zippered closure

Lots of pockets inside. Yoo-hoo! The Dumpling is down in there!

 The small duffle bag on the right is a  design by Cindy Taylor Oates. It is about 15 1/2 " across by 12 inches tall.  I made this bag a few years ago.  

I also made some bigger travel bags, in the Dab of Jazz fabrics, and will share them with you sometime soon.

Want to see what we are making in our Across The Pond Sew Along group?  You can look right here in our Flickr Group.

What will you be taking along on your next trip? 

I'm off to my sewing room!

Linking up to:    And Sew We Craft Together @ And Sew We Craft   and

                              Pet Projects Project Show  @ Pink Doxies  and 
                        Can I Get a Whoop Whoop!  @ Confessions of a Fabric Addict

March's Across The Pond Sew Along

Making A Jammies Pillow!

See our past projects here  and Flickr

Amanda, The Patchsmith, has chosen a pajama pillow or pouch , as March's project for our sew along group!  She has cleverly  created her own curvaceous pouch to keep her "pyjamas" so stylishly upon her bed.

The Patchsmith's very own nightdress case     

I think it looks like a  luscious little stuffed  scrappy quilt ! 

I looked around online for some  patterns and ideas.  Most of the patterns that I found were made for children.

Sew Delicious has a tutorial for this lined Pom Pom pajama pillow

Pajama Monster Pillow tutorial at Artisan In the Woods

I didn't ask my husband, but figured he would probably not prefer to see any variations of the above , sitting out on our bed every day!  (He's not a "pom-pom" kind of guy!)

So after I selected  the fabrics I wanted to use, the idea came to me to make a few adaptations to a pattern that I have been using.  My  very own   Simply Striped Accent Pillow   ....

The pattern-  Simply Striped Accent Pillow  - a 13 inch square pillow   pattern on Craftsy

Here is my variation of a simple Pajama Pillow...  made in Susie's Sunroom Style-

Stuffed with my pajamas...   an adapted Simply Striped Accent Pillow 

There's a muslin pillow form inside to give it shape when there are no pj's inside of the pillow

The adaptations to make it into a pajama pillow:

• I Increased the pillow size to 16 inches x 16 inches ( the 16 inch square measurements are a free bonus included in  my pattern!)

• Made a simple muslin pouch for holding some fiberfill inside (can adjust amount of fiberfill as desired)

• Added velcro to the opening at the back  (envelope style back)

Velcro was added for closing the pillow 

I like the back side of  my pajama pillow, too!  The  accent band is made of scraps left from the front

I added a few simple lines of quilting at 2 1/2 inches apart

This pillow could be made into a cute child's pajama pillow-

• Make the pillow in the 13 inch square size
• Use children's fabric or coordinate with the room

If you make a pajama pillow, or a nightdress case, depending on which side of the pond you are from,  share your project with us on our Across The Pond Sew Along Flickr group

{here}!

And make sure to stop by here at Susie's Sunroom every day this week, 

 staring tomorrow,   to see the different  pillows made by six super talented quilters .

 It's the Simply Striped Pillow Blog Hop!  You'll be inspired, and you will find some                                                                giveaways, too!  

These women are simply blowing me away with their creativity and style!

I'm off to my sewing room!

February Hearts

February 's Across The Pond Sew Along Project

See what we have made in ATPSA

It is still winter here, but I love seeing the  bright pink and red decorations that  will be popping out all around us this month.   The decorations just make me  feel warmer, even if there is still snow on the ground!

February's Theme for the Across The Pond Sew Along  -    Hearts    
That can encompass a lot of ideas and projects, can't it?!!  And "melt" a lot of snow !

First Project:  A Valentine Hearts  Pillow

I wanted to make a pillow with appliqued hearts and incorporate some tiny pink organza flowers in some way....  I  decided upon a merger of The Valentine Hearts Mug Rug pattern and the Simply Striped Accent Pillow pattern.

 inspiration-  The Valentine Hearts Mug Rug  pattern  by The Patchsmith  {here}

Valentine's Hearts Mug Rug pattern  by The Patchsmith

I  printed out the applique hearts on paper, and then resized the pattern:   when copying it -  reduced  it to 60 % -  by using the copy options .

Then I made a pillow, by using this new  pattern designed  by me,  Susie's Sunroom:

                  The Simply Striped Accent Pillow  available on Craftsy   {here}

Simply Striped Accent Pillow  #SS05   

Making the pillow-

-Turn the pillow 90 degrees to create a horizontal stripe

-Make two sets of the reduced- size applique' hearts

- Sew the hearts on to the middle accent strip of the pillow , according to The Patchsmith's pattern instructions 

- Add three little fabric flowers to the middle, with a few crystal beads for flower center embellishment   ( I got the flowers at JoAnn fabrics)

- Add some simple horizontal quilt lines to the front

-Make  the  envelope style pillow back  ( according to my pattern instructions)

 -Stuff the pillow with a 14 inch square pillow form, so it's nice and plump

My Valentine Hearts pillow      made by Susie's Sunroom

I just love how easy it is to adapt a Patchsmith applique pattern !!




Second  project:    A Fabric Heart Wreath
              inspiration-  Coat Hanger Rag Wreath       by Claire at Rustic Pig Designs
               

I used 3 different   fabrics 

         
         I like the look of the fabric strips...     This heart shaped frame was purchased at a local JoAnn Fabric shop.  It has 3 rows to attach the fabric strips to. 
 I made the fabric strips 1 inch x 7 inches.  I love the fullness of it.

Fabric Heart Wreath 

Third "heart" project:    Valentine Lips Mug Rug   

Aren't these paper pieced  lips so fun and cute!!   ...
     Ok, I know they aren't technically a heart... but a kiss  comes from the  heart, right?
(See , aren't we  easy to get along with in our Across The Pond  group?!!  )

                              Valentine  Lips Mug Rug    by Janeen  @ Quilt Art Designs
                from the Issue 4  "Paper Piecing 1/4 "   " digital magazine  (available here)
 -

I went  "all out" and used my Hot Pink Cheetah fabric for the lips!!

This pattern can be made into a mug rug.  That was my plan.

Until I began to feel the tiniest bit guilty,  and thought I should add at least  one little heart to the project.   I remembered  the small paper pieced hearts found in my book by Carol Doak. 

 See how cute they look.

Little 3- inch paper pieced hearts    pattern by Carol Doak

And then , look how fun they look next to Janeen's  Valentines Lips  pattern!!

Hearts and Valentines Lips    made by Susie's Sunroom

I'll be finishing this project up this week.   <3 <3

I looked back last year, and found a few  more Heart patterns to share with you ....

The Hugs And Kisses  pattern - I made the heart into a pincushion  (blogged here)
                            Design by Soma  @ Whims and Fancies  (here)

A paper pieced heart pincushion      

And...last year ,  I also made a Valentine's Table Runner using Soma's heart design-  (go to blog)

Would you "love" to see more heart projects?   You can simply hop on over to The Patchsmith blog and see what Amanda has been making! 

And, we'd love for you to make something along with us, and add it to our ATPSA Flickr Group  { here} 

May you be able to sew to your heart's content this February!


I am linking up at:   Can I Get a Whoop! Whoop! @ Confessions of a Fabric Addict   and
                               Paper Piecing Party @ Quilt Art Designs  and
                                Fabric Frenzy Friday @ Fort Worth Fabrics Studio  and
                               Sew Cute Tuesday @ Blossom Heart Quilts

I'm off to my sewing room!




Pattern provided by QAD Publishing