As I’m sure you are all aware, sewing machines need covers. No, really, they do! It protects them from dust and whatnot. Anyway as Lizzy has this lovely new craft room and can actually keep her sewing machine out she was definitely in need.

I spent quite a long time online looking at photos and (really shit) patterns as I had decided I quite liked the idea of doing one with a patchwork band around it, however, I really left it too late for this and then I came across this fabric in my stash, originally from ikea, it was perfect! I also found a huge roll of red felt which would be the perfect lining and help it to hold it’s shape.

I based the shape and size on my sewing machine which is slightly different to Lizzy’s but I think it turned out okay. I erred on the side of caution and made it slightly bigger and from the looks of it it could have been slightly shorter, but better to be too big than not to fit at all.

The quilting was really fun on this and although it took a while really pulls it together in my opinion. Doesn’t the craft room look lovely with all it’s home made goodness? You’ll be pleased to hear that the curtains and other soft furnishings have a red base so it will all match wonderfully.

You may already have seen this photo over on Ruffles and Ribbons and you can find more there about that fantastic seat cushion, but this is the crochet cushion I made for the rocking chair in the nursery, it’s based on Lucy’s version over at Attic24 (as usual) and I was using leftover Rico cotton dk, I made this in about two days it was so quick and easy, plus I got a really lovely feather cushion from ebay. That baby Ruffles is going to have such a  colourful bedroom it will be the sparkiest, happiest baby ever!

Thanks also to Lizzy for the brilliant photos

I never used to see the point of these but recently with a million projects on the go I have always been searching for my scissors, very annoying! Lizzy has the most beautiful cross stitch one she made ages ago which I would really like a copy of but I think she’s going to have her hands full for a while…

I made this one for Simon’s mother as she does lots of needlepoint and so I thought this would be useful, I used very small scraps so it’s a good stash buster and ribbon rather than cord to attach the scissors. Unfortunately I couldn’t find any prettier scissors than this as I left it until the last minute, what an idiot.

My mum also made some of these but she made them slightly larger with a pocket for the scissors to sit in, I really love this fabric and the lovely floral patterned scissors – I’ve put my order in and so I’m sure mine will be arriving any day now

My friend has recently bought a lovely old house out in the country so I was pretty sure this would be a useful gift! I made this pattern up as all the patterns I could find were for dog or snake ones and I really didn’t want it to look remotely like that!

So I just went for a simple envelope shape, with a handle for moving it around easily, I used a heavy canvas fabric (from fabulous Ikea) and stuffed it with a mixture of old t-shirts and jumpers to give it weight, and cushion stuffing to give it shape.

Nell kindly photographed it for me performing it’s intended task, isn’t it pretty? I have been meaning to make some for our house so now Christmas is over I should really get on with it…

My mum hinted very unsubtly that she wanted a needle book as the one she currently uses was made by one of us at school and features a badly sewn on christmas tree with some ‘embroidery’, and its falling apart.

I spent quite a while looking for a patchwork pattern, not that I necessarily needed one but I was looking for inspiration really. However I found this really fantastic tutorial on Patchwork Posse, the construction of the patchwork was really fun, it basically involves layering fabrics over each other, but I do think you need to plan it first otherwise you could get stuck! I really like the random effect you end up with and it’s a really good project for using up scraps.

I added some minimal quilting to it but if you’re more creative than me you could really go to town with this bit, I think it would look amazing with a very close pattern stitched over it, alternatively you could do it by hand with bigger stitches and contrasting thread, which, in hindsight, is what I should have done, I think it would look cuter. Inside I used green felt, which I should have cut with my pinking shears I think.

Lizzy and I used this technique for making a cushion cover out of offcuts and it’s definitely a method I will use more often as I have a huge scrap bag that I need to use up before I’m allowed to buy any more fabric…

My sister loves a scottie dog, it’s the way they run, with their little legs going… so I made it as a little extra for her for Christmas.

Anyway, this toy is a really quick easy make, I just stitched it together one evening after work in front of the TV. I’ll definitely make it again as a last minute baby prezzie, although I wouldn’t use beads if it was for a child obviously but I think little blue embroidered eyes would be good too. I found the tutorial on Allsorts blog but there are loads of good felt toy patterns around, and you could easily make your own.

Following on from the Harwood’s Quiet Book post, I realised that we had been made some really beautiful things when we were little. My mum’s friend Lynn, who she met when they lived in the States made this fantastic embroidered picture for my little brother when he was born, isn’t it just the most lovely present? And imagine how long it must have taken her, she really is very talented.

The carriages have the date, time and day he was born all immaculately embroidered.

And how much he weighed (sorry about the blurry photo)

I think making these sort of things for boys must be hard anyway but this is just brilliant, I would really love to make these for my friend’s children but where does one find the time? Also do you think she would have used a kit, or a pre printed pattern or just made it up?

This is currently hanging up on the staircase in my parents house in France, just a little further up on the landing I found this embroidered picture which I remember from when we were little but have no idea where it came from.

Look at the detail in the stitches, isn’t it amazing. I really must take the time to learn to embroider properly, I’d dearly love to be able to make things as intricate as this. Another thing to add to the ever-expanding craft ‘to-do’ list…

I made this for my friend who punches me in the face (at Jitsu obviously – duh), she sneakily left it until the last minute to tell me it was her birthday this week leaving me little time for crafting. However, I like a deadline! So I have made her this lovely tote. Apologies for the poor photography (even poorer than usual!) I was in a rush to wrap him up and get him ready to go.

Now stop right there, I hear you say, this looks remarkably like another tote bag I’ve seen on this blog. Well you’d be right, and wrong. This bag is slightly bigger, I measured by eye rather than ‘suggested measurements’. It has shorter handles (mainly because I was running out of fabric) and I have added a handy little pocket to keep your oyster card and phone in, or anything else you find it difficult to put your hand on in a cavernous bag. Alternatively if using it to carry crafts it would serve equally well to house crochet hooks, scissors and the like.

I know I bemoaned the timescales given on the previous bag but this one was actually very speedy, I cut and ironed all the pieces one night after netball and then did all the sewing and was finished before Simon got home from work on the Friday – bosh! Thoroughly recommended for a last minute gift.

I have been promising to make myself a new skirt for a while now but hadn’t quite found the right thing. I was thinking about making the Marie:

Found on the fabulous Burda Style of course. I cut out the fabric and everything but i just can’t get that excited about it for some reason, maybe it’s the fabric I chose, maybe it’s the style, who knows?

Anyway I have since moved on due to the discovery of this little beauty – the Kasia:

If you follow the link you can see some other peoples projects, I think it looks best in a dark colour with a bright lining in the pockets, so I’m thinking I might make it in a navy blue with red polka dot contrasting fabric and cover the buttons in it too.

This is an intermediate pattern so it may take me some time but it’s apparently a ‘fall’ skirt so it might just be ready in time for autumn…