Sewing stuff

Some postcards were sent this week.  One was a birthday swap, this time for Jacquie who requested butterflies.  I made this ages ago along with another butterfly postcard for another birthday girl, who had changed her mind and wanted a bird one instead.

This is based on Jan Mullen's "Cut Loose Quilts" so choosing something as bright as possible, though whether it looks much like a butterfly is debatable.   So I added a band of butterflies.

Another postcard make was one on the theme of "Tried and Tested" which only had one swap partner.  A few months ago I picked up a fridge magnet advertising the Weston Super Mare quilt show, though I never got to see the quilt show I decided to make use of the 6" square of fabric on the magnet.  It was a lovely little square which goes really well with the woven postcard

It looked very autumnal by the time I's finished, with a quick rummage through the stash I came up with oak leaf fabric which was just right for embellishing the back.

I am very slowly sorting out my room and the UFO's and other detritus that lives in there.  In my wardrobe I have some bags hanging which contain calico, bits of wadding, vilene and other bits and pieces. 

To organise things a bit I've started to make proper fabric bags which will hang from the loop hanging bit of the coathangers.  This is one that I've made with a foundation pieced block that I'd made, oh, years ago and this is for the bits of wadding.

My friend Brenda has recently started teaching some patchwork and quilting at a sewing shop in Wimborne.  She's after some quick and easy things for Christmas and I had some ideas.  I thought of coasters which I've done loads of times before

 On the right is the one that I have on my window ledge and the two samples in Christmas fabrics

 

Above is a little decoration based on the diagonal coaster, when I realised I could pull back the diagonal edges to reveal a little star underneath

And I also made a table mat using a sew and flip method, which is quite easy. I hope these will be suitable for her students.  I'll write some instructions about how I've made them.  All of the items took me just over a couple of hours yesterday evening.

I don't think much of the clocks going back and coming home from work when its dark.  At least it'll give me more time to sew!