Bags and Pouches

I had a recent request from my granddaughters to make swimming bags and although I hadn't made them before I've made other bags, so other than a waterproof lining it should be easy.  Sophie wanted dinosaurs and Isobel wanted flowers, so flowery fabric was easy, but I could only get a fat quarter of dinosaur fabric at the time, which was not quite big enough.

I picked out a colour that would co-ordinate and cut into 2 thin strips which made the bag a better size.  I saw a tutorial on Vicky Myers Creations blog, which repurposes a shirt as a swim bag.  Having bought a shower curtain to use as the lining I set to work.  Oh does it slip and slide! Of course you only have one chance to sew it in right and you can't use pins, so one lining was wasted but not completely as it could be cut down for cosmetic/toilet bag linings. Another lining was cut but the casing just about fitted the piping cord used for the drawstring.  This is a case when you wished the first bag came out as well as the second which went a lot better.

Next was thinking about finishing the ends of the cords without them unravelling, i'd almost forgotten I had a bottle of Fray Stop and painted that quite liberally onto the cord ends, which seems to work (touch wood!).

It was good to make something that would come in extremely useful.  Hoping the girls may have a badge or two to sew on soon.

Last month I made a pouch of some quilted square from International Quilting Day and I have four more made.  They do look really good.  I used a tutorial on You Tube by the Gourmet Quilter, Susan Clare although all sides of the squares used were unfinished as the blocks were already quilted and I added some more stitching to them.

I've now used all the blocks from that day now and they will go to Project Hope.  Here's a closer view of two of them

And finally, my friend Val very kindly took some blocks with her to make another quilt which was joined together and bordered with a yellow batik fabric.  She showed everyone at Bourne Quilters meeting.  The legs belong to Penny who held up the quilt for me to take a photo.

Although it was a couple of months ago now, it was a reminder of what a good day it was and how much was achieved.