Hexie flower towel

This towel was so fun to make.  I got my inspiration here.  The front is made of unbleached muslin and the back is an old feed sack.  The trim is old and from a stash I inherited, as are the buttons.  I don't know how practical this towel is, but it sure is pretty.

 The hexagon pieces are 1 1/4 inches on a side and made from feed sack scraps.

I enjoy handwork so it was fun to outline the flower and the seams with a running stitch, using embroidery floss.

Simple Thread Catcher

I love to do hand sewing.  But I don't love the threads that often end up on my chair or the floor.  So I decided to make a thread catcher.

Here's how I did it.

5-inch circle for the bottom (one for exterior, one for lining, one of interfacing)

NOTE:  I don't actually cut the circles right away.  I cut a square a little bigger than 5 inches out of each fabric.  I draw a 5-inch circle on the right side of the lining fabric.  Then I stack the exterior fabric right side down, then the interfacing, and then the lining with the circle drawing on top.  I zigzag just a little way inside the drawn circle through all three layers.  Then I cut out the circle.  It seems like my circle is more accurate this way.

5 x 14 inch piece for the side (again for one exterior, one for lining, one of interfacing)

Iron the interfacing to the wrong side of the exterior fabric piece.  Then match that piece up with the lining piece, right sides together.  Stitch along the long edge, using a 1/4 inch seam.

Fold this sewn rectangle in half, along the shorter side (which is now around 10 inches long.)  Stitch together (1/4 inch seam).

Refold this piece in half along the long sewn side, right sides out.

Now you will sew the circle to the side piece by placing the circle and side piece right sides together (1/4 inch seam.)

NOTE:  I like to have some marks to show how to match these pieces up easier.  I fold the circle in half and make a mark close to the edge at each end.  Then I refold the circle with these marks together and make a mark at the ends again.  This way you have a mark showing each 1/4 of the circle.  I do the same thing with the side piece.  Then I pin the pieces with the marks touching.

Fold the top down about an inch so the lining shows on the outside...and start filling it with little threads and scraps.

Open wide bag

I'm in love...with these little bags.  The tutorial is here.  The zipper extends over the end, so they open up really wide.  And they are so easy to make.  I'm experimenting with some vintage material I was given.  We are trying to think of a project to make for benefit auctions and this may be a good one!  How could you not love this fabric.

 Some of my hexie supplies already found a cozy home in this one.

This one is smaller and has an old metal zipper that had been rescued from a long-forgotten garment and found in a great-aunt's sewing supplies.  And the flower?  Well, when I finished the bag, I noticed a flaw in the material right in front.  What to do?  So I made a patch with Steam-a-Seam and then plopped a yo-yo flower on top.  Don't you think this would be perfect for my tiny hexies?

(Don't tell "anyone" that I just ordered 25 metal zippers please.)

Watcha workin' on?

Several friends asked what I was working on this week.  So, here you go.

Some little girls need some doll baby diapers, so I mass produced them.  Well, sort of.  I made this many.  Actually I had to stop because I ran out of velcro, but I have since resupplied so I can make more.

And I've gotten on a hexie kick lately.  I love to do hand-sewing in the evenings, so this is just perfect for me.  I have a few ideas for these cuties, but it's fun to keep thinking how I might use them.  As you can see, the ones above are pretty small--1/2 inch on a side.  I'm using old material from my childhood neighbor lady for the tiny ones.  The ones below look huge next to them.  They are 1 1/2 inches on a side.  So far I'm just using red, cream and aqua for these.

Little patchwork bag

This is actually a late Christmas present...just didn't get it done in time.  I saw the idea here. 

Love Valentine skirts

 I saw an idea for a skirt like this and thought it would be fun to make for the little girlies in my life.  The skirt called for piping to be used, but I didn't like the way it looked when I tried that.  So I decided to just embroider  the design.  The fabric came from a stash I inherited from my mom so that made it extra-special!  Hope they LOVE their skirts.

Kindle cover

 Zara has a new kindle and asked if I could make a cover for it.  Yes, please!  Had fun picking out fabric and a design that she would like.  I found the idea and tutorial here.

Just a pretend kindle with a little message for Zara...