Dresden Plate Patchwork Cushion

Hello

Just a quicky.  Was up in my loft looking for a sturdy box and found a round cushion that I had put up there many moons ago.  So thought that I would give it a new cover using Dresden Plate pattern.  Decided to buy a gadget to help (I do like gadgets), an ez Dresden acrylic template from Simplicity

It's dead easy to use, just cut a strip of fabric, I used 5 ins. Then using a rotary cutter, cut the first one out, then turn the template upside down to cut the next, keep rotating it until you have the required 20 pieces to complete the circle.  Then sew in pairs using 1/4 inch seams, pairs together, fours together and then join up all the pieces to complete the circle (remember to press the seams to the dark side).  Cut out a circle of card the correct size to cover the gap in the middle, then a circle of fabric slightly larger, do running stitches around the edge of the fabric circle, lay the cardboard in the middle and pull the ends so that fabric gathers around the card, iron and take out the card.  Then slip stitch the circle in the centre of the dresden plate.

Tad daa

Cheers
Sharon

Sewing Basket Makeovers

Hello

Winters are a quiet time of the year for me, gardens are put to bed for the winter before bursting into life early spring. There are signs that they are waking up but the wet weather is putting paid to any work I could be doing.  Normally this time of the year, ice and snow keep me from trundling out!  My heart goes out to anyone who's home has been flooded.

Anyway, not much work means that I can do some crafty stuff so have revamped some sewing baskets

They are now residing in my Folksy Shop http://folksy.com/shops/GrannysButtonBox  along with a few items more.  I will try to keep my shop better stocked, was full of good intentions when I opened it but got side tracked with life!


Cheers
Sharon

9 Patch Baby Quilt with matching Tote Bag

Hello


Been busy with the featherweight, made a baby quilt using 9 patch.  Got a pack of fat quarters from Boyes, with sweet little bears on it.  There was enough fabric to make a matching tote and drawstring bags.

Hand quilted it.

All we need now is the baby, he/she is a fortnight over due!  Hurry up Amy

update its a boy on 19th February

Cheers
Sharon

Singer Foot Controls - how to keep them safe

Hello

My Singer 327 has a fixed electrical cord and foot control unlike my Featherweight which unplugs and has a special bracket in the lid of the case.

As you can see, its a bit of a pain when packing the machine in its box which just covers the machine and clips at the ends to secure, leaving the control foot and leads flapping about inside.

While browsing through sewing blogs, I found a pattern from  http://www.incolororder.com/2011/10/lined-drawstring-bag-tutorial.html  for a lovely lined drawstring bag, a light bulb moment, this would be ideal for keeping everything together. Had an afternoon free so had a play with the Singer 327, its is much quicker than the feather weight, which is wonderful when running up curtains but for the more detailed stitching the featherweight is more controllable.

Found a nifty little tool in a vintage sewing basket my elderly Aunt gave me, I thought it was for pulling ribbon so gave it a try today.

It worked a treat, loads better than faffing about with safety pins.  It will become one of my favourite sewing gadgets, better find a safe place for it, now I have found it would hate to loose it.

Going to make another couple of bags, one for the toyota foot control and another for the Singer Featherweight foot and leads for when its not packed in its box and I leave the machine out, it will keep the foot safe.

Also had a go a fixing a horse rug today with the 327, it coped quite well, used zig zag for repair the tears so I am pleased with my new old machine.

Cheers

Sharon