Adding detail and pride to your sewing

So I love to sew and I have pride in my projects

Being prideful is not a bad thing when it comes to using your talents, because believe me there are plenty of things I'm not good at.

I started sewing very early on and it's a story you hear often, I learnt at my grandmothers feet. This is so true and she was an amazing seamstress, a tailoress and there was no garment she couldn't make.

She made most of my clothes when I was a child and even when I started High School she stitched my uniform including the school blazer, I was pretty tiny in those days and the smallest ready to wear size just swamped me.

And that's how it started although it's only in recent years I started craft sewing or 'sewing small' as I like to call it.

So lets see the details that bring that lift to your craft.

This was the bag I made about 18 months ago, I'd never attempted something like this, it had a foam-like stabilizer instead of quilters batting... a game changer as it holds it's shape beautifully. I quilted it diagonally and lined it with a patterned cotton fabric that was not too busy.

I added a panel of simple stitched flowers with a small fold of the lining fabric and finished it off with leather handles.
This is the link to this bag pattern 'round-travel-bag'  It's  reasonably simple and easy to follow and check out all Minki's other patterns while your'e there...I just love her work.

 Do I use it ? Well yes I take it to my weekly embroidery club feeling very glam, filled with threads, needles and everything you could possibly need for a fun morning of stitching.

Zipper pouch and pincushion, well it's all about the details you add..sometimes you don't notice what makes something special. It's about adding layers that build to create interest, a bit like interior design.

The little pincushion is fun, the oblong shape allows enough room for two different fabrics.

Divide with a ribbon trim, I always use cotton lace if I can, much more organic.

And did you notice it's also quilted in a half inch grid, building detail and texture again.

The zipper pouch is a flat simple oblong shape which I prefer for holding sewing notions etc, it's quilted on the diagonal, lace added, and the little fun fabric stamp... don't forget the striped corner detail.

And when I'm not sewing I love adding details everywhere.

Happy creating

Glenis

Dresses and quilts, a sewing year in review

My favourite makes for  2016

 Kerah's quilt 
I have just finished this quilt for my little Granddaughter, she's five, in fact it's under the tree. I used a lovely pattern by Carina Gardner I found on Pinterest.

Granddaughter dresses, an array of makes over the year.

 I'm a detail person and love 'sewing small' it's my term for petite projects...my post about it here.

How come I am just finding out the joy of making Zipper pouches.

What sewer can ever have enough Pincushions, fun makes with a story behind it.

Crib quilts, mini's and wall hangings.

The highlights of my year have been a Blog hop, Nanacompany swap and my first feature in the Homespun magazine.
Books that have inspired me are 
'Sew Illustrated' by Minky Kim and Kristen Esser
'Sweetly stitched handmades' by Amy Sinibaldi
Gorgeous fabric from designers Sedef Imer and Elea Lutz and my favourite of all Instagram

Ali of Arabesque Scissors is doing a TGIFF thats 'Thank goodness its finish Friday' 2016 project roundup 
and
do check out Saylittlehen as well to join in the 2016 creative review.

Glenis

Zipper Pouch, Embroidered Toiletry Bag

Zipper pouch and sweet 'Ollie' embroidery

Zipper pouch, zipper pouch

I am in love with these and I can't really realize that I have never made one before, yes I have made plenty of bags but not these sweet ones.

I had seen a few, well quite a few on Instagram and thought I really need to make one as a travel kit for my embroidery, I like to have something to do even when I'm far away. 

These little ones are my practice ones, for baby's toiletries [Grandbabies] but I'm in love with the blue one and it's staying with me!!    Ollie's Washing day embroidery pattern is available on my Etsy shop.

Now I did quite a bit of digging to see how they were put together and found two very good tutorials which I used as a basis for mine.

Sewing Chick you nailed with all the zip detail I followed this to a tee.

Craftster This was so good explaining the simple way of constructing this lined bag. 

This is my version of a little Toiletry Bag [zipper pouch]

My finished bag is 9.5''  wide and it sits about 8.5'' high

I cut two front borders 3'' x 9.5'' 

My Linen embroidered border 5.5'' x 9.5''

the back and 2 lining pieces 10'' length x 9.5'' width

All pieces are backed with fusible interfacing. 

8'' or 20cm zip, cotton lace and contrasting trim [just a folded fabric strip]

The front is made by joining the three borders, I did a seam just over quarter inch and inserted the lovely cotton lace between the top border and the linen. The contrasting fabric trim was inserted between the linen and the bottom border. SEE PHOTOS 

When you have finished piecing the front, press well and you may need to trim the front to match the back.

 Follow Sewing chick zip instructions and then the putting together from Craftster

I'm a detail person and a lover of fabric, these two have turned out so well all lined with coordinating fabric, too good to use!!!

So there you have it, wonderful, I wanted to showcase my embroidered rabbit and I had gorgeous fabric to use.

I have been embroidering in the evenings this last month and perfecting a few of my own designs some of which I have for sale in my shop.

These are really helpful videos for

Simple Stitches

Transferring your design

French knots

                                              Glenis