A Fabric Covered Pumpkin

 After watching a few videos on YouTube, I thought I would have a go
at covering a polystyrene pumpkin which I bought on eBay with a
piece of fabric left over from a fat quarter.

It turned out to be quite simple, with the bonus of not using any glue.
I started by removing the stalk and making the centre hole bigger using scissors
and a chopstick!

Next, I placed the the pumpkin onto the fabric and started bringing the sides
up to the centre, using the chopstick to press the fabric into the hole.
Lastly, I placed the stalk back into the pumpkin to finish. 

I added it to my autumnal display, which includes the crochet pumpkin and
memory sock pumpkin which I made last year.

The details of how I made the pumpkins can be found HERE and HERE

The polysterene pumpkins came in a set of three, so I think I'll use some
different fabric to cover the other two.

Thank you for visiting my blog today.

Janice x

A Tea Bag Holder

 After making one of these tea bag holders for my friend a few month’s ago,
which you can see HERE, she asked if I could make another for one for
one of her tea drinking friends.
These are really handy to keep in your handbag to use when out and about.
I used a free YouTube tutorial from Claire at Beautiful Things 
which can be found HERE 

The fabrics I used were Aldi fat quarters.

The colours look much better in real life...the button I used

was pink, and not bright red!

Thank you for visiting my blog today.

Janice x

90th Birthday Gifts

Today, I am sharing some gifts I made for my friend’s Mum’s 90th birthday.

I have known Joan since I was 5 years old, and was so pleased to be invited to

her birthday tea party last month. 

Unfortunately, the original plans had to be changed due to the virus, 

but thankfully, she was still able to celebrate with six family and friends 

at a time, on a rota basis over the weekend.

The fabric used is from a set of fat quarters from Aldi’s. 

The box and tissue holder are designs from Sew Totally Trisha.

Her free tutorials can found on YouTube here...

Storage Box

Travel Tissue Holder

The Hand Sanitizer Pod is designed by Spencer Ogg

and can be found HERE

Thank you for visiting my blog today.

Janice x

Travel Tissue Holders

I recently made these travel tissue holders for a friend to give to her 

Mum and Mother-in-law.

I have made them before, one which you can see HERE 

but this time I tried a different tutorial.

There are plenty to choose from on Youtube, I followed 

Sew Totally Trisha’s tutorial HERE

The fabric I used was from a set of Aldi’s fat quarters.

They are so quick and easy to make, that I made a couple more!

Thank you for visiting my blog today.

Janice x

More Quilted Boxes

To keep myself busy during lockdown, I made another two quilted boxes
for two of my great nieces.

The outer fabric is black-out blind material which was kindly given to me by some 

neighbours when they moved house recently, along with a bag full of other fabrics for 

making blinds, which I am looking forward to using.

I have used Aldi fat quarters for the linings of them both.

Two of my great nephews have asked if I could make them one 

for their bedrooms, so I am now on the look out for digger/truck 

fabric and Captain America fabric!

They are really very easy to make, and would make nice presents 

filled with a selection of bathroom essentials, make-up or maybe 

even some stationery.

I really enjoy making these quilted boxes, which I learnt to make by
Claire at Beautiful Things, on her Beginners Sewing class.

Thank you for visiting my blog today.

Janice x

A Fabric Storage Pod

Today, I am sharing a fabric storage pod I made yesterday for my
youngest great nephew.

I was lucky to have a garden visit from him and my niece on Monday, and she
kindly brought with her some leftover material from a set of Aldi fat quarters, 

that she no longer needed, so I thought I'd try making something from them.

I used a free, easy to follow pattern that can be found HERE
It was shared recently on a Facebook sewing group I belong to. 

 

I can see myself making a few more of these, as they are great for using up
any leftover pieces of material and will come in handy to use in various rooms
of the house and maybe even one in the car.

The finished size is: 5 ½" x 9 ½" x 5" (13.97cm x 24.13cm x 12.7cm) but
the pattern could easily be adjusted to make larger ones.


Thank you for visiting my blog today.
Janice x

A Reversible Handbag

Today, I am sharing my latest sewing project - a reversible handbag.

I followed Debbie Shore’s YouTube tutorial which you can find HERE

This bag has been appearing on a few Facebook groups just recently,

 even though the tutorial is just over seven years old. I can see why it’s

been popular to make as it’s a great pattern to make.

 There are plenty of free step by step tutorials on Debbie’s YouTube channel, 

with really easy to follow instructions.

Making this shaped bag has been good for me as it’s made me learn

 a few new techniques. 

The material I used is a set of fat quarters I recently bought 

online from Aldi’s

Thank you for visiting my blog today.

Janice x

A Bowl Cosy

My latest make is a bowl cosy, which comes in very handy when I catch
up on the morning news in front of the television, eating my porridge!

There are lots of tutorials available on YouTube.
I used this one HERE by the Crafty Gemini.

The pattern can be adapted for the size of your bowls.
By turning your bowl over, measure with a tape measure from the edge,

 all the way over and down to the other edge. Then by adding one inch, this will give
you the size squares you will need for the inside, outer fabric and the wadding. 

I used two co-ordinating fabrics from an Aldi fat quarter pack. 

 Thank you for visiting my blog today.

Janice x

A Triangular Quilted Zip Pouch

With all that is happening at the moment regarding the Coronavirus,
I am guessing that many of my crafting family and friends will be
keeping themselves occupied either with sewing, knitting, crocheting
and card-making.

Today, I am sharing this quilted pouch which I made yesterday afternoon. 

I found the instructions on YouTube.

Since I started sewing, I have been keeping my sewing clips in an empty
Ferrero Rocher box, but I thought this pouch would be perfect to keep them in now.

The fabrics I have used are part of a set of fat quarters from Aldi's.

I have a list of sewing projects to keep me busy, and I also plan to start crocheting

again, something I haven't done since teaching myself to make a matinee jacket
for my eldest nephew who is now 40! I much preferred knitting to crocheting
back then, knitting plenty of baby clothes and items for myself.
I wonder how I will get on this time?

Thank you for visiting my blog today.
Janice x

A Quilted Flat Bottom Make Up Bag

Today, I am sharing a make up bag I made for my sister for her birthday.

I quilted the outer fabric which is a fat quarter purchased from Aldi’s.

The zipper tab corners could certainly be a lot squarer, but I realise it’s the 

wadding I’ve used is slightly too thick, so next time I will cut it a 1/4” smaller 

all round to accommodate the seam allowance.

My sister was pleased with it, and that’s all that matters!

I really enjoyed making it and might go larger next time and make a 

matching toiletries bag.

Thank you for visiting my blog today.

Janice x

A Quilted Box

Today, I am sharing a gift I made for a friend for Christmas.

A quilted box containing a small bottle of pink bubbly. 

The fabric I used was a fat quarter which was part of a set I bought in Aldi's.

I lined it with co-ordinating felt from Geoff's Remnant Shop in Brentwood. 

I added some pink shredded paper, wrapped it in cellophane and

added some silver twirled string.

If you would like to see others I have made, you can find them 

HERE and HERE

Thank you for visiting my blog today.

Janice x

Travel Tissue Holder

Today, I'm sharing my latest sewing project, a travel tissue holder. 

I found lots of tutorials on the internet and on Pinterest, plus

 Claire of Beautiful Things has also posted YouTube instructions HERE
which I used as a guide.

I used the same set of fat quarter fabric as the zipped cosmetic bag I made
last week HERE, which I bought recently from Aldi's when they were reduced in price.

Thank you for visiting my blog today.

Janice x

A Quilted, Lined, Zipped Cosmetic Bag

I’m back today sharing my latest sewing project, which is a very basic quilted, lined,
 zipped cosmetic bag. I can't seem to stop quilting things since making my first 

quilted boxes HERE and HERE. 

I found various tutorials on YouTube to follow, and apart from sewing (and unpicking)

one of the linings on the outside of the bag instead of the inside, I really enjoyed

making this bag.

The fabrics are from one of two sets of fat quarters I bought recently from
Aldi's when they were reduced.

They're not the best quality in softness of material, but are certainly ideal for me 

to use to practise on. I am planning on making a box style cosmetic bag soon.

Thank you for visiting my blog today.
Janice x