Archive for the 'Zakka' Category

2012: another year of sewing

Published on 31/12/2012 by Mary in Boys, clothing, gifts, Girls, Patchwork, projects, Quilts, Scraps, teaching and Zakka. 5 Comments

It’s the end of the year so I’m having a quick look back at what I’ve achieved in the last 12 months, I am pleasantly surprised!

Eight big quilts (and a few baby size), six of which I have given away! Quilts for Siblings Together was a big project in the early ‘summer’, it was a joy to sew for others and wonderful much later in the year to read Lynne’s post about the giving of the quilts. I already have plans for next year!

A selection of bags, purses and pouches that have been made, featuring heavily is the Lined Drawstring bag (pattern by Jeni), I love it.

At the beginning of the year I joined in the Sewing for Boys sew along, I guess I managed 4 months before life got in the way. But it inspired me to think about sewing for the children again, and I love the Treasure Pocket Pants pattern, making 5 pairs of those.

There was other ‘stuff’ cushion covers, zakka style sew along items, gifts and I even wrote a few tutorials, and of course the weekend away at FQ Retreat.

A big step for me this year was teaching. I’ve never done it before, but I lead a couple of evenings at a friends home sewing for Dress A Girl Around the World and Siblings Together. In July I taught my first workshop at Arrietty, teaching six ladies how to make frame purses. I’ve done a few more since then and have also taught some private one-to-one sessions. I’ve loved teaching, sharing knowledge, inspiring and giving others confidence in their abilities (and starting fabric habits in others – hahaha!).

So that’s it for today, I have vague plans for 2013 but output may well be determined by building work on our house.

Here’s hoping you have a wonderful 2013.

Zakka commissions

Published on 16/12/2012 by Mary in Commission, Patchwork, Scraps and Zakka. 4 Comments

Way back in March I ran a Dress A Girl Around the World sewing evening at my friend Rachels house. In the summer her eldest daughter Mia went on a school trip to Malawi and the group took approx 250 dresses with them to distribute (not all made by us on that evening!). Mia had an amazing time and last week she and Rachel commissioned me to make some little thank you gifts for the teachers who accompanied them on the trip.

So one evening I sewed some Patchwork Pencilcases from the book Zakka Style:

They gave me suggestions of colours and styles and then said be as flexible as you like!

So I raided the scraps boxes and had fun working with their suggestions. The request was for ‘names’ to be stamped on the back:

These are not necessarily their actual names but what they were called by the children in Malawi.

This is a great pattern for using scraps and fun to personalise too. News of more finished gifts coming soon!

September projects

Published on 01/10/2012 by Mary in Patchwork, Scraps, Upcycled, Vintage and Zakka. 8 Comments

Another month has flown by and time to round-up/review what I’ve been doing:

a secret project
an infinity scarf for my husband (he was wearing it this morning as he went off to work = success)
the beginnings of a new quilt for which I didn’t have a recipient in mind – think that might have changed
the start of another quilt
I taught a great frame purse workshop
did some Zakka style sewing with my eldest
sewed some great purses which will have a blog post all of their own soon
the launch of a new product in my Etsy store
started making up samples for my new workshop on zip purses

Not in my list of makes but I went to the Creative Stitches Show in Exeter yesterday and I might just have bought myself a new sewing machine! More on that another day…

And if you missed this mornings blog post, go and have a peek now, there might just be a little giveaway.

Linking up with Lily’s Quilts, check out what others have been sewing.

A little elephant

Published on 24/09/2012 by Mary in Zakka. 9 Comments

Way back at the beginning of April the Zakka Style sew along began;

enthusiastically I joined in completing a few projects before other things took priority:

I actually thought I’d joined in more than it appears from the photo’s above but the reality is there for all to see! The projects were mostly fun to make and I was pleased with all of them. Some took much longer like the ZigZag tote and others such as the Rain Cloud Mug Rug were quick to complete. One of my favourites was the Patchwork Pencil Case, I made 2 during that particular week of the sew along and then I made 9 for end of year teacher gifts. These are quite quick and easy to make and easy to personalise:

But once I’d fallen off the Zakka wagon it was nigh on impossible for me to get back on, some of the projects didn’t appeal or I didn’t have the time.

But my eldest daughter had taken an interest in a few of the projects so the other day we found a little time to sew together. To say she loves to read is an understatement, she devours books and is often found reading in bed just finishing a book before sleep.

So it seemed appropriate that we had a go at making An Elephant Never Forgets Bookmark by Kat Mew. Bethan picked out the fabric from the scrap boxes that she wanted to use, chose some ric-rac and we got cutting and sewing. The instructions for this were clear to me, we opted out of crocheting a bow (I can’t crochet being the simple reason for that!)

It didn’t take long to make and it’s been put to good use as long as she doesn’t read her book in one sitting!

One word of caution about the book Zakka Style is that there are a number of errors in the current issue. Please check the Zakka Style Sew Along flickr group for a list of errors and corrections that may help you significantly if you decide to sew any of the projects. Rashida Coleman-Hale who compiled the book also contributes to the discussion there, hopefully it will be a part of a catalyst for change and all patterns/books will be tested before publication. If you want to read more about the craft book process there is a really interesting article here. It has certainly made me think twice about buying a craft book unless I know it’s been tested.

I’m linking up with:

It’s summer

Published on 23/07/2012 by Mary in gifts, Patchwork, thrifting, Upcycled and Zakka. 9 Comments

Have you entered the giveaway for a surprise pack of 2 patterns? If not head on over there now, it closes on Wednesday evening.

Hurrah the girls school finished the term on Friday so we are now on holiday, except I’m not because I still have to do everything I normally do during the day, washing, tidying, cleaning, cooking but like Bethan said ‘mummy we will be with you for 6 whole weeks’! Actually it’s 6 weeks and 3 days but who’s counting?

Ok truth is that although Tobit is at work he does lots around the house so it’s not too bad. Just don’t expect a lot from me here because the sun has come out to play at last…

But before I forget completely here’s what I made for end of year teacher gifts:

From the book Zakka Style, the Zakka style pencil case. Leah had 7 adults involved in her education this first year at school (yes there are 8 in the pictures, looks like there’s a spare one for someone!) fortunately they are quite quick and easy to make:

It was lovely to rummage through my scrap boxes for this, I used quite a bit of Sew Cherry from the little scraps I had left from the Siblings Together quilts. The linen is from a pair of 100% linen trousers I found in the charity shop, there is still plenty left.

And here are a couple that got hidden under a pile of stuff while Tobit was photographing. Bethan chose the scraps for these specifically for her teacher and teaching assistant:

(Leah is now looking over my shoulder and wants me to write ‘they are fabulous’)

On the back of each one we did some stamping:

I’m not suggesting for one minute that if it’s not got your name on it you won’t ever see it again, because even if your name is on it you still might never see it again or does that just apply to PE kit?!

I also made ginger pencil biscuits to go in them, I didn’t decorate any more so this is the best photo I have of them:

Here’s wishing them all a wonderful summer break; the girls are looking forward to their new teachers already!

I’ll be back later with the winner of the quilt kit giveaway…

Linking up with:

Teacher gifts – sneak peek

Published on 18/07/2012 by Mary in gifts, Patchwork, Upcycled and Zakka. 3 Comments

Have you entered my giveaway yet? Get on over there now, it closes on Sunday but I will have another giveaway posted up before then.

Here’s a preview of something I’ve been working on over the last week, with some help from the girls in this house:

Can you guess what I’ve been sewing? It’s something you seen here before…

I’m really hoping that you can tell what this is, I forgot to take photo’s before wrapping them. I might just make some more just for the purpose of photographing them – would that be mad?

Have you been making end of year gifts? What is your favourite thing to make as a ‘thank you’?

My youngest daughter is in reception where she has 2 teachers and 5 teaching assistants! As I wanted to treat them all equally we have a small pile of gifts to take in (once we’re sure of the spelling of some names!). If the staff are half as tired as my children then they are in need of a summer break!

I’ll have photo’s of the finished items soon.

June’s projects

Published on 01/07/2012 by Mary in projects and Zakka. 8 Comments

So would you believe it’s the start of another month and time for Lily’s Quilts Fresh Sewing Day

As you will see from the pictures below all of my projects this month have been small ones. Possibly something to do with being all quilted out from the Siblings Together project (pop over to Lily’s tomorrow for a post all about that but be warned you might need tissues)

So full of inspiration and new skills from the FQ Retreat, I tackled freezer paper piecing and completed my house block, had another go at Portholes and made a few frame purses. Alongside that a little bit of Zakka and some making for craft fairs and birthday party’s and a whole lot of cutting for the shop.

Pop on over and see what everyone else has been sewing:

Back on the Zakka bus – week 11

Published on 16/06/2012 by Mary in Upcycled and Zakka. 4 Comments

So I’ve had a few weeks off from the Zakka sew along, there was just too much to do before the FQ Retreat. This week I fancied a little sewing and this seemed like a good project.

The pouch in the book is made with tweed, I don’t have any tweed, not even any old clothes to cut up so I went for my trusty back up – denim. However too lazy to pull out my denim stash from the loft I grabbed what was in the cupboard removed a pocket from the back.

The hexagons I hand pieced the other evening on the sofa when I was too exhausted to do anything else.

I’m not convinced about the instructions for the corner pieces, the piece is not symmetrical but it wasn’t clear to me which way round the pieces went on, anyway their on and they look alright:

Elizabeth suggested adding tabs to the ends of the zip but I didn’t bother with that and the zip went pretty smoothly.

No picture showing the lining but it’s a great bit of red and white polka dot fabric.

If you fancy a go, it’s a lovely project, I like the combination of hand sewing and machine sewing, it’s pretty quick and easy. I can’t promise I’ll be sewing along next week as I’ve got a craft fair coming up that I need to get sewing for.

Zakka Style Sew along – Rain Cloud Mug Rug

Published on 20/05/2012 by Mary in Zakka. 2 Comments

Right first project of today’s Virtual Sew Day:

I wasn’t going to join in this weeks sew along as I’ve had far too much to do, but this morning after a great haul at the car boot I thought I would make the project as a quick and easy start to the day.

So a pile of scraps, a piece of blue background fabric not as big as stated in the book but the biggest I could find without cutting into something ‘new’. Like lots of other people I opted for the bondaweb to fix the cloud to the background fabric rather than needle turning the edge of the fabric.

I bound the rug with Rainy Days and Mondays umbrella print by Melimba and Beccabury for Riley Blake, I thought about using the raindrops print to but couldn’t be bothered to think about the direction of the drops!

Hoping to be back later.

Zakka Style sew along: Itty Bitty Quilt Magnets

Published on 12/05/2012 by Mary in Patchwork, Quilts, Upcycled and Zakka. 5 Comments

(There’s still time to enter my Fugly Fabric party giveaway).

Week 6 and I’m here almost by the skin of my teeth. I’ve been busy this week, the opening of my Etsy shop selling vintage sheet charm squares and a flurry of orders meant I had a stack of cutting to do for that, and then cutting up 26 FQ’s ready for a sewing evening last night (more about that tomorrow).

So I’ve been pretty tired but yesterday morning I felt the need for a bit of sewing and very little cutting so decided I could squeeze in the Zakka style project for the week.

This probably comes bottom of my list of projects to make again from the book so far, they are cute but fiddly to make and not that practical (unless you have a magnetic board/fridge which is out of the reach of children)!

Anyway it was the sort of therapy I needed some quiet time with a box of scraps, some scraps of linen and a little bit of wonky hand sewing for good measure: