This Is More Like It...

This is how I've spent the past two days. I've been back in the studio, playing!

First, I made the mug mat that Kris won in Tag's Third Birthday Giveaway.

I had these great, little pins made and will include one in Kris' gift package.

It's an accurate caricature of Tag! He wanted her to have one.

I'm also including these sweet Corgi bells! I wonder what she'll do with them?

I'm including a few other goodies, but if I showed them here, Kris wouldn't

have any surprises at all, would she? I'll be popping her gifts in the mail today.

I also finished the binding(s) on my organizer, along with a few other special 

touches. (Yes, Sherry. I added the green dot fabric as an accent, as suggested.)

I added a pretty stork scissors charm to the zipper pull..

and a touch of embroidery to the pin/needle holders. You like?

All finished and ready to be used! What shall I do with this one?

If you like an organizer but you don't sew, you can contact me to request

that I make one for you. I'm happy to do special commissions. (Please allow

a week turnaround time.) Just send an email to me for details. I'll provide 

you with prices and work closely with you to create your custom organizer. 

If you sew, you can purchase a pattern in my "Brynwood Needleworks" 

Craftsy shop. Just click on the Craftsy button link  in my left sidebar.

(<--------------- Over there.)

I really feel so much better for tying up a few loose ends. Back in the studio

today to see what else I can get into. I'll be back tomorrow to show you!

Decisions, Decisions...

Interior of my sewing organizer

I'm still sorting and putting things away, but I came across this project in the mix.

I taught this class a couple of weeks ago and I only have to attach and sew on the

binding and it will be finished. These are all the fabrics I pulled for the organizer.

Organizer exterior

This is the exterior of the organizer, and I really like the fresh colors for the outside.

I only have to decide which fabric to use for the binding. I'm partial to the red. What do you think? If you're interested in the pattern for this organizer, you can find it in my Craftsy  shop (here). Zippers, ties and pockets combine for a great little project. Don't worry about installing a zipper. I've got a really simple solution that makes for an easy install. You can also add ribbons and embroidery to further personalize yours.   Back to work for me. I really want to finish the studio and house "reclamation". I'd love to be able to play over the weekend, so I have to concentrate today. Have a great Friday!

The Unexpected Gift...

Karen's Sewing Organizer

 The guild Christmas party was so much fun Tuesday night. Good

friends, tasty food and laughter filled the room. The final event of the 

evening was our gift exchange. Remember, we were asked to make a

handcrafted gift, and every single quilter delivered a fabulous creation.

 I don't know exactly what our exchange is called, but each person gets

 a number and chooses a gift in number order. They have the option to

choose something from the gift table, or "steal" an already-opened gift

that they prefer - from someone who already has one. The catch is that

a gift can only be "stolen" once. My friend, Karen chose the organiser

I made and managed to hold on to it nearly to the end. I could tell she

was disappointed when someone else stole the organizer from her.

Organizer interior

Karen and her friend, Jettie, are actually the two women (along with Kathy

and Nora) who asked me to join this quilt guild. Because of them, I have this 

talented group of friends...and I've learned techniques I never dreamed even

existed. I'm so grateful to both of them. Last year, Jettie got the pincushion I 

made, but Karen didn't get to take home the organizer. I knew then that I'd 

make another one just for her, adding a few things to improve on the original.

A sewing machine charm on the zipper pull is the finishing touch.

I woke up yesterday morning and got busy. I used the same fabric lines, but 

I added another aspect to the project...I photographed each step so that I could

write a pattern for it. I finished sewing it before the end of the day, downloaded

all the photographs into my laptop and posted a sneak peek for Karen to see.

I'll be writing the pattern today and then upload it to my Craftsy shop,

so anyone who wants to make one themselves can do so. I did fine-tune it

from the first one I made and I think it's cool that it can be stitched up

quickly. That's bonus for me. Anything that can be made as a last-minute

gift rates high on my list. I know that I'll make a few more for Christmas.

Who knows? I may even make custom pieces to sell in my Etsy shop in '14.

Now that my unexpected gift is complete, on to the next project...

Grammie's Jammies our three grandchildren for 2013!

What are you working on right now?

Applique' On The Go...

 Can you believe it's FRIDAY again, already? Where is the time going?

Today, I'm sharing a Christmas gift I received from lovely Brenda in 

our Saturday Morning Coffee Club. She made an organizer for all my 

applique' tools and it's perfect! First...I love the fabrics she chose.

 I don't know if she created this from a pattern or designed it herself,

but it has just the right number of pockets for my tools and supplies.

(I'll ask her on Saturday if it was a pattern and if so, I'll share the name of it.)

I already had my vinyl pouch for all the things that might fall out

of the side pocket, but don't you think it looks like it was made especially for

 this purpose? It just the right size! I'll tell you more about it later in this post.

I managed to tuck quite a few applique' tools into that little pouch...

A fimo-trimmed, glass bottle for my needles; bias binding makers in

three sizes; my indispensable Thread Heaven; a rubber finger sleeve

that I use as a thimble-on-the-go (I don't want to lose my precious silver

one!); Roxanne's Glue Baste It temporary, water-soluble glue and 

Aleen's OK to Wash It permanent glue in little travel bottles.

 I also added a safety pin (I just remembered I got a fancy one from our 

granddaughters that I can use!) to hold my spool of Kimono silk in a neutral 

color. The spool kept falling out of the pocket, so I threaded the ribbon through 

the holes on the spool and then pinned the ribbon to the edge of the pocket. 

It's easy to use this way without unpinning it, too!

 On the right hand side of the organizer are long, skinny pockets for holding 

my applique' & pressing tool and stiletto. When I'm not using the stiletto, 

you'll notice from the other photos that I keep a cork on the sharp end so I don't

hurt myself. Brenda also sewed two little felt flaps at the top to hold needles and

pins. I added my cute, little metal dog which has a magnet to hold it to the flap.

 When I'm sewing, I can park my needle there so I don't lose it.

 I also have a Sharpie™ marker (for drawing my applique' shapes on

freezer paper); my 1/4" stencil brush for applying starch to the fabric;

and another handy tool...it's a convenient refillable glue pen from

Sewline. It's also water soluble and has blue glue that turns clear when 

it dries. The fact that it's refillable was also a selling point for me.

This kit is great! All I have to do is grab it and most of what I need to 

applique' is right in my hands. I really appreciate this wonderful and 

handy gift from my friend. Thank you, Brenda. It's workin' great!

 Now...about this vinyl pocket. Have you seen these before?

Would you like to know how to make your own? It's simple and quick.

Just let me know if you'd like a tutorial and if you'd like to know,

I'll post one for you next week so you can learn how to make your own!

All you have to do is ask!

If you missed yesterday's post, click here to learn how you can enter my

Sweetheart Valentine Giveaway!  There's still plenty of time to enter.