Knitter in the Kitchen

A couple of weeks ago I sewed up a matching tissue holder, zippered pouch, and drawstring pouch for a birthday gift. I paired linen fabric with a bright Robert Kaufman print, both from my stash. I tweaked the measurements from this great drawstring bag tutorial to create a bag in the desired size. I discovered that I really like making drawstring bags! The most time-consuming part for me? Sewing the drawstrings! I thought about buying them, but I really liked the idea of matching them with the fabric.

All packed up and ready to go!

Back in September, I cut the fabric to make sets of zippered pouches and tissue holders. I wanted to give the sets to my colleagues as Christmas gifts, and I was all pleased with myself because I was starting early. Of course, then I lost interest in sewing for three months and didn’t get around to making them. Three days after Christmas, I was totally in the mood to sew. Go figure. At least I’m early for 2010.

Sometimes I don’t want to carry my big purse when I’m just running out for a quick errand. But I still like to have my wallet, phone, keys, and tissue with me. Enter the wristlet.

The pattern, from Oh Fransson, is excellent. It offers different wristlet sizes and strap options, clear directions, and tons of photos. I chose style B1 with a plain fabric handle.

Zipper installation always makes me nervous because I don’t feel that I’ve mastered it yet, so I was very happy when it turned out well. I really like the way the zippers are done in this pattern.

There is even a small pocket inside.

I love this wristlet and I can definitely see more in the works.

This month I have been reorganizing my crafting space, which is housed in the guest bedroom. I thought it would be fun to share some photos.

Hubby kindly gifted me with a a new sewing machine as an early birthday present. It didn’t come with a cover, so I made one using the sewing machine cozy pattern from Spool.

The brown and orange fabrics are Joel Dewberry prints. The main fabric is linen, and in retrospect I should have either interfaced it or used a sturdier fabric as the cover is floppier than I would prefer. But I like the look of linen and it does the job, so I’m still pleased with it. The pattern is very straightforward so I definitely recommend it if you need a machine cover.

Then I came across the Pincushion Organizer Tutorial by Oh Fransson.

You know how sometimes you don’t realize that you need something until you see it? That was exactly how I felt about this organizer! My favorite part is the removable scrap bag, also known elsewhere as a thread catcher.

I actually have a garbage can on the floor immediately beside my chair, but I rarely use it when I am in the middle of the project. I guess I’m too lazy to lean over repeatedly to reach it. Instead, I collect a pile of threads and scraps on my table. They get mixed up with my tools, creating a mess. With the scrap basket right there, I actually dispose of my fabric trimmings and threads immediately. The organizer pockets for my scissors, seam ripper, and thread snips are also very handy. Oh Fransson’s tutorial is well-written with clear and helpful photos, so again, if you need an organizer this is a great pattern.

Next, I sewed a simple runner for the top of the file cabinet. I used to keep my sewing supplies in the closet, but it wasn’t organized well and didn’t promote efficiency so I got the file cabinet. My fabric is still stored in the closet, but I like having all of my other supplies right next to my table.

This last item — an ironing board cover — wasn’t made by me, but I purchased it from CityChicCountryMouse on Etsy:

The print is Joel Dewberry again, and yes, I chose this print because it matches perfectly with the orange/brown/yellow theme I have going on elsewhere in the room. It is well-made and shipping was super quick — I bought it on a Friday night and it showed up in my mailbox that next Monday.

I love my revamped space and am excited about the sewing projects I have in the pipeline! To celebrate, I am going to follow Keri’s example and give away two brand new Amy Butler bag patterns: Chelsea and Velma.

Simply leave a comment indicating which pattern you would like, and I’ll enter your name in a random drawing. Comments will close in a week and I’ll announce the winners next Tuesday.

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Peacock Chic is the winner of the Velma pattern, and Kitten won the Chelsea pattern. Thank you to everyone for the lovely comments!

In our den, we have two bright red armchairs. I love that they provide pops of color in a room filled with dark brown furniture, but I’ve been hunting for accent pillows to give them a more polished look. I really liked this pillow from Room and Board, but it was a little too large for the slim chairs. And I wasn’t willing to pay that much for a pillow, especially since I needed two of them. So I switched gears and started looking online at fabrics and pillow forms, and eventually ended up making two of my own 10×14 pillows.

I hadn’t sewn in more than a year, so it took me a few minutes to remember how to wind a bobbin and thread my machine! And I had to re-learn how to hand-sew a slip stitch (to close the opening) since I hadn’t done that in about three years. But it was fun, and now I’m planning to make accent pillows for our couch!