Sew sew modern / a little bit retro

This weekend I finished up my items for round 3 of the Sew Sew Modern swap.  My partner this round is very very talented - I was looking through her flickr photostream this week and realised I would definitely have to bring my A game!

I'm really pleased with how my items turned out and I hope my partner likes the slightly retro vibe.

I used the Beyond Measure pattern from Bloom and Blossom to make this sewing machine cover.  I thought it might be quite tricky since it looks so fancy with the piping and everything, but I found it remarkably easy to put together.  I think this is partly down to a really well designed pattern, and partly because I have been sewing quite a few 3 dimensional items lately.

I altered the measurements of the sewing machine cover slightly to fit my partner's sewing machine - I always think the mark of a good pattern is that it's pretty easy to customise to suit your requirements.  I also deviated from the pattern in my use of interfacing etc.  The pattern calls for fusible fleece and one layer of heavy weight interfacing - I had medium weight interfacing on hand so I interfaced both the exterior and the lining instead.  I also omitted the fusible fleece - I just really don't like working with it!  If I were to make this again, I would probably include a layer of cotton batting (I always have odd shaped pieces lying around), but it certainly has enough body without it - in these photos it is standing up by itself.

For the co-ordinating small item I made another 7" fabric bowl using the nesting fabric bowl pattern from a cuppa and a catch up.  I was inspired to add the binding around the top edge by these ones amy/badskirt made.

 

I'll be sending these lovelies off to my partner this week - can't wait for them to arrive!

Linking up with:

    

and with Finish it up Friday at crazy mom quilts.

Sewing Room Swap

This weekend I finished the main item for my ~sewing room swap~ partner.  I'm really quite pleased with how this set of fabric baskets turned out.  Like my prototype a week or so ago, I used the nesting fabric bowls pattern from a cuppa and a catch up (this is the 7" size).

 

I would describe the central panel of each basket as "free piecing" - I didn't have a pattern or much of a plan in mind when I started, and apart from trimming each panel to the right width, there was not a lot of measuring involved.  It was really quite fun and a liberating way to work.  I learned something too.  If you are going to make free pieced little houses, it works a lot better if you make the roof first and then make the main part of the house to fit the roof, rather than the other way around.

I really hope my partner likes these!

Linking up with:

    

and with Finish it up Friday at crazy mom quilts.

Vintage Flowers Fabric Basket

I've been planning my items for both the Sewing Room Swap and Sew Sew Modern Round 3, and I think I'll end up making both my partners fabric baskets.  Since I haven't made a fabric basket before, I  decided to make a prototype to test out the size and pattern I intended to use.

 

I used the Nesting Fabric Bowls pattern from a cuppa and a catch up, and I think it was definitely worth the cost.  The technique used to make the fabric bowls is not that complicated, but the pattern explains all the steps in great detail, and it includes lots of variations if you want to add handles, pockets, and lots of other good stuff.

 

I am borrowing my friend Anne's Janome while my sewing machine is being serviced and I was tempted by the novelty of fancy stitches to add these to the exterior of my basket.  I think they work really well with the vintage flowers fabric (from Melody Miller's Ruby Star Shining collection and bought at Stitchbird but I'm pretty sure I snagged the last FQ).

 

I lined this basket with one of my favourite fabrics - its an oldie but a goodie from Joel Dewberry's Heirloom line.

This was a super speedy make (apart from applying the interfacing which always takes me ages - this is a job I would happily delegate to the sewing elves!) and gives a really satisfying result.  I'll be working on my swap baskets this weekend and I can't wait!

Do you have a favourite fabric basket pattern?

Linking up with:

and finish it up friday at crazy mom quilts.