Placemat

A placemat made with a mini charm pack called Wrens and Friends. 

 

The kitchen table: Declutter Post Week 8

I'm pretty embarrassed by the before picture. 

This corner of the kitchen had become the dumping ground for a number of things: boxes that needed to be taken to the garbage, a coffee maker that needed to be set up, a non working printer that need to be thrown out, various boxes of stuff that had no home and reusable grocery store bags.  Everything just seemed to end up there and the before picture definitely shows that. 

I'm much happier with the after picture. The coffee maker is set up. Trash has been taken to the garbage chute - three trips worth of it. A fresh table cloth (the old one will be washed and returned to the friend who lent it to me a few years back. Reusable grocery store  bags all gathered and ready to go down to the car where they will actually be available when I go shopping. A few things got moved to the table that I'll eventually look to re-home when I get to cleaning out other kitchen cupboards.

And look I even have a floor!!!!

An InLinkz Link-up

Drawstring Pouch

This is very loosely based on a tutorial from Better Homes and Gardens.  I made some changes to that pattern and the fabric sizes so am redoing the directions here so that I can follow exactly what I did again.

This takes approximately 2 FQ's of quilt weight cotton. One will be the main fabric and the other the lining. The pouch isn't fully reversible. You also need a cord or ribbon to close the bag of approximately 1/2 a meter.

Cut 2 squares of each fabric 8 by 10.5 inches. Cut two (one of each of main and lining fabric) circles 6.25 inches in diameter. This just happens to the the dimensions of a Fiesta bread and butter plate. 

On the 2 main fabric pieces.  draw a line one inch from the top and two inches from the top on both the front and back of the material.This is best done with a fabric marker that can be erased.

All seams are 1/4 inch seams unless otherwise indicated.

Sew the short ends of the main fabric together, leaving the space between the lines un-sewn. Sew to the bottom of this tube the 6.25 inch diameter circle. There will be a small be of easing to do as the fabric tube is slightly bigger (0.4 inches) than the diameter of the circle.
Sew the short sides of the lining fabric together and then attach the circle to one end of the tube.   

Place each of the main fabric and lining fabric pieces inside each other right sides facing together and sew a seam along the top leaving a 2-3 inch gap for turning. Once sewn turn right-side out. 

Top-stitch around the top of the bag closing the gap used for turning. My top-stitch line is approximately an 1/8 of an inch  from the top of the bag

Sew along the two marked lines. 
 
To make the cord: Cut a 2 inch strip X width of fabric. Turn over each end 1/4 inch and iron flat. Iron fabric in half then turn fold over each side to the middle. Iron. Fold down the centre and iron flat- Sew down one open side of strip about 1/8 to a 1/4 inch from the side. 

Thread the ribbon or cord, using a safety pin, through the hole in the side of the bag.

Declutter Week 6: The dreaded desk.

I finally tackled the desk nook in my living room! It had been quite an eyesore. So much so that I avoided taking the dreaded before picture. Rather I'm showing off the clean "new" desk that I've uncovered. 

The old printer that was there has been replaced with a fully hooked up new printer that actually works thanks to a tech savvy friend! The cupboard under the desk has been cleaned out too and it's actually possible to find what's stored there. 

As part of the desk tackling we also went through all my old computer parts, cords and cables and have gotten rid of over two thirds of the stuff that I had. No more am I keeping a broken motherboard, adapters for computer parts I no longer have, and a collection of about a dozen (!) phone cords. 

I'm really pleased with what I've accomplished this week! 


 

Japanese Knot Bag

I wanted an easy and different bag pattern and found this great little pattern for a Japanese Knot bag. 

Side 1

Side 2

 I had some purple fabrics that I thought would be just perfect for it. I know... big surprise that I'd want to make this purple! I fussed a bit and interfaced the bag which gives it the nice body. 

I enjoyed making it so much I made it in pink too:

It looked like, and was, a quick and easy project. I'm going to definitely make again, probably with a few tweaks to personalize it and hopefully adapt it so there is no hand-sewing. 
 
 The pattern can be found here . Pattern errata:  cut 2 pieces each of bag lining and main fabric not one piece as indicated.