A birthday swap with Linen and String!

I am so lucky! Naomi of Linen and String agreed to do a birthday swap with me! Both our birthdays fall in the lovely month of May and we decided to create a special swap just for us. The parameters were simple and fun, and it was funny to learn we both have aqua+red kitchens.

Her lovely package arrived last week and I was so excited to find a bird and bicycle themed sewing pin cushion, also in my favorite colors of yellow and grey. I haven’t seen this fabric collection before, and have decided I must get some yardage to make myself a summer bag. My photos don’t give the pincushion justice.

The amusing part is that for weeks I have had the pattern open on my computer, waiting for me to make it for myself. Here is the pattern from Sew Mama Sew, if anyone gets fancy and wants to make one themselves. I absolutely love Naomi’s color choice, and the linen removable basket is just perfect. The pincushion already resides on my cutting table, holding cutting devices and pins sorted by type! The three color blocks on top help me organize my pins, large quilting ones to delicate silk ones. It’s just the perfect gift to make for a person who sews!

Additionally in the package from Linen and String, Naomi sent along a mug rug, some scrap fabric with lovely birds, and two handmade dish cloths!

And a bicycle baby bib!

More photos reside here: Bird and Bicycle Flickr.

I love doing private swaps! So much fun!

I whipped up in response an instant “Party in a Bag” in bold colors, but my iPhone took poor photos of them to share. The colors are teal, magenta, green and yellow but look more like primary colors when taken on my dark dining table in the late evening when there is no daylight. I love having party decorations on hand, to make any meal or moment into a celebration!

Sewing has been a bit difficult lately, as sitting for too long makes my baby bump annoyed. I hope you all are out there enjoying summer and having instant parties and fun swaps too!

Thank you again, Linen and String, for such a wonderful swap!

Love,

MaLora

 

PS: Check out Linen and String’s post here: http://linenandstring.wordpress.com/2011/06/14/too-busy/

Pretty {little} Pouch

Oh my gosh I love Spring! I spent this lovely April Friday stitching up a delightful pretty pouch for a swap on Flickr. My partner’s preferences were boxy, zippered, and for traveling. I had an easy time using the awesome Prudent Baby tutorial: Man-Gift Toiletry Bag with Oilcloth. The construction is simple, but it does leave the inside edges a little unfinished. However, the added oilcloth as a liner, with cotton+interfacing as the focus, made a very sturdy bag just perfect for the girl on the go.

My only changes to Prudent Baby’s tutorial: I had to have finished seams around the zipper. I couldn’t help myself. I like a clean line. And handles. I had to have handles. It’s harder than you think to close a boxed-shaped bag with a zipper when there is nothing to grab.

I choose bright and cheery aqua and cherry, to brighten up and be visible inside larger suitcases. The bag itself is just around 9″x6″, with about 4″ height. Perfect for the 2 oz travel bottles to stand upright. The lining is some cute cat oilcloth from my stash. I added in some japanese linen “handmade” labels on the inside despite that I wanted to make some of my own but have been too lazy.

Using scraps, I had to add in a fabric envelope with a vintage pearl button. I absolutely love buttons now that I have a machine that will do holes! I want to add buttons to everything! The flap is a bit loose, so you can stuff cosmetics or jewelry or whathaveyou inside.

I am a bit sad to send it off – it looks so good in my sewing room! I love the photo below. You can see how the Spring sunshine starts to move across my studio. I have hung up crystals that shimmer rainbows across my cutting mat as I work.

What have you been stitching up? Anyone else up for a swap?

Love,

MaLora

PS: I was also practicing my free-motion quilting foot to try out writing with my machine… Syko makes it look so easy! I need more practice, as this is my 5th try.