Scrub Stitchin Kawandi project

 I have been ing some finishing off sewing days at home.

My kawandi piece has been finished for some time but it needed making into something.

We all need pouches for our bits and pieces, marking pens, pins and glue. 

My finished fat quarter size piece is all stitched. Now I am marking DOWN 5” on the left side and UP 5” on the right side. Draw a line joining the 2 marks.

With a smaller stitch sew each side of the drawn line.

Cut on the line. This now makes 2 pouches. Measure the length of the edge and add about 4”. Cut a continuous zip and have 2 zipper pulls ( or you will need 2 zips ). Mine was 25”

Attach one zip to the cut edge on the right side. Iron over and top stitch along the edge of the zip at the back. This will hide the raw edge fabric and will prevent anything caught in the zipper when opening.

Fold in half and feed the zipper pull on. Trim the zip level with the edge of work. I actually covered the end with a tab on one and folded the zip to make a tab on the other.

With the edges already tuned under and hemmed due to the Kawandi technique the side and bottom seams only need to be topstitched closed to make the pouch. 

I put little dangly things on the zipper pulls for decoration.

I didn’t want mine left flat so I turned inside out and sewed dog ear corners. Turn it back out and a base is formed so they stand up.

All ready for show n tell next April 

Alphabets

I wanted a different baby gift than I usually do. This was going to a family I had already made a quilt for.

I had seen this idea on a blog somewhere (sorry, can’t remember where) and thought it was a great idea.

Print out the letters and trace on to fabric. 

I tried to find fabric that matched each letter. This was a bit tricky and my room was a mess.

Layer with wadding and a backing.

Stitch

And cut out. Then you have a whole alphabet, with some extras, so they can spell out some simple words.

This is the whole gift that has been posted to the new baby.

I also made a cute lined bag, with alphabet fabric, for the letters to be stored in.

Sit n sew at Just Stitchin, Humpty Doo

 While visiting my brother in Humpty Doo, NT I came across this little sewing shop.

Just Stitchin. 

Louise said she held a sit n sew on Friday mornings. 10:30-1:30. I went along and joined in.

I took along my sashiko to work on but left my thread in the caravan. Mmmmmm.

Off to buy some fabric so I had something to work on. I bought this pack of beautiful Tilda fabrics. I decided to make a little Lawanda piece which later can be made into a pouch.

Jean, from Berri Springs, was making some placemats for her grandchildren. She was a beginner sewer and this was her first project. She had machine quilted these as well.

Chris, from Brisbane, was staying with her son while her husband was recovering from a hip replacement.

She bought a little pattern to make a needle case, scissor keep and a bag to put them in.

Louise kept all her little Tilda scraps and put them on to a backing. Stitched them with lines very close together with her machine. It looks like a BORO piece.

She cuts these strips into panels and uses them in little pouches and bags.

They are very cute. I love the little zip tag too. It’s like a thread bunny/thread scrap.

This is where my piece ended up at the end of my sewing morning.

Stitching my travels

 This was my first big trip towing our caravan so I thought I would mark the occasion with stitching it on a tea towel

I started with a green sashiko thread for the trip up to Darwin. Marking each overnight stop with a colonial knot.

On the trip home I stitched it in yellow DMC thread. I just used a stem stitch.

The last weekend working with light blue scraps

 After making my teddy rug I had a few leftover rug pieces. 

So I cut out what I could.

And stitched them together to make a cool placemat, 3 coasters and a pot holder. They are nice and thick. All I had to do was sew a few binding strips on, like I was doing QAYG, then bind.

While there were scraps still on my table I made another 2 placemats for meals on wheels.

My total now is 41 out of my goal 50

Linking up with Angela at Soscrappy.

https://superscrappy.blogspot.com/2025/10/scraphappy-saturday-fall-fun.html

Having shopping fun in Darwin.

 When I was in Darwin at my brother’s there was a fabric shopping day.

I found out that there was a sewing shop 6 minutes from my brothers.

Just Stitchin @ Humpty Doo

Yes, I bought some goodies. I found out that on Fridays they have a sit n sew morning. I just might join in.

Then off to Dragonfly Fabrics. It doesn’t look like much when you drive up. Nearly didn’t go in.

BUT OH BOY, am I glad I did. What an amazing shop. Yes, I bought again.

Third stop was of course, SPOTLIGHT.

There was a sale of 50% off and of course, I bought some more.

Now I just have to use up some of this. It was a busy day and a very hot one too.

Where did I get to with my Chookshed challenge now September is done

 It’s the end of September so how far did I get?

Chookshed challenge # 3 SASHIKO stitching is done. 

I have rinsed all the blocks to get the markings off. I’m just waiting for them to nearly dry.

Then it’s time to iron them flat.

All I need to do now is to assemble the quilt. I won’t be trimming the blocks until I’m ready to assemble.

Linking up with Deana.

We all know which number is left for October. Some of you may have switched numbers due to having other commitments. I think it will be # 1. Xmas stitchery - progress.

Or I can choose one of the others I didn’t get done.

# 7 - quilt red Dalmatian 

# 8 - Flip la K ruler bag

# 5 - 9 more placemats needed to complete my goal of 50

# 6 - more Chandlers Cottage 2024 advent projects

# 9 - more Farmers Wife blocks.

There are plenty of other things I can do…

My Teddy rug, RSC light blue sewing.

I know some of you are waiting for it.

Sewing my scraps together to make a rug for a special gift.

All 45 strips are sewn to the batting. I really only needed to make 42. They measure about 45” long. This took a long time.

Now to join them together. This wasn’t as bad as I thought.

I did have to be careful it didn’t curve and distort. Sew one on going up, the next going down. I did them in sets of 6 then joined these together. It was easier to handle as it had some weight.

Now to mark, stitch and cut the shape.

This is getting exciting.

I had to make a chenille piece. My cutter didn’t want to cut so I reverted back to using scissors.

Here it is all sewn up.

And the chenille is all roughed up.

I absolutely love it. Thank you Pauline Rogers  from Pauline’s Quilters World for this wonderful pattern. Watch her on YouTube. I will be making it again.

Linking up with Scrap Happy Saturday , RSC and so scrappy. This month the colour was light blue or green.

Binding is sewn and it’s on my bed

 I received my quilt back from Judy @ Cornerstone Creations before I went on a little holiday. Friday night I fit shed hand stitching the binding down. It was nearly 11m of binding.

It is completed and looks fantastic 

The quilting Judy chose is beautiful. Not too tight. It’s just right. Quilted in a blue thread matches perfectly.

And it’s on my bed. I wanted it from floor to floor, side to side.

With the pillows on.

I just love it. The label is done too.

My sashiko chookshed challenge progress.

 My travelling stitching was also some sashiko. 

1st block finished

Sitting sewing at Coober Pedy caravan park.

2nd block finished

Working on the last larger block did my head in. See how the waves go from side to side and another set goes diagonally. Well, do you think I could stitch the correct direction.

I got so far then went on a different angle. Mmmm.

That’s ok, I can stitch back to where I was supposed to be and continue on.

Well I got confused again and I don’t know where I stitched so I am just going anywhere now.

Set up in my home away from home