A Special Gift for a Special Friend

My best friend and sewing buddy has been away for a couple of months now, touring through the southern parts of Africa and South Africa, and during this time she left her sewing machine for me to use and for safe keeping while they're away.  

Looking at the picture below her Bernina B580 looks remarkably bigger than my little Artista, keeping in mind that my machine is dropped inside the table.  There is not much difference between the two machines except maybe the sleek modern design and a few technical advances.  

Anyway, I wanted to give her a little something I knew she did not have. She's been sewing and quilting most of her life so it was pointless to give her more sewing supplies. Believe me when I say that her sewing room is filled with anything and everything you'll ever need for any type of sewing.  So it got me thinking, she would always cover her machine with a towel at the end of the day when she closed up her room.  So I decided to make her something pretty instead.

To finish it off I made a pincushion and scissor pouch that matches.  If you want to make your own scissor pouch I wrote a tutorial some time ago that you can fine HERE.

It felt really good spending some time in my sewing room again after being in a bit of a lull these past few months, I guess I needed a bit of push and encouragement which is exactly what I got from all of the comments that was left during last week and this weeks' link ups.  Thanks again everyone!!! (hugs)

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Quilted Sewing Machine Cover

I have been meaning to make a sewing machine cover for my little Bernina for ages now.  I had one that I made soon after I got my machine, but let me be honest, I had NO idea what I was doing.  The measurements where off, it was wonky and it was just not 'pretty'.  After my husband made a drop in table top for my sewing machine soon after it did not longer fit snug over my machine anyway.  Sure it served its purpose, but I really wanted something that not only protects my machine from dust, but it really had to look pretty too.  

Aren't the spool blocks cute?!  I recently started saving all the selvage edges of fabric I have been using for exactly something like this.  There are so many projects that I've seen where they are being used and I just knew I wanted to make something with them.  This was the perfect little project for them!

Shared on Instagram - @marelizeries

...and just for fun I made a cute pincushion using an old tuna tin, and a thread catcher to go with it.

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Anything Goes - Quilt 'n Sew #11 - March in review

I have been quite busy this past month.  I actually cant believe how much I got done!  I have added links to each of the photo's I've posted below if you'd like to read more.

Made this photo mosaic with bighugelabs

I got to catch up quite a bit on my FMQ on Express Your Love - Goddess quilt, I made a  Picnic basket cover for a good friend.  I made a Table topper/wall hanging which was a bit of a flop, but overall turned out not too bad.   My March BOM Lucky Stars - Ninja Star was a good sewing day.  I also started and finished Kayleigh's Flannel baby quilt this month.  I played around making a few Cathedral window pincushions.  Loved FMQ my QAYG Sugar BOM - Snow Blossom and of course I had some time in between to make some more Hexies.

I would love to see what you've been up to!

Sew now it's time for this week's linky party

It's Monday and a new week, so lets all share some of our projects, please link up any current projects you've been working on, anything at all...  This link is open for a week and will run every Monday.  Remember to come back next week, or follow my blog to get regular updates.

If you wish feel free to add any other blog posts you write during the week, since this linky stays open for a full week, I think its a great idea to share and keep sharing.

All I ask is that you either add the 'Anything Goes' blog button to your sidebar or add a text link to your blog post, and comment on a few of the other links too, share the love and make this weekly link party a fun way to connect.

<div align="center"><a href="http://marelize-ries.blogspot.com/" title="Stitch by Stitch"><img src="http://i1269.photobucket.com/albums/jj592/MarelizeR/LinkyButton2_zps83805f35.jpg" alt="Stitch by Stitch" style="border:none;" /></a></div>

Happy quilting.

Anything Goes - Quilt 'n Sew #7 - Pincushion and Mini Scissor Pouch Tutorial

Any and all sewing room needs a few pretty pincushions, its not just handy but they brighten up any table.  I found the tutorial to make these pretty cathedral window pincushions on the Moda Bake Shop website.

After making the pincushions I played around even more, and made a little scissor pouch that fits in nice and snug between my machine and the risen table top.

Here is a step by step tutorial to make your own scissor pouch.  I have not included any sizes since this could be made for any size scissor.  This one however measures about 5 inches by 3½ inches when finished.  

What you'll need to make your own, is paper or cardboard to trace your template.  Four pieces of fabric roughly the same size as your scissor.  Any type of stabilizer or interfacing.  I used medium fusible interfacing.

You start of by tracing (free hand) a template of your scissor on a piece of paper or cardboard and cut out all around the drawn line.  This will roughly be the finished size of the pouch.

Use the template and cut out two pieces of interfacing / stabilizer and four pieces of fabric of your choice.

Use a pressing cloth and with a hot iron press the fusible interfacing, shiny side on to the wrong side of two pieces of your fabric.  I pressed the interfacing onto the two red print fabric pieces.  Then take the other two pieces of fabric and place it on top of the interfacing, with the right side up.  Pin together to keep in place.  If you're using a stabilizer you can just pin your pieces together with the stabilizer  in the middle of your fabric with the right sides facing outwards.

Sew around the curved edge of ONE of the pieces using a zigzag stitch.  Fold over the curved edge that you've just edge stitched and place it on top of the back of the pouch.  Sew all around the pouch with the same zigzag stitch.

I sewed around the pouch twice just to secure it a bit better, and to not have so many ruffles on the edge, although I think it adds just a little more to the 'cuteness' of the pouch.  You can then add a button for embellishment.

I hope you will give this a try too.  I had a lot of fun making them.  Initially I wanted to make only one pincushion, but ended up making three, these will make the cutest gifts!

But now it's time for this week's linky party

It's Monday and a new week, so lets all share some of our projects, please link up any current project you've been busy with, anything at all....this link is open for a week and will run every Monday.  So remember if you forget to link up today, you still have the rest of the week to add something.  Remember to come back next week, or follow my blog to get regular updates.

If you wish, feel free to add any other blog posts you write during the week, since this linky stays open for a full week, I think its a great idea to share and keep sharing...

All I ask is that you either add the 'Anything Goes' blog button to your sidebar or add a text link to your blog post, and comment on a few of the other links too, share the love and make this weekly linky party a fun way to connect. 

<div align="center"><a href="http://marelize-ries.blogspot.com/" title="Stitch by Stitch"><img src="http://i1269.photobucket.com/albums/jj592/MarelizeR/LinkyButton2_zps83805f35.jpg" alt="Stitch by Stitch" style="border:none;" /></a></div>

ps.  Just in case you've missed it, and you have not yet entered my blog's one year anniversary giveaway click HERE.

Pincushion Caddie

Here is my pincushion caddie I made yesterday.. isn't it cute?  I did not have the book for the templates so I just made my own, its not exactly as it should be, but pretty close I think...

You can find a step by step tutorial HERE.

Happy quilting

Surfing the net, time wasted or NOT?

How many hours a week do you spend on the internet, looking at other peoples work, ideas and tutorails, finding inspiration at almost every 'click'?

I love surfing the net for ideas, but the moment I sit down, it takes hours till I think to myself that it was time spent doing 'nothing'..  or even worse, my 'I want to make this' list grows far too long.

I came across these adorable pincushion tutorials and thought of sharing them with you.  I like the idea that they can hold those bits of items lying around...

'Penny's Hands' Hexie caddie tutorial

'Texas Freckles' Pincushion tutorial

Also remember to take part in my giveaway, open till 10 December, click HERE to go to that post.  

Happy quilting