A Fluttery September

 Butterflies in September

Across The Pond Sew Along Project

See our past projects!

I know that I am not the only person who can't believe that it is our summer has just flown by!  Even though the nights are getting cooler, I still see many butterflies flitting about and floating around in my backyard. They really love  my Rose of Sharon blossoms.

Rose of Sharon blossoms    to see more,  click here

Wouldn't it be fun to have butterflies in our homes... all year round?
Well, we  can!   Thanks to the creative blogger and pattern designer , Michelle,  of Michelle Patterns.  She shows how to make beautiful and delicate fabric origami butterflies  on her blog.
 { The actual folding directions ( with great pictures)  are found at Origami Instructions.} 

The moment I saw her gorgeous fabric butterflies, I knew I wanted to try making one.  
I followed Michelle's directions, and practiced on paper first.  It was easy with the pictures on the Origami Instructions page. ( Make sure you are starting from a rectangle shape, as  in Michelle directions.)

These are my first butterflies-

Fabric origami butterfly  and paper origami butterfly

They are so delicate and fun !   I did not flatten mine...

I decided to gather up some old scraps of fabric to make another butterfly...

This butterfly looked like it wanted to land on something....

So I made up  a little linen mini basket for it to alight upon...

A mini linen basket for the butterfly 

And then I thought the green batik butterfly might like to sit on a book mark, for my quilting and sewing books...

I made up a 12 inch  x 1 1/2 inch  bookmark

Now I  you know you will want to see more delightful and creative butterfly ideas ...so simply "flit"  on over to               The Patchsmith blog ,  and Amy Made That! blogs.  

They are adding their  own creative and unique touches to this delightful little origami fabric butterfly.

This is a little beauty was made by The Patchsmith! 

 And if you make any butterflies of your own,  you can put them in our Across The Pond Sew Along Flickr Group  HERE.  We love seeing what you make!

I'm off to my sewing room!

PS   If anyone is interested , I will be making up a tutorial for this  little mini basket.  It's very handy around my sewing machine and cutting area.

Happiness is a butterfly, which when pursued, is always just beyond your grasp, but which, if you will sit down quietly, may alight upon you-                                                                                   Nathaniel Hawthorne

Linked up at:  Sew Darn Crafty @ Sew Many Ways

April's Across The Pond Sew Along Project

Cell Phone / Camera Pouch for April's Project

Across The Pond Sew Along
 click here for past projects

"April showers bring..." more  pouches....  at least it does around my house!

The theme for April's Across The Pond Sew Along project is -

                             Cell phone/ Camera Pouch

Need some ideas so you can make a cute little pouch of your own?

The first pattern that I found (and I want to make next) is: 

A Purse Thingy    design by Anna at  Thimbleanna 
       -  Anna has a super cute tutorial for creating this  keychain phone pouch with a zip {for drivers license and cards and money}....  and it's free !   (pattern  here)

A Purse Thingy     photo by Ann at Thimbleanna 

A second pattern:

                         The Little Cell Phone Wallet      
                              design by Valori Wells Designs      
                                    I bought my pattern at QuiltHome.com .  

Little Cell Phone Wallet    pattern by Valori Wells Designs

This was one of those purchases that I made when buying some fabric from Quilt Home.com, where I picked out  a pattern that looked cute, to make "someday."

And here is my litte cell phone wallet~

Pouch dimensions:   6 "tall x 3 1/2 " top/ 5 1/4 " bottom
Adaptations:    

• I made the strap 12 " long x 1/2  inches wide
• I used a magnet snap in place of a pearl snap
• I added the fabric strips on to the main fabric front and back pocket

Fabrics used:  Kaufman Essex Yarn Dyed Linen Blend Black

                       DS Quilts fabrics    by Denyse Schmidt

                       Eclipse Geo Dash Yellow   by Timeless Treasures

I wanted to use fabrics that matched a fun sling purse that I made recently...(I'll be posting about the purse this week...)

Little Cell Phone Wallet coordinates with a purse... here's a sneak peek of the purse!

The back pocket holds the I phone... it just fits in it's Otter case.

Here's the wallet part.. with a flap that snaps shut

The side view... how clever is this pattern?!

It is a very functional little wallet/cell phone .    There is one change I might make the next time I make this pattern....

 The back of the cell phone wallet is rather
 "bell shaped " at the bottom....

I might make the shape more rectangular, with   a uniform 4 1/2 " width at the  top and bottom. 

Valori Wells designed a little mini wallet , too.  (the left wallet)   I love this mini wallet.  This pattern is also available at QuiltHome.com

Looking for some more inspiration and pattern ideas to make your own cell phone pouch?  Check out Amanda, The Patchsmith,  and Amy,  of  Amy Made That! to see more.

And look over and see the projects   made, and added to share, in  our Across The Pond Sew Along  Flickr Group (click here).  We love to see what you make with our projects!

The Little Cell Phone Wallet        Susie's Sunroom

Ok, now I am ready to go!  (Look for the new purse soon!)

I'm off to my sewing room!

Koala Kuteness

A Koala Bear pattern coming soon ...

I love putting a block together, and then stepping out of the room for a minute.  When I return to the block , I am  amazed at how pretty and full of life the completed  block has become.  Those  same fabrics , laying flat in a pile, just don't come close to looking as great as the finished block does.

Kristy, of Quiet Play blog, has designed two new sets of paper pieced patterns.  They are Australian Animals and Woodland Animals block . { Awww.  They are all so cute!}  A few of the delightful blocks are already available singly, in her Craftsy shop.   New patterns will be added  , to gradually make up a stellar set 10 inch block patterns.

Aussie Critters  patterns by  Kristy at Quiet Play

Woodland critters patterns by Kristy  of Quiet Play

Guess which pattern I got to test ? It is from the Aussie animals...  Yep,  that "kute koala bear."

Koala Bear    design  by Kristy at Quiet Play     made by Susie's Sunroom

Size:  10 inches unfinished
Cuteness factor:   hugable!

I know these blocks would make  fun and delightful nursury quilts , wallhangings, and pillows.  So keep watching Kristy's blog for  all of the newest patterns .

Speaking of fun, here are two fun winter swaps!!
  
     First:                     Celebrate The Olympics Mug Rug Swap  

Amanda,  The Patchsmith, and Michele,  Quilting Gallery, have announced this year's mug rug swap!  Amanda has designed two special patterns to swap with a secret partner.  The mug rug patterns are: Winter Dove and Russian Doll ! These are such beautiful patterns, with Amanda's  clear and precise directions.    Each person creates these 2 mug rugs, to swap with  their assigned partner, in secret.  There is a flickr group where you can  see  little peeks of mug rugs being worked on .  Your partner might be from the other side of the world!   What a fun way to make a new quilty friend!
 You can sign up until Jan. 21 st ... click here..... over at Quilting Gallery blog.


The second  :

The  Skinny Pincushion Swap!   at  Amy Made That!


Amy,  of Amy Made That! blog, is hosting this cute pincushion swap.  
                                            Here's her description of this swap:

A Skinny Pincushion is easy to make.

You can add some assorted goodies just for fun,

then send it off to a happy new friend...

and wait for your OWN Skinny Pincushion to arrive

from another swappy friend!

Some of you may be asking , "what is a skinny pincushion?"   It's a fun, skinny,  and EASY- to -make  pincushion, that many of us made in the monthly Across The Pond Sew Along , last October. You  get the pattern, which is FREE,  ... here.... designed by Green Bee Designs .

Some skinny pincushions  in the October 213 Across The Pond Sew Along  .  See  our flickr group to see who made each one!

Hop on over to Amy Made That! for all of the details to sign up!  The swap registration will close on January 31, 2014 at midnight.



Linking  up at:    Paper Piecing Party @  Quiet Play  and  Sew Cute Tuesday@ Blossom Heart Quilts

I'm off to my sewing room!