I love to sew, mainly quilts and bags. I am 66, married to Fred and have one son, Matthew, who is 27. I enjoy embroidery and applique and prefer to machine piece and quilt my projects. I love my vintage Singer sewing machines especially my Featherweight 222K. I’m enjoying treadling on my 201K Singer and I collect Miniature Sewing Machines and currently have three Essex , one Singer 20, one Singer 40, two Vulcan Miniatures and my latest, a Grain. My love of sewing I believe comes from my Grandmother - I still have the drawings she made for me to embroider on tea towels many many years ago!

Friday 21 December 2012

FOUR SLEEPS TO GO........

So it's just as well I FINISHED all of my Christmas sewing today!

My little great-nephew Lachie requested A REALLY BIG ARTIST FOLDER!   He already has two small ones, each made in fabric of his choosing.  This time he said "Hey Aunty Hen, can you make me a REALLY BIG ONE in Avengers fabric?"   Well, what's Aunty Hen to do but search the internet, buy the fabric and invent her own pattern for a REALLY BIG ONE!


I added an extra pocket behind the zoom-crayons and found three Scholastic story books all about The Avengers!  

Next up... my little sweethearts...  Bridget and Chloe (great-nieces).   I had it in my mind that I wanted to make them "Beauty Bags" so most of this week I have been working on these....
I made both bags exactly the same!

The only difference - the zipper pulls!
(I invented these with some jewellery charms from Spotlight)

Inside the bag (sorry, too much flash).  Pockets on each side to hold all the lip gloss and eye shadow etc.
or maybe they will be filled with Barbie clothes and dolls!


I used a sewing project tote pattern....  ANGEL PROJECT TOTE by The Birdhouse   but I only put ordinary pockets on each side instead of scissor keepers etc etc.  This was a fiddly project to make but now that I have made two of them, I think I know what to do next time!  No, I don't take orders!

I love to sew for the little people in my life and anything I have made for them has always been well received and appreciated.  When I was growing up, homemade presents were the norm and usually came in the form of new Christmas shorts and bikinis (as I grew older) or perhaps a new pillowslip or sundress.  I always LOVED these things, because my Mum had made them for me.  It makes me happy that my little people also love the things I make for them.

Gosh, Christmas Day is fast approaching!  I'll come back with some piccies of my Xmas decorating (nothing too exciting!) ....

Happy Sewing!!
Cheers from Helen

..Fred just had his three days of chemo, so thankfully he gets Christmas week off.  He's pretty sick with this lot so laying low and relaxing at tv.






10 comments :

  1. Hi Helen,
    There is nothing like homemade gifts, I love them and it is nice when they are well received. Love the beauty bags, they are so cute. Hope Fred relaxes and takes it easy, I have a couple of friends going through chemo and they are resting as much as they can too.
    Cheers, Anita.

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  2. I'm sure your gifts will be well loved! I have just finished making an art folder like that- I was testing a pattern for a blogging friend! Love the zipper pulls on the bags too! Where do you get them- the internet I suppose!

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  3. wow such beautiful projects you have made Helen,you are very clever and hope Fred feels better in the coming days.xx

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  4. You are just the nicest Aunty Hen..
    The Art Folder and bags are so gorgeous and will be loved so much by the little ones..

    Hope you are feeling better soon Fred. Pleased you are having Christmas off.

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  5. Oh you did brilliantly, as usual!
    My girls regularly prance about with their special ballet bags!

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  6. What lovely and thoughtful gifts you have made them. They obviosuly think you can make anything with your magic wand ;)

    I'm sorry to read that Fred is having such a rough time with his chemo, but so glad to read he has Christmas week off.

    Merry Christmas.

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  7. I have been thinking of you and Fred
    Your gifts for the littlies are lovely

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  8. How gorgeous is all that sewing.... I'm sure they will be well loved and used...
    Hugz

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  9. You come up with such wonderful gift ideas. What a nice Aunt!

    So sorry that Fred is having a hard time but hope that both of you are able to have a wonderful Christmas.
    Lillian
    lillianscupboard.wordpress.com

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  10. They will love their gifts!! Handmade is the best. Positive thoughts are being sent to Fred. Merry Christmas to you both!

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