State of Play

There is no one project to talk about here, rather a whole heap of half started ones or ones on the boiler, such is life. It seems to just be the way I roll. I was trying to do things in order, one project at a time... The mini purse being my current squeeze. I have my mini hexagons all ready to back with vilene. I even cut out the vilene, I just need to iron it on. I have lost the vilene. I am loathe to cut more as it must be somewhere so that project is on hold. So I am floundering around with other bits.


I did find a nice offcut of linen (Ikea stuff from Sam's pencil roll) in the cellar though (where the stash currently lives) for the purse. So that was a result. I do have a whole metre of linen from the local cheap craft shop £4.50! But actually, it's not very nice. Sigh. This is very annoying. Just look at it! The one on top was from Ikea. It wasn't that cheap which is annoying as you've gone all the way to Ikea under the impression that everything is cheap.

So I jumped on the new linen when I saw it in the local craft shop. I never stopped to think it might not be the same. It's got these streaks in it that just look a bit like a regular pattern and it's not soft like the Ikea one is. They are just weird. I need to use it for something that will never see the light of day like a cushion lining or something.

Anyway back to the next project.


The big thing is the postage stamp project. I have moved on loads with it thanks to a full day off working on it. Here are the last 4 blocks all ready to trim down. When I first had Penelope, i tried to do a block and I totally ballsed it up. I thought I would never be able to get it right, but I am glad to report that once I wasn't in a rush, it all went swimmingly. The final blocks are all 5 1/8" square though instead of 5" which slightly confuses me. What an odd number?


I have made up the larger blocks almost. Just two more to make and the main part is done. Then I just need to construct the borders. I really hope I have enough precut strips of postage stamps left as they are time consuming to make. I am really keen to get this finished now that Penelope is in her single bed.

One inch Hexagon Purse

Another day, another piecing project to keep me occupied on the sofa. I am mad for it. Rachel and I decided to make mini hexagon purses. There are two that inspired me. This one by Jessie or this one by Leila. The second comes with a tutorial so I went for that. I finally went through all the dusty bags of Liberty fabric that mum gave me and separated it into tiny scraps and folded pieces which are now in their own special box. Some of them smell of my aunt, which I know is an odd thing to say, but she was infested with moth and was always using various moth deterrents which stank. Whenever I smell that same caustic, musty smell I think of her. One bag smells of that so I am afeared it will have moth, but I just stuffed it all in together so it's too late now!



My hexagons are going to be 1" as I got a bit scared when I saw how small the 1/2" templates were. They seem tiny at 1". I got my templates from Totally Patchwork. They don't seem to show any templates less than 1 1/4" on their website, but the man on the stall at Birmingham assured me you could just ring up and buy more. Maybe I'll make the proper smaller version if I feel bold.



My flex band is 5" though instead of 3 1/2", probably because I wasn't thinking when I saw it at Birmingham.



I've been using my wonder clips a bit to secure my fabric but you don't really need to. I find little appliqué pins a bit easier to be honest. but mostly I just use my fingers. It makes me think that 1/2" wouldn't be too bad after all. I stopped using the fabric glue as I find it hard to get the papers out afterwards and you don't get that satisfactory bump in the fabric edge to sew into. I am probably not gluing well, but I just thought it easier to sit their mindlessly sewing.



I didn't even cut my shapes very accurately but the more I do this kind of work, the more I realise you don't really have to. You can keep them square if you like. I just try not to waste fabric. So you can imagine me just dipping into my scrap bag, sniffing moth smell and watching the Bake Off. That's my rock n roll lifestyle.