A peek into my sketchbook

This week I have been sketching patterns with black ink pen and watercolours.  My favourite medium.  I love the richness of the colours that water colours produce and how easy they are to use.  I use a set of peebo water colours and a black 0.5 art line pen.  I usually give myself 30 mins to come up with something in my sketchbook.  Sometimes they turn out really well other times I just skip the page and start again.

Like most things in life drawing only improves with practice and it is not always perfect.  Each day I draw I notice that it is easier to draw, I am faster and I can accept what I can do not what I can't do that day. I dissapear into another world when I draw. It is my daily holiday and break.  

Studio spaces: Storing odd shaped items

When I plan my studio space the one thing I always forget until last is odd shaped items.  I remember the drawers, tables,  ironing boards and other furniture but I always forget the rolls of batting, Vlisofix, fabric and Pellon and sewing machine covers and canvases. They always end up in a corner hidden behind a set of drawers thrown into a cardboard box.  So I did some research to find out how to store these odd bits and pieces in a much better way. 

IKEA plastic bag holders 

I found this neat idea on a blog

Here is a great tutorial on how to make rolling storage

Some great uniques storage ideas here

I just love this idea of using ceiling space in a wardrobe for storing rolls.  You could use a ceiling in a room too. 

 

 This blog post is about hanging sweaters (read it Here ) but I think it could be easily adapted to shorter rolls of things like tissue/ vlisofix/freezer paper etc.  

I thought this was a really clever idea. If you made the slot wider it could fit a lot bulkier items in it. Unfortunately I can't find the original post as it is a pin with no link (I have tried but with no luck)

Another way to store interesting shaped things

Hang it on the wall

This would be great for all those people who store large quantities of batting

Cool roll holders

Ceiling or wall roll storage

Recyled tubes used to store other rolls

Great for keepong dust off too :)

Photography this week: First frosty morning of the year

I love frosty mornings.  They are my favourite winters day.  I love the colours of the sky,  the crisp ground underfoot and how the world seems to sparkle. 

Tutorial: Envelope pouches

Envelope pouches

These little pouches are made from a square of quilted fabric and look like a traditional envelope. They are quick and easy to make.

Equipment needed

• 1 square of quilted fabric.  This tutorial can be used for any sized square.
• A piece of fabric cut to the same size as the quilted fabric. Try and use fabric that matches the quilted cloth.
• A piece of velcro for the fastener
• Matching thread

Method

1.  Trim and square up the quilted fabric

2. Cut the fabric for the inside of the pouch to the same size as the square quilted cloth.

3. Iron the quilted top and inside fabric.  Make sure they are well pressed.

4. Put right sides together 

5. Sew around the edge of the square leaving an opening 

6. Turn the pocket the right way around.

7.  Poke out the corners with a knitting needle or end of a thin paintbrush

8. Iron flat 

9. Top stitich all around the edge.  Turn in the opening (below) and stitch together the opening.as you go around top stitching the edge.

10.  The finished square ready to make into a pouch

11. Stitch one side of the velcro to the right side of one corner.

12. Stitch the other side of the velcor to the oposite corner on the wrong side of the fabric.

13.  Turn the square over to the right side. Find the corner with the velcro on it. Fold in half the edge if the square with the velcro on it.

14.  Sew along folded edge

15. Fold the other edge in half 

16. Stitch along folded edge

Your pouch should look like this

N.B.  I have repositioned the velcro as this little quilt top wat slighly oblong.  If your quilt top is square the velcor will be on the corner.

17.  Turn the right way out and then iron flat.

18. Fold over the top and attatch the velcro together 

The finished pouch

The pouch inside.

n.b  I moved the velcro across slightly to compensate for a slighly more oblong piece od quilted fabric

Another envelope pouch

Another finished pouch