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Saturday 8 August 2020

Friday Night with Friends for August

Many thanks to Cheryll for getting us all togeher again yesterday. Pop over to Cheryll's blog here to see who else took part. I shall making some visits later today.

It was 40 degrees here yesterday afternoon and so I shut up the front of the house early on and settled down to work on my Red Manor House BOM. The final part of the BOM arrived last Saturday and I have been working steadily during the week on making lots of Flying Geese. This is where I was at when I started out yesterday afternoon


and this is where I was several hours later!


I now need to make eight dark blue Flying Geese to make the centre X at the middle of each side and then they can be added to the quilt. Not far to go now!

During the evenings I have been working on the applique on my tablecloth. The vine and basic leaves are all sewn down now along one side of my cloth.


Not easy to get the lighting right but you get the idea.

Trawling through my inbox recently I came across a link to a pattern I had bought back during lockdown. No idea how I found the pattern, anyway, as it happens it was a timely find and of course I set about instantly making a Zip Up Tray Pouch

I soon realised that the finished pouch was considerably larger than it looks in the picture

Zip-Up Tray Pouch Downloadable PDF Sewing Pattern | Aneela Hoey

To me that looks like a pencil case whereas opened out it is 11" x 7" x 4". What I actually wanted was something square so it was quite easy to downsize the pattern so that the opened tray is 7" square.

Next problem - no opened ended zips in my stash! Never mind I thought - I will just add a tab and button, much easier than fiddling with a zip too.

To stiffen the box double sided heavyweight fusible interfacing is needed but I dont have any of that. I do however have some heavyweight pelmet vilene that is fusible on one side so I decided to go with it. Although double sided fusible would probably have made the end pieces easier to put together, I found it worked well and with the unfused side inside it means I have a looser lining which I quite like.

So here is my finished box


The lovely linen spot on the outside has been in my stash for some time waiting for its moment to shine! The contrasting fabric is a pretty butterfly print.


Everything went swimmingly until I got to hand stitching the binding down to the end pieces. I think it took me as long as putting the rest together! It may be that my pelmet vilene is stiffer than the suggested stiffener but I still think it would be difficult. In the end I was stab stitching through to the edge of the binding on the front of the box using tiny stitches.


Should I ever decide to make another of these - at the moment, highly unlikely! - I would use 1/4" seams on the two ends. I find those 3/8" seams bulky. And I would used doubled over bias binding rather than her single as I think it is stronger.

Well, it is marginally cooler today. I am off to make some more Flying Geese. Have a good week.

25 comments:

  1. Oh dear - that does sound a bit fiddly at the end, but a very handy box to carry all the goodies. Love the fabrics.

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  2. Fiddly is no fun but you can count it as DONE! Love your flying geese, I admire anyone who can get those to come out correctly.

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  3. that is a LOT of flying geese, for sure.......kudos! The zip-up box is a really nice design. Sorry it was a bit of a problem but it turned out great!

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  4. It's important to find the right project to be doing in this hot weather, isn't it!

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  5. Your box looks lovely and I think, worth the extra effort.
    Your flying geese look very pretty all lined up there.

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  6. The box looks great, and all those flying geese are looking good.

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  7. phew that is hot... sucks the breath out of you when it's like that..... I love the flying geese.. they always looks so good. and your applique is coming together beautifully too.... well done on the little tray/case... it does look lovely. I have been caught out by size sometimes too.... made a 'handbag' once and it turns out to be an overnight bag!! haha
    Hugz

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  8. You are very creative! The box looks perfect. I like flying geese but haven't made many of them. Yours are very pretty and the table cloth is fabulous!

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  9. I haven't made the box pattern. However, I have made similar things and I have stitched the binding down by machine (double fold binding because it is easier!)

    I think you box looks great, and as long as you enjoy it, that's all that matters.

    I hope you are surviving the heat. I don't enjoy very hot weather, so my sympathies.

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  10. Flying geese always look good.....
    I heard you had been really hot. Glad the temps have dropped a bit.....

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  11. Well done with all those flying geese!! Hot days wear you out don't they. Your box/tray looks fantastic love the fabric you have used.

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  12. Great job on the box...love the button and loop idea. Pretty flying geese.

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  13. Well,the box looks lovely so you should be quite proud with your improvisation. Love your flying geese and the fabrics are rather nice.

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  14. Very pretty fabrics made a very pretty box. Thanks for the heads-up on the difficulty. I'm not too good at these kind of projects and can only master the basic styles. I saw this pattern and thought maybe I'd make one too but I don't think I'm up to it. Good job, especially at making the adjustments to what you had and what you wanted!

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  15. The box is great ... yeah it looks like it's not that easy to sew.
    She turned out wonderful.
    Have fun quilting.
    Greetings to you Viola

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  16. Your strips of flying geese look so precise. Well done. And that little fabric box turned out beautifully.

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  17. Hi Lin your work is beautiful you make such wonderful projects ,love the flying geese and I love you sewing box well done my friend xx

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  18. Gosh I love your flying geeze Lin - gorgeous colours!! Your box turned out great despite the problems you had with it. Also loving those fabric colours.

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  19. Days like that are so draining. Love all your flying geese and your applique looks great. Lovely work on your little tray too! Stay cool xx

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  20. Great work on the flying geese Lin.... they're going to make a lovely border. And your applique is lovely too - I scrolled back to catch up on these - gorgeous! I've seen that box pattern too and thought it looked quite neat - it does sound a bit troublesome though...

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  21. Lin, your works in progress look amazing. I have patience for an odd assortment of things, but I could never make that many flying geese. I would become bored of them too quickly. I even feel bored thinking about making that many! Ha. Your box is a useful delight! I like the idea that it could be zippered OR tabbed. I looks so handy. Well done!

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  22. All your F/Geese look lovely lined up on your table...yummm...
    The box looks very useful and the colour so pretty...
    Thanks for stopping in for FNwF too...xox

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  23. I just love the flying geese fabrics! That quilt is so gorgeous anyway!

    That little fold up box is so cute and useful. If I every make one, I will follow your suggestions on the seam allowance and bias tape! I think it would make a great gift for my sewing friends.

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  24. I am just amazed how much work you have done, considering the heat, do you have air con?
    xx

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  25. A lot of work done, Your box is lovely and will be very useful and what great work on the flying geese.

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