VOTING STARTS TODAY!

Hi everyone :)

Remember back in April I shared this post about my entry for the Umbrella Prints Trimmings Competition?

Well voting stated TODAY!

Here is some information on how to vote:

Follow this link to the Umbrella Prints Pinterest board to see all the wonderful creations.

Leave a comment to support your favourites/s by leaving ONE COMMENT per entrant :) (and yes you can comment on more than one entry :D) and of course pin and like to share the love!

Here is a direct link to my creation's pin (incase you would like to vote for me by commenting on it :D). 

The competition closes on the 5th June, so make sure you visit the board soon to have your vote!

I am really impressed by all the entries :)
Thanks for stopping by and if you vote...thanks for voting!
Emma

WIP Wednesday

Hi everyone :)

Today I'm joining in over here...

I wanted to share some of my progress so far on the Belly Monsters Quilt.  Here is a link to my 1st post about this Quilt.  I'm still in the process of putting together the economy blocks...but I don't have many left to do! Here are some of my favourites :)

I also managed to finish off my 2nd foundation paper piecing project this week and here are both it and the one I finished for Sew Many Books...

I'm undecided about what they will be turned into...I'm leaning towards cushion covers, but they are quite large and I would have to find out if i would be able to get inserts for them before I make the next step...I have also been considering getting them both framed to put up on a wall in my home...

As you can see above, I have also cut out every thing and am ready to actually sit down to make my Poolside Tote (pattern by noodlehead)...I'm wanting to get this one finished before the belly monster arrives too as I'm hoping to use this bag as my new nappy bag!

Lots still to do before this belly monster arrives...better get sewing :D
Emma

Sew Many Books : May

Hi everyone,

Its been a little bit quite here on the blog this week (again - sorry!), but that is because I've been sewing rather than blogging :) If you follow me on Instagram you will have seen some pictures of what I've been sewing.

Anyway, onto what I want to talk about today...for those of you who don't know what my Sew Many Books initiative is, have a look over this post :)

Here is a button and please feel free to share it if you would like too...

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<a href="http://blog.formylittlemonster.com" title="For My Little Monster"><img src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3771/13079618975_c4ae82263a_b.jpg" alt="For My Little Monster" style="border:none;" /></a></div>

My April Project worked out fantastically and you can read more about it here, if you like :)

My project for May has been inspired by this one from my copy of "Patchwork, Please!"*
(* denotes affiliate link)

Now the project as is was rather large... AND I had never done any foundation piecing before...so instead of the full quilt, I planned to make one of the lovely flowers and turned it into a cushion cover - to add to the one that is already sitting on my couch :)

The end product was much larger than I had anticipated!  So no I am unsure as to if I want to turn this into a cushion for the couch or if I want to frame it (and the other one I have 1/2 finished) and put them up on a wall in the house?  I think they woudl make lovely art pieces :)  Anyway, this indecision has lead to the piecing to be completed, but not the final finished product...that will have to wait until I decide what I want :P

Now...What am I going to make next month?

I have the following books on my book shelf:

More Softies Only a Mother Could Love*

Zakka Style* (PROJECT MADE APRIL)

Stuffed Animals*

Fleece Dolls*

Patchwork, Please!* (PROJECT MADE MAY)

Sewn Toy Tales*

Sew!*

Easy Sewing Stretch Fabrics*

ScrapCrafts (Image Source)

AND I found this one hiding in the back of my fabric cupboard!

Stop. Go. Quilt. Sew! *

After having a flip though all my books, I have settled on this project from "Stop. Go. Quilt. Sew!"*.

(Source)

I'm going to make 2 traffic light applique squares to add into the little monsters quilt - which I have started in my head, but not in reality, as I have been busy working on the belly monsters one (I hope to have a WIP post ready for you all this week)...

Anyway, back to June's project...I will be creating smaller versions of the traffic lights - they wont be as large as in the picture.  I'm quite excited to get a start on the little monsters quilt (I feel like he has been a little neglected in the sewing department recently).

Feel free to sew along with me on this project or any project of your choice, oh and you don't have to make your item exactly as it is in the book to join in - as I have shown you this month - you could make an "inspired by" project too :)

I'll be sharing my finished project on 16th June and I'd love to share some of your projects on my blog too so please join in!

To share your progress and projects:

Please use the tag #SewManyBooks on Instagram or Facebook

Or join the flickr group :)

If you decide to share your progress and projects via your blog please post a link to my Facebook page, email me at emma@formylittlemonster.com or leave a comment on this blog post as I would love to share your work in my special monthly blog posts.

I look forward to seeing all your projects!
Emma

 

Sorry...Sew Many Books will be late this month...

Hi everyone

Just wanted to pop in and let you know that my Sew Many Books post will be late this month...I have finished the project but all my energy has been going into my sewing this week and I just haven't had the energy to write and edit the photos for the post - silly belly monster :P

I hope to have the post ready for you all in the next few days :)

In the mean time...if you want to see any sneak peaks of the project head over to my IG account (@formylittlemonster) :D

Have a lovely weekend 

Emma

Xx

So sew easy's "make it yours" sewing competition and my entry :)

Hi everyone :)

Last Saturday, I found out about the "make it your own" competition being run by So Sew Easy.  On a whim I decided to enter!  I started planing that very night, and I felt the need to turn on the sewing machine and start work at 10pm...Yes, this 27 weeks pregnant lady was up till well after 11pm beginning work on my entry and by Wednesday I had finished :)

I started by downloading the pattern, and then started piecing my pieces of fabric together as I wanted to make the clutch my own with patchwork...

Then when I went to cut out my pattern pieces...I found out I hadn't made the patchwork quite big enough...

So...I added a row of patchwork and cut out my patchwork pattern piece, and quilted it :)

The bag was relatively quick to put together, but deciding on how to embellish it was HARD :P  I had a lot of options...I was choosing between a flower, or button details...

 

But I ended up deciding that the best option, the option that I thought best showcased the patchwork and quilting I had already completed, was this one...

I think the clutch is beautiful, and I am so pleased with it!  Want to see more photos of it?  Of course you do!

The beautiful lined interior (linked in fabric from Ikea), 

the colours match the patchwork perfectly :)

A full view of the open clutch from the back.

The quilting lines are beautiful...I just had to share a clearer shot of them :)

And here is a picture of the back, when the clutch is closed :)

Voting opens in June, and I'll let you know where you can view all the entries and how voting works then :)

I'm so pleased with how this clutch has turned out, now comes the hard decision...should I keep it, gift it to a friend or sell it in my shop?

Decisions, decisions...

Emma

April Wrap Up :)

Hi everyone

I finished a number of projects in April :)

Some clutches that can be found in my shop 

(if you would like to purchase one) ;)

Another cushion for my couch

For this one I repurposed a zip from an old cushion cover to make the hidden zip :)

The Little Monster's "pocket pillow", that I made as part of my Sew Many Books April Project...which reminds me I really mist start on my project for May...

A elephant comforter made for the belly monster 

and this is my entry in the Umbrella Prints Trimmings Competition for 2014 :)

A 1/2 apron - a gift for a family friend.

These coasters were made for an EPP (English Paper Piecing) swap that I joined in with on Flickr.

They are currently on their way to my partner who lives in the USA :)

I wonder if May will be as productive as April was?

Emma

Apron...

Hi everyone :)

This week I decided to make a last minute gift for a family friend we went to visit today...

It's a 1/2 apron with a wrap around tie :)

I didn't use a pattern to make this, I just decided to wing it - which can either work out really well (like this did) or a complete disaster...so I'm pretty lucky :)

I used just over a fat 1/4 of the patchwork fabric and then boarded it in a red flower fabric (and used this to make the tie too), all up I used a total of about 40cm x width of the red flower fabric.  Both fabrics were purchased at spotlight last year. I'm pretty sure both fabrics are 100% cotton too :)

I decided to add some decorative top stitching to the boarders - I think it has added a nice finish :)

I was particularly impressed with my efforts to make the inside of the apron neat and tidy - mainly so I didn't have to line it :P

Look at those seams!  Yep - I'm still impressed by them :)

The gift recipient loved it - which is always an added bonus - she said "Thank you so much for my amazing apron, feels almost too nice to cook in!" 

Yay!  There is a big smile on my face now :D
Emma

 

My 5 favourites - Hexie items

Hi everyone :)

So a few weeks ago I started sharing my 5 favourite finds and decided it was going to be a bi-weekly event!  I will be posting my 5 favourite things on the 1st and 3rd Friday of every month, the topics will vary, but the overall theme "My 5 favourites" will always be the same...So, if you would like to join me, feel free to grab a button (below) and post the links to your blog posts in the comments section each Friday (1st or 3rd of the month) - I would set up a proper linky party, but with the baby coming I'm trying to save as much money as I can :)

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<a href="http://blog.formylittlemonster.com/" title="For My little Monster"><img src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7027/13616901684_bd76f78371_q.jpg" alt="For My little Monster" style="border:none;" /></a></div>

As today is the 1st Friday of the month....here are my current 5 favourite Hexie items:

1. Isn't this Clock the coolest!

2. As I've been making cushions for our family room recently, when I came across this Cushion I thought WOW :)

3. How cute is this Clutch?!  I love that its pink too - one of my favourite colours :P

4. This Rainbow Table Runner is awesome...I this it will have to be added to the to-do list :)

5. I love this Tote Bag too :)

I hope you love all these hexie finds as much as I do :)
See you all next time 

Emma