Friday, February 18, 2022

Having More Fun

vintage retro patchwork Aneela Hoey Booklet Pouch pattern sewn by Heidi Staples of Fabric Mutt

It's another 5 A.M. morning at my house. Having a puppy has put me back on newborn baby hours, and I'm feeling ever so grateful that I finished having children in my early 30's because I am definitely too old for this now. Still, despite the exhaustion that starts hitting me around 8:00 every night, there's something I'm coming to love about these quiet mornings with my Bible, journal, laptop, and coffee. There's a peace here before the whirlwind of the day begins, and getting to watch the sun rise outside my dining room window every morning is a nice bonus. My oldest daughter turns 15 tomorrow -- how is that even possible?? -- so today's to-do list is a bit longer than usual. I have dozens of balloons to blow up for her That Thing You Do! 1960's themed party, chocolate chip Heath bar cookies to bake for her ice cream sundae bar, and a whole lot of decorating to do. But this is the sort of thing I enjoy. Our family loves to celebrate everything, every chance we get, and we've made a lot of great memories over the years doing it. 

My sewing output has gone way down in the last 2 years, but I can honestly say that I'm having more fun with what I make. One of my favorite finished projects was actually for a sewing swap I did with my friend Angela almost a year ago. We each made a large version of the Booklet Pouch by Aneela Hoey for each other after we exchanged information about favorite fabric, colors, styles, etc. I decided to go with a retro theme in a rainbow of colors.

vintage retro patchwork Aneela Hoey Booklet Pouch pattern sewn by Heidi Staples of Fabric Mutt

The outer panels are made with linen and canvas for more stability. Instead of using just one fabric, I used rows of squares in a fun mix of prints. It would be embarrassing to tell you how long I spent rearranging these squares until I got them exactly the way I wanted them. There's something in me that just can't leave well enough alone until I'm satisfied that I love it. 

vintage retro patchwork Aneela Hoey Booklet Pouch pattern sewn by Heidi Staples of Fabric Mutt

I added a thin strip of fabric along either side of the zipper, and it wound up looking just like piping. Such a happy accident! I need to do this kind of thing more often. That zipper pull might just be my favorite thing about this project, aside from the patchwork exterior. 

vintage retro patchwork Aneela Hoey Booklet Pouch pattern sewn by Heidi Staples of Fabric Mutt

A vintage text print for the inside cover was a great contrast with the bright, candy colored prints I used for almost everything else. The small pocket on the front inside cover holds a needle book and pair of snips, and I tucked some goodies inside the zipper pockets too.

vintage retro patchwork Aneela Hoey Booklet Pouch pattern sewn by Heidi Staples of Fabric Mutt

It was unbelievably hard to send this one off in the mail, but I knew it was going to a good home where it would be well used and loved. And that's what we want for our creations, right? 

vintage retro patchwork Aneela Hoey Booklet Pouch pattern sewn by Heidi Staples of Fabric Mutt

Happy weekend, friends!

5 comments:

  1. I love this! Fantastic! I really like those zipper pulls. Thanks for the link.

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  2. I know this isn't your button quilt but I wanted to ask how I could enlarge the buttons? Would using 10 inch squares instead of 5 inch and doubling your measurements work?

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  3. So glad you are back! Have missed you bunches! I love to it down and pour over your 2 books. They are so inspirational.

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  4. Oh Heidi! So wonderful to see you back. I have noticed an uptick in zipper charms which caused me to check traffic. �� Once I saw your blog referrals I knew something was up..lol. Thank you, as always, for your kindness. I look forward to keeping up with you again here on your blog. Sending hugs �� Vicki

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Aren't you the sweetest for leaving a comment! Due to all the ads that bombard this section, I have to moderate everything first, but look for your comment to post in a day or two. Thanks so much for writing!

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