Fall Pouch from 50 Little Gifts

It was almost a year ago now that I got an email from Susanne Woods, publisher at Lucky Spool, to see if I would be willing to contribute my Pixie Basket and Key Pouch patterns to a printed collection of tutorials called 50 Little Gifts. The answer was yes, of course. As someone who often forgets to bookmark a cute tutorial and then spends a big chunk of time later on trying to find it, a book like this is gold for me. Everything in here is small, simple, and perfect for gifting to any number of people in your life . . . ahem, including yourself. And it's all in one book that you can easily grab whenever you need it.

Case in point: this adorable little Window Zippered Pouch pattern by Chase Wu, one of my favorite sources of patchwork inspiration. I pulled out some Calico Crow by Lauren Nash, the cutest fall collection I've ever seen, and sewed up this little pouch last night after dinner. I can't tell you what a pleasure it was to make something easy and seasonal like this just for fun -- and in only an hour! It even gave me the chance to use this little squirrel charm for the zipper which I've been saving for a while now.

Just looking at the back of this pouch makes me want to go bake some fall goodies . . .

Speaking of which, wouldn't this make a darling hostess gift to give along with a pie or a plate of cookies? Just slip the recipe inside and give it to a friend along with the food. Or fill it with candy for treats at an autumn party. Or tuck a gift card, notepad, and pen inside for a back-to-school gift for your child's teacher. See what I mean about this book? Gift giving options galore!

So who wants one? Lucky Spool has given me a copy of 50 Little Gifts to share with one of you lovely readers. Just leave a comment below, and I'll pick a random winner on Friday. All are welcome to enter, just make sure you write down your email address in the comment if you're a no-reply blogger. Spread the word to friends who might want to enter. Christmas is coming, after all, and this book is going to be a winner for quick holiday gifts.

Happy sewing, friends!

***NOTE: Giveaway now closed. Congratulations to Laura from Slice of Pi Quilts!***

Forward

I'm sitting at my dining room table typing while babysitting a batch of homemade granola bars that I just put in the oven a few minutes ago, a simplified version of this delicious recipe. There's a bouquet of sunflowers on my kitchen counter next to a burning Leaves candle from Bath & Body Works, both a testimony to the fact that our family is more than ready for fall weather to appear, even if the thermometer is still reading 93 degrees outside today. Puffy white clouds are chasing each other around a deep blue sky outside my window, and I can see our tree swing swaying in the breeze. The family is scattered to all corners of the house today. Dad is working on his latest WWII model in the loft, while Mom is doing cross stitch by the windows in their bedroom. James has taken Mouse to a nearby cave for a group tour followed by ice cream at the Dairy Queen, his last in a series of daddy-daughter dates this week while he tries to get in a little special time with each of the girls before he goes back to teaching on Monday. Bunny and Bear are upstairs making a pile of last year's schoolbooks in eager anticipation of the moment when I break out the new school supplies, which I've promised to do as soon as the granola bars come out of the oven.

It's been a remarkable summer for our family. I traveled north during the first week of June to teach at Missouri Star Academy, making my inaugural visit to famed Missouri Star Quilt Co. and enjoying myself immensely with all the lovely people who attended as well as assembled that incredible event. The next week James went to Austin for teacher training while the girls and I all participated in Vacation Bible School at our church in San Antonio, an event that drew over 1200 kids and 800 volunteers -- and which was also one of the most exhausting weeks I've had all year. And then a day after VBS ended, we took off on our first family road trip, spending two weeks heading up to North Carolina to see family, followed by several days in Washington, D.C. We stopped at museums, parks, historical landmarks, and a whole list of incredibly delicious eateries. It was an amazing experience that I will never forget, and I'm so grateful that we had the chance to do it.

Since we got home, I've been working feverishly on several creative projects which you'll be seeing in upcoming months. Meanwhile, my newest fabric collection, Date Night, has been popping up all over the place, and I love seeing what people are making with it. Be sure to follow the hashtag #datenightfabric on Instagram, and share your own makes as you go!

And so we go on . . . into a new school year and a new season. And while there will always be a part of me that struggles as I watch time passing by, the memories are still mine to keep. I can't help but look forward with excitement at what's to come.