Blossom Scissors Pouch

So many thanks for all the lovely comments on my last project, both here and on Instagram! I had no idea that Liberty spool runner would be such a hit. I've received so many requests for the pattern that I'm adding it to my to-do list. Keep an eye on the blog for more news to come on that!

My dear friend Christopher (aka The Tattooed Quilter) has released a beautiful new basic print for Riley Blake Designs this year called Blossom, featuring the tiniest flowers tossed over a solid background in a rainbow of colors. I adore the small scale of this print, making it so perfect for little patchwork projects like the one I'm sharing today.

I'm a big fan of embroidery scissors, and I love collecting new pairs whenever I get the chance. This, of course, means that I also get the fun of making a pouch to hold them all, which is what I did last week. This hexagon zipper case is a variation on a pouch from the book Sweet & Simple Patchwork Gifts by Hisako Arai and Yoko Sanjo, which I highly recommend if you love small patchwork projects the way I do. I changed things up a bit so that there are only hexagons on the front and so that I could finish the pouch by machine instead of by hand.

My red, blue, white, and pink hexagons are bordered by navy gingham for a spin on patriotic colors, which is currently one of my favorite color schemes. I added a pink zipper, a red and cream twill tape loop, and an adorable scissors charm to the zipper pull. The pouch is lined in a white Blossom print featuring little red flowers, and I love the way it looks against that pale pink zipper.

This charm makes me so ridiculously happy every time I see it!

Projects like these always remind me that the only thing better than sewing with pretty fabric is sewing with pretty fabric designed by wonderful friends...

Merry Maker Tree

It all started when I saw a package of Shiny Brite vintage reproduction ornaments on sale at Macy's. I've been desperately wanting to get my hands on some of the originals, but they're way out of my wallet's league. So I decided to get these instead as a treat, thinking that they would look cute on a miniature tree in my sewing room. But by the time I got them home, I found out that the ornaments were too large for the small silver tinsel tree I had bought for them. The girls helped me hang the Shiny Brites on our big family tree instead, and I was left wondering what to do with my lonely little sewing room tree.

Why not, I suddenly thought, have a Merry Maker Tree to match my creative space? It was such a fun challenge to come up with tiny decorations that fit the sewing theme.

Small white ric rac trim and a string of Lori Holt's colorful buttons strung on white Aurifil floss made perfect garlands.

I used a mix of Christmas and everyday prints in shades of pink, red, and green to sew a wide, handles-free Pixie Cup for the base of the tree which I filled with snowy white batting to cover up the trunk.

And a wooden spool of red and white baker's twine held in place with a single pin made the perfect tree topper.

Putting this tree together was such a lovely way to spend a Sunday afternoon, and it makes me smile every time I see it on the cabinet next to my great grandfather's old typewriter. I may add more decorations in the next week, or maybe not. We'll see. Taking time to do something just for the fun of it was good for my soul. It seems like the perfect way to celebrate Christmas.