I signed up for The Red Button Tree’s embroidered patch swap. I have some leftover patches from my reader appreciation trinket giveaway from a while back. There were a few that didn’t print completely, but I’ve kept them around anyway. I embroidered over one for my patch to send in. I like the effect, and it was a good little tracing project for tonight when I wasn’t feeling all that creative. I added iron-on backing to keep all the threads tight.

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This round’s pincushion challenge is a swap. I’m sending my partner this little guy, made of some of my precious Junko Onishi fabric. It only took a little tiny bit of fabric, so I figured I could make the sacrifice. Now that I’ve cut in, of course, I have to make a matching needlebook or something to go with it. I decided on the satin stitch because it’s a heavy weight fabric and I thought the seams would be bulky otherwise. Instead it created this wacky curling effect, which I originally didn’t like but have since decided I don’t mind. Are you starting to see a theme of reversible things lately?

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I’ve been looking forever for a cool coaster pattern. I went through all my Marthas and all my craft books and all the blogs and have been unable to find one that I really like. Today while I was walking out to my car from lab, I finally came up with an idea. I am super happy with them, and I went from vague idea to sketch to picking out fabric to endlessly rearranging fabric strips to making them (and ripping them out a couple of times and making them again) in just a couple of hours. I haven’t been feeling the crafting bug like usual lately, so these made me feel back in the groove. I also love how I have a nice enough fabric collection now that I can just find what I need when inspiration strikes. Now I’m thinking matching placemats….

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I made this last night at craft night. I’ve made a few bags of this same shape but in various dimensions, so I managed to get the topology right even though I messed it up as soon as I cut the fabric (curse you, Japanese seam allowances!) It’s a little guy, just big enough for some notions. The fabric is a tablecloth I got for 50 cents at a church sale last week, which means I’ve got a ton more of it for other things. Hmm, what to make next?

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I’ve been wanting to make a new bag to take to craft night, with enough room for a craft book and some supplies. Rummaging around in my fabric cabinet, I thought these two prints went together oddly well. When I couldn’t decide which to use as the outside and which for the lining, I realized the solution was to make it reversible! I got them both in swaps, and the flowery one appears to be a tablecloth and the swirly one a pillowcase. The (simple) pattern is my own.

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