Needle Cases and Other Projects

This month, I participated in a "Needle Case" exchange. I first had to figure out how to make one...then craft it, embellish it, and stock it with the tools that would be needed by any seamstress. I had a lot of fun looking through and researching different techniques for creating them and finally settled on my design.

 

I used the same technique when crafting each one. First, I cut out two matching rectangles of fabric. I then put iron-on one interfacing on the one sideand then hand stitched the two sides of the fabric together to form the out "case" for both needle books. On the inside of each needle case, I cut several felt pages...just a bit smaller than the "case". I then crafted a fastener using elastic and buttons on the red one and used ribbon ties on the floral version.

I completed a couple of little projects - an "Itty-Bitty Soap Sack" for gathering all the bits and pieces of soap together. Perfect for making sure you use ALL the soap. "Waste not, want not!" (not sure who coined the phrase, but it's definitely appropriate here! The "Penny Blossom Choker" was another little project I completed. It's part of my "Nerd Wars" entries on Ravelry....just as the "Itty-Bitty Soap Sack" was. The Nerd Wars challenges are fun...sometimes I'll explore a new technique...other times, I'll make a small project "just because" - it's very therapeutic!

 









In other "fibery news", I've pretty much completed a tea cozy....all but the ribbon embroidery. For some reason, I just can't quite make the ribbons "behave" properly, so it's not totally finished.  These photos show what it should look like when it's done, but it may take me a while! (This is my friend's finished cozy....I love it!)   I think mine is going to go in "time out" for a while...LOL!  I have a LOT to live up to!!! 

I also FINALLY started "Dark and Stormy"...I'm running a bit behind my intended schedule as I didn't really get going until after I returned home after Daddy's funeral.   I guess I was feeling a bit "Dark and Stormy", so I just couldn't start on it right away. 



This time of year is fabulous for viewing nature...the deer are out in force:

And you see the promise of new growth on the trees - new evergreen grown with their newly formed pine cones as well as maple trees full of "maple wings".