Sprouting JubeJube: One Thimble No.17

I had so much fun with this issue of One Thimble. One Thimble No. 17 (affiliate link) is so full of fun little and some not so little projects.

I stayed away from clothing this time and made several little things that can be perfect for gift giving.

The Blossom Flower Pincushion by My Little China Doll is a project I actually made twice. The first one wasn't to my liking so try, try again. The second row of petals didn't hug the center as much as in my second version. A little tip for that, simply pull that thread used to make the gathers really tight and secure it.

In the tutorial, it is suggested that instead of sewing the petals in place by hand, a glue gun can be used. I sewed mine in by hand, only because I couldn't find my glue gun I have to admit. Its just a bit longer but at least I know that if I gift this pincushion it won't fall apart. I tend to not used enough glue, lol.

This is also a perfect project for using up scraps that we can't bare to get rid of.

Now for the Flora Fiesta Embroidery project by Molly and Mama...

I didn't want to look too much at the original while I was trying to decide what colors go where. I went with the colored floss that I liked since there was no color chart included in the tutorial. This leaves a lot of room for creativity. I was also thinking at one point to make it using just white floss for a very monchromatic look.

I played around with different stitches, I added French knots to the center of flowers and used a stem stitch instead of backstitching. I was so excited about this project becasue I haven't had embroidered in such a long time. I started hand embroidering as a child and I just haven't taken the time to sit and get into a project.

I ended up reducing the pattern to 80% and was able to fit in in a 5 inch hoop. The suggested hoop size at 100% is 6 inches. The fabric is Robert Kaufman linen from Club Tissus.

Another fun gift done! This is great to hang on a wall in a child's room or use the design on a pocket or the front of a dress bodice.

On to my final project (for this blog post anyways). The Sewperior Fruit & Veg bags are such a fantastic idea for reducing waste! I used a mesh type screen fabric, again purchased at club Tissus. I was beyon elated to see that they had this fabric on hand. It was a little more pricy than I thought it would be but in a long run it will save a lot on waste.

Grab a few of these bags before heading to the grocery store and they are perfect for fresh produce. What used to happen when I went grocery shopping is I would just drop the produce in the plastic bag in the fruit or vegetable drawer and often enough I would forget about it because I didn't take the time to take it out of those darn plastic bags. Now with these reusable bags I have to remove the porduce and prep it right away and I get to see what I have in the fridge.

I added a fun cotton print to the top of the bag to make the casings. Two sizes are mentioned in the tutorial. They are a great guideline but of course you can make them the size you want.

And yes, they make great hostess gifts, or teachers gifts, or anyone who is into reducing waste ans recycling.

Once again I also got to review the full issue and there are a couple of articles that got my attention. the first being 10 tips for faster sewing. A few of the tips I already did without knowing but one that I felt helpful was tip number 6. Its mostly a tip for bag making but the same tip can be useful when doing a lot of appliqué work and using Heat 'N Bond.

Then there's the article on Tiyamike Sewing by Jo Ong. Its all about giving opportunity to women and girls in Blantyre, Malawi, Africa. These women and girls are learning to sew and learning about running there own business once they've graduated. Follow Tiyamike Sewing on Facebook for more information.

Here's a quick look at what patterns you'll expect to in One Thimble No.17. Take a look at the other stops on this tour for more fun and more inspiration.