:: Blogtoberfest day 9 - more X's and gift-wrapping ::

Not much sewing time today.  I was in 'X'-mode still, after yesterday's Christmas 'X' sewing marathon, and made two potholders for home, out of a few pieces of a Sweetwater Reunion layer cake.

{{XX}}

We use these more as trivets, to put hot pots onto, rather than to pull things out of the oven.  Here are the backs - more Reunion. 

{{a good view of the quilting! and evidence that I'm mucking around with our tag-placement}}

They're under 10 inches square - maybe about 8 inches square - so a good basic size for hot pots.

In other news, it was a very happy mail day.

{{love}}

I looooove Melody Miller's fabric designs - she's the very clever lady behind all the Ruby Star for Kokka ranges.  Now - she has created a gorgeous book with her business partner Allison Tannery.  It's a gorgeous book - beautifully photographed, and with a whole heap of really sweet gift-wrapping ideas.  

The idea underpinning the book is to make beautiful wraps that can then be used as something else - such as bags, bunting, home-decorations, cushions - so that we don't end up with garbage-bags full of sticky-taped paper and curling-ribbon at the end of every birthday and Christmas. 

It's broken into chapters based on gift-shapes! 

{{love this chapter - for 'oddly shaped gifts'}}

And every chapter ends with extra ideas, headed "but wait, there's more!".

I bought my copy via Roost Books, which I found via Melody Miller's blog.  It's just so sweet, and reinforces the loveliness that can be shared by home-made gifts and wrap.  

A reminder - our Blogtoberfest giveaway - leave a comment on any of our October posts up until midnight Australian EST Friday, 26 October, to go into the draw to win an ipad-zip-pouch.  I'll get sewing for the zip pouch in the next couple of days so we can post pics.  Please make sure we can find your email address via your comment - so check that you are not a no-reply blogger.

'til tomorrow.  xoxo cat

:: Blogtoberfest Day 8 - can you hear sleigh-bells? ::

First day of term 4 today.  Oh how I love the holidays, and oh how I loathe the back-to-school routine.   I won't go on, but I've had enough already.  And it's only day 1. 

Dropped the kids off this morning and nipped straight home with Christmas-sewing plans in mind.  Vee and I have two markets this term, and also want to get more goodies into the shop.  

What Christmas table would be complete without an 'X' marks-the-spot pot-holder?  They're the perfect  gift to yourself or someone else leading into Christmas, don't you think?

{{they'd make a cute quilt, wouldn't they?}}

So far we have 19 ready to roll (but 16 looked nice and neat in the photo).  Planning on cutting the batting and insul-brite tonight.  And hopefully choosing backing fabric and getting that ironed and ready too.  

Every pot-holder will be different.  There are multiples of the background green/white fabrics, but all the red/pink X's are different fabrics - so you can safely buy lots and still give a unique gift to all your friends and aunties. 

A few early favourites:

{{little elf-houses amongst the trees. and an owl perched right in the middle of the X}}

{{reindeer sheltering under the trees}}

{{elephants keen to replace the reindeers on Santa's sleigh}}

Time to get dinner ready.  Please scroll down to earlier Blogtoberfest posts to find details on our giveaway.   'til tomorrow.    xoxo cat

:: Blogtoberfest Day 7 - a little zip pouch, and a little bit of David Bromley ::

Blogtoberfest is rolling along - Day 7 already.

My oldest daughter missed a birthday party during the hols, as we had long-standing other plans (that happily involved catching up with old friends for a playdate for the kids, champagne for the adults and a lovely dinner for everyone).

As school starts back tomorrow, I quickly sewed up a little zip pouch this afternoon as a late birthday pressie.

{{love that Timeless Treasure sketch fabric, I'm using it in just about everything}}

{{very happy with my 'W' too!!}}

I love letters and words (and reading ...), and really love the idea of making a whole quilt that says something - exactly what, I don't yet know.

I made the 'W' from this book, which I'd seen recently on a blog and bought from Amazon:

{{there are so many great word-ideas in the book}}

The pattern was really straightforward and easy - no paper-piecing at all, just sewing one piece of fabric to the next.  Lots of trimming and ironing, but it all came together pretty quickly.  I will definitely use the book again, and have a few little projects in mind, while my 'big word quilt' idea bubbles away.

Here's the pouch inside and back:

{{the triangles are by Rashida Coleman-Hale}}

{{mixtapes, I think by Timeless Treasures ... and oh, I sewed them on upside down .. continuing on from yesterday's upside-down-sewing theme.  I am guessing that 'W' won't mind too much}}

And now, a word on today's styling props ("styling" is a word I'm using very loosely ... it's Vee who is the queen of styling photos).  The awesome placemat was made by the super-clever Rita from Red Pepper Quilts, using Melody Miller's Ruby Star Spring fabric.

And the mugs and enormous teacup?  Well, they're by David Bromley!!!  Picked them up from Capocchi in Melbourne last week!!  Love.David.Bromley.  We went to his 'A Place on Earth' gallery in Daylesford a couple of years ago - completely amazing, but completely not open anymore.  As far as I know, his pottery is only available through Capocchi, but I could be wrong.

{{love}}

OK.  I'm off to get ready for some late afternoon drinks with friends.  Did I mention that Brisbane was 35 degrees today?  HOT!!  Way too hot for October.  Way too hot for me, ever.  Hope your weekend has been a good one.  We are gearing up for the school-routine to start up again in the morning.  Vegemite bread roll, anyone?     xoxo cat

PS - our Blogtoberfest giveaway!! - leave a comment on any of our October posts, to go into the draw to win an ipad zip-pouch, that we are yet to make.  Please make sure your email details are gettable via your comment (that is, please make sure you are not a 'no reply blogger').  The draw closes midnight, Australian EST, Friday 26 October.  Good lu-uck!