Remember when I said I was hunting through my magazines for an easy needle case for the Prospective Quilters to make?  Well I’m still hunting - but it’s ok Tracey from Quilting in Connecticut who does the most amazing quilting,  has come to my rescue with a link to a free needlecase.

Check out Cinderberry Stitches - full of stunning photos, beautiful stitchery and the best needlecase pattern I have seen for a long time.  It’s on her side bar under - funnily enough - Free Pattern.

Of course I had to print it out and then wander oh so casually into the sewing room and start pulling out fabrics just to try the needlecase out.

1930’s fabrics appealed  although I’m not sure the red with flowers is strictly a 1930’s fabric - but it suited my purposes.

I guess the most frustrating part of the entire process was watching Elise cut out the fabrics for me as handling a rotary cutter or even a pair of dressmaking scissors is still out of the question.  I was patient - incredibly patient and only offered the occasional word/sentence/paragraph of advice which Elise kindly ignored until she got to the point where I was told “Open your mouth once more and I won’t cut  your fabric”.  Honestly is that the way a child (who is super wonderful and smart and funny just in case you are reading this Elise) talks to her poor Mum who was truly champing at the bit to get into sewing up this cute little item?  But I digress.

Fabrics cut, instructions read and an hour later (I was working very slowly for me) the needlecase was sewn.

The lining fabric (the blue floral) definately isn’t 1930’s but I love it.  I padded the felt with a small square of batting to cushion the needles (or in this case pins) a little more and the bottom pocket was divided into smaller pockets to hold tape measures etc.

The Verdict - simply brilliant. I would love to make another one with the delightful stitchery pattern that is provided but that’s a job for another day.  It is a wonderfully simple pattern that is quick and easy and ideal for small gifts or for learner sewers to make.  My Prospective Quilters (ie Elise, Nicola, James and Belinda) are going to pick a really nice piece of focal fabric for that from center panel as they aren’t quite up to that kind of detailed sewing yet.

I just have to show you my latest fabric purchases that arrived today in the mail.

Six stunning yards of tone on tone fabrics which were severely lacking in my sewing stash just happened to catch my eye the other day while checking out Thousands of Bolts.  Well I ask you - how could anyone resist these - particularly with all the projects I have found that I simply must make….vbg.