Housekeeping Pouch

Just like many housholds we have a housekeeping budget each week. For the last few weeks my hubby has been using a Japanese pouch with velvet on the back of it. Lovely pouch but not very manly when he goes shopping!

So as part of my sewing warmup yesterday before I got stuck into another block for my Monochromatic Sampler, I made a replacement wallet. A bit more manly with many more functions.

Do other people have little "sewing warmup tasks" or is it just me?

My hubby chose the fabric from my stash .. and then proceeded to sing the tacky 80s song "space invaders".

via Youtube

If you are a regular reader of my blog, you will know that I love all things geeky and crafty and would love to attempt a space invaders quilt one day.

I seemed to have an excess of red 5 inch zips, so I used one of those and made the inside red as well. The latch on the size is to attach keys or attach to the shopping trolley.

I added a PVC pouch to the back of the pouch for the shopping list so that it doens't get lost. Hubby also decided that it would be a good place for receipts as well.

A few tid bits about the mini-project;

• Size of the fabric rectangle I used was 6 inches by 4 inches with a 1/4 inch seam allowance.
  
• I always use interfacing to line the front of the pouch, gives it a bit of rigidity.
• Back of the pouch is cotton drill.
• Latch is attached with heading tape.
• PVC pouch on the back is attached by cutting tissue paper the same size, sewing the perimeter and then removing tissue paper carefully (sometimes with tweesers). I have found this to be the most carefree way of sewing PVC. I have used teflon feet, talc and all sorts of techniques. At the end of the day, I love my tissue paper!

I might make a few of these for my online shop when it becomes operational again!

A week in review

As I stumble towards yet another reporting deadline at school, my quilting and therefore business sewing has taken a battering this week. Business sewing at the moment is purely orders and no development.

I did manage to spend a night quilting and I got some quilts pinned and ready to be joined. I have two baby quilts sitting there ready to be joined together and one awaiting binding. The next two weeks at school will be a bit challenging as final corrections are coming in and mid year reports are being written.

picture via Carolina Patchwork

But this morning I have been looking again at ideas for my space invader quilt. I have done some sketches and have some solid ideas forming. I came across Carolina Patchwork, who has the most amazing patterns for video game quilts, available via etsy.

Can't wait for the mid year teaching break when I am going to put a few days aside to simply sew .. nothing except me and my machine.

Space Invaders Quilt inspirations

I stumbled across this web site where someone had done a space invaders quilt ... definitely a project that I would enjoy doing!

via by metanoia_cw

I have tracked the development of this quilt through her blog and it is going to look absolutely great! The last post saw The Quilted Hen doing the stippling ... eep! Most sites talk about stippling, but there is a good picture of the set up on her blog.

A bit more searching and look what I found! A Tetris quilt ... and another one!

by leanne_david2004

And I even found a tutorial on how to make one! Too many possibilities!