I do still sew

Even though it hasn't looked liked it in two weeks. These are gifts I made for some friends in my Tuesday Cursillo group. Less than $10 can be made into a nice gift. I stitched silk ribbon embroidery on silk dupioni. I made each person a silk kleenex cover and a ditty bag. It can be for makeup, medicine, coupons, illegal drug paraphenalia or what ever they choose. I don't think they will do the drug thing. :)

For the Kleenex cover I used one I had received as a gift as a template.

For the bags I used the cover pattern in Inspirations magazine Issue #58 as a base for the pattern. I don't know about you but I seem to be on this kick lately that I am going to one up the design or the directions. It has bitten me in the ankle every time. I am an instructions kind of gal and just need to resign myself to it. The brown and pink bag I stitched 3 times because I thought I could do it better/different, something. I didn't want seams on the inside. I am sure there is a way to achieve that, but I couldn't work out the geometry and or physics in my head to make it work. So the bag that I liked the embroidery the best I hated the construction the least. Isn't that always the way?

I have one more set to do, this one will be for my spiritual director. In addition to being a spiritual director, a speaker, teacher and a nun she is a fine arts artist. Since it reminded me of watercolors the bow is done in a ribbon I wouldn't normally choose. Just a teeny bit more embroidery to do and then I can construct it. We have bad weather coming, so it is my project tomorrow to finish it. Maybe the geometry can resolve itself by tomorrow. I doubt it though. Then it is onto a t shirt quilt for youngest daughter.

Do you keep all of your supplies in pretty, neatly organized drawers? Me either. But even this homely old box I love. It is not something I would have ever made, bought or been drawn to but it belonged to my best friend and her mother. So like most of her craft things, it came to my house after they died. Her mother loved glueing "stuff" to other "stuff." The quilted fabric on the box has to be 30+ years old and the box a whole lot older. The glue is beginning to let go in places and even though it is really really ugly, I love it. I even kept the old pair of Eva Lou's glasses I found in the box in there with my silk ribbon. I have no use for the glasses but its too soon to be able to get rid of them. Maybe one day.