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Tuesday 18 December 2012

Impulses...



About a month ago, Jan and Di and I had a day together.  An hour at the Shopkeeper Gal's emporium, a quick scout around Amesbury and then to a small Craft Centre at Weyhill for lunch and browsing.  Apart from the jewellery and gallery and chocolatier and wool shop, there's a quilting shop.  Jan wanted to have a brief rummage and check out threads.  Di, for reasons of a personal nature, wanted a large bodkin.  I don't know either.  Well, I was utterly entranced by all the fabrics.  Lots and lots of them were by companies that I know as scrapbook paper designers, so I spent an awful lot of time trying to decide what I could make.  If I needed anything.  The first and most obvious answer to me, was a nice bag.I don't need or have room in my life for any more bags.  So I came over all sensible and decided to have a look around for a pattern or idea before buying some fabric.  Because otherwise, it could sit around for, well, months.  The same week, my recipient in The Coven's Secret Santa was revealed and I had my answer.  Make something from some of the gorgeous fabric you wanted to buy.  So I did.  Scraplady Ally has a thing for purple, she's a quilter, so has a fabric 'thing' and I found two projects that I thought were marvellously clever...a camera strap (for she is a fantastic photographer) and an iPad sleeve.  Satisfied my need to have fabric.  Satisfied my need to make.  Satisfied my wanting to find her a relatively out-of the-ordinary present.




I am utterly indebted to Lindsay at The Cottage Home for tutorials and ideas that I've found really inspiring and stress free. I know that this isn't spoiling a surprise, because we met and exchanged presents last night. We didn't even consider not opening our gifts.  Not even for a second, not a mention of the idea.  Love that about Christmas - I think it's because we're pretty sure that there will be another gift on another day.  Ain't life grand.

23 comments:

  1. Wow - just brilliant Julia! Didn't you make a super job of these. I guess you could have made a folding shopping bag even? :)

    Ah, the bodkin - eeet eez my secret weapon for threading cord through bows on cards and then tying another little bow, sometimes avec un charm even!

    Have a super day! Hugs, Di xx

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  2. Fabulous gifts, and gorgeous fabric!

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  3. Ooh, lovely ideal, we had our coven secret Santa last night too! Must be that time of year! Lol!
    Kyla

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  4. Just beautiful colours and makes, Julia, love Shaz in oz.x

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  5. You are a REAL seamstress who can follow a pattern (or two) and come up with awesome gifts. Leave it to you to make it a gift for a friend. These are both wonderful, especially since they are both practical and beautiful.

    BTW, Christmas is just a date on a calendar. Real gifts are given every day, in many forms!

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  6. How lovely Julia...those are my colours too :-)
    Hugs,
    A x

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  8. wow thats gorgeous!! Hugs Juls

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  9. ScrapAlly should be happy that's beautiful! I don't own a camera that needs a strap at this point but I'd like one LOI! Great work Julia!

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  10. Both gifts are beautiful Julia, not to mention useful. Love the fabric too. Hugs, Anne x

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  11. Oh looks fab. Can you share a tutorial? I'd love one of those camera straps

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  12. Super solution with a super result. I'm sure those lovely gifts were well received.
    Jo x

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  13. What lovely gifts Julia.

    Toni xx

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  14. Lovely Julia, & the colours are fab. Well done

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  15. Crikey, Julia these are fab, LLJ would be very proud of you.
    janet

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  16. I am proud of you!! You're a much better seamstress than me!! Seriously.....
    xxxx

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  17. Julia this is great and if I was a sewing person I would definitely make one - but I'm not!
    Cheers,
    Elaine

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  18. Gorgeous fabric! Great presents!

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  19. Hi Julia,

    What beautiful gifts! It would have been so fun to have joined you! I have no idea what a bodkin is..... but it does sound interesting.

    Hugs,
    Kay

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  20. What a fantastic, unique, useful and pretty pressie Julia.
    You are so clever ;D
    It takes me all my time to just sew a button on.

    I think someone is going to be very happy!

    I'm definitely going to peruse some tutorials in the new year.
    (Had a little giggle at the bodkin)

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  21. Love your makes Julia - now to follow the link - need a strap like that for my new camera. Mind you at this rate I will be making it in America when I go.
    Hugs, Neet xx

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  22. Fabulous presents, how talented you are. Happy crafting in 2013

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