Getting ready

I'm so excited today.  On Sunday I'm off to Edinburgh, which in itself is a rare event, for a sewing day with some wonderful girls.  I really can't wait.  So many things I want to take along to work on and for show and tell (now I know why Angus and Islay get excited about going to school on Monday mornings!).  And the others are such good sewers I just know I'll come away with loads of new skills and ideas.  I'll be back with lots of info about it next week.

In honour of the occasion I decided to make myself a sewing kit to replace the old pencil case I have been using when away from home.  I roughly used the pattern in Rashida Coleman-Hale's I Love Patchwork (I bought an electronic copy for $1, I think, after a tip-off from Marg).

I increased the size so it will hold the needle case my grannie made for me when I was little - I didn't have any fabrics to match it's particular shade of mint green so just went with some favourite scraps.  I added another pocket to hold things like scissors and the pincushion is removable.

The needle case pocket is a bit squint.  I have no idea why as I am certain I pinned it straight but by the time I noticed it was far too late at night to change and it is just for me so I've decided to live with it.  I also, very stupidly, cut the binding 2" instead of 2 1/2" so I had a tough time sewing it on properly.........I won't be doing that again in a hurry.

I made a little zip bag to go with it and enjoyed picking different fabric scraps for the zip ends.

Angus asked me to make him a new pencil case.  He's at quite a tricky stage I think.  He's really still a wee boy, at just 8, but will be moving up to the middle (p4 to p7) school after the holidays.  He has just discovered the Famous Five and is reading every one he can get his hands on.........and he's not sure why Finn sniggers at Aunt Fanny and Dick.  But Finn, even though he is only 17 months older, is two school years ahead and those two years at middle school make quite a difference.

So I wasn't sure what fabric to use for his pencil case.  He absolutely loves animals, to the extent that he has used his savings to adopt a Darwin's Fox.  After researching the most endangered species he decided that was the one he most wanted to help although he'd dearly like to help snow leopards too.  And he is going to be an explorer when he grows up.

In the end I decided to go with the foxy fabric knowing that he will love it now.  And if after a little while he finds he has grown out of it I can always make another.  He loves it, and I love that he loves it.

And tonight?  Well, I'm going to be watching the Olympics.  I'm a bit sad that John is away, he's off for a well-deserved walking weekend, but I'm sure it'll still be fun to watch.  I can't believe that they are finally here and about to start.  I love Olympics and this year, being at home, makes it so much more special.  We are off down to London at the end to the month for a day at the Paralympics.  We didn't get tickets for the Olympics but we are very lucky to have some for the Paralympics.  I'm excited about that too. Need to try to calm down a little I think!