Remember I showed you a progress photo of this little stitchery last week when I shared my "A Quiet Life" mini quilt pattern?
You can make this yourself as it's on the pattern sheets for "A Quiet Life" (download here) - all I did differently was applique the door, add a button for a door knob, change the flowers to daisies by switching the colonial knots of the mini quilt version for lazy daisy stitches, and sewed scattered cross stitches and running stitches here and there to fill out the effect for a single block instead of a set of nine.
Small changes to a single design can give it quite a different appearance, and this sweet and tiny block makes me happy hanging beside my desk where I love to have a bit of colour against the cream walls, whereas the pale blue and cream of the larger mini quilt works beautifully in my sewing room.
See what I mean about how different one block can look by changing a few things?
I finished this little one as you would a quilt with wadding and backing, but I chose not to bind it but leave the edges raw, just a single line of stitching half inch inside the edge. A tiny hanger was stitched to the back. Final measurement is 6" wide x 6.5" high.
After it was completed this morning I was packing things up and tidying the cutting table when I spied a pack of small notebooks I bought recently. My intention was to sew some covers for them as they make very simple and useful gifts, easily posted too, so I thought before I stored away the fabrics used on the little house block I'd use some to make a cover and share a tutorial with you at the same time.
You will need:
One 3" x 9" (opened) notebook
One 4" x 10" rectangle of fabric for the cover
Two 4" x 6.5" rectangles of the same fabric for the sleeves
One 4" x 10" rectangle of lining fabric
buttons optional
Fold the smaller sleeve pieces in half across the centre and press the fold.
Lay the folded sleeves on top of the lining with the raw edges to the outside.
Lay the cover fabric right side down over the sleeves and lining. Pin all around.
Sew the layers together with a 1/4" seam around all sides, leaving a 2" opening at the middle of one long side.
Fold right side out and whip stitch the opening closed.
Iron the cover flat...
...and insert your notebook. Ta dah! (as Cully May says very often)
I decided to sew a few buttons on the front after I'd finished because they look cute (and match the little house block) so if you want to add some be sure not to stitch through the sleeve.
Have you started the mini quilt yet? Or do you think just a single block mini-mini-quilt would be just right for your home (or as a gift)?
When Blossom and Ross went off to the ultrasound on Monday I had the delight of babysitting the girls and what fun we had! I'd made them a tablecloth for their little table and chairs beside the cubby house and they feasted on strawberries, jam roll, cheese cubes with milky tea in their tin teapot and cups while I read to them.
We were all very excited waiting for mummy and daddy to return because they would tell us whether Cully May and Rafaella would be welcoming a baby sister or baby brother in early December.
It's a BOY!
Cully May was not at all surprised and declared, "I know, I told you!" (which she has been telling us for weeks) with the biggest grin. Aaah, what fun we have ahead.
Well, that's enough for today. Dinner is in the oven and the bell will go off soon so I'd best be off to slice the bread and warm the plates.
God bless you dear ones,
Loving hugs
