Sewing Buddy Group

I've written previously about the Sewing Buddy group overseen by Deborah Moebes. My sewing buddy is Sarah, who lives in Ohio.

Each month, there is a challenge. This might be done in conjunction with your buddy. I'm in regular email contact with Sarah.

Month 1 was February, and I have already posted pictures of my Artist Trading Card (ATC).  I didn't win the challenge - no surprise! The winner had a beautiful ATC, which I would've loved to have produced. The winner and her buddy both got a prize.

Month 2 was March. This was a 'pouch swap'. Sarah and I each enquired about the other's hobbies, colour likes etc. Sarah wanted a pouch to carry her hand embroidery, including a 3" hoop, when she is out and about. Her favourite colour is red. Well, of course, this is way out of my comfort zone - like challenge 1 (I had no idea what I was letting myself in for!).  I researched on the Internet and looked at books and came up with a pouch design. I had to send away for fusible fleece as I couldn't buy it locally. Meantime my mother was admitted to hospital. She's elderly, visually impaired and lives alone at a distance from me; I'm effectively an only child as my younger brother died many years ago while far too young. I travelled to Glasgow to visit her in hospital and eventually to bring her back home with me to recuperate. The fleece arrived while I was away and I was disappointed to find it was rather thicker than I had anticipated it would be. I got back to working on my PR garment and this pouch while my mother was happily watching TV in the evening. I did finish the PR garment though I have some issues with it - see review here.  I had bought some lovely looking fabric in IKEA in toning shades and patterns and started on the pouch, based on the 'Posy Needle Wallet' in Sew Necessary Art to Heart by Nancy Halvorsen. Unfortunately, there were 2 major problems with the IKEA fabric - it was way out of true and was too thick - too much of an upholstery fabric rather than a quilting cotton. With my modified design, at one point I was trying to sew through 10 layers of cloth - not surprisingly, this didn't work! I had no time left to buy more fabric so had to go with what I had in my stash, though I did use one piece of the IKEA 100% cotton (the red with large white polka dots). I have used the red/blue and the plain red as muslins fabric; the black with red polka dots was newly purchased for this challenge and was a good weight.

This is my final pouch:

 

I am relatively pleased with it as I have never done this before. I hope it will work as intended - the pincushion is supposed to act as a catch for the small embroidery hoop. I posted it off to Ohio and Sarah has said she likes it and will think of me as she uses it.

I received my pouch today. I love the beautiful fabrics - pink is a colour I like a lot - and I will think of Sarah when I use it, too. I will carry my scissors and cutting bits n pieces to class in it.

Month 3 has just been announced. This involves making something for the kitchen table ie that would go on the kitchen table - examples given are napkins, placemats, coasters, runners, tee cosies etc. There is the possibility of a swap with buddy or a pair of buddies swapping with each other. I'm not sure whether to take part at all. I started sewing to try to make garments to fit me and these challenges, not to mention the PR competitions, while challenging me, have not allowed me to further that goal (although I am totally sick of blouses and fitting issues at present!). April is a busy month and there won't be much time for sewing. However, I am very willing to do it if Sarah is keen. I do want to continue as Sarah's sewing buddy.