I've decided to participate in my first sewing contest.  You can read all about Sewvivor, hosted by Family Ever After HERE.  It's pretty exciting and the prizes are awwwwsome!


I've linked up my Fabric Cradle Purse Tutorial in hopes of being one of the 10 selected for the contest.  I'm not sure it's my best work, but I do love it and I think it's a great tutorial that has had a lot positive feedback.  I'm not really sure what my best work is, that's a tough one.  Perhaps some of the bags I have made and sold, or a quilt I made and appliqued for my Mother.  But I don't have pictures of those.

I really hope I am selected to go into the contest because the first challenge is "Emerald", Pantone's color of the year, and I have something FABULOUS for the entry.  I am soooo excited about it, but can't tell you what it is!  The fabric is ordered and one the way, and I think even if I don't get selected, I'm going to make it anyway and share it with you all.  It might even end up being a pattern.  Let's just say - if you like anything retro, you will like this!

The other challenges in the contest will be "buttons" and "quilted", and I'm still considering what I'd do for those if I make it that far.  I have some ideas... but nothing for sure yet.

What would you make?  If you love to sew, head on over, read the rules, and ENTER!  If you aren't entering, browse and click through the auditions, there is some major inspiration there.  Lovely work!

Last year I posted a free sewing tutorial to make a Fabric Cradle Purse, and I've been very fortunate that the post was shared on Pinterest quite a lot, and I've had some great feedback on it.   A few days ago Jess emailed and asked if she could sell cradle purses made from the tutorial, and that she's made a few.  I said yes, certainly, and could I share a couple of her pictures.  Here are two that she's made for her little girls, they are pretty adorable!


So I did a little search and found another lady selling hers on Etsy HERE, it comes with a cute baby and a knit blanket and pillow.  Very cute!

Cradle Purse sold on Etsy

I also found someone on Etsy saying that the cradle purse they were  selling was something she just thought up, and I was a bit disappointed.  I don't necessarily need credit, and it's possible that someone else thought of it too and made it in the exact same way with the exact same proportions... but.... it would have been nicer if she had just said nothing at all and just sold it without taking credit for the idea.  I suppose these things happen and are expected when you share ideas with the world.  It's just a matter of time.

I still love my fabric cradle purses quite a lot!!  And... I need to find a little girl to make one for again, my little girls that were dolly age have all grown up!

If any of you are making these cute little doll cradle purses, I'd love for you to share pictures with me too.  You can find the tutorial here.

Take good care,
 

It's time to revisit an old favorite!  My dear Grandma used to make those cute little crocheted purses to sell at craft fairs. She made them for my girls one Christmas too, and they just loved them.  You know the ones, don't you?  They are all over the internet.  She taught me how to make them when I was about 22 or so, and I used to sell them at markets, along with other baby things and countrified treasures. That was so long ago... yikes.

I don't know why, but I was thinking of my Mom and my Grandma and how they taught me to sew, knit and crochet and it got me thinking about these little purses.  I had this thought niggling at my poor rattled brain for a few days saying "you should make one".   But why?  My girls are all grown up and I don't really crochet anymore, plus I love sewing things that are a little bit more modern.  Then it occurred to me, that I could sew one.  And that was all it took for me to be instantly obsessed with completing my next project to be.

They turned out really cute, and I think any little girl would be happy to get one for Christmas or any other time of the year.  I'd make some more, but my 6 year old son and his little friends probably wouldn't be as impressed as a little girl you might know, so I thought I'd share this tutorial.