tiny patchwork needlebook

I did it.  I did some selfish, not-work sewing and made myself a little needlebook.

I used the pattern from nanaCompany and I'm really happy with it.  I am a scrap hoarder, this is not news to anyone, but a while back I started putting tiny scraps into a separate little tray next to my cutting table, and then when I moved the sewing room downstairs, I started a new tray for very little scraps.  I think my original goal was to sort out pieces small enough for this EPP project, but the collections came in really handy for this too. 

 

 I'm a little out of practice, and this improv scrap top didn't come together as easily as I thought it would.  I actually had several reject bits before these scraps just found each other and I stitched them up.  Instead of play trial and error for the back cover, I just went with a piece of this teal/turq floral from JoAnn's.  I hand quilted it with fans on the back,

and just followed the seam lines on the front.   It had been ages since I hand quilted anything with regular thread (instead of perle cotton).  It was nice to remember how much I like it, but I don't foresee myself doing much more of it in the near future.  All the quilting patterns I want to try are all FMQ, but who knows?  Another little side project like this could pop up at any time..

My favorite detail is the rubber stamping.. I used my little horse instead of putting the date (2014- year of the horse), and couldn't come up with anything cuter to say than my own name.  At least everyone will know who it belongs to.

On the inside I put one "sheet" of felt and a fabric-enclosed magnet to hold my loose paperclips. 

The magnet makes the case very heavy, and I'm pretty sure it would get me stopped at the TSA check at the airport, so I might not keep the case in my sewing kit while flying.  Actually, my TQ#5 sewing kit is bursting at the edges-- it's tough to keep it closed these days and I really don't know what to do.  Suddenly all of those other EPP sewing kits I've seen for hexie-based projects make a lot more sense to me.  We've got a trip coming up soon and as I prepare for it, I just don't know where I can fit all the stuff I need to bring (extra colors of thread, a new pack of 100 hexie templates).  I wanted to make this needlebook, but I'm not sure how to make it work for me yet.. 

Anyway, a finish is a finish, and it sure felt good to flex my patchwork and quilting muscles after all this constant EPPing.  I'm linking up with TGIFF! Be sure to pop over and see what everyone else has finished this week.