Upcoming Facebook Market Night...

Hi Facebook friends!
Thanks for stopping by my blog today...


It is with much excitement that I release news of my very first upcoming Facebook market night!!

Keep this date highlighted in your diaries' friends:

4th April 2012 - 7-9.30pm 

Western Australia Time (GMT +8)

This market night will be the first release of all my new season stock on my website,

So to celebrate I will be running exclusive savings during that one evening only...

What will be on offer you ask?
Well, here is the run down:

Free standard shipping on all purchases of market night stock going to an Australian address. Or upgrade your purchase to registered shipping for $3.50

3 great items will be only $1!!
yes that's right - (at least) 3 items will be offered up over the evening to be purchased for just $1...
How these will work:
I will post the photos up on my Facebook wall, during the evening. To be in to buy the product offered for $1 you just need to leave a comment under the photo stating your interest to enter the ballot. At the end of the market night I will draw a number and the comment corresponding with that number will be the lucky purchaser. Payment of these must be made within 24 hours to qualify at that price.

Exclusive Market Night Discounted Prices:
There will also be some other items offered over the course of the evening at very special market prices. This includes special one-off bulk discounts for multiple purchases, and also may include clothing items, ipad covers, pouches or cushions at heavily discounted prices.

These will be made available on my website over the course of the evening on a first in first served basis.

So there you have it - the break down on what will be on offer on my first market night sale.

I look forward to seeing you there :)
Please tell your friends

My Creative Space...

This week my creative space has been in a bit of a slump.

I've discovered that sewing & me having a head cold need to be mutually exclusive to each other. 

I even tried again this morning. 

It took me FOUR tries to sew a simple (usually 15 minute) skirt and I had to unpick too many times to count.

Not cool!

My saving grace - making these Bloggers Choice Bundles for this little competition here.

I think I've become addicted!

Seriously - I could actually sit here and move virtual fabric around ALL DAY haha...

So I showed you my first one yesterday. I'm still in love with it so I can't resist showing you again...

Then I went on to making a second:

Must have been feeling a little autumnal or something since our season's are changing here, because these are not my usual go to colours by any stretch!! But do you know what - I'm completely and utterly in love with the combo, and I think I might even like it better than the first combo.

Go figure!

Which brings me to selection number three:
(Look away Hadley...)

I specifically tried to include brown in this one. Because brown is outside of my usual taste & comfort zone and I wanted to challenge myself to making a bundle including brown that I actually liked.

{Because I'm strange like that.}

And you know what - I do actually like it!
Like it strongly even.

Mind you - it also has my other two favourite colours in... perhaps they could be blinding me to the brown?
Whatever the case, I still like it.

Now I'm tempted to make another. And another. And another. of these gorgeous virtual combinations.

Told you I was addicted!
But they are just so darn fun to make!

Mind you fabric selection & patchwork is usually always my favourite part of the sewing process (if you don't count finishing that is ;)).

What about you - what is your favourite part of the sewing process?

{Linking up with Creative Spaces}

Blogger's Choice Bundle Choice #1...

A few months ago when Laura from Quokka Quilts & The Fat Quarter Shop teamed up to put together a Blogger's choice competition I really wanted to join in, but time didn't quite allow.
So this time, when Katy from Imagingermonkey & Brenda from Pink Castle Fabrics teamed up for a similar comp, I just could not resist to join in!

I'm a regular shopper at Brenda's shop and just LOVE her selections. {In fact I just received my Flea Market Fancy pre order from her this week heheheh}.
But mainly the biggest pull this time was - I actually have time! Yes, today I am glued to my bed feeling like dying with this darn sinus cold again. I should be sewing - but I have since learned that headaches and sewing don't gel... {think more time spent with my seam ripper than actually sewing!}
So there was nothing better to cheer me up than a little afternoon virtual fabric shopping love!!

I'm sure it will come to no surprise to you that in both my selections the colour blue was heavily involved. Butterflies also may make an appearance.
So predictable I know...

Here is my first selection...

I just love that middle print up the top. This one:

And was quite excited to find Brenda stocking it. So my first bundle was made around entirely around that print.

I'm totally digging how the bundle came out. Lots of my favourite kinds of prints and I totally want one!

What I did find a surprise was that my bundle contained so many colours. I'm secretly impressed with myself actually that I didn't go monocramatic (blue!) or just stick with 2 colours.
I can definitely tell how far I'm come since I first started sewing, because back then putting colours & fabrics together was a s.t.r.u.g.g.l.e.
Practise definitely pays off! At increasing my comfort level & speed if nothing else.

Sorry, I'm a complete naughty and realised afterwards that I was supposed to write down all the names for you.
Sorry!
I'm going to pull the sick card. Do you think it will work?

Bundle 2 revealed tomorrow :)

Tuesday Tidbits...

**  Eeeek I have something quilting related to show you for a change...
Check this out:

**  Isn't it gorgeous? I LOVE it when something in my head works out as well/better in reality.
Thanks to my wonderful Sew & Bee-Happy ladies, this quilt top has become more than just a sketch and is looking mighty fine. Don't you agree?

**  I think I'm going to flag the sashing. I tried it out with the family sitting all over it (read: the children rolling all over it and screwing all the pieces up eeek) and it is a perfect size for a picnic blanket for us. Not too small but not too big to lug about at the same time. So I'm just going to sew it together like this.

**  I've chosen a backing from my stash, which I got on sale a while back, and think goes perfectly. Here it is bucking tradition and drying on the washing line from it's prewash...

**  I've officially gone mad though... this is a stretch knit that I actually bought to make cheap clothes for my girls from.

**  But let me reiterate again that it was on SALE haha...

**  $3 a metre I think I paid, or something thereabouts. And it happens to be THE perfect size, a perfect (dark) colour for the back of a picnic blanket (hence the prewash), and it has rainbow hearts all over...

**  So I'm just going to get over the fact that it's stretch fabric for now.
- Most probably only until I start quilting it and curse myself for making such a dumb choice. But it can't be any worse than the time I had to quilt my memory quilt - that had a stretch knit front & a stretch fleece back. N.i.g.h.t.m.a.r.e!

**  In other news...

**  In an effort to be more "environmental" and health concious, I have just purchased a new bike & trailer for doing the school run.

**  Because Hannah's school is close enough to make me feel silly using the car, but a bit far for her to ride her bike and a bit far for me to walk return when I have something on in the morning (which is every morning).

**  So cycling with the kids in the trailer seems like a good choice.

**  Time will tell how committed I am to using it vs how many excuses I make to take the car instead. But my current bike is completely the wrong frame for me and WAY too big and uncomfortable to ride, so committing to ride that every day just isn't going to happen.

**  I'll show photos when they both arrive. They've had to be ordered in for me in the colours I picked :)
(couldn't live with pastel mint green I'm afraid... I'm sure you'll be very surprised to know I went for blue instead ;) )

**  I have done no sewing this week, but I am starting to feel better from my stupid cold, so perhaps I will feel well enough to do some tomorrow...

**  If you missed my first market report like a few people seem to have, then no I'm not being a tease (ahem Shay!) and you obviously just weren't paying enough attention since it was Sunday snippet time ;) So you can catch up on that here...

**  Chicken Korma on the menu for dinner tonight (yes homemade Susan - well homemade from a can anyway haha).
What's on your menu?

Linking up to Fabric Tuesday

A bit of laugh out loud mail...

Today I had a piece of mail arrive that made me laugh out loud as soon as I figured out what it was - Seriously, before I'd even finished opening it and read the card I was snorting away like a girl in the back of a junior school classroom!
Right in the middle of the shopping mall entrance I was too...
Mr Flutter thought I had gone properly mad this time!

Until I explained what it was I'd just received - and then even he cracked a smile...

Ever seen this before?

Yes that's right - the F.U.N.C came to visit Australia, courtesy of my friend Annabella in from Life's Rich Pattern.

Not sure what on earth this means?
Click on the link above and it will take you to my friend Rhonda's blog where you can read all about the history of the F.U.N.C and it's travelling antics. It's been to quite an impressive array of countries now.

Thanks Rhonda & Annabella for including me in this hilarity and giving me a great chuckle!!

Hmmm.... I wonder where it will visit next ;)
If you're a long time follower of my blog and I happen to have your address then watch out - you could be next

MUHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
** insert evil creepy laugh

To Market, To Market...

I was thinking of doing my traditional Sunday Snippet and making you wait until tomorrow to hear about my market, but I know so many of you are looking forward to the run down so I won't be mean & make you wait.

Today I had a stall at Market Girl - The first time I've entered a boutique market.
Here is a photo of my stall at the beginning...

I was pretty happy with how it came together really.

Here are a few shots of the market while we were all setting up. So that's why there aren't customers yet...

The calibre of some of the stalls was very high, and I must admit that I found myself quite intimidated amongst many of the very seasoned "market girls". But the lovely ladies in the stalls around me quickly made me feel relaxed.

I feel quite pleased with how it went. Overall I don't think it was quite as busy as I was expecting, but I still did well enough to make it feel worth it.
I have some work to do this week to replenish my stock before next weekend's market, but thankfully in some ways not enough to make me panic. A happy medium I feel!

And between you and me - I'm just happy to have survived it in one piece!
Because I am a really good advertisement for a person requiring cold & flu tablets at the moment... I spent all of yesterday in bed feeling like I wanted to hide from the world thanks to the most wicked sinus headache I've had in a long looooong time!
Drugs did not touch it and I was kind of worried about if I'd be up to today!
But I prayed with all my might that I would be over it in time, and thank God my prayers were answered and my headache was gone this morning.
I did lose my voice on several occasions throughout the day, but thankfully I managed to restrain from sneezing or snotting on anybody ;)

I couldn't have done it without Mr Flutter though. Huge thanks need to go to him for helping me get there this morning (I would have got terribly lost if I hadn't been following him) and helping me set up & down.
Yay for husbands! ;)

Here's hoping that next week is at least as successful and my budget for FQ retreat in London will be feeling much much healthier...

1 more sleep...

It's tomorrow folks.
Would love to meet you if you are a fellow Perth-ite :)

Together again...

3 girls in this house are all grinning from ear to ear today.
Proper happiness that reaches to our core &
Smiles that reach to our eyes.
Oh what a difference it makes to have our family complete again!

An easy day at home.
A lie in for me as I listen to happy giggles from young and old in the living room.
A haircut
A celebratory dinner with "special adult drink" (sparkling grape juice instead of our normal water) and donuts for dessert.
A bubble bath while I listen to the bedtime routine go on without me.

It's sometimes the small things we take for granted!

It's started already...

The scene: 8.30am and we are rushing out the door to take Hannah to preschool...
I slip my shoes on just as we are about to walk out the door...

Hannah (3): "Mum wait"
Me: "what?"
Hannah (with a tone of total disgust): "you can't wear those blue shoes, they don't go with your white dress!! Naughty princess!"
(we were all apparently princesses that morning)
Me: "yes they do thank you very much"
Hannah: "NO Mummy. They DON'T ok!"

***

Sheesh she's not even 4 yet and already critical of my dress sense.
What am I in for!
Hurumph

Just sitting outside the airport waiting for Mr Flutter's plane to land. Yee ha :)
Talk to you again soon.

Tuesday Tidbits...

**  It is Tuesday today right?
- I've totally lost track of my days!!

**  All I know is that it is ONE sleep until my beloved returns. YAY!!
Nearly 6 weeks we've been away from each other this time. Way too long!

**  I now have 110 items to sell at market.
I'm quietly pleased with that effort considering that I had about 30 or so to begin with!
It would be nice to have more, but I'm going to consider anything I make now a bonus.
I know I've worked as hard as I'm willing to work!

**  Here is a preview of approx. half of my stock:

I have another rack which is not as full - that's the sale one.
Then I have a little tray table with all the little stuff displayed in baskets.

**  Eeek I'm so pleased with how it's all looking now! I'm finally feeling more relaxed about it & getting everything done in time.

**  Today I've been at home catching up on all the little niggly bits to get ready...
Status so far:
price signs made, card displays ready, bags ready, screen backed in fabric, main sign ready, custom order & website frame information ready etc... etc... (sheesh what a lot of work the first one is!)

** I've also just finished making my market day apron. I always stress intensely if I have my valuables placed somewhere other than on me, so this time I decided to go down the apron route. (Since we're anticipating it being busy and all ;) ).

**  I was totally stumped on the design of the apron though. They aren't something I make (or wear!) a lot of. After some consideration I decided to go with a classic white & blue look. - They are my signature colours after all & then it will always go with whatever I wear.
So I recycled an old vintage lace pillowcase that I recently thrifted for the grand prize of $1. Nice! And with a bit of kona blue added for the strings I turned it into this...

you can't really see the lace detail on the front very well in the photo, but it's there.

**  It has two big pockets big enough for all the essentials - phone, pen, money float, notebook, etc...
I added a little silver flutter brooch for good measure & it was done.
SO fast! Or rather it would have been if I didn't get distracted and move onto other things half a dozen times.

**  That's my market day outfit too by the way. Had to try on the whole outfit ;)
(Actually I just had it out because I just had to fix one of the buttons back on. Very crucial button it was too!)

**  When Neil gets home he just needs to build me some supports for my screen, so it doesn't topple over on anyone (very important that part!), and then I think I'm about done now. YAY!

**  You may also notice I've just given the look of my blog/facebookpage/website a small update and changed my photos around.
Just because I can.
I get bored easily!
No doubt it'll change again soon...

**  As part of those changes, can I please draw your attention to the box on the right which says "sign up to receive my shop monthly newsletter"?
I'd love it if you could humour me and sign up.
No spam I promise! Just a short monthly update on what changes have happened/are coming up & these may also include some reader only coupons/deals *wink wink...

**  On a couple of more personal notes:

**  I finally got my smart phone back on Saturday after just over two weeks without it.
That absence was hard.
I rely on it way too much!
But it was good for me.

**  Now I can actually read blogs more efficiently again - yay!
Only thing is that my un reads have gone up to over 1000. Waaaaay too many to catch up on.
I'm not even going to try to catch up!
So I'm officially announcing that I'm going to mark them all as read and start with a clean slate.
In which case; if you particularly want me to see something you've released in the last month (I was already behind from my NZ holiday) then email me the link & I'll be delighted to read.

**  I just got a really yummy parcel of fabric arrive.

**  I forgot I ordered it as well - which always makes it even more sweet to receive doesn't it! :)

**  And lastly - one totally random point. - I suggest you avert your eyes and move on if you have a weak stomach!!

**  I thought Abbie was over the "putting foreign things in her mouth stage".
Then a few days ago I was changing her nappy (diaper) and the first thing I see is a woven clothing label.
I know it was not a sign from God because it read "made in china" and I can tell you right now that Abbie was definitely not made in China! LOL...
What made it worse is that I don't recognise it and have NO idea where she must have been when she found & consequently ate it. Yikes. Yuck! Ew!

What random things have your children ever eaten?

**sniff sniff... "What's that smell?"

Uh oh... you know it's not good right when your iron starts to smell a bit "funny"...
I'm not talking "oops I just melted a bit of heat bond to my iron" funny - more the electrical kind of funny.
Bad bad news!

Well that happened to me today.
It's my last week before the markets kick off & my iron decides to blow.
Boo hooo hoooo ... :*(

I know you guys who sew will understand what a big deal that is and will understand that I'm not sad because I can't go iron the laundry! (pfft - iron actual clothes - what's that?!)
I may or may not have accidentally knocked it off it's perch yesterday when I turned around with a drawer in my hand.
It did not seem to take kindly to that.
Hence today's funny smell followed shortly by the element blowing.

It's had a short but rough life though. Check out the face plate...

Not exactly a prime example of good housekeeping!
Does yours look like that too or are you more kind to it and use "protective cloths" and all that stuff we're supposed to use (I know I'm supposed to, I just don't - pure laziness).

So today, in desperation, I had to buy a new iron. Even if it was just at the grocery store - because obviously that's the obvious place to buy an iron! ;)
How hot is my new iron?

Pretty hot, that's what.
And it glides! Smoothly!
Amazing the difference it makes not having a whole lot of old *gunk* stuck to the faceplate!
How long do we think it will stay looking like this then?

Not long I suspect!

I know, I know... I may have just taken this diary to a new low blogging about IRONS of all things! But I needed some light relief :)

More interesting stuff coming soon.
Hopefully ;)

Sunday Snippet...

I was reminded of this poster today, so I thought I'd share it with you.
It was given to me by my Godfather roughly about 20 years ago (eek that makes me sound old!). It has travelled with me ever since, and that is saying something because I travel pretty light! But I have been unable to part with this treasure.
For starters the person that gave it to me is so incredibly special to me. Without a doubt the biggest positive influence in my life growing up, after my own parents and the most encouraging person I know. That always helps!
Secondly - it adorned my bedroom wall for the best part of my later childhood. And I even kept it on the wall all through my teenage years, (although it was relegated to the back of my door for a little while). So it is familiar, and comforting. I have a deep fondness of it as a result.

But lastly - what a message it holds...
Short, sweet, but to the point!

Hands up who's ever had their dream crushed by someone else's negative thoughts on it?
I know I have.
Lots of times.
Rude isn't it, when someone comes along and dream crushes!
I tend to find (among other things like fear) that once I've had my dream crushed, whatever the reason it happens, it stunts my ability to continue to dream.
Well to dream big enough anyway.

But this week, as I continue to see some of my dreams realised, and my own little boutique becoming a reality, (albeit a baby boutique reality) I'm reminded to keep believing.
Because last year at times things got really tough for me on a personal level. And I nearly gave up my business plenty of times as a result. But I'm so glad I didn't! Because now I'm stronger than ever and the success of my business is starting to mirror that.

I'm certain I won't have experienced my last ever setback. Setbacks are pretty inevitable.
But in the words of Jesus, in Mark 9:23 "What do you mean 'if I can'? Jesus Asked. "Anything is possible if a person believes!" (New Living Translation).

So I need to keep believing, and change my mentality to see setbacks as what they truly are: just the ability to learn  more and be stronger for it going forward.


This poster now adorns the door to my children's bedroom.
I pray that they can grow up believing in their dreams too, and as their mother I don't ever become their dream crusher.

***


Do you have a dream?
If not, maybe it's time to start dreaming & believing again?

Happy Sunday!
I pray that you go dream big :)

My Creative Space...

My Creative Space this week has been * shock horror * a bit more guy focussed than normal.
Not something I do naturally so I thought it needed documenting ;)
... With two small girls in the house, and quite a liking for the girly stuff myself, my stash is pretty dominated by pink & "pretty". But not so this week; my very limited stash of guy fabrics has been broken out {and almost depleted if I'm honest} all because of these things here...

Ipad covers in the making.
10 down... the rest to go. - I'm not committing on a number even though I have them cut out already, because after 10 I'm a little bit over sewing any more right at the moment.
Not to mention that the last 4 in a row I made I forgot to leave a hole for turning. DOH!
I'm not exaggerating either.
Words were spoken!!

Do you find it hard to find good "man" fabrics? Which ones to you favour?

For more creative spaces take a look over here...

Tuesday Tidbits...

**  Pffft.... what was I JUST saying yesterday about looking after myself?

**  For the last 2 or so weeks I have been trying to be very kind to myself & do all the right things:
I've gone on a more healthy diet, gotten rid of my diet coke addiction, mostly gone off sugar, and been trying to rest/sleep a more decent amount.

**  Then today rolls around...
here I sit at 10.37pm having just finished working, munching on the Easter eggs I bought for the kids (I KNEW it was a bad idea to buy them this early... now you know why the basket in my Easter basket tutorial was devoid of chocolate - I was too scared I'd eat it all), and I had Hungry Jacks (blerck) for lunch because it was all that was near at hand and we were an hour away from home.

**  Oh... and then there's the diet coke I had earlier too.
Doh.
I was doing so well too!!

**  Well - if I have a headache tomorrow then that's proof that diet coke is toxic to my body. Because after living with an almost constant headache for the past 6 months, I have not had a single headache since I gave up diet coke. It was an experiment that needed to be done, despite the fact that I miss it because it's the one thing other than water that I drink.
I'm thinking that the absent constant headache is worth giving it up for though, but we shall see what tomorrow brings!

**  On the plus side I have spent a fortune on new fabric in the last 2 days.
Hang on... is spending a fortune considered a plus side?
Haha. if your name is Neil and you are married to me then I'm thinking the answer is NOT.
But otherwise new fabric has got to be considered good right?
I was pretty restrained though because most of it already has a home to go to. But a few things might have just snuck in because they were on sale & I liked them :)

**  I got also an email from Pink Castle Fabrics yesterday to say she'd sent me a parcel.
I was like "Huh... surely I'd remember going on etsy today?!"... then I remembered. My Flea Market Fancy pre-order. Eeeeek!
YAY that must mean it's on it's way.
Excited much!!

**  I'll have to try and take some photos of my most recent dress makes to show you because in the last 24 hours I've made some stunning ones, even if I do say so myself.
I can't wait to write up the patterns for them - I just know you are going to love them!!
Yes Rhonda, I will try and hurry. Promise :)

**  That about brings me to the end of my random rambling tidbits for today.

No photo even today...
Sorry!!

**  Oh that's right... I forgot to tell you - here is one I took of Hannah last week. She has just started ballet and I just think she looks a.d.o.r.a.b.l.e in her new uniform!! Don't you think?

She struck the pose without any instruction. So Hannah! She was born to do ballet most people that meet her reckon. But time will tell if that has any ring of truth to it. All I know is that she loves doing it - and that's the main thing to me...

Here she is a bit more natural.

Too cute!

**  K... off to bed.

What's New, P*ssy Kat...

Da, da, da, da, daaaaaa aaaa

Bet you have it in your head now huh...
Sorry...
Well - only a little if I'm honest meheheh.... ;)

I just thought I'd stop by to give you the news according to Kat, because I know it's been super quiet around here! Thank you for those who have emailed me to make sure I'm ok, and for those of you who have wondered to yourself. And sorry if I haven't emailed you back yet.
I just want to assure you all that I am ok!

It's not because I'm sick or anything.
I'm just super duper manically busy preparing for 2 markets, as well as super busy orders off my website.
So my blog, blog reading & most especially my email inbox have been suffering for it.

But unlike normal I have decided to look after myself this busy period.
There is only so much time in the day so while I am sewing like a crazy thing I just do not have time to sit at the computer.
Usually I would anyway - in the time I should be taking some rest!
And usually that leads to burn out.
{I'm sure you've witnessed a few if you've been around a while...}
So this time I'm playing it wise & I am trying to rest and SLEEP when I'm supposed to be instead of being on here.

It makes a change, and I can't say it comes easily to me.
But it's worth it because I'm feeling great at the moment, and more importantly I'm surviving in one piece!
Long may that last :)

So in order to not neglect my health or my kids, it might continue to be quiet around here for the next 3 weeks until my crazy 2 markets are all over.
Seriously, what was I thinking committing to 2 markets only 1 week apart during a 6 week stint of Neil being away?
Rocks for brains sometimes I tell you...

But it's coming together. Still a lot more I'd like to do, but at least I'm at a place now where if anything happens {or I lose the will to live if I have to make any more} and I have to go to market with this much stock, then so be it.

Here's my progress so far:

I have also been busy making ipad covers which aren't in this picture. So far I've made 6 girl ones & plan to do 4-5 guy ones as well.
Hopefully another 5 quilted cushion covers.
Hopefully a dozen or so framed purses, but in all seriousness this is the one most likely to be discarded.
Maybe some more makeup pouches?
And definitely some more clothing - maybe about 10-20 or more outfits? We'll see. I just need to do some more bigger sized and tiny baby things mostly... the rest of my sizes are pretty full enough.

So there you have it. That's what I'm up to.

I'd put you all to sleep real fast if I gave you daily updates!
Which is why I'm not...
See how nice I am to you :)

I have a few other things to write about if I get time, but if not then I'll talk to you properly again in a few weeks.

Cushion Pattern Giveaway Winner...

No traditional Favourite Thing Friday post today...
I started writing it but found I just didn't have the concentration to write anything other than drivel tonight. How sad!
It's possibly something to do with the fact I'm on my third glass of wine!
But also possibly because I've only just sat down for the first time today and have begun to relax.
It has just been SEW busy around here this week!!

So without further ado, the winner for my cushion pattern giveaway is #27...

Congratulations Lynn!
I'll email you your pattern shortly.

And if you'll excuse me everyone, I'm off to relax & read my book.
A rare treat :)

Have a lovely weekend!!

Fabric Basket - A Tutorial...

A few months ago I applied and was accepted to Kym's Fabric Fascination Tutorial Exchange program. The exchange was for me to design and share a tutorial with half a yard of fabric that I would be sent.
So this is my contribution...

Kym sent me this absolutely beautiful Laurie Wishrun fabric...

Laurie is one of my favourite designers and I completely adore this fabric, but it was actually harder than I thought it would be to think of a tutorial this time for some reason...

So in typical Kat style I cheated and opened up the topic on my blog for suggestions from readers of what to make. In other words asked you to do much of the hard work for me ;)
I had some great suggestions but one in particular totally gave me a "why didn't I think of that, that's SUCH a great idea moment" and I knew I didn't need to look any further.

So thanks so much to Glenda from Florida for her wonderful suggestion of an Easter basket.
I could not think of a more perfect use for adorable little bunny fabric, so Glenda, you are a genius and thank you for your suggestion :)

Anyway lets get started...
Today I'm going to show you how to make this gorgeous fabric Easter Basket...

Perfect for little ones to carry around for their Easter egg hunt, but also useful as a storage basket for many other purposes. The handle could easily be changed around to suit many other styles (e.g. a handle on each side)...

Before you begin making this project, please read through all the instructions and make yourself familiar with the steps involved.

I have kept my needle in the middle of my presser foot and used the side of my foot as a guide for the seam allowance, unless otherwise noted.

These instructions are designed for use with a rotary cutter & cutting mat. However, you can make your own amendments and make it without these if you would like to.

Ingredients list:

Main basket:

**  Exterior fabric: Two - 12 inch wide by 9.5 inch tall pieces. Just make sure that if you are using a directional print that the print faces the correct way. (Just FYI I used just under a FQ for the exterior and again for the interior if that gives you a guide of how big a piece you'll need).

**  Lining fabric: Two - 12 inch wide by 9.5 inch tall pieces

**  Interfacing: Two - 12 inch wide by 9.5 inch tall pieces of the stiffest interfacing you have available. You can also use iron on fleece/pellon or quilt batting, your basket just won't be as firm standing.

Handle:

**  Exterior fabric: Two - 3 inch wide by 9 inch tall pieces
(make sure if you have a directional print that you cut your pieces with the directional print going in the correct direction)

**  Lining fabric:  Two - 3 inch wide by 9 inch tall pieces

**  Interfacing:  Two - 3 inch wide by 9 inch tall pieces of the stiffest interfacing you have available.

Note: If your interfacing is not very stiff then I would recommend using double the amount specified above. Because I only used 1 layer and I found that my handle was a bit too floppy. Next time I would either use stiffer interfacing or use 2 layers.

Step 1: Preparing our outer bag...

Take your 2 pieces of exterior fabric and your 2 pieces of main basket interfacing and lay them on your table in the following order, with the long edges at the top & bottom:
Interfacing
Exterior fabric right side up
Exterior fabric right side down
Interfacing

Note: If using a directional print like myself then make sure your print is facing towards the top edge for both pieces. Look at my picture if you are unsure...

Make sure that all of your edges and corners are nicely matched up and pin all four layers together around the edges.

Now we are going to sew down the sides and bottom of our bag, but leaving the top open...

Place the top right hand side of your bag under your presser foot, with the edge of your fabric lined up with the edge of your presser foot ...

Sew down that entire side, but stop when you get to the same distance to the bottom than you are from the side...

Place your needle down
lift your presser foot up
pivot your fabric 90 degrees
line up the edge of your fabric with the edge of your presser foot again
And sew down until you are almost at the bottom again.

Repeat until you have sewn together the two sides and the bottom, but leave the top open at this stage.

We are now going to make our boxed corners...

Take the exterior part of your bag and pinch the right hand corner so that your side seam and the seam at the bottom match up like in my photo...

It can look a bit deceptive, like they are lined up well when they actually aren't, from the outside. So it's good to stand up the bag and check that they match up from the inside at this point:

Once you have got your side seam perfectly matched up with the seam at the bottom then flatten the corner nicely and pin.
Using your ruler, line one of the lines up on your ruler with the tip of your triangle (see where I have my finger below) and measure 2 inches from the tip, making sure that the line on your ruler lines up nice and straight with the seam of stitching...

Once you have it all lined up nice and straight then draw a line across. I just use ordinary biro but you can feel free to use something more fancy if you desire ;)

Pin on either side of the line so that it now looks like this...

And sew directly along that line you have just drawn. Make sure that you reverse to secure your stitches well at the beginning and end of your sew line in this step.

Once you have sewn your line you can trim your seam to 1/4 inch

Repeat for the other side, so that you have boxed both of the corners of your outer fabric and place it to one side for now.

Step 2: Preparing our lining...

Take your two pieces of lining and place them right sides together with the long edges at the top & bottom.
Using 2 pins, pin the bottom 1/3 & 2/3s of the way along like my photo:

We now want to sew along the sides & bottom of the lining, just as we did for our outer bag in step 1, BUT this time we need to leave the area in the middle of the pins unsewn like so...

Make sure you reverse your stitches well to secure them at the beginning and ends of your sew lines, particularly on either side of the pins, as this hole will later become our turning hole.

Remove your pins and box the sides of your lining in exactly the same fashion as we boxed the outer bag.

Step 3: Preparing the handle:

Before we start sewing our handle pieces together, we are first going to trim them slightly so that they have a nice taper at the top...

Take a piece of your outer fabric and lay it with the short side at the top and the print direction going up.
Take your tailor's chalk, or "fancy" erasable marker, or *ahem* your normal pen like mine and make a small mark at the top, 1/2 inch in from each side...

Now  line your ruler vertically like my picture:

Trim off the excess fabric to the right of your ruler
Repeat for the other side.

Repeat for all the other pieces of your handle, again making sure that you trim all your pieces with the directional print facing the top.

Once we have trimmed all of our interfacing & handle fabric to size we can start to sew them together.

Place your handle pieces in this order, with the narrowest piece at the top...
Interfacing

Exterior fabric right side up
Exterior fabric right side down
Interfacing

Sew across the top and open out your pieces like so:

Place the lining pieces of your handle right sides together and also sew across the top.

Then open out your lining pieces, place right side down on your exterior pieces with all of the edges matching nicely and pin down the sides...

Make sure that you line up the seams exactly on top of each other. I would recommend putting a pin directly over the seams to keep them matched while you sew.

Sew down each side of the handle but leave the top & the bottom open

We can now turn our handle in the right way.
I put a safety pin in one end and push it down the middle between the two layers, gently pulling the fabric through on itself...
Here you can see it has just popped out the other side:

Once you have pulled it all through, finger press it all in place and give it a good iron flat.

Top stitch along each side of your handle about 1/8th of an inch from the edge:

Ok, we are now ready to assemble our bag:

Step 4: Putting it all together...

At this stage you need to decide how you'd like your handle to be. I put mine so that it went from front to back and I could therefore always see the pretty fabric. You could also choose to have it go from side to side.
If you decide to put yours from side to side then you can ignore the next step about finding the centre, and simply use the side seams as your markings...

If, like me, you would like your handle to go from front to back, then take your outer bag and fold the sides in half to find the middle mark. Finger press it to make a little mark. This is where we need to pin our handle.

Match up the middle of your handle with the middle of your bag and pin your handle so that the outer sides are together and the raw edge edges are matched.
The handle should essentially be upside down at this point...

Once you have both sides pinned we need to baste them onto our exterior.
Sew the handle to the exterior as close to the edge as possible.

Now we can add our lining:
Turn your lining so that it is now right side out
Place it inside your bag outer with the side seams matched, and pin around the top

Sew around the top of your bag.
Make sure that you have the arm of your sewing machine in the middle of the bag like my photo, so that you don't accidentally sew shut the entire bag:

Make sure you reverse to secure your stitches at the beginning & end of your stitching.

Yay we can now turn our bag!
Gently turn your bag through the opening that you left in the lining

Once you have it pulled out we need to pull the lining all the way out and iron neatly the seam at the bottom so the raw edges are all tucked inside

You can either hand ladder stitch this opening closed, or carefully sew 1/8th inch along the edge of the fabric by machine like me...

Obviously I only used white to provide contrast so you could see what I mean, not because I was too lazy to change to a more suitable colour ;) ha - of course!

You can now poke the lining back into your bag
Iron around the top edge of the bag so that the lining stays put and it all sits nicely.

Then you want to top stitch about 1/8th of an inch around the top of the bag:
(again taking care not to stitch it closed ;) )

Embellish as desired and there you have it, one beautiful Easter (or otherwise) fabric basket...

See what I mean about my handle being a bit floppy? Ooops....

Perfect for storing all your treasures in :)

As always I'd love to see your projects if you make one.

Enjoy

(PS don't forget to enter my pattern giveaway if you haven't already. You have until Friday 9th March at 8pm WAST)
Linking up with Creative Spaces.