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Stitcher's Wallet Tutorial

Sajou Be Glad (freebie)
Stitched on 32ct Raw Linen Belfast with DMC 498
Finished into a Stitcher's Wallet

I completed the Sajou Be Glad in October and had wanted to finish it as a stitcher's wallet. In my blog travels I hear they'll be a Stitcher's Wallet SAL at Tempus Fugit starting 2 days from now. So I decided to finish mine up today and perhaps my tutorial will give stitchers out there an idea on how to go about it. No doubt, there are many ways to finish a stitcher's wallet, mine is just one of the interpretations :)

Here's what you need:

1. A 4 panel stitched piece
2. Smallish stitched pieces for scissors sheath and pincushion
3. Backing fabric
4. Felt for pins and needles
5. A little polyfill
6. Short strip of lace
7. Small piece of interface
8. Leather strip for closure
9. Matching sewing threads
10. Hard interface or skirtex (optional)
11. Thread rings

1. Cut the backing fabric into 4 pieces with addition 1" allowance on each side of an individual panel.
2. Then cut two smaller pieces for the pockets

Left most panel

1. Sew a strip of lace onto the top of the pocket
2. Stitch the thread rings onto the left most panel (Note: I should have only used 2 rings instead of three as the width was only 3")

Reverse of left most panel

1. Use some scrap fabric for the backing of the holding stitches of the thread rings, so that it is more sturdy.

Right most panel

1. Sew a strip of lace onto the top the pocket

Iron a small piece of interface behind the small stitched piece for the scissors sheath so that the point of the scissors will not catch on the threads.

Centre right panel

1. Stitch the scissors sheath piece onto the backing fabric using blind stitch. Reinforce the stitches on the top side of the sheath.
2. Stitch a length of ribbon onto the backing, again a fix a piece of scrap fabric at the back for sturdiness.

Centre left panel

1. Stitch the small pin cushion piece onto the backing fabric using blind stitch. Leave an opening to add in some polyfill. Do not let it bulge too much, a flat pin cushion is more desirable in a stitcher's wallet.
2. Sew a strip of wool felt beneath the pin cushion

You now have all the 4 panels ready.

Carefully sew the parts together as precise as you can, trim the seams to 1/4" and iron them open.

Mitre the stitched piece in all 4 corners and stitch to fasten. The stitching need not be neat :p since you'll be covering them up with the backing fabric. If you're using the hard interface or skirtex, now is the time to cut a piece according to the stitched piece and insert it under the folds.

Trim the backing panels accordingly to the folded 4 panels stitched piece and stitch the edges of the backing fabric along the edges of the stitched piece.



Fold the panels and tie it up with a strip of leather.

If you have any questions, please leave a comment. I'll answer all your questions in my following post.

Dear Stitching Friends,

I want all you good people to know that I am still actively stitching and lately even quilting ;) I will upload pictures of what I've been up to in my albums listed on the right panel.

I have today been allowed to join Jennifer's Bride's Tree SAL and Christmas Ornament SAL. So that is testament that my needles are still flying :) or pure craziness on my part! :D

I do come by your blogs and I DO like the stitching I see. You all continue to inspire me.

This blog will always be here as a reference to the couple of tutorials I've written and another that I will write for Focus on Finishing once things are more confirmed.

Take care everyone.

Dolls, & Hair bands

Jean the proprietress of Needle Little Love emailed me to say that she received the 3 little gifts I made for the 3 ladies of her home. A snoogem for Zoe, a hair band each for Alison and Jean. I initially wanted to sew up a hair band for wee Zoe but I am not too sure what measurements I should go with. So I figured better be safe than sorry :) I made her a doll!

The snoogem was really fun to make and can be found at Mel's blog, a born crafter without a doubt. The front of the snoogem is stitched with stem stitch on calico and the backing is red gingham. I suppose you could substitute the flower with a button but I dare not risk it since Zoe is a toddler. Mel's tutorial can be found here.

As for the hair band tutorial, you can find it here. I've added a strip of blue rick-rack on Alison's hair band, just to jazz it up a little!

I'm been busy lately and have not been stitching at all, in fact I'm trying to wind down on blogging and commenting on blogs. You good people out there will notice that you've not heard from me lately but don't you fret none. Please know I do read your blogs not immediately but eventually. Just my way of keeping tabs ;)

You'll hear less of me. I'll pop in here once in a while...maybe :) Nothing to worry about, I'm fine and want you all to know that. Just that lately I am not jiving in the blogging department and it's zapping me up. I'll take some time off and see what that does ;) Till then take care everyone.

Gift exchange

I made a pouch for NNC's 1st Anniversary Meet's Lucky Draw. My gift was drawn by Rose.




And a little something that I made for Jackie.

NNC's 1st Anniversary Meet

We had a blast!! There was so much merriment, loud chatter and did we eat? ;) I had a great time and following are the lovely, lovely gifts I received from my fellow crafter friends :D I shan't keep you in suspense.

This is a posting award given by Nik for the 1000th and 15,000th posting. It's a couple of lovely pincushions.

Lovely crocheted bookmarks from Usha and I, got an extra crocheted heart ;) She also made some X'mas gift tags for me. Ah... arent they grand?

The talented June made a wrist pincushion for all of us! Just so so cute.

Tatting maestro Faizon, made for each and everyone of us a tatted ring ornament. Exquisite in every way.

Dear Margaret, helped by her sis Jackie did a fabulous job by stitching a fob with our initials. They're so awesome and so perfectly finished!!

This is my gift exchange from Lillie. We had a lucky draw and I was fortunate to have drawn Lillie's gift. It's so delicate and pretty in pink. A pinkeep ornament. Truly a piece of art.


Thank you everyone for all the lovely gifts and the wonderful company. I had a great time.

Slow stitching

It's been slow going here. Work calls and more in the upcoming weeks.

Here's this week stitching on Long Dog's The Token. Hardly touched it for the better part of the week actually.

A little no-sew project from Quilts & More (Spring Issue 2007).

and my sis's Christmas stitching.

Have a good weekend everyone! Happy stitching!

A week's crafting

As you may have noticed, I have am updating my blog on a weekly basis. Since I am adopting a weekly rotation, I might as well blog when the week is up :)

This week saw me stitching To Laugh Often. It's a really an easy going design and I am getting a hang of stitching 1/1 on 25ct Lugana. Love the powerful words, must get it completed and framed by December 22nd.


A little on the tatting front. I completed the 4th round of an oval doily, another 5 more to go ;)


Lastly a little finishing for my sis's stitching. She' stitched a design from Joan Elliot's Sentiments & Sayings for her friend's twin sons Lincoln & Malcus. I finished it into a wall ornament. And I bought two rompers and pasted a teddy on each :) They look soooo cute.


I've been awarded the 'You make me smile award' by Squazi. Thank you my new blogging friend. It is most appreciated. Most blogs I visit make me smile and they've been awarded already :p by someone somewhere on our big blue marble :D

Comment Notes: Thank you all for continuing to visit me, dear all. The comments you leave are so inspiring and some are even funny! I love them all.

Some finishes...small ones :)

I completed my first PS Block for my quilt. It had quite a lot of stitching involved. I've added two more birds on the right side of the garden as I plan to do away with the personalisation parts for all the blocks. Margaret W and me are planning to design an 11th block specially for that. Yasmin is joining Margaret and me for the SAL.

The ornaments of our house...
Designed by Prairie Schooler from the book Friends
Stitched on Antique White Belfast with DMC threads

Next up is another finish...yeah we're on a roll here! :) This is my final installment for the Be Glad Sajou, a SAL with Jess. Jess has one more part to go that it is the lace fringe beneath the blocks. Mine will be finished as a stitcher's wallet and I have some ideas juggling around. Also there's going to be a wee bit more of stitching for the wee pincushion and a scissor sheath that I have planned for the wallet. Stay tuned dear friends ;)

Be Glad Sajou (freebie)
Stitched on Raw Linen Belfast with DMC 498 (sure doesn't look like it in the pic :p)

And here's a load of my sis X'mas stitching finish. She's on the run!! Their mainly from Cross Stitch Crazy Mag, some years back. The white ones are stitched on 16ct Aida and the green one on 18ct Davosa. I think she's getting used to these higher counts. We're like a little factory, she stitches and I finish them. I need to get into the finishing groove somehow ... before Christmas!




Have a nice weekend everyone!

Comment Notes: Hey Lizzy, you finished with 'My Needle and My Floss' yet?? I see Harmien coming with a cane!! :D The Sisterhood of the Travelling Pattern must prevail! (written with gusto) :)

Prairie Schooler - Block 1 (to date)

I'm still struggling with the Prairie Schooler Friends 'The ornaments of our house...'. I'll work on this till I finish, before starting my last installment of the Be Glad Sajou.


Next up is the just completed NNC Card Challenge organised by Ying. Ying has so kindly provided all the materials required for the card and we're allowed to add a maximum of 3 items to the making of the card. I am not creative in this department as you will notice ;) My victim...ooops I mean partner was Lene.


I finished an earlier design that I stitched into a little Christmas ornament (never too early!). I included in my package to Lene, I am glad she liked it. The design is from Tantes Zolder (freebie).

Design from Tantes Zolder (freebie)
Stitched on 28ct Lugana with DMC 75

Lastly my sis stitching is back from the framers. I think it looks real swell.


Comment Notes: Thank you all for dropping by and leaving such nice comments. Jeanne: You're right, we must try to keep these old needlecrafts alive. Samplerlover: you can always pickup tatting online these days, there are videos even. My friend Faizon is a wonderful tatter who is always pushing the limits with new designs and techniques. She's got a great blog full of tutorials, you might want to have a look. I know as I've learnt much from her. Squazi: I've used the not so conventional way of needlebook finish found at Casamia (not a tutorial but a picture of it). But there are many other methods of finishing of a needlebook that you can find at Focus on Finishing, complete with step by step instructions! So it should not be too difficult, if you do encounter problems just shout in your blog and help will be on it's way ;)

Thank YOU Becky

Becky commented on my blog that she would really like to stitch the Stitching Prairie Fairie that I stitched about a month ago. So I did the next best thing ;) I got another copy from Jean's Needle Little Love during here recent SALE!

I tatted a little cross bookmark for Becky in Size 20 and added a tassle. As I have said before the results of tatting in Size 20 can be a little undelicate, but I did not want to tat in 40 as then the cross will be too tiny.

Tatted Cross Bookmark
Designed by Roger (freebie)
Tatted with DMC Size 20

Becky emailed me a wonderful thank you note and am glad to hear that her eyes are mending well but she is taking it easy. She is a wise one :) Her blog and all her creations made from the heart and through her hands have been an inspiration to me. I now strive to stitch a little more neatly :p, to finish a little more cleverly ;) and to love it all a little more dearly :)

Thank you Becky.

To Laugh Often - to date

I've decided to work on WIPs on a weekly instead of daily rotation. I feel that I can see a significant progress towards the end of the week and that is always very motivating :)

The past week I've been working on To Laugh Often and it is coming along nicely.

I did stitch a little freebie and finished it into a needle book during the week. I've added some red felt pages within for the needles. This is for my sis.

Needlebook
Designed by Yuko - CasaMia (freebie)
Stitched on Cashel with DMC threads.

Comment Notes: Thank you my friends, old and new, for taking the time to come by and comment. Thank you for your kind words. You continue to be my inspiration!

Small Dents

Still stitching and making small progress on the WIPs :s

Prairie Schooler Friends, Block 1 - 'The ornaments of our house...' is slow going as you can see. Margaret W and me have been discussing that we should try to aim for one block a month, but it's rather difficult when we have so many 'commitments' ;) No worries, we're playing by ear since this is our first SAL block.

I finish-finished Tanya's 'Tea with Jane' into a tea cosy. I omitted the tatting strip ... honestly? ... I got lazy :p

Then another hair band from Joan's tutorial. Thanks a bunch Joan! This time, this is mine :)

I stitched 1 more square on My Sweet Rose, getting the hang of it, little by little.

Okay that has been my week folks. Take care all and a fab week ahead.

Little finishes

You're right Margaret, after completing the Long Dog's 18th Century Sampler I felt quite aimless ;) Withdrawal symptoms you say? :D

I sewed a hair band for my sis over the weekend. She chose the fabric and it's now finished. I attached a piece of rick rack to add interest to the band. It's really really easy to do. This is where you can get the wonderful tutorial.


I finished a smallish piece this weekend. It's such a simple stitch and I intend to finish it into a tea cosy. I might add 2 strips of tatted lace, just to jazz it up a bit :) You can get this freebie at Tanya's site The Sampler Girl. Tanya's having a contest too on this pattern :)


I've started on My Sweet Rose by John William Waterhouse. Upon much consultation with Hazel, I've decided to stitch her on 16ct aida. Thanks so much Hazel. This will be a looong project. I did a rough estimation, if I stitched one box a week (100 stitches), I'll finish the piece in 9 years!! LOL!! This is the first 100 stitches :p


Plans for this week will include stitching the PS block, completing the block if I can. I think I'll change TLO to the Wed/Thu rotation and the SGB will have to put on the back burner till I complete TLO. Then there's the NNC Card Swap organised by Ying. So that's on the plate this week too. Have a great week ahead everyone!

Comment Notes: Thank you all for coming by and commenting. I really really do appreciate you taking the time to do so. And Shari if you're reading this, you can browse through the many many finishing techniques found at Focus on Finishing. There's bound to be one on drawstring bags!