mini 'needles and pins'

Just back from Centreparks last night and thought you would be ready for a super-easy and practical gift to make. Well I think it would be a handy stocking filler, anyway. If you want to keep just a couple of sewing bits handy - in the kitchen drawer maybe - this is the thing. And for me, a chance to use some lovely Japanese prints because their small scale can be highlighted. Finally - that gorgeous bambi is centre stage!

This is my mini 'needles and pins'.

step 1

Choose your fabric and cut rectangles of 8cm X 14cms from your feature fabric, stiffening and lining fabric. Also cut 1 piece of felt 5cm X 7 1/2cm.

step 2

Centre your felt piece on top of your lining fabric and stiffening fabric. Pin and then sew a straight stitch down the middle. Do try and line it up properly as the item is so small, any wonkiness is noticable... (yep I did unpick a couple, and I even used a pale stripe for my lining!)

step 3

Place your feature fabric on top of the layers you've joined together, face down. Stitch all the way around the edge with a narrow seam. I find it neat and easy to do this and then go back and unpick a small space to turn it the right way. If you prefer, leave a small gap for turning.

step 4

Clip corners before you turn to keep them sharp.

step 5

Once your case is the right way around, use a chopstick or similar to poke out the corners into sharp edges, and close the space with tiny stitches. Give it a firm iron. Watch out for the content of your felt as it can melt - wool is best! Or iron face down.

step 6

Add 3 needles, a few pins and different sized safety pins as well. You could alway include some mini cotton reels with your gift.

I have these on my stall, although at there first outing last Thursday, they weren't a big hit! I will keep you posted if this changes...

I first saw some mini needlecases like this, termed 'housewifes' on the the beautiful tiny happy blog. Click onto the link on the left to have a look.

beautiful scrappy yo yo brooch

This is the first of twelve Christmas gift tutorials... plenty to keep you (and me) busy then!

I have a whole array of brooches for sale. They are perfect to use up spare fabric and give me a chance to mix up things a bit. I tend to do batches... some are quite manic fabric combos, some more sober. I think most ladies would love the treat of a new brooch to wear on their winter coat.

step 1

Assemble materials. I have used:

• -lovely scrap of japanese fabric
  -green felt already cut into the shape of leaf
• -vintage button
• -brooch back or safety pin (I found my brooch backs on ebay)
• -tape measure printed fabric strip or ribbon or braid

step 2

You need a small circle of felt for the back of the brooch and a large circle of your fabric for the yo yo. Use appropriate templates. I've used a small tea-cup plate (that doesn't sound right... oh, I mean a saucer!) plus a large cotton reel. And cut out your circles.

step 3
Start your yo yo. These are fun to make. Using your large fabric cirlcle, just fold over a narrow hem with your finger and sew a neat running stitch as you go. Use at least a double thread as it needs to have enough strength to be gathered up at the end.

Pull your thread carefully and firmly so it gathers and makes an even circle. Ideally, I would have ironed the yo yo flat at this stage, but it was all done at a Market. No irons available...

step 4

Sew a loop of ribbon or braid to the 'top' of the yo yo. I had a strip of fabric so used that. You can also see my felt leaf, chosen suede button and an extra circle of linen ready to be layered.

step 5

After layering the elements, sew through to the back a couple of times and flip everything over. You are going to attach the felt with a neat running stitch around the outside of the circle. Then attach the brooch back to the felt. (If using a safety pin, I'd recommend a little rectangle of felt to hold the pin onto the circle).

step 6

Admire the finished brooch. Check which scraps you have left to make more.

And try the same ideas with hair elastics... great stocking fillers!