Project 3 - Baby Changing Mat

Having enjoyed making the pin cushions, I needed to find the next little project.  I found this magazine in a local shop and picked it up as it had lots of fun ideas and straightforward looking patterns.

I chose to make the folding baby changing mat as a present for a friend who's baby is due at the start of November.  I got online and ordered the various bits and pieces that I needed.  I then had to wait for my mother-in-law's next visit to teach me how to fill the bobbins so I could sew in a different colour!

After my in-laws next visit I had a bobbin filled with green thread and was ready to start the project.

With the fabric measured, cut and pinned, it was time to start sewing.  I was a little nervous as I was working on something more complicated and I really wanted it to be a success.  I worked through sewing the 2 pieces of fabric together, turning it the right way out and then adding the wadding.  I was pleased with the way it was coming together, as was my baby girl who wanted to play with it was I was trying to take a photo!

Pin cushion from project 2 came in handy!

With the finishing touches done I was really pleased with what I'd made - I just hope my friend likes it when I give it to her.

Ta-dah!

Project 2 - Pin Cushion

Not sure what to make next, I took to the Internet to look for beginner's sewing patterns.  I liked the look of this pin cushion pattern and decided to give it a go.  I ordered felt fabric and fusible web and was ready to go.  The teddy bear fabric I used was a piece of material I'd had in a bag in the loft for a long time, so it made sense to use it and not spend more than I needed to on materials.

Fabrics cut ready

Working through the process, just stuffing needed

The finished product

I was so pleased with my finished pin cushion that I made one for my Mum and she sent me photographic proof that she'd used it!

Mum's pin cushion in use

Where I Began

After buying my daughter a travel cot to use as a playpen, I thought it would be nice to have some Winnie the Pooh sheets to cover the bottom of it as they'd match the design of the cot.  Having priced up buying fabric, I found a cheap duvet cover that would do the job and gave us enough fabric to make 2 sheets.  I asked my mother-in-law if she could bring her machine the next time she visited to make the sheets.  This was the trigger for me wanting to learn to sew.

My first project was working with my mother-in-law to make the sheets and then I made a pillowcase to get more practice in on the machine.  It went really well apart from me jamming the machine and having to get my father-in-law to fix it - oops!

She very kindly left me her machine to practice on as she was going to invest in a new one, so the next job was to plan project 2.