a little dab will do ya!

I think this will be my motto for 2015. 

I want to dabble.

I want to learn new things.... try new things .... accomplish new things.

It doesn't have to be perfection because it is all about learning and creating.

One of my goals is to create more.  No pattern ... just some inspiration, a pile of yarn or fabric or floss and an idea that has been ruminating in my mind.

Yesterday ... I put together this knitting needle case.

I took 4 coordinating fat quarters that I had found.  I didn't know what I was making but I did know a few things that I wanted.

It had to be long enough to hold long knitting needles.  Too often, the cases I have seen are too short.

It had to have pockets for tape measures, knitting gauges, stitch markers and maybe a pattern that I had printed off Knitty or Ravelry.

It needed to be substantial.  So I interfaced the exterior and interior pieces and use sew-in fleece to give it some padding.

It had to be made with items that I already had in my stash.  So I edged the pockets with the rest of some Ric-rack that  was used on an apron.  A vintage button holds the case together.

And it needed to use a couple of new-to-me skills.

First of all ... I used my new rotary cutter and mat to cut everything out.  I usually sew garments --- so I use scissors and dressmakers' shears .... not rotary cutters.

And I used my walking foot for the first time!!!

I know!!!  I've had it a YEAR and I hadn't played with it yet!!!

When I was joining the interior section of the needle case to the exterior fabric ...... there were 8 layers of fabric, interfacing and fleece.  And that did not include the 2 layers of fabric and 2 layers of interfacing from the handles and button tab. 

Getting 8 layers of fabric to move through my machine would have been an exercise in frustration.  And I would have needed a beer immediately after completing!!!

Or during.

Probably during.

Which would have made me even more frustrated when I had spilled it on my project.

But not to worry.  No beer was lost in the making of my needle case.  ;)

Cuz this walking foot is soooooo cool!!! 

(In Miss Eff speak, this is how it works!)  There are little shovels or hoes that gently pull the upper fabric through the pressure foot as the dogfeed are working on the bottom fabric.  There is no shifting .. no bunching ... no messes to rip out! 

Really!

I am soooo using this on other things.  Coat collars ..... waistbands ... I can think of lots of uses for this baby!!! 

The key is you must stitch slowly.  Which as I think about it,  might help in stitching those coat collars and waistbands.  ;)

Both the needle case and the tea towel are living in the Summer Kitchen, waiting for their forever home.

And I learned a couple of new things.

Old dog.  New tricks.

Life is good.