February UFO Projects Done & Dusted!

My UFO's this month were to make myself a laptop bag and also a cover for my sewing machine. They've been on my 'to do' list for some time so it was great to get them done.

The pattern I used for the laptop allowed for adjustment to suit the size of your laptop and it was mostly fine but I did find it a bit lacking in detail in some areas, particularly on installing the zip.  I also felt the size and method of putting the handles together left a bit to be desired. I don't like handles too short so I made them longer and narrower.

I also tweaked the pockets a little by making them wider than the bag and putting a small pleat in the bottom. I wanted to use them to carry the charger pack and mouse and I didn't think a flat pocket was going to fit in those lumpy items too well.  I had some issues with the zip (as its been forever since I put a zip into anything) and after a little bit of unpicking and tweaking it looked a lot better.

It fits my laptop beautifully so job done!

Next project - cover for my sewing machine. I had some fun with this and chose some of my absolute favourite fabrics - I mean after all this is for me and I'm going to see it every day! I used some gorgeous Amy Butler fabric, along with a smidgen of an aboriginal print that I love and only have the tiniest bit of left.

I had a ball with the quilting too. I'm a bit rusty on my quilting as I haven't done a real lot for months and I haven't quilted a feather for 12 months so I needed the practice. It was a good piece to practice on as I didn't feel any pressure to be perfect as its only for me. If I was making it for someone else I would have been worried about any blunders. I know I made a blunder in every single feathered section but I just kept going and lo and behold, when it was done and I stood back and looked at it on my design wall it looked fantastic! A lesson there about not wanting to unpick every oops and stuff up!

On the other side I tried a touch of graffiti quilting around the machine. It was a bit of fun and a way of refreshing my sewing memory with lots of different designs. I even managed to pop in a stylised S for Sue in there, although I wished I'd thought of it earlier and I would have had it more in the centre!

Its the first time I've tried doing graffiti quilting and it was a bit of fun!

Next I had to turn them into an actual cover. A bit more of my Amy Butler fabric for the sides and behold - a cover!

and the other side:

The bonus is that it also matches my travel iron bag/pressing mat, which of course was the plan all along!

All done and dusted and now onto my other February task which is to do more of my rainbow scrappy blocks.......in the not very exciting or rainbow colour of brown! I think they might end up on the back of a quilt rather than on the front.

I'm also eagerly awaiting the first block in The Splendid Sampler due out today sometime.

Thanks for visiting my blog today,