Rainbows and Unicorns

 Time flies! Here we are at the end of the week and at the end of September, already. Wow.  Somehow, I lost track of time and the rhythm of blogging without meaning to. Let's jump back in and share my latest happy little project!

During a visit with family a few weeks back, one of my young nieces took notice of the handmade bags I had with me, with this one in particular catching her eye. She told me how much she liked all the colours I had used and that she would really like to have it, so I offered to make her a pencil case of her own using the same pattern as mine.


The pattern for this colourful case can be found in the book, Sew Gifts and is the design of Adrienne Smitke. 

 I decided to make her version in a rainbow of pretty fabrics and to play up the variance in the tips of the improv pieced pencils. Then I tweaked the original pattern by enlarging the strip of fabric above the pencils in order to give her extra room for storage and to allow me the opportunity for some embellishing!

Fussy cuts from a text fabric were the basis for making several "tags" to decorate the front, back and even a piece of plain twill tape (that I inserted into a side seam).




This niece likes a bit of "bling" so a sparkly charm added to the zipper pull should satisfy that desire!

 A dark text fabric seemed the perfect choice for the lining of the pencil case as it shouldn't show any stray pen marks so easily.

The back of the pencil case should also delight my niece as I was able to fussy cut a unicorn out of scraps left from sewing myself a fitted blouse this summer. Who can resist unicorns from the talented designer Heather Ross? Well, apparently neither I nor my niece can. The sweet little poppet tried mightily to convince me that my blouse would fit her (she's just 7) and that she should have it. Can't blame a girl for trying! 😃

 

 

Linking up my happy little finish with Amanda Jean and friends, at Crazy Mom Quilts, for Finish it up Friday!