Zakka Style

 A couple of weeks ago I blogged about a challenge from The Make Cafe in Christchurch. You purchased a 1/2 metre of linen and they added a couple of off cuts and sent them in a package. You were then meant to make an item "Zakka Style". (there are lots of craft books with the Zakka name and it looks like smaller items using bits and pieces you have around. A lot of the use the base of linen)

Now this coincided nicely with two baby showers booked on my calendar. Two of my quilting buddies and good friends, are having babies and I wanted to give something made by me. Both are set up for children as this is not their first so my idea was to make something for the Mum. I will pop a couple of little gifts inside.

In order to fit the Dresden Plate design I made these ended up being very large!!!

I link to these places
I always link with Crazy Mum Quilts for finish it up friday.
Also posting this with Lil Pip Designs on her Spring has sprung week. I feel new babies certainly give you that spring feeling. I feel the need for some photos of little lambs!!!

Four little dumplings

My four little dumplings

Their bottoms

I was looking at Svetlana's blog the other day and she had used scraps to make a zip pouch. Great am with it so far. But the pattern is different to the normal ones, a lovely rounded top and they open completely. So I decided to give it a bash.

On Saturday my very lovely MIL is having her birthday and we needed a container to put her present in- I keow that this would just be the ticket. I used the scraps from the quilt my MIL made last year.

But of course, as I read people saying "just whipped this up", I think why do one when you can do more. Also I wanted to do a tester before I did the main ones.

The other stitchery waiting to be made into a purse is for my lovely friend Marie. Marie and her husband were there for me over three years when I worked on the isolated Milford Track. When ever I got out (once every 6 weeks) I could just turn up on their doorstep and they would give me a bed and fantastic company. They were amazing. But I am feeling bad as this was meant to be her birthday present last October. So it had to be good!!

So here we are - not one, or two but four little dumplings. No I did NOT "just whip them up". Together they took about 2.5 hours over two nights. But if I had not patched and quilted them then they would have been fast.

Svetlana refered me to the pattern - I followed this as a basic rule of thumb. I did not baste, I did not do the outer and lining seperately (I am always a bit of a slap dash kinda person), but I did use her pattern and her tips on getting things right were just spot on. So go have a look at her blog and pattern here.

The quilt for charity

My other tip - if using older style recycled zips as I have - watch sewing across them. They are metal and break needles!!! (three to be precise).

I also started work on another quilt for the orphanage that I support. These blocks were found at the local Op Shop for $5 - but in all my stash I cannot find material that looks OK with this to continue on. Will have to keep my eye open.

Linking up to these places and especially Amanda Jean's Finish it up Friday