Read All About It!

This is the first of my two latest  hexagonal sewing boxes to be finished.  I really like this linen fabric with the vintage newsprint design and I’ve  teamed it with some more muted  linens so it has a very luxurious feel to it.  I like to cater for all tastes and this one is very different from the recent Kawaii style one I made and the next one will be a more floral design but still lovely linen.  I hope you like it.

 

            more lovely linen inside –

I’ve Put All the Pieces Together

Tadaaaa….here’s my latest Hexagonal Etui Box, shown in an earlier post in pieces – I don’t mess around you know!  It might make a good first sewing box for a young crafter because of the ‘cute’ kawaii red riding hood theme.

 

I love the way Anna’s illustrated tape goes so well in the interior

Tialys Etui Box Instructions – Available Now.

For some time I have had people ask  me if I could do instructions for my étui boxes.  I ummed and aahed and finally decided to do something about it.  The hexagonal boxes I make were taken from a pattern I bought so that was out of the question but my small étui boxes are my own design so I have decided to offer the instructions as a pdf file in my Etsy and Artfire shops.

Firstly, I had to make a box from scratch and, at each stage, take a photograph and note down the steps taken. 

Then I had to work out how to convert the document into a pdf file of a manageable size.

Then, I needed guinea pigs as, when you have been making something for ages, you forget that what seems obvious to you will not seem so obvious to somebody who is making their first étui box.  I asked a friend to test out my instructions and make her own box and then give me her feedback , criticisms and comments.  I remembered somebody who had contacted me on Etsy to ask if I intended doing instructions and tracked her down to offer her a  free pdf  file in exchange for  trying out the tutorial.  This poor woman then received a file so enormous that it must have taken hours to download!!  I have now learnt how to shrink them!

I would say you need a certain amount of skill and competence with a needle to complete one of my étui boxes to a high standard but if you like designing, cutting, sticking and sewing, I think you will find it a fun project. 

 

These make great  little sewing boxes, treasure boxes, memory keepers, trinket holders and also beautiful (if extravagant) gift boxes.  I gave a friend of mine one which held a little pair of  hand-knitted baby shoes and she was delighted.

 

It’s great fun to think up different themes for your boxes and an unusual way to display favourite fabrics.  The top picture was made using some 5″ squares from a charm pack along with a 10″ square of the same fabric for the lid.  Otherwise, a couple of fat quarters are all you need plus a strip of coordinating fabric for the little gussets.  You may find you become addicted – like me!

 

I do ask that, if you use my instructions, you only make the boxes for personal use or in very small quantities for a craft fair for example and, of course, respect the fact that I have worked very hard on creating the tutorial and not reproduce it in any way.

New Hexagonal Etui Box – Vintage Sewing Notions

Tadaa!  The finished article. 

Hexagonal Etui Box

I’m really pleased with the way this one has turned out.  I love the linen fabric, both inside and out, and the vintage images on the outside.  I think the linen polka dot fabric goes really well too and I decided to stamp the plain linen on the inner base and lid with this gorgeous whimsical mannequin image from Stampington & Co.

Inside the Box

I think I’ll make something  quick and easy next, just for a rest.

Etui Box – Japanese Style

Inspired by these gorgeous Japanese themed fabrics, which I found here in France, and my friend Maggie who is a Japanophile (must look up the right word for that!) I decided to make one of my Little Housekeeper étui boxes with a Japanese theme.  I wanted to make a pagoda but couldn’t even begin to imagine how I would make a pagoda-shaped roof to fit one of my boxes without engaging in extremely complicated and time consuming calculations and engineering which would mean spending even more time than I already spend making one of these little houses.   So, I faffed about with the fabric on the roof and used it on the bias, trying to suggest a sort of overlapping and overhanging effect. 

 

The Little Housekeepers

Well, hello Blog and Happy New Year! I feel as if I’ve been away for ages but I guess it’s only a couple of weeks ago I last posted anything. 

Little Housekeepers - houses to keep things in!

Anyway, I’ve had my parents over from the U.K. for Christmas so my visits to the computer have had to be curtailed as blogging is not the most sociable of activities – at least, it is, but not when people are actually visiting you.  They were actually supposed to be here for Christmas Day, coming over on 22nd December but the snow in the South of England brought the country to its knees and their flight was cancelled.  The first flight available then was on Boxing Day so, not too bad, and then they changed their return flight (otherwise they would have met themselves going back!) and were here to see in the New Year. 

However, I did manage to escape to my ‘lady shed’ a few times to try out a new project.  I let my mother in as she had bought some crochet work with her and, after moving yards of  Christmassy fabric out of the way, discovered I have a sofa in there and she could sit down and do that while I got on with some sticking and cutting and sewing.

I have had quite a few requests for instructions to make my étui boxes and this is something that I am going to give some thought to.  The design for the hexagonal box is not mine so I can’t do that but I designed the small one myself and may well get round to writing out full instructions, with photos, etc., in the next couple of weeks.  I may do it as a pdf file or I may do a little kit with the card already cut – can’t make up my mind.  Once I’ve written it, I’ll have to find a willing friend to make a box, following the instructions, so that they can report back to me on the clarity of my directions.

Once I sell the instructions or kits, I will expand upon my original idea and make some slightly different étui boxes.  These will be in the shape of little houses, each one different.  I think I’m going to call them Little Housekeepers as that sort of gets over the idea that, not only are they an ornamental item in the shape of a house but you can keep things in them too!    I made one for a friend for her Christmas present – she was my guinea pig (thanks Anna!) – and she seemed to like it so off I go.

Here is my first one (or second one if you count Anna’s) and it is all black and white and has musical notes – can’t think of a name yet but it will be something musical – could be ‘The Piano House’ or ‘The Musical House’ or something along those lines, haven’t decided yet but it will come to me in a flash as most things do.  Hope you like it.

A Little Housekeeper in Black and White

 

....and inside

 Just finished ‘The Love Shack’.  I designed a new gable ended roof for this one (well, o.k. my husband did all the calculations but that’s surely the easy part). 

The Love Shack

 

 

The House of Romance

 

Fairytale Cottage