Sew Cute Tuesday - Handmade Swaps

I've been remarkably busy this past week, and amongst the busy-ness, I've managed to get quite a few sewing projects finished!  I am in a number of handmade swaps and keep trying to come up with new projects I haven't made before so that not only am I learning something new, but my swap partner/gift recipient is receiving something original!

Last Friday's finish is this gorgeous little cushion.....

It WAS going to be a pin cushion, but even though I reduced the size of the pattern by 50%, 7" was still a bit big for a pin cushion!  So it became a gorgeous little mini cushion.  I used the Repository pattern from Good Golly Ginger.  I've had it downloaded for some time, and printed out regular size, but thought it would be cute in miniature - and I was right!  Lots of bright scraps used for the rainbow theme, and mixed with some Peppered Cotton

I used one of my beloved Black and White text prints for the backing with an exposed zip - my favourite kind of zip finish at present!

For my second trick, I made a trip to Spotlight this morning for some Insulbrite.  Insul-what?  The crinkly stuff you put in projects to make them heat proof.  You see, when I read Make Modern Magazine last week, I was very excited to see that Gina from Party of Eight had done a tutorial for her fabulous pot holder and tea towel sets!  (yes, I am easily excited some may say!)

I was lucky enough to receive one of these sets from Gina for my birthday in April, and was keen to make a set myself.  So I did....

And I am pretty damn pleased with myself!  I pulled out a bunch of Anna Maria Horner prints and some dark linen, then went to town!  You can find all the details of how to make this set, and the printable paper piecing pattern in this month's issue of Make Modern.

Now Gina is fabulous at hand sewing.  Me?  Not so much.  I prefer to use my machine for everything I can possibly get away with.  Which meant I used my FMQ to embroider "friendship" on the tea towel.  I used a 40wt Aurifil thread in the most divine shade of red.  You can't see in this photo, but there was a bit of pulling/tension in the fabric after I'd finished, so I think next time (yeh, guess what everyone's getting for Christmas??) I'll use some tear-away/stabilizer on the back.

I cut out some little hexagon templates and cut one in each size, with a little bit of fussy cutting happening!  Vlisoflex and Blanket stitching on the machine holds in all in place.

I love how the pot holder has turned out!  It was a little bulky to quilt, but definitely do-able!

And that, my friends, is a Sew Cute Tuesday wrap!  That's two handmade swaps out of the way, only five gazillion to go!

I'm linking up - You can too!