Making a Needlebook. A tutorial.

A needlebook for my mum. So I decided to document the process and make a little tutorial for anyone who might want to make something similar.

It's quick and simple, easy to personalise and I made the needlebook while watching episodes of The Crown.

The materials required are
1. Iron on paper fusing.
2. Felt for pages of the needlebook
3. Fabric for the cover of the needlebook. I used a printed fabric made by Julie B. Booth which I won as a giveaway while participating in Roy G Biv and a piece of cotton fabric from my stash.
4. Sequins to decorate the edges of the cover.
5. A length of ribbon
6. Sewing needles
7. Scissors

Cut out two pieces of felt measuring 8.50 inches x 6.00 inches.

The felt for the pockets measure 6 inches x 3 inches.
Curve the four corners or you could leave them straight.

Use embroidery thread and do blanket stitch around the two pieces of felt. Place the felt pieces at either end of one large piece of felt and join them so that a pocket is formed.

   

For the cover cut two pieces of fabric. I chose the heart print fabric for the outside and a solid colour for the inside. Both pieces of fabric measure 9.50 inches x 7.00 inches.

Cut  2 pieces of paper fusing which measure 9 inches x 6.50 inches.

Iron on the fusing. Decorate the outer cover with embroidery.  I outlined a few of the heart motifs with chain stitch.

My mum's favourite colour is pink. So I used pink wherever possible. :)

Then fold in the excess fabric and do a line of blanket stitch to finish the edges of the covers. I added sequins while finishing the edges of the outer cover with blanket stitch.

Put the outer and inner covers together with the fused sides facing each other and whip stitch the two together with embroidery thread.

Take the two felt pages and do a line of running stitch along the center of the two pages to hold them together. With a length of ribbon go through the felt pages and the cover. Secure with a knot on the outside.

Pockets for keeping thread, lace or a small packet of buttons. 

The finished needlebook.

If you do follow this pattern do share the finished needlebook. I'd live to see how you have decorated the pages or changed things to improve the pattern.

Have a great weekend.

Joyma embroiders a panel for the #25 million stitches project

My mum who's 82 was excited about participating in the #25 million stitches project.

She was my first embroidery teacher and always had something to embroider or sew. Her home has so many embroidered touches - embroidered guest towels, cocktail napkins, bedcovers to name a few.

She began work on her panel in Chennai at a time when she had to pack up her home and move to an assisted living facility in another state. She took her embroidered cushions along with her.

It was a difficult time. Being uprooted is not easy. Embroidering this panel helped to come to terms with the move.

In her new home she continued work on the panel along with her attendant - Omana who is fond of sewing and embroidery.

Embroidery has helped my mum and Omana bond together.

I'll be posting three panels to Sacramento next week.