Friendship Project Complete

I am very glad to say that I finally worked out what to do with the friendship project- I turned it into a travel sewing case.

The outer is paper pieced using the first pattern that I designed myself. It came together easily and even though this was meant to be the trial block that I made up using scraps I ended up growing so attached to the colour combinations that I decided to keep going with it.

As I admitted the other day, once I had pieced the outer I ran out of inspirations... I added the border using offcuts of an old pair of linen trousers and then couldn't decide what to do with it! Many of my ideas involved folding the design in half, but I felt that that was not making the best of the pattern.

Then finally just as I was thinking that this would never get finished in time, I remembered about these cute travel sewing kits. I didn't follow the pattern, but improvised using the dimensions of what I had already produced and altering the design to suit my needs. Even though the finished article looks fairly similar to the one in the tutorial, the construction method is completely different!

Proudly modelled by the only crochet hook that I own!

The friend who this is going to is a keen crocheter, so I decided to give her space to carry her crochet hooks when she goes for her regular cafe crafting sessions on Wednesdays. There is nothing worse than everything falling out of this kind of case if it turns upside down in your bag, so I made a lid for that portion of the case.

I decided to add a wee bit of embroidered detail to the outer and I love the way that it turned out. I am hoping that the recipient will love it (such a great motto to live by!).

I was a bit stumped as to what kind of closure to use. I wanted it to be able to cope with the case being stuffed full or relatively empty, but I didn't want a tie going round the whole thing and spoiling the effect of the friendship bracelet design. In the end I went with a covered button and elastic closure. It should do the job I reckon, but it doesn't disturb the design tooo much.

What do you reckon? Should I throw together a mini pincushion to finish the gift off?

I hope that the recipient likes it, she is a very kind and generous blogger and I have been wanting to make something for her forever (I wonder if she'll guess its for her?!)

I'm linking up with the Friendship Quilts Blog Hop