Making Gifts: Fold Up Folio, Lola Pouch, Pixie Basket

I really enjoy making a little storage project, a bag, a purse, a basket, I love them all!  I had a few gift events coming up recently with birthdays and secret Santas for various sewing meet-ups, so these are my latest makes. I often sew little makes like these in between bigger clothing and quilt projects as a palette cleanser and some almost instant results.   First, there's the Fold-Up Sewing Folio from Aneela Hoey's latest book, Stitched Sewing Organizers (read my review of the book here). This project appears on the cover and is the item I wanted most to make when I first read the book, along with the Triple zip pouch.

It's a rewarding project; it's not particularly hard to make, you just need to be systematic and work your way through each step carefully. The part where I am most likely to muddle myself is the cutting so I find it helps to clip and label all the different parts, especially when many so pieces are rotary cut rectangles!

 It has a pleasing, plump finish and who doesn't like a little sewing organizer to store their portable supplies!  The sewing print is by Heidi Kenney and was a mini collection called Gran's Sewing Basket for Robert Kaufman fabrics of sewing themed prints that rather annoyingly never made it to UK stockist so I managed to source some abroad. Also used is Essex yarn dyed in black for the main lining and some unknown yellow 30s floral.

I also made a Lola Pouch and a Pixie Basket.  The Lola pouch is by Svetlana of SOTAK patterns.  This is the second pattern I've made by her and they are written with such clarity. This one is so easy with a crisp finish and includes details for two sizes, this is the smaller version.

If you like zip pouches, but dislike dealing with the zip ends, it's a dream! There's lots of space at one end for the zip to close, the zip is quite long so not as fiddly as little zips to sew and the end of the zip folds into the side of the pouch. The binding covers where the zip is attached and the combined effect gives the pouch extra structure at the top.  It's a quick and satisfying sew. 

The Pixie Basket is a free pattern by Heidi Staples of Fabric Mutt.  It's simple and effective and a useful little basket for sewing scissors, keys, sweets - any bits and pieces.  I used some fabrics from my stash and the lining is Purse Paraphenlia by Berene Campbell of Happy Sew Lucky for Spoonflower. 

Resource List

Lola Pouch: by Svetlana Sotak.  All Svetlana's patterns are 30% off until midnight 10th Nov, Central time. 

Pixie Basket: Pattern by Heidi Staples available for free. she also has lots of other free patterns available which are very cute and make great gifts. 

Stitched Sewing Organizers:  Available at Amazon, Book Depository Wordery and the usual bookshops. 

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