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Thursday, March 27, 2025

Chookshed Challenges

 I'm a bit late posting about my Chookshed Challenge and missed the cut off for number 10 date for February.   This was to stitch up some pencil pouches for donation.  For this project I decided to recycle two Christmas placemats which we used in the caravan, no need for them now.  The placemats were lined so I cut two pouches from each, added red binding, and then they were done.  But...... I had a problem with stitching buttonholes.  Try as I might, I just couldn't get my head around how to achieve this, although it's not as if I've never stitched a buttonhole before.  Heather took them home and added some domes for me, thanks Heather.


Four Christmas pencil pouches

While they were away, I completed a few more.  One for a boy, using New Zealand silver fern fabric, and two selvedge ones, recycling selvedge place mats.  These three, complete with coloured pencils,  have been donated to Grandparents Raising Grandchildren, and I'll send the Christmas pouches along to this charity towards the end of the year.

Three more pencil pouches, already donated

With these finally completed, I could make a start on the challenge for March.  Which was number 2 on the list, a pink and grey cot quilt.  The quilt was made during the 2024 challenge, one of two cot quilt tops I made to use up some pink and grey piano strips, which were originally going to be for a quilt border, but never happened.   I  added it to the list this year to get it quilted.  The backing and the binding strip was already prepared and waiting, which was a bonus.  So I pinned the layers up and I was ready to quilt.


Everything is ready and waiting

This took me a while to get quilted, and at the end of the day, Gemma liked to come and cuddle up for a snooze.


Gemma takes over at the end of my quilting day

I'm pleased it was finished before the end of the month, and I love the way it turned out.  After stitching the top, there were still quite a few of the piano key strips left over, so I added a strip to the pink wincyette (flannel) backing.  


Another donation quilt completed

9 comments:

kiwikid said...

Beautiful quilt and the pencil cases are wonderful.

Maria said...

Such a great idea to use the placemats to turn into pencil cases…. You can also sew on some Velcro to close them!
Lovely donation quilt finished for this months Chookshed Challege.

loulee said...

Cute pencil cases and another lovely donation quilt. Gemma approved too.

Julierose said...

Nice pencil pouches you've put together. Gosh, I haven't made a buttonhole in "yonks"!! I haven't even tried my buttonholer on Helga...
Hugs for a great upcoming weekend Julierose

Karen - Quilts...etc. said...

I love your colorful pencil cases made with the salvage edges - at first I thought they were cases for eye glasses which I assume would be made pretty much the same.

Jackie said...

The pencil cases are great. They will be a lovely donation. Like you I have made buttonholes, but not in ages. I think I better practice. Love the donation quilt as well.

God bless.

Melisa- pinkernpunkinquilting said...

The pencil cases are darling and so useful . How clever to use placemats to make some. Your donation quilt is gorgeous and so romantic looking. Have a lovely day, Jenny.

Janice said...

Great finishes. The quilt did turn out nicely. I figure that as long as we get the challenges met within the year it is a win, so you are well on track.

dianne said...

the pink and grey quilt is SO pretty!!!

buttonholes have always been a struggle with Sven the Viking - he remembers how to stitch them, but i have to study his manual every time ... it figures that i would forget - i forget how to balance the checkbook if it waits for more than a month - sheesh