Small surprises

My mum is off on holiday tomorrow, and here's a folder I just made for her to keep things like tickets, passport, insurance card etc. in. I made one for myself a while ago, and find it very handy to have everything in one place - it's easy to whip out of your bag to find just the right document while struggling with your luggage at the airport. While searching for the right fabrics I came across a half yard of bathing beauties fabric I've had for years. It was a gift from a friend, and it is sooo cute that I have been reluctant to cut into it. But I was in the right kind of mood, so I just got on with it and whipped up this little bag for mum while I was at it. Perfect for carrying your suntan lotion and whatever down to the pool, isn't it?

Here's a view of it inside out to show the binding that finishes it off and makes that nice square bottom so that it can stand upright. It turned out that I didn't have enough of that orange fabric (an old IKEA-print - funny how I remember where all the pieces of fabric in my stash come from - obsessive or what?), so I had to join it with another. I didn't explain that it wasn't careful measuring and trimming, just pure luck that the join ended up just at the right place so you get a dark bottom and bright sides inside.
Mum was quite chuffed with her surprise presents - I really will try to make the effort to make small surprises like that for people more often - it doesn't take that much time and gives so much pleasure!

I have also been busy cutting lots of squares from that autumnal series from the last post, but I'm beginning to realize that I mightn't have quite enough fabric for the quilt I have in mind, so I will have to come up with a clever solution there. I will get the pieces up on the design wall tomorrow, and then we will see...