TUSAL & How to make a Halloween or Memory Bag - and less than 24 hours to enter Centenary Competition!

Firstly - here's my TUSAL update - it's getting harder to keep those threads smooshed down past the neck. Lots of green thread there from my current aida WIP. I bought that pink picture of Bendigo Cathedral on our honeymoon 22 years ago - in Bendigo. Nothing special, but not thrown out yet!
As promised - here is the step-by-step pictures how to make a memory or in this case - a Halloween Bag.
Step 1 - Square off your stitched item, centering the design. Cut the same size in the appropriate patchwork fabric (as you can see - I didn't iron it - If you need to iron, then go ahead - it might make everything a bit easier to get square)

Step 2 - pin the two fabrics together - face together. My hint for sewing, is to put 2 pins together to show you where to stop. I can get carried away and forget to count the corners I turn...I know to stop at the 2 pins.

Step 3 - Trim, turn through and slip stitch closed.

Step 4 - count evenly from the corners - in this case I counted 6 diagonal stitches down and stitched an x, then stitched the button. I then counted another 6 stitches diagonally down and from behind, pulled the needle & thread through. I stitch a neat x and fasten the button through the entire thicknesses. I know this is out of focus slightly, but this is the moment just before I pull the needle and thread tight - which will fold the corner over neatly. Stitch each corner in the same manner - remembering to count the same number of stitches for each corner - in this case 6 then 6. A larger bag might be 6 then 12 - which makes a bigger corner fold.

Step 5 - Make a cord or use a pre-made ribbon and carefully thread it through under each corner and tie off at the end.

Step 6 - Turn it thourgh so that your stitched piece is on the inside - and you have a finished bag!

By the time I had finished this, dark clouds had come over, and of course I didn't think to turn the flash on the camera....but I think you might get the idea.


Don;t forget my centenary competition - so far there are only 8 entries - and I'm drawing it late Sunday evening - my time. - about another 20 hours!!! All for a mystery box which is growing....