The Elegant Sewing Kit (How To Keep Your Sewing Stuff in Style)

Upon laying eyes on this beautiful little box from Lee's Needle Arts, I knew it would make an elegant sewing kit. Since I love to do handwork, I'm always searching for the best box for the job. You know, something neat to keep my threads, needles-n-pins, little scissors and bits-and-pieces in. And as a frequent traveler, a well-stocked sewing box and a patchwork project in-process makes my time in-flight productive. Rather than  leafing through a ratty magazine while listening to my seat-mate snore, I can get a lot of stitching done.

The box itself measures about 2.5" deep, 4.5" wide, and 9" long. A zipper around three sides ensures all your precious stuff stays put. The "window" of the box has a paper insert in place to cover its adhesive surface until you're ready to apply your needlework. I took out the paper cover and used it as a template. 

Being very conventional, I could only think of square quilt blocks and ended up drawing a pattern for a 2.25 inch Pineapple block.  I traced the Pineapple twice onto thin white fabric, cut strips .75" wide and then sewed the little jewels by hand (used a #5 Between needle) because frankly, the starting and stopping of machine sewing just wasn't worth it. After two Pineapple blocks were joined, I framed all four sides of the rectangle with red fabric and finished the work with parallel lines of Big Stitch (a #24 Chenille needle used) on either end. Then carefully, locating the exact center of the adhesive window and the exact center of the Pineapple piece, I laid the patchwork into the window and carefully tucked in the extra fabric on all sides. Beautiful.

But I couldn't leave well enough alone! I fashioned a book-like inside that could unfold to be lifted out. And then a little star-shaped pin cushion...

When I made the tiny drawstring thimble pouch (photo at the beginning of the blog) I knew it was time to stop.