Have you ever noticed how sometimes, the absolutely simplest solution is the very best one?
I am making some Sunbonnet Sue
needlebooks for
Christmas presents.
I based the pattern on
a vintage one(far left)
I found in
a second hand store
when we were on holidays.
I made a pattern based on her (center) and am now working on the series of presies.   I tried felting some handspun yarn to make the felt, but I wasn’t happy with the resulting felt so decided that I would go with purchased felt. (Simple solution #1).
Simple solution #2:
I wanted very fine, quite
plain lace for the lower edge of
her dress.
So, the simplest solution …read more

Have you started working on making your Christmas presents yet?
I have 
A few weeks ago,
I posted about
finding a delightful
Sunbonnet Sue
Needle book in
a thrift store
while we were on holidays.
That’s her on the far left
in the photo.
I posted the link for the pattern  for my version of an updated Sunbonnet Sue Needle book  (the one in the center) at:
sunbonnet-sue-needlebook
Why would you want to use a needle book instead of a pin cushion? Needles don’t have the head on them that pins do, so when they are
stuck into pincushions, then can work themselves right into the pin cushion and get lost forever.
(And …read more

A few weeks ago, I was enchanted by finding this adorable little vintage Sunbonnet Sue Needlebook in a second hand store:
Poor little thing… she’s very stained, and rather frayed around the edges.
Even so, she stole my heart, and I knew that I just had to see if I could rescue and re-create her.
If you are wondering what a needle book is, it’s a rather sweet bit of stitchery history.
Needlebooks are small ‘books’ with cloth pages that are alternatives to pin cushions.
Needles are stored in the inner pages of the needlebook.
Her front and back are way out of kilter with each …read more