I don't normally make this shit

I am not one for making pincushions, mug rugs, placemats or really any small decorative items. I can admire them, but I know what they would end up as in my house - bits of crap clogging up the sewing room. Which is clogged enough, trust me. I did make some Christmas napkins in 2009, and there was the great craft-stall-fail bag fiesta. I still have all those bags in the wardrobe in the guest room. I'd like to think my houseguests have been quietly making off with them, but I'd be kidding myself. They are not desirable items.

But, on Saturday, I tidied the sewing table. It was an inch thick with dust, and small sewing items, and papers, and threads all tangled up, and pens that don't work. And just MASSES of needles. Sometimes in pincushions, and sometimes into random scraps of fabric, and sometimes just lying there. So I decided to make a needlebook!!! Like some 19th-century miss with too much time on her hands, although I had the massive advantage of being able to google "needle case pattern" and take it from there.

I never follow patterns, so I read over a few of the instructions, closed the computer and did it My Way. I couldn't be bothered doing anything very fancy, although I also couldn't be bothered changing to a walking foot, which in hindsight was a bit foolish as the quilting went quite puckered. I also decided this would be a good time to machine-stitch binding, for the first time ever. It doesn't look too bad, I might use it in a quilt one day. The worst corner is the one above, honestly. The others you can't see are much better.

Mission accomplished, I now have something bright and easy to find with all my needles altogether. I can now avoid all small sewn items for another year.