Hop,hop...ahhh Stop and stay a while and have a coffee...

Hi All and welcome to my little blog. 

My name is Erin and I am an Australian living in Ireland with my husband.

Although I have aways known how to sew, it has only been in the past two years that I have returned to the sewing machine and oh, have I got hooked.

Quilting would be my newest fad but I do like making clothes and other little bits and pieces.

I was encouraged by my sister to start up a blog about a year ago and I haven't looked back since. 
I have met through blog land some fabulous and very talented people and hope to meet many more here each week.

I'm currently finishing my Swoon quilt and Kitchen Window quilt but have my Retro Flowers to start this week.  (See I am a topper Lou!) But really I have so many other projects that I would love to start but I still have to work five days a week too.
(look away now if you have already seen these photos)

When I can remember I link up with Lily's Quilts at the start of each month for Fresh Sewing Day.  This co insides with her Small Blog Meet.  Lynne is fantastic at hosting this.  It really helped me get my blog out there and meet others too that were also starting out.

Beth suggested some questions to answer for you all to get to know how I tick.

- Favorite quilting tip(s) Ah don't have any yet...maybe just take your time and don't get flustered.

- Favorite blogging tip(s)  I'm looking for any of these.

- Favorite fabric Do you have a whole day.  Amy Butler, Aneela Hoey, Anything Japanese or linen.

- Favorite craft book..I'm a sucker for books and you wouldn't believe the amount of books I have. My latest buy is this one...

- Favorite book (or book you are currently reading)  The Time Travellers Wife...( started it again the other week for the third time...I haven't read a book in a year I think.)

- Favorite children's book  Anything by Bill Peet. 

- Favorite quilting tool.  Can it be my un-picker...it does come in handy.

- Favorite music to listen to while quilting. anything on my i Pod.  Put the soundtrack  .....a lot.

- Favorite TV show while hand stitching.  I don't hand stitch.  But I am up to series 5 of Soprano's!

- Binding - by hand or by machine?  Oh Machine ONLY!

Now PLEASE don't get too excited.....I'm not great at tutorials...actually I have never tried to do one.  So this may be a little story rather than a tutorial about how I made my Cup Huggers!

This is what I am attempting to make a tutorial for.

It all started one day a long long time ago when I went to a cafe and got a takeaway coffee.  It's really hit and miss at cafes in Ireland.  If I go to Costa, I defiantly need a second cup as it seems to be steaming hot while when I go to Butlers, I know what kind of coffee I am going to get but it doesn't stay too hot for too long.

Why can't I just make a Cup Hugger for my coffee and then it will not only help but I will be the coolest person walking through Grafton St in Dublin.

Market Research!

On Saturday I went out and did a bit of market research in Naas Co Kildare. 
Really there is only two places where I can get coffee Leonidas and Costa coffee.  It was hard work finishing off a Mocha and a hot chocolate but, alas someone had to do it!

(the second Costa coffee cup was because my hot chocolate was boiling)

 Sometimes you get a little cardboard carrier to keep your fingers cool but no one had them....ah my plan would have been so much easier but no.....I had to make up a pattern myself for my Cup Hugger. After a bit of measuring and a lot messing I came up with a pattern piece. 

My fabric that I chose was Ruby Star Rising by Melody Miller for the first round with Sage Kona for the lining

My second try was some fabric from Jane Foster (she prints her own designs) with Amy Butler Belle 

 for the lining.

I cut out from my pattern:

1 piece for front

1 piece for lining. 

(When cutting this if you are using fabric that has a design on it, you will have to turn the fabric over so the design on the fabric is looking away from you.)

1 piece of wadding/batting.

( you might see a tongue on the pattern, I folded this over when cutting the batting as I didn't want too much bulk around the Velcro.)

I used a strip of 2" length of Velcro as well.

I used my spray (I find it great for these little projects) to sandwich the front fabric and batting together. I sewed around some of the designs on the fabric.  I did this for my first Cup Hugger but didn't bother for my second try.

The Velcro was then pinned on the tongue on the front piece.
The second Velcro was pinned at the opposite end of the lining.

It was then sandwiched all together. 

Lining,  (Velcro facing the design of the front piece) front then batting.

I then sewed around the edge of the Cup Hugger (1/4" seam )  leaving the side of the tongue open.

I then cut the batting down.  It just meant less bulk when I was turning it inside out.

 I also cut the two two corners and sniped curves. 

I turned out and push corners out and pressed well and sewed around all edges again.

If your Cup Hugger looks like an elephant, then my tutorial/story was a waste of time.....although I would love to see your elephants on the Let's get Acquainted flickr group, they would be most entertaining.

No elephants in this photo?

 I know technically no company wants their name covered but hey they aren't really pretty cups to start with. I think they have been dressed up quite well.

Many thanks for popping over.  (I hope you are still with me.)  And I hope that you have liked my little crafty but very handy project.
Feel free to stay a little while longer and look through a few other projects that I have finished.

Don't forget to check out Kelsey from Kelsey Sews  She is having a tutorial today as well  

(a lot better than mine)

Thursdays blog hoppers are:

Nik from Bold Goods

Alyssa from Pile O Fabric

They are the next on the list and I am looking forward to dropping over and seeing what they are making!

Beth.  Thanks so much for organising this too....I don't think I could do it.  And I hope I haven't disappointed.

Erin.