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Small Finishes – Mouse Pad and Zip Pouch

Just a couple of small finishes to share this week as I’ve mostly been working on the pattern for Lexie the Hexie Turtle.

Getting the turtle eyes right has proven to be a challenge. Our middle daughter declared one version of the eyes as really creepy so it was back to the drawing board so to speak to come up with an uncreepy version. One thing I discovered along the way was that different eyes give the turtle a completely different personality, so I’m going to include at least two options for eyes in the pattern (though not of course, the creepy version.)

Anyway, onto those small finishes I mentioned…

Dave has his laptop set up on the glass topped coffee table in the living room and for a mouse pad he’d been using a knitted cotton dishcloth with a piece of paper on top of it. So one day, while he was out for a walk down to the beach, I decided to surprize him with a new mouse pad.

I took four pieces of the Aloha shirt fabric that Stephanie had sent me, pieced them so that they were big enough and then I sandwiched them right-sides together with a scrap of batting, sewed all four sides, leaving an opening for turning. Then I turned it right-side out, sewed the opening closed, pressed it well and to finish it, I sewed 4 lines of quilting using the presser foot as a guide. I was slipping it under his wireless mouse as Dave came walking up the stairs.

It was fun to surprize him with something I’d made in the time he was out exploring the beach and taking photos.

This is the top:

Front of Hawaiian Aloha Fabric mouse pad
Pictured is King Kamehameha I, the warrior king who conquered and united the Hawaiian Islands and went on to establish the Kingdom of Hawaii in 1810.

The back is made with a different print of the Aloha shirt fabric so the mouse pad is reversible.

Back of the Hawaiian Aloha fabric mouse pad

My second finish is also laptop related. When we travel, in addition to all the laptop cords, I also store my cell phone charger cord, my iPod cord and various other cords in my laptop bag so that I have everything organized into one spot.

But I’ve found that the cords have a tendency to get tangled around each other. To remedy that I made myself a zippered pouch with lots of pockets inside to keep the cords separated.

I’d been saving a fat quarter of ladybug fabric given to me by my sweet friend, Nancy. This seemed like the perfect project for it as the zippered bag would be something that I’d be using often and would have the fun of seeing those ladybugs whenever I needed one of the cords.

As a little side note:  I have a thing for ladybugs and often friends and family will give me ladybug themed gifts. In fact, I’ve declared it a sin to kill a ladybug… but more on that another time.

After making the inside pockets, I had just enough of the fat quarter left to make a pocket for the outside with an overhanging flap closure.

Laptop Zip Bag with Outside Pocket

There are five pockets inside… two on one side and three on the other.

Inside Laptop zip bag

Cords separated into their own little pockets.

Inside of laptop zip bag with cords

All that was left of the ladybug fat quarter was a tiny 1”x1.5” scrap, so I’d call that an excellent use of fabric.

Wishing you all a wonderful heart-centered weekend with much Aloha!

 

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8 Comments

  • Sandra :)
    April 22, 2013 12:32 pm

    Nice mousepad – I recognize those prints 🙂 Of course my favourite project is the ladybug zipper bag – so cute (sew cute) 🙂

  • Joan Old
    April 21, 2013 1:07 pm

    Love the little pouch. I must overcome my fear of zips and make one.

  • marilyn
    April 20, 2013 9:35 pm

    Great little finishes. The zippy pouch for cords is such a good idea. You did well matching up the fabrics for the mouse pad.

  • HorseMark HandMade Cards
    April 19, 2013 12:38 pm

    These are two very clever ideas. I am certainly going to make the little tote for my cords, they do get tangled when I travel. I am sure I can find another use for it too! I love ladybugs too! I just made a couple of cards with them, they are just too cute with their little antennas!
    I know your husband appreciated his new mouse pad. Very impressed that you only had a small piece of fabric leftover. You are a pro!
    Always enjoy your blog. Have a wonderful day and a great weekend!
    ~Vickie

  • Steph @ Crafting in the Rain
    April 19, 2013 12:11 pm

    I love all the pockets~!

  • Michelle
    April 19, 2013 11:53 am

    You said you pieced the fabric to get it to size — is that a piecing line running across the front of the mouse pad?! If it is, I’m absolutely in awe that you got the print to line up so well.

    • Super Mom No Cape
      April 19, 2013 12:55 pm

      Hello Michelle,

      Thanks for the sweet compliment. Yes, that horizontal line across the middle of the mouse pad is where I pieced the two smaller pieces together to get a big enough piece to make the top of the mouse pad. It took a bit of fiddling to get the print to line up, but I am please with how it turned out. (The vertical line down the middle of the back of the mouse pad is where I pieced that fabric together.)

  • rosa
    April 19, 2013 8:11 am

    They are very nice!

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