A Sunbonnet Sue Needlebook Tutorial

 

As you know I love to work with my hands, and I love pretty things and so today I am sharing a tutorial today with you for something very pretty that you can make with your hands that you will also find very useful! 

 

Its a Sun Bonnet Sue Needle/Pin case.  I am betting some of you probably had one of these when you were a child!  She is a little treasure, with lace bloomers and little petticoaat felts for holding your needles and even a space in the bonnet to put your thimble!   Its very simple to make and doesn't take that long. In fact I made mine in a couple of hours yesterday afernoon!

First you will need the pattern.  If you click on the picture below to enlarge, then right click, you will be able to save it to your computer and then just print it out as a full size 8 by 10 sheet. 

 

She is  approximately 4 1/2 inches tall, and composed from wool felt. You will need two bottoms and two tops, two of the little petticoat pieces and one small round to house her bouquet.  I used turquoise felt for the tops and bottoms, white for the petticoats and green for the bouquet round.  You will also need an assortment of matching embroidery threads, some satin ribbon and a few inches of dainty lace for her bloomers. (I forgot to write that on the pattern, so don't YOU forget!)  

For the trims I used ribbon roses that I had in my craft supplies.  They are easy to find in any craft shop, or you can make your own. Or you can cut out little rosettes from felt scraps and sew them on with beads with some leaf scraps, etc.  I also added a little bumble bee button that I had to the bouquet. It was really simple just to tack everything in place. 

  

First cut out all your pattern pieces and pin them to your felt. You will want two each of the top, bottom and pettitcoats.  I folded my turquoise piece of felt in half and pinned the pieces on and then cut around the pattern, which gave me two each of what I needed.  The Petticoats were cut out of white felt and the bouquet piece out of a small square of green.  I used my pinking shears to cut out around the bouqet and along the bottom of the pettitcoats. I thought it worked well.

 

Take one of the top pieces and tack the green bouquet base onto it with a small running stitch using a matching colour thread.  It doesn't matter if your stitches are a bit uneven as they will basically be covered with what you use for flowers and decorations.  I think it is the Amish who make sure there is a small mistake in everything they create,because it is only God who can make something perfect.  It preserves their humility.  Fact or fiction?  You decide. 

 

Use some embroidery floss to tack on the flowers where you want them to go on the bouquet. Then make a bow with your length of satin ribbon and tack it onto the base of where the bonnet ends at the back of the bonnet, about 1/4 of an inch in from the side and tack more flowers up as if to create a bit of a band on the bonnet.  (See my little bumble bee button there.  Isn't it cute!)

  

Using one of the bottom pieces as a guide (the feet), mark where you want the bloomers and then flip it over and hand tack on the lace.  

  

 

Place the two top pieces together with the decorated right side facing up and then stitch them together all the way around, beginning at the bottom of the front of the bonnet and ending at the bottom of the bonnet at the back, just to the left of the satin bow.  

  

How to do a blanket stitch

You will want to use a colour of embroidery floss that matches and which ever stitch you like.  I used the blanket stitch. I like the neatness of it, but you can just use an over cast or whatever.  I suppose if you were really carefull you could even sew them together by machine, using matching thread. Don't worry about the bloomers, because they are lace, you can work down through them and back up again with no problem, it also helps keep them in place. 

 

Take one of the bottom pieces (facing in the same direction as your decorated top) and tack on your two petticoats with the longer one on the bottom, and the shorter one on the top.  I also added a scrap of flat lace and a piece of pretty ribbon for extra interest, but you don't have to if you don't want to.  They are just loose (except for the tack on the top) and provide a bit of additional space for adding needles or pins.  

Now put the two bottom pieces together and, again using the same stitch as you did on top, sew them together, this time beginning at the front edge of the bonnet and working your way all around, right side, bottom, feet, left hand side, right up until you get to the base of the back of the bonnet.  Now sandwich the top of the needlebook onto the bottom of the needlebook and stitch them together all the way around the bonnet from the left bottom to the top right hand side and finish it off. You will be keeping that side free so that you have a space to slip a thimble in.  Tack it together really well at the base, just above the bouquet. 

 

See what I mean?  Perfect!! 

And there you have it.  A sweet little Sunbonnet Sue Needlebook, to keep or to gift.  I cannot imagine anyone now welcome a gift of one of these! 

  

Can you??  With plenty of space inside to hold your needles and pins.  You can add more layers if you wanted to, or even make one of them of linen if you have it.  

 

Altogether I think this makes for a very pretty little project and a sweet gift.  I really hope that you will want to make one for yourself and that you enjoy the experience.  I think I will maybe make my granddaughter a little sewing kit for her next birthday and put one of these into it. We will see.  Don't hesitate to ask if you have any questions! 

Our dishwasher is all tickety boo again and I am so happy!  I love my dishes squeaky clean and washing by hand just doesn't do that for me.  I know . . .  ME<------Pedantic.

I also heard from my Editor yesterday and they are well pleased with how the book has been doing.  They say I am well in the top quarter of the books they have published, and have expressed interest in a second one.  The next one will be a bit smaller than the first (More affordable) and have some crafts, etc. in it, and will incorporate some of my writings and art from this blog as well.  He told me that most books never earn out their advances, and mine did, so he is well pleased and also pleased with the lovely reviews I have received thus far.  I just have to keep the momentum going!  

We did get a bit of snow yesterday, but nothing that lay. It was just snow showery, but I think a lot of the country got really blasted and they say this cold snap is going to last for at least a month!  We shall see!

And with that I will leave you with a thought for the day . . . 

° * 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ •
•。★★ 。* 。
° 。 ° ˛˚˛ * _Π_____*。*˚
˚ ˛ •˛•˚ */______/~＼。˚ ˚ ˛
˚ ˛ •˛• ˚ ｜ 田田 ｜門 ★
 *.˛.Tears are words

the heart can't say.

~Unknown   •。★★ 。* 。 

Spiritual Enlightenment  

 

BOOK OF MORMON CORNER - Today's reading - Mosiah 2:9-27 

Question - What have you learnt from the reading today? What do you think King Benjamin means when he says we are 'unprofitable' and 'indebted'?  

My Thoughts -  I recently heard a talk from a past prophet that I wish I had written down, but I can't find it now, but essentially he was saying the idea of being indebted to someone is very unpopular now. No one likes the feeling of being owned. Or having to answer to someone else. But then he spoke about how wonderful it is, for us to belong to Jesus Christ. To feel secure in His care. Knowing that all He wants is to return us HOME back to Our loving Father. For an eternity of endless happiness and peace. 

Unprofitable and Indebted because we have been and will be blessed more than we can ever hope for and 'deserve'. By a loving Heavenly Father and Brother. Our family. We know they don't hold it over our heads like mortals have the tendency to do, but how do we know this??? Firstly they are perfect, secondly (D&C 58:42)  . . .  he promises to remember our sins no more . . . even though He has felt the full depth of them. I stand all amazed at the love Jesus offers me!! 

I absolutely love verses 20-22. Created you, kept you, preserved you, lends you breath, ye may live, your *own will*!! supporting you 💛.  And all that He requires of you is to keep His commandments, which as you do He blesses & prospers you!! God is good. He 💛 loves 💛 His Children. Obedience leads to Blessings leads to Thankfulness leads to Honesty leads to Humility leads to Obedience. Repeat cycle!! 

Tomorrow's Reading (Day 96) -Mosiah 2:28-41 

A Talk to read as well -David A Bednar - 'That we may always have His Spirit to be with us'
Question - If you had to write King Benjamin's message in 20 words, what would you say it was? What does the phrase, "render to Him all that you have and are", mean to you?

 

In The English Kitchen today, Lemon Meringue Pie, from scratch.  A delicious indulgence. 

Have a wonderful Wednesday!  Don't forget along the length of your day!

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And I do too!