Essays, Swaps and Zips

Thank goodness my boys are quite happy to stay at home, as this Mama has been battling for days with her second university essay on whether the Waikato War was inevitable. Yes it was; I just need to figure out how to say it.... My life is revolving around it.... 

But to stay sane, I have been stitching. I have signed up for two swaps -  one with Tracy from Mad About Bags called "Send a love swap" which closes this Friday January 10 for sign ups - oops that is tomorrow! (quite out of touch with what the date even is!) and the other one is a NZ swap by Cat at Catalina's Cottage called "Sew Sweet Swap". Sign ups close on January 22 for that one.

Since I had no idea how to sew a pouch (and had not sewed with a zip for centuries ), I sat down at the machines last night (frustrations with both - one has wrong tension and it has been ages since i threaded it and could not rememebr how nor could I find the manual.. other one I could not get zipper foot to line up...) and eventually sewed these two little pouches using scraps. (so pleased with my scrap bag in the attic now!). Very happy at how they came out.

An hour ago I sat down at the machine and sewed a cushion cover using posh Ralph Lauren fabric bought just before Christmas at Martha's in Newmarket. (same venue as the adorable Little and Friday cafe.) Few issues with zip in this but I think it has turned out well too. Love the NZ made inner feather cushion too, also purchased at Marthas. 

And a bit of stitching for the love swap... Sweet.

Back to that blasted essay...... (I really am enjoying my paper but motivation  issues are what is stalling me - A LOT!)