Metamorphosis

Repercussions still prevail in my sewing room from the month long STASHTACULAR. I found stuff, I traded stuff (fabric scraps), and sewed lots of stuff. I am in the midst of selecting and organizing sewing projects for the 2011-2012 school year. The once really messy sewing room is now only moderately messy. It's a place I love. Metamorphosis……
Which leads me to the concept of pattern Metamorphosis. I mean, how many of us have done this? Taken a pattern we like (or an idea if we didn't have the perfect pattern) and then started changing it, so at the end, what we had was different in some substantial -or subtle- way from where we started. I do it all the time, and it routinely gets me into trouble, because I have a bad habit of not reading directions, which is perfectly OK for projects in the works, but maybe not so OK for quilt blocks……
So, here is a little project, that started from this pattern idea.

What caught my eye in this Heather Bailey pattern was not the cool shopping tote, but the extras…… (see bottom left hand corner). So, instead of making the tote, I tackled the wallet (which uses, BTW a pattern piece from the tote).

I had a bit of Heather Bailey Sugar Pop fabric from my stash and I used some lime green Kona solid for the interior- 2 pieces of interfacing and about a half hour later….

Ok, This would be great for coupons, a passport, grocery list and a pencil/pen or perhaps even a small sewing project. It would work if you were going out as well, as long as you dressed it up a bit.

A nice sparkly pin or perhaps, something a bit more funky

Then the cogs started to move and I found myself staring at a few mugs rugs, received in swaps, but not in current use (I LOVE using things I receive and it just didn't seem right to keep this hexi one in  my sewing room), it was asking to be used more (and I hope my swap partner doesn't mind)…..  Mug rugs that are around 11 x 7 or 8" or so work best.  How about this as metamorphosis

A coupon wallet, without cutting at all into the original mug rug. I can remove the stitching and velcro and it's back to being a mug rug (perhaps then, more of a transformation than a metamorphosis)-Just folding it up, adding some velcro and a few stitches along the sides…… MUCH better and has replaced the UGLY plastic one( held together by rubber bands) I was toting around.
The final transformation/metamorphosis has to do with a very beautiful invitation my daughter received to a friends' Bat Mitzvah

The pink and dark brown sleeve enclosed a gorgeous invite and it seemed a shame to recycle something so lovely after the big day. So,

 I took out the invite, retained the monogramed sleeve, make another wallet in matching brown polka dot with a pink and cream lining, added a small flower to cover the stitching for the velcro and an interior pocket for valuables-

and placed it back in the original sleeve. Instead of buying an additional card for the gift (typically cash), it will go into the wallet and the sleeve will serve as the wrapper. I love it when ideas work out that way. Adding the pocket to this was easy and I used a tutorial from Kelly at Kelbysews, slightly modified for this project.

 The 3 different wallets born from one simple pattern

Close up of the 3 side-by-side. I can't wait to use the one I made from the mug rug (middle) and the brightly colored Heather Bailey fabric one (far left).

So, enough about these- I'd love to hear if you've started out with one idea and then ended up with something unexpected. Tell me about it!!!