Tools of the Crafting Trade - Sewing edition

I always see the pretty sewing spaces in magazines and blogs and sigh.  I have taken over the dining room table and random parts of that room, but I someday I'll have an awesome dedicated craft room...probably after at least 2 children leave for college.  I've got a few years to go.  In the meantime, I thought I'd share my tools that I can't live without!

Someday I'll have a super awesome amazing sewing machine that brews a latte while it sews perfect seams, but for now I have a slightly above basic sewing machine.  (Latte sewing machine sounds like an untapped market, I should patent that!)

Another Necessary Clutch plus mini tutorial for installing a swing lock!

I had a request to make another NCW and had the idea of trying to take notes on how I installed the swing lock since it's not exactly the same as the other ones that Emmaline Bags has on her blog (Emmaline Bag Latch installation)  And I also had to make one for myself since I finally caught up on Christmas presents!

 First, the Pirate Loot Clutch for me:

Christmas Stockings, or, Sequins Are Evil

I love traditions, like the handmade crocheted blankets and quilts that my Grandmas made for each grandchild, so when I discovered that my husband had a stocking that his aunt had made for him, I was inspired to do the same for our children.  His is a felt and sequined train, so I went for the same style. I ran across the kits at Hobby Lobby, and thought 'Oh, these will be fast!  All the pieces are included!'

The first one I picked out was a beautiful snowflake and icicle covered one that I started a few months before my daughter's first Christmas.  I finished it before her third Christmas. Yeah, it took me that long.  I'm pretty sure sequins were invented as some sort of torture device.  I could only work on it for so long before I felt insanity creeping closer.  Finally I finished, and then I had the horrible realization that if we had more children I  was now stuck making one for each of them!