Woodland Delight Patchwork Bag

There has been some sewing here lately. Granted an old sewing machine was used on a tiny little night stand, but something wonderful has come out of it.

I used a Woodland Delight charm pack and some white webbing for the strap. It was a simple project but I loved how it turned out. Plus it felt good to sew again since it's been so long. I definitely want to purchase more Woodland Delight fabric but refuse to purchase anything else until we move. Our storage is at max capacity now.

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Sewing

My family and I moved into my parents house in November. Our house being built was supposed to be done by Christmas and we wanted to sell our old place in the meantime. Well we sold our old place but unfortunately the new house still isn't done. I've been without my sewing machine & art supplies for two months now and I finally broke down and decided to change that tonight. I went into my parents basement and found the Kenmore and plugged it in. The Kenmore isn't my favorite machine but it's the only one not buried in all our moving boxes so it will have to do. Besides, it's not a horrid machine like the Singer is. I hate using that one. I honestly don't even know why I still have it.

Please don't laugh. The machine is bigger than the table it rests on. I sit on the edge of the bed for the chair. It's pretty sad. But it still gets the job done!

Here is my patchwork bag in progress. If I can find a lining piece I'll finish it up Saturday.

Sewing those 18 charm squares together made my day.

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Japanese Laptop Sleeve

This has probably been my favorite project as of late.

I used a lot of my Japanese scraps and made a patchwork laptop sleeve that I absolutely love.

Sure not all the corners match but that's inevitable when you are using different sized scrap squares.
I just loved all the little prints featured and am even thinking of making a throw like this.

I think the only part of this project I didn't enjoy was the actual quilting part. I seem to have a problem quilting things. It hurts my back and I just get bored halfway through the process. This is probably why I only have 2 completed quilts and 5 tops laying around right now.

 

So there it is my quilted laptop sleeve in Japanese prints. Too bad this one was commissioned for someone else. I really wanted to keep it for me. I knew I should have bought more Japanese fabrics when I could. Now with this house building going on my fabric sprees are over for awhile.  I feel like I am in fabric rehab.  😦

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Kindle DX Case

Isn't this the cutest pull tab ever?
The Kindle has such whimsical packaging.

I made a case for it today and although it didn't come out as I had hoped, I was pleased with the finished product.

 

Japanese fabric patchwork for the outside
A pocket inside to securely hold the Kindle.

 

I also added an elastic strap for the cording.

 

This was definitely completely different than what I had sketched in my idea book but it will serve it's purpose.
I may try again though tomorrow to achieve my goal of my ideal Kindle case. 

I need to get working on my wonky cabin blocks now. I am probably the furthest behind out of everyone.

🙂

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Another Sew Sunny Homestyle Party Bag

I am in love with sewing little patchwork bags from the Sew Sunny Homestyle pattern.
They are quick yet turn out so cute. Of course I am drawn to anything patchwork so it would be hard for me not to like it.

On this one I used Bari J's "Full Bloom" line.

Back:

 

Inside:

 

I think this print was perfect for the handle with the little vines climbing up.

Things have been so busy with the house and kids in school  that it's hard for me to get enough time for blogging. I am still sewing though and hope to be able to join the wonky cabin quilt a long taking place now.
I practiced on some scraps this weekend and think I can manage the bigger block sizes now….I think….

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4th of July Sewing

 

Hello little darning foot. After years of you collecting dust I have finally put you to use.

 

I did a little free motion quilting for the first time on this block I made yesterday. I really enjoyed it however, about halfway through the block I started getting tired of it. I don't know how people sew whole quilts like that. Maybe it's just my A.D.D.

Anyway, this block started out with a random sketch of a dress form in my art journal. I decided I wanted to use my vintage fabric and incorporate my sketch with it so voila. 

A log cabin-ish block with my dress form appliqued on. After quilting it I stared at it for awhile as I usually do with random projects, thinking of where to go next.

 

A pillow was born shortly after.

I used some vintage buttons in random places along with this cute key button I had from my scrapbook stash.

It wasn't time to pack up my sewing party yet though. After the pillow I thought I would  make the pincushion caddy by Anna Maria Horner. I really wanted her Seams to Me book but since so much of it was geared toward a beginner sewer I have held back. Much to my delight the one project I really wanted to make from that book has appeared online. YAY! You can find it here if you don't have the book either but love the pincushion project.

 

I used up some Japanese fabric scraps and although it was fiddly I really liked how it came out. Plus it holds the little things I always reach for on my sewing desk.

 

All I need to do now is finish the handles on my "house bag" so I can give it to a certain birthday girl next week.

🙂

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Sick + Online Fabric Shopping = A Log Cabin Block

 

 

 

Fabrics from here and here.

 

I have been sick and unable to take time off work so it's put me back on things I was going to do this week. I am behind on shipping out multiple fabric/items to people so I really apologize if you are expecting something from me. I'll be making a Post Office run tomorrow though so you all should be receiving your items soon. 

I was supposed to be working on one of the 3 halfway done quilts laying around, but instead decided to begin a new one tonight.

I think I have quilt A.D.D. or something. I start a new quilt project excited and motivated, but after the top is 80% finished I take a break, then start a working on a new one a few weeks later.

The new quilt is going to be log cabin blocks out of Japanese fabric. I have one block done and hopefully can work on some more next week.

Here are a couple close ups of these adorable prints

Heidi fabric I purchased from Kitty Craft.

I am not sure what happened to Kitty Craft. They have been on vacation for months now.

I keep checking back hoping they have re-opened but no luck.  😦

It was such an awesome fabric website too.

I also used some of my coveted Shinzi Katoh deer/mushroom fabric.

 

I have been hoarding this fabric since Christian was only a few months old.

I enjoy log cabin patchwork because it's such a great way show off different prints. I have been thinking of actually turning it into a pillow just so it will be complete and not laying around my WIP pile for months.

We are headed to DollyWood this weekend even though I feel awful. I just hope I make it back in one piece. Listening to Dolly Parton sing in a hot park all day with a headache makes me feel even more nauseous. We have had the tickets though since May so I am going to try to make the best of this trip.

Be back next weekend.

 

{ New zipper pulls 🙂 }

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Completed WIP’S

You know those works in progress you have that lay around the sewing room for weeks or even months? I have so many of them from the start of this year that I finally decided to spend a day finishing them all.

Well at least some of them anyway.

First project completed was the K-Cup basket.  I have those little cups everywhere and it's nice to have them stored in a cute little basket by my coffee machine. I know K-Cups are horrible for the environment but it's more practical for me since I am the only one that drinks hot beverages (tea,coffee,cocoa) in my family. Maybe one day they will start making them from recycled materials.

 

The other project I finally finished was my moms little coffee mat.

She was using this horrid store bought potholder to set her sugar and other condiments on while she brewed tea or coffee. I had to do something about it.

I used some basic yet pretty black lace fabric since her kitchen is a black/red combo. I really wish I had my important supplies with me. It was really hard doing this without pins and my ruler.

The little red circle is actually from a vintage yo-yo.

If you ever happen across a bag of vintage yo-yo's take a close look of what fabric is used. If it's a really cute small print I would unfold it and iron it. Makes for a wonderful applique on projects that's unique.

Since I was at my moms making this stuff I decided to finish the hexy zip pouch that had been sitting there for the past two weeks.

 

I really do love hexagons and have been using scraps to make some more. I may actually have enough to make a hexagon quilt soon. I am a little intimidated by the thought though since hand-sewing is the best way to go with hexagons. It takes long enough for me to finish a quilt by machine piecing, I can't imaging hand sewing most of it. *shudder*

The last project I completed this weekend was a little clutch using this pattern

The fabric in the kit changed. It was actually Midwest Modern when I purchased it. Even though I love Midwest Modern I used my own fabric from Jennifer Paganelli's Dance With Me line.

I  still have to pick the glue off of the inside of the frame. I really made a mess, but will show the inside lining anyway.

 

I am really excited with how the clutch came out and am glad I bought a few extra purse frames

I think I need to find a wholesale dealer though since they are so expensive everywhere I usually shop.

That pretty much wraps up my WIP weekend.   I have two quilts and a wall hanging left that I will tackle next week. It's great to be back at the sewing machine.

🙂

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Gathered Patchwork Bag

So now that classes are basically over I have started back up on my sewing projects.

I have plenty of things halfway completed that I should be finishing right now. Instead though I am cutting up all my birthday fabric and starting new ones. Wouldn't you be? I have been staring at that fabric since the beginning of May and haven't had time to even think about what I will make out of them.

 

Last night was the first chance I had to actually take time to skim my idea book and contemplate on what I wanted to work on first.

I cut out little 3 inch squares and made some strips out of really cute Japanese fabric.

 

The squares are for a secret project and I can't post photos in case the recipient happens upon here.

 

I can show you the final product from the strips though. A gathered patchwork bag!!

No matter how many times I check something over before photographing it there is always a stray piece of thread that ends up on my photo. Do you see it? It really annoys me when that happens. 😦

 

Anyways, here is an action shot….meaning all my junk is inside. I tried to cut back on things I carry around in my bag but it still seems to look like the bottom is about to fall out.

 

Still everything fits inside and that is really all that matters.

I actually did this at my moms house on the old Kenmore machine I keep there. The Kenmore is a pretty decent sewing machine even though it's many years old. The downfall of this bag was that I didn't have a seam ripper or hand-sewing needle. I really prefer gathering by hand and not by machine. I think that was the worst part. I will definitely be making this style bag again perhaps next weekend. I am going home tomorrow night but doubt I'll have time to sew. We haven't been there all week so I am sure there will be cleaning and other uncreative chores to do.

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Good Folks Quilt (part II)

The top of my Good Folks quilt is basically done at this point. I need to do a border and then the dreaded quilting & binding. 

I was supposed to be in sunny Florida this weekend to do the actual quilting on Dawn's long arm machine. However, since I couldn't get out of work for a day I ended up being stuck here all weekend while it's rained for two weeks straight. 😦

I could send this back with Trish in May to do it for me but that would kind of defeat the purpose of "me" making a quilt. Especially if someone else does the quilting.

Oh well I guess it's time to move onto a new project until I figure out what to do with this one.
Maybe I can actually start on a buttercup bag.

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