Project bags

I saw some very similar bags while I was out yesterday. The smaller bag is just a little larger than a yarn cake(ball). The larger bag is almost 7.5 inches to a side and is a nice size for a project.

Space Art

Really a fun project to sew. Designed by me. The Central figure did come from North American Indian Motifs (a book of Clip art).

Still Stitching

Binding

I actually finished a quilt today! It has been waiting for binding since last July.

I also made a really large tote bag. The bag pattern is a altered version of the tote in the April 2011 American Patchwork and quilting. I made the bag an inch and a half wider and squared off the bottom instead of having gathered round corners. I also left off the ties on the outside of the bag that slightly gathered the sides. It is big enough now to hold a 16 inch laptop.

I plan to make more of these tote bags. (even follow directions.) I think it would make a great Knitting bag if I add a few pockets to the inside.

Oak leaves

Stamp made special, just for this. Stamp is made from a small piece of linoleum block, and is about 2 inches.

It needs finished.....

I am going to try to finish a very long to do list.

I am starting with a curtain remake.
Thrifted plain off-white becomes...

slightly southwest and cheerful. I am thinking, since I had to put the yellow fabric up so high to hide a hole I did not see at first, that I need to use fabric paint and add some chili peppers to the off-white.

Bookmarks

A great quick finish project.
The tutorial was found here.

More bits and pieces for Dear Jane

I has been over a year since I worked on my Dear Jane. I am ready to jump back in and sew, sew, sew. I have this fresh collection of scraps to add to the fabrics I am using for my DJ.
I spent an entire afternoon ironing all the pre-washed pieces.

Seahorse Finish

A Yo-yo for the eye.

A lovely variegated thread used on the back, makes the back fun to look at.

Huge thanks to my mother for Quilting this on her professional long-arm machine.

This and That

Myra's new purse! Myra did about half of the sewing for this cut little bag.

A crewel embroidery Pin-keep. Circles of matte board help it hold its shape. The pins go in only on the sides.

I found the kit for the embroidery at the thrift store. It was supposed to be a pillow type cushion. I wanted something a little more unique.

My new purse, made using Amy Butler's Madison Bag pattern.
The Cell phone pocket is a McCall's Pattern.
The long skinny zipper pouch is made up off the top of my head (the Madison bags do not have pockets).

The heavy duty (Peltex) interfacing was kind of hard to sew with this bag. The bag has great body because of the interfacing but ... it gave me fits. Also hard to sew was the act of sewing the lining in. The bag was practical wrapped around the arm of the machine.

At the moment I would not want to make another one. But I got lots of compliments on it. Maybe it will be like childbirth and I will forget how much trouble I had and decide to make another.

Seahorse

A small cross stitch pattern makes one big block!
I am using 2 inch squares.

I have since these photos sewn the rest of the seems to obtain a finished block.
23 1/4 inches by 41 1/2 inches.

The worst of it is trying to keep the seems pressed the correct direction. I did pretty well, but there are a couple of lumps were 4-5 of them got turn the wrong way. I think that is pretty good considering how many intersection I had.

Pencil bag ...

...with lots of space.
3 zippers
two large pockets and one small.

Start a new project?

I crochet the above Shawl as part of a CAL. It was fun. The shawl is more pretty than warm.

A trip to Joann's, and a need to buy just one ball of yarn, resulted in these colorful fingerless mitts.

A puppy bed! It is huge, but one of the kids usually ends up laying on it with the puppy.
It is made from a thrifted vintage sheet and 7 recycled bed pillows.
I sewed the 2' x 4' pillow ,and Myra cut open the flat bed pillows, fluffed up their inside, and stuffed the puppy pillow.
I then cut a big square from a faded Chenille blanket (a yard sale find for a dollar). I made the chenille into a fitted cover that can easily be thrown in the wash.

Happy Puppy!

Noah found a Latch hook kit that makes a stick pony. I have never done latch hook before. And I am not doing this one either. Although I may help when it comes time to sew the two halves together. (The eyelashes still need trimming.)

Spinach and Bacon Linguine. Recipe was on the pasta box. yummy!

Turkey

I did not follow the instructions at all. But I think he looks okay.
I used the pattern pieces provided in the November 1987 Crafts magazine. I did not stuff each section of tail feathers, as if they were pillows. I used a double layer of batting instead.
I added the buttons holding the wings on and made the little hat. The original had a little store bought straw hat.

UFO Friday

70 Santa Head Christmas tree ornaments
I started these a few years ago. I don't think I will cut out so many if I ever mass produce anything else. These added to the ones I had finished makes at least 105.
Edited to add: Today I sewed on 70 jingle bells and the cord loops to hang them. They had been sitting waiting just for those two things to finish them up.

The extra bit.

The pattern had this cute purse too!
It is supposed to be quilted, but I used fleece so... I just sewed some x-mas trim to the quilting lines. Sequined ribbon form the clearance bin and a scrap of cording from a grab bag for the handles. and those sew on gems came off a headband from the everything is a dollar store.
I also only decorated one side.

Pants!

I am finished with the costume! There were four overlays for each leg. The pattern called for almost 18 yards of metallic trim for the overlays. I cheated and bought a third of a yard of tulle with gold metallic thread woven in. I cut the tulle in quarter inch strips with the rotary cutter and had all the trim I needed to give just a little sparkle.
Hardest part: the Zipper!

Top in blue and green

It is so pretty! YOU can not tell from the photo, but the fabric under the sheer gathered area at the top is a dark blue with gold sparkly print. The embroidered ribbon was something I have had for some time and had never found a use for. The pearl beads are left over from a Flower girl basket project. I had to sew them on by hand. The gold trim is a spool of left over trim from a pirate hat project. The blue and green beaded trim is the one we were lucky to find in the clearance bin, in the perfect colors. The green fabric is a Prom dress project remnant.

I really love it when I dig through what is on hand a the finished project looks so great. Like I spent hours at the store matching all the trims and buttons up.

Now to get the pants sewn up. The dark blue and the sheer fabric will show up better in the pants.

Book covers!

I am trying to use up scraps left over from my Dear Jane quilt. I think bookcovers are the going to be a good use for fat eighths. I also have a good start on a Stacked Coins quilt that will be a good baby sized quilt. I have bunches of 2.5 inch squares sorted out for a Nine patch of some sort. And I am thinking of Doing pinwheels with my 5 inch squares.

A dress up day at school!

Renaissance day at school next week. They have to dress up, they get a grade for it. It is an all day event with games and activities. The pants and shirt are previous Halloween Costume parts. The Tunic and Hat are New for this event. It is a little big, but I bet even back then they got hand-me-downs or clothes made a little big to allow longer wear.