Myra finished her "Dear Jane" blocks. She decided to make them into a tote like the one I had made myself. She did such a great job piercing all the blocks and adding the sashing. I quieted the finished piece and put it together into a tote for her. The two smaller bags I made from the left over pre-quieted fabric we purchased for the back side of tote. Now she has a beautiful Tote for her crochet projects.

Another Bag

First a improvised knit bracelet. I made using a milk cap from the chocolate milk at Wendy's, and some faceted plastic beads. I knit with #10 crochet cotton thread.
I cut the cap down to half its height and used a stencil cutter to poke holes in the cap.
I then crochet around cap to make it into a big cameo like bead.

Another beaded bracelet, made using DMC floss and glass seed beads. Also use a magnetic clasp instead of a toggle.


I made, for a Birthday gift, another Granny Square bag. I used I Love this Yarn Sparkle in a purple shade and odd leftover bits of Red heart in pink and light purple. It is lined with a pink bandanna. ( don't know why the picture is sideways. It is not so in my files. crazy!)


I have also given in to the urge to start a Silke Jacket. I am using Naturally Caron Spa in Stormy Blue. The yarn is a wonderfully soft Bamboo, and Acrylic blend.

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.

Two Granny Square Bags

These are fun to make. The top one I made for a birthday gift at the end of December. The lower one has been a TV watching project for a few months and finished yesterday. The handles for both were recycled from thrifted purses.

More of the finish it list

I started this Granny Square Bag while we were on vacation in July.
It is very large.

Most of the yarn was odd bits in my Mother's Stash.

We now have a ceiling fixture in the bathroom, not just vanity lights.
No Electricity hooked to it yet. I am just glad the hole looks so nice. We had to cut through plaster and lath-board. I was afraid the whole ceiling might try to crumble. I also got primer painted on from the ceiling down to the base boards.

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.

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.

Almost last minute.

I have finished the last of the handmade Christmas gifts for this year.

Above is an apron for my niece. My model was a little reluctant.

The final gift is a purse. I used a pattern I had not tried before. It turned out fairly well.

A New Bag

While I was on vacation, I saw this piece of fabric in my mother's stash.
Too Cute!

I made it into a really big size tote for all the knitting I had with me.

And picture of the inside. I should have used some heavy sew in interfacing. It turned out a bit floppy. But it is really cute.

Sunday was the 250th post and I am going to celebrate all week giving everyone a chance to win a surprise prize. Just leave a comment and mention your favorite hobby/craft on any post this week to be entered for the prize.

Dress and Purse!

Hooray! The dress is done and it fits!
I was worried about what such a large print would look like, but it turned out very nice.

I made a small evening bag from some of the left over materials.
The Handle of the Bag called for a Bangle bracelet. I could not find one I liked.
I made the handle out of boning covered in fabric.

Road Trip Projects

I made this poncho in the car on the first two days of our vacation.

Part of the fun of vacationing at my parents is raiding my mom's craft room. Looking through all the fabrics and putting them together in unexpected combinations.
today I finished up this cute doggy bag.

Also great fun is taking pictures of all the beautiful flowers in the Garden. Which is where I found the tiny Mantis seen in the previous post.

Aquarium!!?

I wanted to make a slipcover for my bag to keep it clean and reduce wear to the bottom of the bag, but I did not think about it looking like a fish bowl.

Fish Purse

Machine quilted with hand applique and embroidery.

Definitely a one of a kind and almost dizzying to look at.

Turtles Complete

I think this is the most hand stitching I have ever done on a single project. I am really happy with how it turned out. This Is also the most hand quilting I have ever done.

I think that I like applique now.

Inside-out

I finished the lining. And added a couple of pockets to the pattern. Now to add the shoulder strap. and finish the change purse.

Turtles Quilted

This went much faster than I thought it would.

Next to work on the strip of fabric which will be the sides and bottom of the purse.

Applique

Applique used to be something I would dread. But now I find I kind of like it.

Ten years ago I started a quilt and designed one border to have applique. I never finished it.

I am thinking of getting the quilt back out and finishing it, after this weekend good results with applique.

First though I will finish this project by sewing up a new purse for summer.

W

A simple pouch with a Celtic W embroidery.

Really Big Tote!

It did not really sink in how big a 15 inch tote bag would be until I had it cut out and started sewing it together. It has six outer pockets and four inner pockets. The base is 11 inches by 13 inches. I don't know what I will use it for. I found the Peacock fabric at the thrift store and wanted to make a bag.

By Request

University of Kentucky Blue Jeans Purse.