Pink/Brown Grommet Bag

Wednesday night is my sewing night with the girls. We all meet at the shop and switch off bring supper for everyone. Last night was my night, so I made chicken and rice in the crockpot and it cooked all day at work. By about 3 all my co-workers at my day job could smell it, and were wondering what was up. It was a hit and I had very little left.
After finishing the Claire and helping my friend D make hers, I worked on this grommet bag. I've had it cut out for a while, but needed to pick up the grommets. It turned out super cute, so I need to make up the checkbook cover and wonder wallet to go with it. It'll be given to a friend, but will make it's rounds at Strip Club this weekend and at a demo mom and I are doing for the county fair. We're doing to demos, Quilting for the Clueless and Bag Ladies on Saturday afternoon. I have 6 new samples done for Strip Club this month, so it's been a very busy month!

I ordered 3 fabric panels from an online company last week and received them yesterday, only they only sent 1! I emailed the company right away and they are sending the other two out and they should be here by Sat. I'm so excited and looking forward to receiving them all. The fabric was one we aren't getting in at the shop, but I really wanted it and knew it would sell out fast. So I'll have a quilty package to look forward to this weekend too!

Al Fresco Claire Bag

After making the Claire Bag last Sat. as a sample for the store, I knew I wanted one for myself. Since I'm in love with the Al Fresco line at the moment, I decided to use it for the purse. I used some leftovers from the quilt as well as a couple extra pieces. I used the same front and back.
The Front:

The Back:

Lining and Pockets:

I had it all finished on Tues when I realized I hadn't measured and my lining was way too big, so I took it out and completely took it apart and cut it down and put it back together. I still need to make the checkbook cover and wonder wallet, but decided I'd move on to the next bag on my list first.

5 & Dime Finished!

Today I officially finished the 5& Dime quilt I started Friday. I finished the binding last night and put the label on, so today at lunch I finished the hand sewing on the label. Since these are not my colors whatsoever... everyone who see's it can't believe I love how it turned out. I was racing Tammy at TSC to get it done and I won! She offered me her kids... said she'd get more done if I had kids and she didn't.

The label was fussy cut from the center fabric and fused on.

A little closer up of the quilting. I did a rather large meander which worked really well and turned out super nice. I did the olive green on top and teal in the bobbin. It's really hard for me to even believe that I'm digging the green in this quilt. I've come out of my purple box... It's been a long time since I've done anything that is purple.

Claire Makes Her Debut!

I was going to stop for the night when I got the 5 & Dime quilt back pieced and ready to go on the frame, but since Paul was on the computer in my studio, I decided to work on the bag I had cut out. About 10 I figured I'd quit for the night, so I took a picture of my covers with handles (on my ironing board). Yes I do have hunky firefighters as my ironing board cover and I love it!

Paul was still hanging out, so I decide to work on the lining and pockets... which I took a picture of about 10:39PM but since we were still hanging together (it's rare that he's up this late) I continued on!

By 11:30PM I had a finished Claire (including the liner for the Bag-E-Bottom which I normally don't do or do later)! Here are the two sides of my newly finished Claire from Lazy Girl Designs.


I wasn't sure I was going to like this one, but after making it I'm falling for it more and more and wishing it wasn't making it's way to the store as a sample! It makes up in half the time of the Mini Miranda, but with the same features. It's fat quarter friendly, though the next time I would probably do matching outer sides. It's fast! I think total this probably took me 3 hours of sewing/cutting, while the Miranda's take me at least 5-6 hours. I will probably put the option flap on at some point, or add velcro, but for now I followed the pattern.
Had I made it a goal to get both the quilt top and the bag done, I never would have gotten both done, but tonight it just seemed to work and everything clicked along great. I'm thinking I'll be able to get the 5 & Dime quilted tomorrow night after work. We hope to go visit my little bro to see his new Jaguar, but that shouldn't take all evening. I would really like to have the quilt ready for Strip Club on Sat.

5 & Dime Saturday

After a wonderful day at work with Daisy and Cindy, I was ready for an evening of quilting. I picked out a new bottomline thread that matched the 5 & Dime better and got a nice brown thread at TSC. I also helped convert a customer to the 6600. I'm sure she'll love it as much as I do.
I planned to make the 5 & Dime quilt, even though I debated about making one of the bags instead, knowing I could finish a bag in an evening. My heart was set on the 5 & Dime and after a challenge from Tammy at TSC to see who could get theirs done first, I decided to go for it. It was cut out in 10 min. last night and in 1 hour tonight I had the top done. It only takes 6 fat quarters and 4 yards of fabric, for the entire lap size quilt! I love how it turned out! Even Leslie said she liked the colors in this one. I'm not sure how I'll quilt it yet, but I made the back tonight too.

Here's the back! The focus fabric in the center and the teal on the outsides. I made a trip to Hancock's for batting tonight after work. I was completely out, except for a wool batt, so I needed to pick up some W & N and W & W. I got 7 yards and 6 yards respectfully so I should be set for a while. I bought the end of both bolts, so they re-rolled them on the bolts which helps when storing an awful lot! I was too tired to quilt this one tonight, but Paul was still on the computer playing with his new blackberry curve, so I decided to work on the Claire I had started. More on Claire in another post.

5 & Dime Friday

Tonight I was relaxing after I got the pillowcases done and couldn't decide whether to work on one of the 3 bags I have cut out or cut out a new quilt. I had picked up the 5 & Dime pattern when I was in MN as they had it made up in the fabrics below. We had just gotten the fabric in the shop and I didn't know what I would do with it, but I love it. I know it's not really my colors, but I fell in love with it when I saw it made up in this quilt. I layered my fat quarters and cut it out in less than 10 min. I should be able to get it pieced tomorrow night and get it quilted. I'd like to have it done by strip club next week. The four strips are my pieces and the brown floral is the main sashing.

I also picked up thread to quilt it with. The dark blue/teal is the back.

The other excitement of the day was getting my 19" monitor at work, which turned in to a new computer all around. The monitor used to be the size of my shelf below it, so you can see how huge this one is. I can have two windows open at a time.

Pillowcase Factory Closed!

This week I was determined to get a few more UFO's off my shelves. When I make pillowcases, they are super simple, but I have to set up the serger so I like to make several at a time. This week I made 7! These two I needed the brown flange, so I picked it up at the shop today at lunch so I could get them finished. They match the Pop Parade/Boxed Blessings Quilt I made.


I also picked up a fat quarter of the Chez Moi flowers below to make the top of this pillowcase. I had bought the end of the bolt, so had to settle for a fat quarter, but it worked great and no waste. This will be the "gift wrap" for the snapshots quilt. I now need to get the gift all wrapped up for my friend. I'm getting so excited to give it to her.

The pillowcase factory is closed, well at least for this week! I put the serger away and started cutting out a new quilt I hope to finish this weekend. It's called the 5 & Dime quilt, so we'll see...

"Snapshots of Friends" Happy Hour finished!

"Snapshots of Friends" Happy Hour quilt is finished! I finished the binding yesterday at work and tonight I put the label on. I think my friend is truly going to love it and be totally shocked when I give it to her. When I was writing out the label I decide to call it "Snapshots of Friends" since that's part of the name of the quilt pattern. Everyone who knows this quilt though, calls it Happy Hour, from the book the pattern comes from. I ended up using a pink inner border and the red binding. The pink is on the back. It's a throw size, so the perfect quilt for curling up on the couch. I used the Chez Moi line and it has really grown on me as I made the purses and quilt. I have a pillowcase cut out and I'll try to get it finished to wrap the quilt in it. I don't know when I'll get a chance to give this to her, but I know she reads my blog, so whenever it is, I can't wait to hear if she likes it. Which wonderful friend receives this quilt?? Stay tuned... she hasn't received a friendship quilt from me yet.

Peaches and Dreams

Crazy 1I and Jen talked me in to doing a scrappy Peaches and Dreams quilt with them. It didn't take much convincing since the pattern is pretty simple. I just needed time to get to it! I have all these other UFO's I'm seriously trying to get done before Labor Day. This week I made a huge dent in my UFO pile, so now I don't feel so bad starting a new quilt. Last night I went through a stack of batik's and pulled blues, greens, reds, oranges, tans, and yellows to make the quilt. I think I've got enough contrast, I just need to figure out how to cut it out so I get the look I'm going for. I pressed and cut last night, but only got a few fabrics cut out. Here is my fabric selection. Not sure how much of each I'll use, but it will be interesting.



Tonight while I sew with the girls I'm working on a new bag... so we'll see if I get it done so I can show it tomorrow. Depends on how much laughing we do.

Baby Burp Clothes

Tonight I finished up a couple burp clothes I had started a while ago. They match two baby quilts I made, so they will be gifts to go with the quilts.

My Carpenter Pillowcase

Tonight I made myself another pillowcase. It's hard to see, but the white is the cuff and it's actually a glow in the dark fabric, which I thought would be cool for a pillowcase. It matches the PJ pants and makeup bag I've already made.

Paul's Pillowcase

Tonight I took out the pillowcase kit I had bought for Paul in MN when I was on vacation. Since he's a carpenter it fits him. I have the same fabric for a baby boy quilt, but I still haven't made it.

Leslie's Pillowcases

After I made curtains for Leslie's room, I had enough fabric to make pillowcases to match her quilt. I finished cutting out 4 other pillowcase sets, but those will have to wait for another night to be finished. I'm so glad I finished two UFO's that have been hanging over my head for the past year!

Leslie's Curtains

Earlier this year my MIL and I made her a queen size quilt. We had gotten fabric for curtains and pillowcases too, but I didn't know what I was going to do. Since grommets are so easy, I decided to use them. The curtains are black, but didn't photograph well with the light shining in. I whipped these up in less than 2 hours.

Happy Hour Quilted!

Today I got so much accomplished, I wonder how much more I could have gotten done, had I not had to work. I worked with Cindy today and we had a great, fast day. We have such a good time and work so well together. After work I picked up the bobbin thread I needed at Hancock's since they had it. I wanted grommets but no such luck. I picked up 4 new pots and soil and repotted all my plants tonight. I have several from when my grandparents died and I try to keep them all alive, but I don't have a very good green thumb. The ivy from the wedding is doing the best of any of my plants. They are all repotted now.
After supper I finished the last two rows of quilting on the Happy Hour quilt. I quilted it with loops.

Then I had to decide what I wanted for binding. I had planned to do red, but when I went to get it on Tues. night, we were out at the shop. I had enough pink, so planned to do that. Today when I was working, I found the red! I got enough to do the binding, so I had to choose. I sent a pictures to my mom and friends, asked Paul, and they all agreed on the red. The red is in the picture below, the pink is the first border.

This is with the pink on the left as a binding.

I got the red binding on and now I can take it to work tomorrow and work on it at lunch. I'm really pleased with how it turned out. The quilt looks really wrinkly, but that's where I had it wrapped on the roller when quilting and once I wash it, it will relax. This UFO should be finished by the end of the week.

Machine Quilting

This week I've been extremely busy. I taught two nights this week and the rest of the week I've been quilting this quilt for a co-worker. It's a No Fat quilt she made out of western fabric. I used a rust/brown/black verigated on the top and a brown bottomline in the bobbin. I did loops on it and they turned out really well. I got to the last row and thought I might run out of the top thread, but I didn't... which is good since I bought the thread 2 years ago or so. It was the perfect thread for the top.


Here's a close up of the loops.

Today I had the day off which was awesome. We enjoyed the Art in the Park in Spearfish, went shopping, and took a long nap. It was so relaxing. Tonight I put the Chez Moi Happy Hour quilt on the frame. I have 2 rows of quilting thread left and ran out of bobbin thread! The store I bought it at is closed, so will have to try another one and see if I can get it. If I can't, I'll wait till Monday and instead work on my signature quilt from retreat or the Peaches and Cream quilt a long I'm doing. There's always more to do!

I Won!

A couple weeks ago I entered a giveaway on Kelly's I Have A Notion blog during her vacation and I won! I received a fun box of gifts, fabric, pins, ruler, key chain, thread, hoop tape, nail file, and a bag. Thanks so much Kelly for the fun box of surprises!

July Bag Ladies!

Tonight was the monthly meeting of the Bag Ladies club at the shop. We made sewing totes/cosmetic bags. Each person made a unique size and shape, but they were all able to make at least two from a two fat quarters. The bags are a great way to use up random fat quarters and practice quilting. There were 6 in the class and I got pictures of at least one of the bags that each person made.
Becky made 4 super cute sewing bags.

Leticia had a bit of Hawaiian flair to hers:

Jo made a great, small 30's print bag.

Linda made two bags to match a large tote she is making.

Carol made the next two, the blue first and then the fun cosmetic bag below. The yellow one has flannel on the inside. Carol is the queen of flannel quilts.

Laurie made a couple small bags. This one was a floral print.

I think everyone learned how to put in the zipper easily and drop the feed dogs to close it off. We always have a good time and learn lots during our monthly meetings. Next month is a scrap bag for the sewing machine.