Wanna Be A Cowboy Quilts

I finished the binding on both the Wanna Be a Cowboy quilts! This is by far my favorite one and I'll be keeping if for a special baby. I did bias binding on both quilts and I love how it turned out. It's the stripe used in the quilt, only on the bias.

This one is pretty similar, but the red is too much for me. I have a friend who just had a little girl and this will be the perfect quilt for her, so I'm going to get a label on it and hopefully there will be a shower for the new baby and I'll be able to attend.

Lots of Dots Schlep Bag

Tonight was very productive in the sewing studio! I was able to sew from start to finish the Lots of Dots Schlep bag. It turned out really cute and I'm loving it. It took just 1 hour 15 min. to complete this bag. This one is a bit bigger than the other one I made. The squares are 6.5" square and the handles are 2" wide. I spent quite a bit of time fixing the pattern, designing the layout on the computer, and realigning the pattern  so it's easy to understand. I am teaching this class tomorrow night and I know some of the students are very visual, so I've adjusted accordingly.
Now that my samples are done and classes are starting, I'm itching to quilt. I have two wedding gifts to make in the next month, but they are table runners, so shouldn't take too long. I have a fabric book to make too. Hm mm I'm just not sure what my next project will be.

Lots of Dots

Last night I was really productive when I got home from work. I de-boned the chicken Paul smoked for me on Sunday. I cut up a fresh pineapple and blanced peaches for peaches and cream. But then the Bachelorette just sucked me in. I like to hear the guys perspective and some of the outakes made me laugh histerically. But I got very little done in the sewing studio. It was so hot here, 95, and didn't cool off until about 4 this morning. I did go down to sew, but only ended up cutting, I was too worn out. I cut out a Lots of Dots sample Schlep bag for my class tomorrow night. I want to be able to show lots of different options for the bag, so I'm making another one.  This one will have 6.5" squares. The top squares are the outer and inner parts of the bag, the black big dots are the setting triangles and the little dots on black are the handles. I should be able to whip this one up quickly tonight and have it ready for class. It's much cooler today and it might even rain.

Hannah's Summer Tote

Hannah's mom, my friend Angie, is coming to visit this week and I'm so excited to see her. Since I've been collecting pink John Deere cottons for the past year to make this bag for Hannah, I decided there was no time like the present. Hannah's 1st birthday is coming up in Aug. Since it will be so much easier to send it home with Angie, then to mail it. I pulled out my summer tote pattern and set to work yesterday. I wasn't sure how all the fabrics were going to work together, but in the end I think it turned out pretty cute.  The front shows more of the I love JD saying on it.

The back pocket covers up more, but still has lots of room in it.

I love the size/shape of this bag, but hate using the Steam a Seam 2 to make it, so sometime I need to just make it as I would any other bag with a lining and see if I still like it. I think it would be just as cute and so much cheaper to make without those 2 big pieces of SS2. Has anyone altered this pattern to know how it would turn out?

My Margo!

Last month when I first picked up the Margo bag pattern, I couldn't wait to make one for me. I'd been waiting for it to come out and I knew it was perfect for my new purse. I had plenty of the Wanna Be a Cowboy line left, so I cut out a Margo. Life got in the way and I needed to finish the wedding quilt and get samples done for my July/August classes, so it sat on the back burner.
I made 2 Margo's for samples and while I loved both of them, I learned what I liked and disliked, so I made a few changes to the pink/brown one for me. I added pockets to the back which the pattern didn't have. I also did not follow the yardage requirements, so it is farm for scrappy than it was intended to be.
Saturday night I set to work to make my own Margo, just for me. I was able to get the purse done in just under 3 hours, which didn't include the cutting. I did have 2 done already, so I didn't have to read the pattern. I find this to be one of the easiest patterns I've ever had for installing a zipper. I couldn't think of a simpler way if I came up with it myself.

This is the back of the purse. I'm totally in love with how it turned out. I'm also really happy with the brown handles, so they won't show the dirt so much.
Yesterday I quickly whipped up the wonder wallet and checkbook cover. I'm so happy with how they turned out. I changed the size of the WW and added more pockets and I'm really impressed with the "new" version of it. I love how the fronts of both match. It happened by accident, but I still love them.

I'm loving my new Margo and accessories and can't wait to find another project to use up the scraps. I probably have enough to do something scrappy with in small pieces. I'm just waiting for the inspiration to hit. I know I can get at least one more project out of this fabric line before it is gone!

Schlep Bag

Next week I'm teaching a Schlep Bag class at TSC. While there are many patterns out there for this particular bag, I have my own version. I wanted to re-familiarize myself with the pattern, so I made this one up over the last 2 nights. It really only took me about 2 hours, but I wasn't feeling well, so I quit the first night. It turned out smaller than I remember, so I'm going to make another one this weekend and see if I can figure out the bigger version. This will make a great little non-traditional Christmas bag as it's made with the Adoring line by Sandy Gervais for Moda. With 8 fat quarters I have enough to make 2 bags!

Lego Wedding

Last weekend Paul and I travelled with my brothers family to my cousin Molly's wedding in MN. The wedding quilt gift was opened Fri. night when we were at their new home. She absolutely loved it as did her friends. She kept telling me all weekend how wonderful it was and how amazed she was with it. She couldn't wait to curl up in it. It was probably the most well received wedding quilt I've ever given. She had given me the t-shirts last summer, but she'd forgotten, so it was a complete and total surprise for her.

Tyler and Molly holding up the quilt.

The sign my brother made them. He's really awesome at welding/machine work so he made it for the newlyweds.

The wedding was held on the Empress riverboat on the St. Croix River. It rained for about 2 hours before the wedding, so instead of being on the top deck, the wedding was held on the bottom level. It was very contemporary and unique. Since we were family, we got to see the wedding ceremony.

After the ceremony, the skies cleared a bit and it wasn't raining, so we went up to the top deck and visited while the tables were set up for supper. We got to witness the rising of the bridge as we went under it. The bridge connects MN and WI. After supper there were severe thunderstorm warnings, so we turned around early. Then there was a tornado in Stillwater, so the coast guard kept us in the middle of the river until the danger passed.

It was a very fun weekend and really enjoyable with so much to do and see. I did make it to 2 quilt shops, the Quilt Cove in Eagan and Charolette's Web in Stillwater. I found a couple patterns, some thread, and a cute panel. Mom and I went and then met up with the rest of the family at Mall of America for lunch at Hooters.
This is my favorite picture of the weekend, my husband, holding the cutest girl in the worlds hand, so we could walk back to the parking lot before leaving.

Lego Wedding Quilt Finished!

I finished the Lego's wedding quilt Monday night! I didn't think I would ever finish the hand sewing on the binding, but I did. I'm really pleased with how it turned out, though I'm sure I'd do it different if I were to do it again. Now I just hope they like it. It washed up all crinkly which I love and I hope they do too.  Hopefully I'll have some pictures from the wedding weekend to share when I get back next week. It's sure to be a fun time, since it's our MN cousin getting married and we always have fun with those cousins.

MN Wedding Weekend

We're headed to MN this weekend! We've been planning this weekend for a year and a half, so we're really looking forward to it. My cousin is getting married on a riverboat in Stillwater.  Hopefully mom and I will be able to steal away and visit a quilt shop or two on Sat. We plan to go back to Quilters Cove and we found one in Stillwater we hope to stop at if we have time. A trip to Mall of America is also in the works, so hope it works out to go there. Have a great weekend and hopefully I'll have pictures next week to share.

Another Margo Bag Finished and Other Finishes!

Tonight I had 5 more finishes! I know this pattern won't last, but it sure feels awesome to have accomplished so much!  I worked today so I was able to pick up the 3 fabrics I needed to make checkbook covers. After a couple hour nap and supper, I made 2 checkbook covers to match the purses I made yesterday.

Then I started on another Margo, this one as a sample for the class I'm teaching in Aug. I wanted to try to get it done, start to finish in one evening. I cut it out and worked on each step, not changing anything from the pattern. I was able to get it finished in a little over 3 hours. Then I made a checkbook cover and wonder wallet to match. The wonder wallet through me for a loop, even though I've made hundreds. The machine came unthreaded and then I had the top on the wrong way. I finally got it finished though.

I love the checkbook cover. It's the pockets of the Margo bag too. I love how they turned out, but Paul says they look old ladyish. I think they look summerish.

I'm so glad I was able to get this sample done and I can take it in to the store on Monday.  I was also able to get one of the baby quilts trimmed up that I had quilted. I'm hoping to get the other trimmed up and the binding cut for both and put on tomorrow. I'll also be writing a paper for my graduate class tomorrow, so hopefully I get to have some sewing time.

Margo Bag Finished and LOTS of other finishes!

Tonight was very productive in my sewing studio. I don't remember the last time I finished this much done in one evening! I started with the Margo bag. I put the zipper in which was a cinch! I was able to use my walking foot on the entire bag.  I used scraps to make the little wonder wallet to go with it. I'll pick up a little more fabric tomorrow and make a checkbook cover to go with it.

I'm very pleased with how it turned out, but I think I'd prefer to have more pockets on the back side. The back is just too boring for me.

Then I pulled out some scraps and made a run around bag to match my dress for the wedding. I think this will be a great little purse to have my camera and wallet in when we go on the boat.

I love how the inside turned out. The different fabrics worked well together.

Then I pulled out this pink and brown run-around bag. I've had it started for over a year, but didn't have enough fabric for the handles and a pocket on the back. I found a little bit in my stash for the handles and pocket and finished it up. I think it will be just the right gift for my cousin who graduated from high school.

It feels so good to have gotten this much done. I'm hoping now to make another Margo bag this weekend.

Margo Bag

Next weekend we are heading to MN to a family wedding. I'm really looking forward to the weekend with my family. I need a new purse before we go! I've wanted a new purse for months now and have been waiting for the Margo bag pattern to come out.  When I picked it up, I quickly cut out one, but it's a pink/brown cowboy fabric and won't match anything I'm wearing next weekend. I found this brown and teal fabric a couple weeks ago and fell in love with it. I think it will look nice with most everything I'm wearing, so I decided to cut it out last night.  I cut it out completely and got started making it.  Within two hours I was able to get to the zipper part. If I'd had one more hour I think I could have finished it, but I decided to wait  to work on the zipper when I wasn't so tired.

The back and the front went together very fast. I couldn't believe how easy they were to make.

I got the lining and pockets prepared and pinned in the zipper so I'd be ready to sew it when I get home tonight. I think it will be done tonight! Now I'm thinking about a runaround to take on the boat for the actual wedding. It would provide enough room for money/ID/camera and yet light weight. We'll see how much I get done. I have to make the wallet/checkbook cover first.

Wedding Quilt Finished!

The wedding quilt is finally finished! I put it on the frame last week and then we were gone for the weekend, so I didn't get back to it until this week. Last night I quilted for a couple hours and didn't have many problems at all. I was able to get it all quilted and trimmed up last night.


This morning I got up early and put the binding on it. I worked on the handwork while I waited at my mom's appointment. I was able to get more done than I expected.

I'm really impressed with how it turned out. It's bigger than I had planned and I'm not a fan of the colors, but I hope my cousin loves it. The wedding is next weekend and we leave a week from today, so I really wanted to get it done this week.

This is the first time I have quilted through t-shirts on the frame. I had a few issues with the stamped parts shifting, but I didn't break any needles or thread because of it. I'll show the finished picture after the wedding.

June Quilting Accomplishments

This month I kept my goals simple because I knew I wouldn't accomplish a whole lot. I was very busy and luckily finally got some of my quilting mojo back so I could get a few things accomplished. While most of the things I got done were not on the list, I feel great about where I am with my goals.
My two June Goals:
Finish Jewel Box Quilt - Finished the top, quilted and Binding Done!

Finish Lego Wedding Quilt - Bordered t-shirts, sashed, and bordered Wedding Quilt. Top is on the frame and partially quilted. Two weeks till the wedding!


In addition I also did a few other quilting projects:
Finished the binding on construction panel #2 quilt

Quilted and Binding on Grader Tablerunner for my dad

Made another Wanna Be a Cowboy Quilt top

Made a pillowcase for my friend Jen

Sewed 132 HST's for the Friendship HST exchange

Made Merry a quilt top

Finished the Sign Language baby quilt

Cut out Margo bag

Quilted both pink and brown Wanna Be a Cowboy quilts

Made my niece a pillowcase to go with her quilt for her birthday.

In other news:
Karen got me a "My First SDSU" t-shirt when she went to Brookings.
I attended the BHQG quilt show.
We visited the ranch and went fishing for a weekend with my family.
Spent an awesome Girls Night Out sewing with my friends at Gaila's house.
I taught a professional tote class.


We'll be away several weekends in July, so I probably won't get much accomplished, but I'll have a few goals. We're headed to the ranch for the long weekend and then the BIG MN wedding is in a couple weeks.
 July Goals:
Finish quilting and binding the wedding quilt
Bind 2 Wanna Be A Cowboy Quilts
Make Margo bag