August Sewing & Quilting

August really has flown by for me! I can't believe we're almost to the middle. I made this Spirograph table topper from some of my remaining blush fabric. I am loving the pattern and may have to try it again.

I finished it up with a machine sewn binding, but I'm not really liking it, so may take it out and hand sew it down. I used wool for the batting in this one.

To add to my samples for an upcoming class, I made two more Lazy Girl runaround bags. They are quick and easy and make great gifts.

Mikaela and I worked on a couple bags for her. She got distracted pretty fast, but was certainly ready to fill them when I was done.

A co-worker asked me to fix her sons jacket. Her mom had put the zipper in, but it was really puckered.

I took it out and re-did it. There were three different layers to sew, re-sew, and then topstitch. A complicated way to make a jacket for sure, but it's done and she's happy.

I made another sample for class from a new fabric line at work. I just love how I was able to fussy cut to make it work.

The back pocket is also fussy cut.

I finished a third mini swoon block, so only 1 remains. I love making these little blocks. With the corner clipper ruler it's been a breeze to sew them too.

Last week I quilted a couple quilts for my friend Emilee. I did an allover stipple in white king tut with a taupe bottom line.

I love how she made her scrappy swoon longer. I wish I  had done that to mine as well.

I also quilted this happy houses big block quilt with a large stipple in a verigated green/teal/yellow/red thread.

A co-worker is leaving today for a trip with her husband and she'll be doing a lot of waiting, so I made her a big bag to carry all her things. My co-workers and I made a big old care package of things she might need. I was kind of fun seeing what everyone put in it. She loves leopard print, so I picked the fabric especially for her.

With the leftover fold area I made a little makeup bag for a bunch of toiletry things. The orange is in the other bag as well. It's so bright and fun.

Saturday I whipped up this little Star-burst table topper for my dad's wife's hair dresser. She gave me a bunch of Crown Royal bags, so I wanted to do something for her.

Last week my aunt and I took a trip back to my hometown for a 60th anniversary celebration. It was fun to visit with so many neighbors and friends. It would have been my mom's birthday, so we stopped at the cemetery as well. I don't get back real often any more, so it was nice to have the time to visit.


While I quilted last week Mikaela and Mathew played with Grandpa and Grandma. Mikaela thought she would take over my dad's chair, but he made her share. It was so cute to see her playing with Grandpa.

Mikaela's Sewing Weekend

This month has flown by and I've been remiss to get in any sewing time with Mikaela. It's actually been a few months since we have been home long enough to get some sewing time in.
I'll be teaching a couple quick sew projects in December and the gals asked if it was a project that could be done with kids. I believe the runaround bag is one of the best patterns for kids. So I decided to see how long it would take with a 3 1/2 year old at the helm.
We set up her small sewing machine next to mine and I help her sew. She pressed all the fat quarters and I did the cutting. She puts her foot on the pedal and helps with the guiding. I have to do most of the prep work aka cutting, detailed pressing, and pinning. She does like to trim the threads though. She helped put in the zipper in the and did the topstitching.

She loves her new bag and we made the handle short just for her. She loved trying all the zig zag decorative stitches on the handle.

She was so excited that she "did it".

Her bag

The back of the bag

On Sunday she went through my stash and found this fabric from her aunt Jane and made a bag for her friend Rosie. I couldn't find a contrast, so it's all the same. The first one took about 1 hour 15 min. The second took about 45 min. I set up the machine/area both times, so the second day she had more patience.


She wanted to photo bomb my pictures. She had a lot of fun sewing and this will definately be a quick and easy project for kids and adults.

WIP Wednesday Week 12 3/21/12

This was a productive week, even if I didn't feel like I was in the studio sewing much. I couldn't motivate to sew late at night, so I started cutting out my batik scraps. I had some of mine and my moms and I spent about 3 hours Thurs. night cutting and about 2 hours on Sunday. I cut 2 - 2.5" strips to begin with, then if there was enough I cut a 6 7/8" strip and if there was any left I cut a 3.5" strip. The 2.5" strips below will probably make one of the Lazy Angle ruler quilts.

The large strips and 3.5" strips below are being cut during lunch time at work to make a jewel box quilt. You may remember the one we made as a friendship quilt for Regina (1I) last year. I loved the pattern and had placed it with my tote of batiks so I could cut them up when the time came. Well, this was the week.

Sunday and Monday nights I quilted this quilt for Heather. It's awesome and really looks incredible, but more pictures will come after it's given. It's a photo quilt using the snapshots block pattern.

Last night I made my MIL a new bag for work, so she'd have a place to carry her wallet and 3 cell phones. I made it an inch bigger both ways. This is one of her favorite fabrics and we're finally down to the last yard of it. We originally bought 9+ yards and she made a king size bed and pillowcases.

I also made her this quick cash and carry wallet, with vinyl on the outside pocket for her drivers license.

I've been slowly sewing the Merry Go Round blocks together. I have about half done. I laid them out to see what they will look like. It's going to be interesting that's for sure! I have such a hard time with scrappy!


New Projects this Week:
Runaround Bag
Cash and Carry wallet
Batik Jewel Box
Finished this week:
Runaround Bag
Cash and Carry wallet
Ongoing projects:  (and progress this week on them)
 Twister - Cut out and ready to piece. 
Jim Shore Quilt - None
Ed's Crown Royal Quilt - Started sashing
Merry Go Round - Half the blocks done.
Mocha Meringue Wonder Blocks- Together, needs 3 borders
Swoon - 1 Block done
Completed tops awaiting quilting:
Blush Quilt 
Pink/Brown Friendship Quilts
Buggy Barn Pink/Brown Extra Blocks
Pink/Green Jungle Animal Baby Quilt
Confetti Top
Friendship Block Swap Top
No progress:
Pokey Little Puppy Book
3 Mug Rugs - Binding
Winding Ways
Twister Baby Quilt
This week's stats:
Completed projects -2
New projects -1
Currently in progress - 6
Finished this year - 25 , 6 Samples

I'm linking up for WIP Wednesday at Freshly Pieced!

August Quilting Accomplishments

August was a fairly productive month, considering I was gone quite a bit.
I made the changing pad cover to go with the Diaper Clutch.

I made the bapron- baby apron.

I finished my first goal of making 2 wine bottle holders.

I finished my 7th goal of making a wonder wallet and runaround bag for Nichole for our Quilts and Vines weekend.



I made two Maxine Notebook covers. One for myself and one for Jen.



I made this ribbon blanket for Mikaela.

I completed my 5th goal of a Dilly Dally baby quilt for Pat's new granddaughter.

I finished my 8th goal of making a wall hanging out of my pink/brown buggy barn fabrics.

I also made a block for another wall hanging, but realized I didn't have enough brown and now need to take it apart and use a different brown.

I made a Diaper Clutch and changing pad for Nichole and Jon.

I quilted Aunt Mae's queen size quilt.

I also entered a bunch of quilts/sewing projects in the fair and got 8 1st's, 6 2nd's, and 3 3rd's. In addition I won Best of Class for my hand pieced hearts and diamonds table runner. I attended the Quilts & Vines quilt show with my friend Nichole and Mikaela.

Steadily Sewing

This week I've actually gotten quite a bit of sewing done. I made this cute little ribbon blanket for Mikaela Sun/Mon. nights. I love how it turned out, but it just made me mad making it. I bought it back in April on the shop hop I went on. I bought it more for the pattern than anything, since I have some minkee charm squares I wanted to make something out of. I opened the kit only to realize the pattern was a FREE Moda Bake Shop pattern. I was a bit irrate, since I paid a lot for the kit and they made it look like the only way to get the pattern was to buy the kit and that it was their pattern. I won't be going back to that shop any time soon.

I had the note book cover pattern for a small notepad and decided to use my leftover Maxine fabric to make one. I think I bought the pattern in MN two years when Jen and I were in a shop. Jen got kicked out of the shop and we still laugh about what a rip the owner is. Anyway I made it up for the most part like the pattern said. Monday night I made up 2 of them.

Only I had to add some decorative stitching and top stitching to it.

Then I made another, this time using decorbond instead of steam a seam and topstitched again. I think this was a little too much, but the other one is so flimsy. I think one less layer of decor bond or eliminating the batting would have helped.


But I'm just not one to follow a pattern. Jen and I have that in common. We use the pattern as a guide and really do whatever we want with the knowledge we already have.

Tonight I made up a Runaround bag out of this cute wine fabric. I'm going to Quilts and Vines in a week and wanted a new purse for it.


I also made a wonder wallet.


I made some insulated wine bottle holders for the wine I plan to bring back. Again I changed the pattern to include insulbrite.


Last night I was having a hard time as it would have been my mom's 55th birthday. I just couldn't get in the groove to sew, but did make this bapron - baby apron. I think it's cute, but it doesn't quite fit Mikaela right. I need to make some tweaks.


Tonight I also made this changing pad to go with my Grab n Go diaper clutch. I love how it turned out and luckily mom had the perfect vinyl type material.