Bags-O-Bags

I haven't been quilting much this past week - but I have been working on UFO's. Over two ago Emily over at What's that gonna be? posted directions on how to make a cute little tote bag out of two dish towels. So I bookmarked the page and started keeping my eyes open for cute dishtowels. I found some on clearance at Kroger and stuck them away, waiting for a moment to try it out. Here it is over a year later and I needed several little birthday gifts. So I dragged the towels out and got to work. They are so quick and simple! You can make a single bag in less than half an hour. Now did I take any picture of the 6 bags I made out of the dishtowels? Nope. Forgot.

But all these dishtowels got me thinking! My sweet sister bought me 4 Orla Kiely place mats and some cloth napkins from Target for my birthday last week. I immediately sat down and whipped her up a bag out of two of the place mats. This bag is bigger than the dishtowel ones and stiffer since the place mats were much stiffer to begin with. She had bought three place mats with a blue backing and one with a brown backing. Thus began our wild goose chase to find more of them. Her hubby went back to the Target where she had bought them and found one more with a blue back. He also checked out another Target near by - no luck. Last week when me and Naomi headed back to Nashville, we hit four more Targets. No luck. Oh well - at least I have enough to make me a bag too!



All this sewing got Naomi thinking I could just whip her up a bag out of anything so she went out and bought fabric. The bags are reversible - the picture shows the bags and there reversed insides. Yes - four more bags. I also made my 4 year old nephew Joey a CARS bag. I think I have had enough of these bags for a while.

Today I am trying to get a lap sized quilt quilted up for someone. She does good work - but this time her backing was wonky with a capital W. After squaring it up, it was no longer big enough. So I had to add strips of one of her other fabrics to the sides. Next come adding some strips to the batting! Wish me luck!

Two more done!!

Today was another banner day! I got TWO bindings done. Nina knows how I feel about doing bindings. Both of these quilts have been sitting in the closet waiting for the binding for an entire year. Sad, isn't it?

This first one is going to be a wedding gift for a sweet couple. The wedding is Saturday afternoon. I love this pattern and will definitely be making another one. (All the pictures are clickable for a larger view!)



This second one is an extremely belated college graduation gift. It is only two years late! Oops! This is the famous Yellow Brick Road pattern. So quick and easy. This is the third or fourth quilt I have made out of these green fabrics. I think they were multiplying when I wasn't watching!


Tomorrow I will get the labels on these and they will be ready to go. Today I also got the hall closet reorganized (again!) and got the fabric storage boxes put away - so there are no more piles of fabric sitting around the sewing room. My cleaning focus needs to turn to the kids' rooms. Some major dejunking needs to happen. My sister and the cousins are coming in a week so we need to get busy!

Things I have forgotten!

Last week when I started working on the Strip Twist QOV (see the post below), I started wondering where this other quilt went. This is the Star Struck quilt I made in Bonnie's workshop back in October. I couldn't remember finishing it and I couldn't figure out what had become of it. It is so sad to get old! On Thursday as I was trimming the other quilt, it finally came back to me - I had given this quilt to my cousin, who was just getting back from a tour of duty in Iraq. Looking back through the blog, I never even posted about it! Here it is finished. I love this pattern and I may have to make another one.


Friday I quilted this top and got it bound. Saturday was a quilting day for our local guild to work on charity quilts. I dropped this quilt off to the coordinator, along with blocks to make a green and yellow version of it. Two UFO's out the door and gone to a good cause.

Plans for this week? I have had a pile of quilted quilts sitting in the closet, just waiting for the binding. Waiting, waiting, waiting! We are going to a dear friend's wedding on Saturday and I am hoping to get one of these quilts finished for her. There is also another quilt in there that was meant to be a graduation gift for one her bridesmaids - so maybe that one will get done too! Usually I don't give quilts as wedding or graduation gifts, but these two particular girls have a special place in my heart! Definitely don't need to start any new traditions! I am already over run with making baby quilts!

What are your plans for the week?

Summer!

I have been sewing a lot this week. The kids are home for the summer and we have been being lazy! I sew for a while, then we go to the pool until I get too hot, then come home and take a nap!

This quilt pattern is from Bonnie's site. The pattern is called :Strip Twist". A friend of mine, Kathi, from the local guild quilted it for me on her Gammill with the Statler Stitcher. It is amazing! We did a eagle with its wings spread in the triangles around the edges. In the center I did a free-hand stars and loops. This week I finally got the binding put on it and mailed it to Kathi's step-son. He is a solider and has been to Iraq several times (if I am remembering it correctly!) - Click for bigger pictures!




I have declared this the summer of the UFO. I am determined to finish up some of these unfinished projects that are sitting around here haunting me! Today I quilted a quilt that will be donated to our guild's charity group. I also have some blocks that I am going to donate to them. Two down - lots to go!

A lovely rainy Saturday

Yesterday was rainy and overcast here in Alabama - a good excuse to hang around the house and be lazy! I was able to finish the binding on this baby quilt in time to take it to quilt guild meeting Thursday night for show-n-tell. The baby shower was on Saturday. Lots of yummy foods and good friends. Summer loved the quilt.


This was the first quilt where I attempted to change thread colors. I couldn't find a thread color that looked good with the brown, blue and green - so I used three colors. The blue and brown thread blended into the blue backing but the cream color thread really stood out and made a cool design. You should be able to click for a larger picture.

I also made these yummy cupcake bites for the party. The inside is chocolate cake crumbled up and combined with chocolate frosting. The outside coating is almond bark. For more yummy edible ideas, check out Bakerella at www.bakerella.com .



This is me and the mommy-to be. Her due date is June 14th - but I am trying to convince her the 17th is better.


Have a wonderful weekend! The kids are done with school so let our summer of fun begin!

Ready for the mail man....

I have finally finished the birthday challenge that was due last year on our birthdays. Oops! I changed my mind on this at least 5 or 6 times. My first idea was a folk artsy applique pattern - but then I decided I was kidding myself thinking I would ever get an applique done. Another idea was using some of my hand-dyed fabrics in a sort of amish setting. I got far enough on this one that I was trying to machine quilt it on my little machine. It wasn't turning out well. There were some other ideas thrown in there too but I can't remember them all. I hope Nina's mom likes it. I am sending along some other goodies for her too. I actually made this table runner twice - the first time I used a slightly lighter green and wasn't as thrilled with it - although I do like it. This darker green is better.

I am working on the binding for the green/blue/brown baby quilt. It is sewn onto the front - just need to flip it to the back. Hopefully it will be finished tomorrow.

Only four more days of school! This summer will involve lots of travel. Hopefully I will get to quilt some!

Don't tell anyone....

but I have been sewing some the past few days! Nina actually showed me up by getting our last birthday challenge mailed off to my mom before me. The challenge was to make a table runner for each other's mom. Too bad it has only taken us only two years to get this done! Every time I would sit down to work on mine I would change my mind about what I wanted to do. It's done now and will be quilted next week and then into the mail.

This baby quilt has been awaiting borders for a month now. As you can see, I went with the green on the inside. I love how it turned out. I finally put the borders on tonight and it too will hopefully be quilted next week. The shower is on the 23rd.

I am waiting to hear about a last minute commissioned quilt. The lady wants a good sized lap quilt done in cream colors and using some sort of yellow-brick-road like pattern. We will see if my price quote scared her off!

Have a wonderful weekend and a lovely Mother's Day if you are here in the States!

Green or blue

These are the 4 blocks that will be my next baby quilt. I need to ask the mom if she wants it to seem more green or more blue. I am going to add one more round of strips, then some sashing between the four blocks and then some sort of border. These greens just seem to scream spring!

Yet another baby quilt

Yes, another baby quilt. This time I am done early - the shower isn't until Saturday! I love this one - all the soft pinks and browns. The baby's name is going to be Anna Grace. Isn't that such a beautiful classic name?

The next quilt that I am making is for a baby boy who is due right around my birthday in June. The colors for this one will be a chocolate brown, bright blue, and a not quite lime green. I am hoping to make it to Columbus and JoAnn's next week so I can get going on this one.

I also have several quilts sitting here, just waiting for bindings. Nina knows how much I LOVE doing bindings.

What are you making?

Spring Break and the plague

My children have a knack for getting sick the week before spring break. We decided to pass on our planned trip to Washington DC and stay home and rest. It's a good thing we did because hubby and I have both come down with the plague this week. Lots of laying around, watching movies, napping, and some sewing!

This is the next baby quilt I needed to get done. The shower is April 4th. This is my attempt at a blended quilt -very hard to photograph when all the colors are so pale and close in color! I like how it turned out! The pattern is called "Seeing Stars" from American Patchwork & Quilting, December 2008. Can you see the stars hidden in there?


I have also spent some time playing around with the charm pack I got last week. I had also been admiring Judy's latest stash project. So I combined the two into these blocks. I had to alter the sizes a little bit so I could use the charm block - but it turned out cute. I can make two blocks from each charm square. I think I will use the blocks to make matching lap quilts for my daughter and my niece. I don't think I am going to set like Judy suggests, but am going to put some white sashing around the blocks, ala Crazy Mom Quilts.

What else might I get to work on this week? Hmmm....

Help me!

Yesterday I was roaming around some blogs I read and came across Allison's post about some cute fabric she had found at JoAnn's. Very cute! I happened to need to go and get some batting so we sweet talked hubby into driving down to Columbus with us and went shopping. Unfortunately (or fortunately, depending how you look at it!) the nearest Joann's is about an hour away. Anyway - here's what I got!

This first group is going to be made into a lap quilt for my husband's employee. She will be leaving us in August to go to grad school in Texas. She was #1 in her graduating class and we are not sure how we will ever replace her. We have been lucky to have her with us for two years. Anyway - I wanted to make her something special as a going-away gift.


And then there is this lemon fabric! I love it! It is an Alexander Henry fabric and it is so bright and cheery! It has a nice weight to it.

These last two are from Hobby Lobby. They remind me of the Orla Kiely stuff at Target.


This is a little peak at three lap quilts I am making for the sons of a friend of ours that passed away suddenly last week. The boys are 15, 12, and 9. They will have a long road ahead of them without their mama - breaks my heart. My stomach is still in knots whenever I think about it.

We were supposed to be in Washington DC this week for spring break but Ian came down with a bad cough last week so we decided it wasn't wise to go off like that. Now me and hubby are getting so throats so it is just as well that we are at home. Gives me lots of time to sew though!

Burned a hole in my pocket

Last week Judy was kind enough to choose the cake recipe I submitted when she was looking a recipe for Vince's birthday cake. I won a gift certificate for $59.09 to The Fat Quarter Shop!

Judy announced the winner on Thursday morning and I managed not to spend the gift certificate until at least 8 p.m. that evening. I would have spent it sooner but there was so much beautiful fabric to choose from, I couldn't narrow it down!

I finally came to some decisions. The picture above is of the SWANKY charm pack by Chez Moi for Moda. So bright and cheerful.

The four pink fabrics all have the Eiffel Tower on them and will eventually make their way into Madeleine's Paris quilt. The others were just pretty browns and greens that I couldn't resist.


Thank you again, Judy! I am glad your family enjoyed the cake!

Oh - did I share our plans for spring break next week? My brother-in-law and his family live in DC and we are going to spend the week with them! And do you know what is between Auburn Alabama and Washington DC? Mary Jo's Fabrics in Gastonia North Carolina. Last time we went to DC I remember seeing it from the interstate - this time we WILL be stopping! I had better start taking my self-control pills today!

Last minute finish!

The star quilt is finished and given to the expectant mama. The baby shower was on Saturday and she got tons of wonderful things. Including a wet quilt! I was so proud of myself for getting the top quilted over a week and a half before the shower. But when did I get around to putting the binding on it? In the two hours between Maddie's tea party and the baby shower! No problem - except that I decided to wash the quilt too. The white background fabric was being difficult and was showing the little holes where it had been quilted. I threw it in the washer on the express wash cycle - it should have taken about half an hour. Fifty minutes later it is still not done - I stood there watching it spin and spin and spin - and it wouldn't count down past 5 minutes left to go. I gave up and took it out of the washer anyway - and it was still soaking wet. Into the dryer it goes - with some already dry bath towels. 30 minutes later the quilt is still wet - and I am half an hour late for the shower. Out of the dryer comes the wet, label-less quilt and off we go. When I get to the shower everyone is still snacking so I sneak the quilt into the hostesses dryer. By the time everyone finished eating and the mama-to-be had opened most of the other gifts, the quilt had finally dried to a slightly damp condition! I had to bring the quilt back home to put the label on it but it was returned to the mommy the next morning at church. And isn't Shelby Mae just the most southern name you've ever heard?

I am almost done with my sewing room and closet reorganization extravaganza. We are hopefully having some company this weekend - so it needs to get done today - along with the rest of the house. But this "company" knows our normal low standards and is just happy for a bed to lay her weary head down on, so I am not too worried! She will leave her white gloves and magnifying glass at home.

How did it get to be March?

First things first, today is my sweet Madeleine's 10th birthday. We celebrated on Saturday with a tea party. Lots of fun! All dressed up - eating petits fours,
chocolate covered strawberries, and sugar cookies and
drinking punch out of my tea cup collection.

Today I decided to reorganize my sewing room. It needs it badly. There is an empty white dresser in Ian's room that I decided to switch out with the little bookcase in my sewing room. Got that part done but now my table and the floor underneath are covered with stuff that needs a new home! I think my next job will be cleaning out the hall closet where my stash is hidden, err.... I mean, housed! I am hoping to find room for all of my quilting books in the closet - since they don't work so well in a dresser drawer! Anyone out there a professional organizer? Help!

This is my quilting thread collection.
I just love all the colors!

Go sign up!

Kerri over at Lovely Little Handmades is giving away a charm pack of adorable Japanese fabrics. Go check it out - quick!

Thanks Kerri!

A Good mail day!

Long distance friendship can be hard. Me and Nines met when our girls were just 5 months old. We lived about 15 minutes apart and thanks to my 4-wheel drive, even snowy weather couldn't keep us apart for long! We lived close to each other for four years. Then my husband accepted a job way down south - and now we live about 12 hours apart. Yeah - we talk on the phone and email each other - but it's not the same as eating Chinese food face to face!

Yesterday I received a box of goodies in the mail from my sweet friend. Isn't it nice when someone knows your tastes and knows what will make you smile? Of course it makes me miss her even more. Thanks you, Nines! I love all of it! Not a day goes by that I don't think of you and miss you!

A productive and fun Wednesday

This morning my new quilting friend, Linda, came over and we quilted her quilt top made from Cindy's stash. (Remember I made that orange and blue pineapple quilt out of Cindy's stash fabric ?) Linda was amazed at how quickly we got a lap sized quilt done. We just did a big meander so it took longer to advance the quilt than it did to quilt it! We got done just in time to go to our guild's birthday group's monthly lunch. It was right around the corner from me but we still managed to be late! After a lovely lunch, I came back and took a short nap before the kids got home.

Then this afternoon while doing all the spelling homework, I got the blocks for the star baby quilt sewn together. Those little squares in the diagonal lines are ONE inch big. I am still debating on what kind of border it needs.

So what have you been up to today?

One more choice!

It seems like most people liked the uniqueness of choice #1 - but Jacquie wondered how things might look with the little squares in random colors. So here you go!

So - last decision - one color or all the colors? One color is choice #1 in the post below.

Thanks for your input!

Twinkle, Twinkle, Bigger Stars !

At some point this week, I came to my senses and decided that I did not want to make 48 of those tiny little 4 inch stars. Sure - it would have been a stunning quilt, but I may have ended up crossed-eyed in the end! So I decided to go bigger! Much quicker! These larger stars will finish off at 8 inches.

Now comes the decision of the alternate blocks.

CHOICE #1 : This first example is like it is shown in the magazine - diagonal lines in one direction only.

CHOICE #2: Diagonal lines in both directions - in one color.

CHOICE #3 : Diagonal lines in both directions - in two different colors.

So what do you think? Which alternate blocks should I use?

Why you should read the directions carefully!

Isn't this a lovely quilt? It is from the latest edition of American Quilting and Patchwork. I fell in love with it and thought it would make a cute baby quilt if I adjusted the size down a little bit. Yesterday I decided to start working on it and got out the magazine so I could start cutting the pieces. Only then did I finally read that the blocks are 4 INCHES ! It IS a baby quilt already. It is still cute - so I decided to give it a go.

That is one of my featherweight bobbins to give you a sense of size. Those little yellow squares are 1.5 inches and are used to make the flying geese pieces of the stars. Only about 40 more little stars to go!