~Peeks~

...For my Mom. :-)

Every summer we make the 1500 mile trip to visit our families in the mid-west.  I bring back with me any quilt tops my Mom has finished and quilt them on my longarm. I return them the next summer, thus saving a lot on postage.  

Well, I was talking with my Mom on the phone about my favorite quilt in this set and she couldn't remember it. (the bottom one). 

I quilted it with a variegated pastel thread. I was humming right along yesterday and I ran. out. of. thread!!!! :-o  I mean totally!  It used way more than I thought it would. Yikes!  I had a small area... 6 x 15 inches left to quilt!!! Aaaack!  So this morning, I went to every shop I could think of that carried thread and found it at my last stop!  Same brand. Same colors, except the spool was a lot smaller and the price on the spool a lot higher! :-/  I guess I had that other spool a few years. LOL 

Once Mom gets these babies back in her hands, she will bind them and then you can look for full photos on her blog.  Right Mom? ;-)

Until next time~

Happy Stitchin'!!

~Just a Few Things~

I said I would show you what goodies I found on our last trip to the ocean.

We went to the cutest little shop called Beach Tyme Quilts. :-)

They seem to specialize in beach themed fabrics, but also have a good mix of other things too.

I brought home a quilt kit called Dream Boats, designed by Wendy Sheppard! I was really tickled to see that on the pattern because I have followed Wendy's blog for years and just love her quilting. The fabrics in the kit are from Quilting Treasures.

I found a cute cross body purse pattern that uses strips of fabric... leftover jelly roll strips. ;-)

My DD loves her cross body bags, so I thought this would make a good birthday gift for her.  I just need to decide what colors to make it in! LOL  It is called the Sonoma Swing Bag by Pink Sand Beach.

And finally, I found the cutest mermaid panel for my DGD.  It is called Coral * Queen of the Sea

Since our DGD has the most gorgeous ginger hair,  and loves mermaids, this was kind of a no-brainer. LOL 

I would love to jump right into these projects, but my conscience tells me I should work on something I have already started... hmmm what to do...drumming fingers, what to do?

What would you do? 

Until next time~

Happy Stitchin'!!

A Fun New Bag~

Started on Thursday, finished on Friday! :-)  

And packed with 'firsts'!

I accepted a pattern test project before we went on our trip, thinking I would have plenty of time when I got home to make it. Well, said trip didn't go quite as planned and we got home later than planned. :-o

I could have probably begged off, but that is so not me!  No way!

I was determined. LOL

And here is 'Eve'~

She is the first handbag pattern to be made by Liz of Moments.

Liz works primarily with leather and faux leather and I have always wanted to try making a bag with them. I have 'picked her brain' from time to time, but was just not brave enough to take the last step until she asked for pattern testers. I took a chance! And am I ever glad I did!  The black is faux leather, it is also on the bottom.

The pattern is written with leather/faux leather in mind, so it has lots of tips and hints.  It also has two different closure options as well as the option to go without the flap and put in a zipper.  

 It was also my first time putting rivets in a bag. Let me tell you~ that was scary!  Imagine having the whole thing made and then purposely putting a hole in it!  And not just one!!! :-o

I really took my time and mentally prepared myself, and laughed at myself when I was finished~ it was soooo easy!  Watch out~ I may rivet everything in sight now! LOL 

The inside has a lot of pockets, and even an overlay of faux leather around a zipper pocket! 

I have to say, it was really fun sewing up this pattern!  And since Liz released it so fast, I can start using right away! LOL

For 48 hours the pattern is on sale at Craftsy~ Eve handbag pattern  Go check it out.

And also go to Liz's blog and see all the different tester versions~ lots of eye candy there! :-)

I hope you are having a great weekend~ it is a rainy one here, but the rain was very much needed!

Until next time~

Happy stitchin'!

Home Again, Home Again...

Jiggety Jig! LOL

DH and I took the motorhome out for a week of R&R. ;-)

We had a great time and I even found a quilt shop~ but more on that later.

I need to take a photo of my 'acquisitions'. ;-)

Today I want to talk with you about a new pouch I pattern tested a while back.

It is called the 'Annex Double Zip Box Pouch' by Sara Lawson of Sew Sweetness. 

If you click the link, you go to her blog and can see all the tester versions, but please come back! 

I usually test myself even further by making the smallest size, but this time I made the largest size and I love it!

I need to make some zipper pulls, but I went ahead and used it last week without. LOL

I used some FQ's I had in my stash, and florals so no one would swipe it! LOL 

Like my DH or DD. ;-)  I kept all my nail care things in it~ file clipper, etc on one side, 

polishes on the other. And even though I didn't get time to polish my nails on the trip, I sure did use the file/clipper side a lot!  :-o  I think for my next trip I will put my embroidery things in it~ or maybe all my chargers, it would be a great place to store those and have them all in one spot!  I have a feeling if hubby sees that he will want one too~ well, Fathers Day is coming up! ;-)

Have a great day and until next time~

Happy stitchin'!!

Retreat Sewing~

Just a few pix from the retreat I attended last month.

I can't show you everything until after Quilt Market. ;-)

I made this diaper bag for DS1 and family~

he and his wife both love Marvel Comics. LOL

It is called the Nappy Bag and is from Sewing Patterns by Mrs H.

It has loads of pockets~ the sides are both pockets, the inside has pockets all the way around it, and there is a hidden zipper pocket on the outside.  It was fun to make and I hope it gets lots of use! ;-)

I also worked on a quilt for DGD.  She love the Little Mermaid. A friend gifted me the mermaid fabric since her own DGD grew too fast to get a quilt made. ;-)

The pink really sticks out in the photo, but not so much in 'real life'. :-)

The pattern is called Box Trot and was one of the classes offered at the retreat.

It is really a quick sew!

I also made my Mom a new purse for Mothers Day~ no pix Mom! :-)

And I made 7 tote bags for another retreat I will be attending this summer.

Got blocks for another quilt together and have since finished it~ its a market pattern. ;-)

And just had a lot of fun with friends.

 

Have you ever been to a retreat with your friends?

 

Until next time~

Happy Stitchin'!

~Piping Making~

I have always loved piping! 

When our DD was small and I made a lot of her clothes, I would add it to collars, pockets, waist bands, just for that extra pop of color. Back then I always purchased piping.  As the years went by I started making it more often than not. And now I try to always make it because, well~ have you seen the quality of prepackaged piping lately? Can it get any skinnier? :-o

Lately I have been using it for a little border pop on a mini quilt, and for bag making. Fun!

I suppose it is safe to say the "traditional" way of making piping was by using your zipper foot to baste it into a bias strip of fabric.  BUT with new products, things do get easier!

You can now get a piping foot for your sewing machine with a groove in it for the cording.

I always dreaded having to rip out any basting stitches that I didn't quite cover.

 And now I don't even baste! I use Wonder Tape by Dritz, or Wonder Web by Pellon.  :-) It comes in a roll and my roll is getting used up as you can see in the photo. It is 1/4 inch wide.

(Just FYI~ Wonder Tape washes out, Wonder Web does not.)

There are so many uses for this wonderful product, but just in case you haven't used it to make piping yet~

it couldn't get any easier. ;-)

In the photo I cut my bias strips 1.5 inches and pressed them wrong sides together to find the middle.  This makes a 3/4 inch 'tape'.  I opened it and pressed one side of the Wonder Tape right in the center of one side~ there should be 1/4 inch between the tape and the fold, and another 1/4 inch up from the raw edge... or pretty close! :-)  Let it cool completely.  If you don't, the paper is much harder to remove. Trust me on this! I am sometimes just a teeny bit impatient. :-) (and then I regret it!)

I used 3/16th's inch cord this time because I want an nice big piping, but you can use smaller for more delicate applications.  Once you have removed that paper, then it is just a matter of inserting the cord against the fold, meeting raw edges and pressing.  The piping stays right up against the fold~ and you didn't have to baste anything!! Easy! Right?  Give it a try sometime, you will be happy you did!

Until next time~

Happy stitchin'!

I'm Here!!

I know its bad when I have to go read my own blog to remember the last time I posted!

(boy is my face red!) :-o

Retreat was a lot of fun and I got a lot done!

First I want to give you a glimpse into our set-up.  We had 119 quilters with 119 sewing machines humming. :-)  Fun!  I took quite a few projects to work on, plus I took a couple classes that were offered, so I really kept my machine humming.  

We set up in a large gym.  The campground has a kitchen/dining building and full time staff that lives on the grounds. We didn't even have any KP to do! ;-)  The dormitories are set up on a hill, single story with a community room with a fireplace in the front and behind that the building is divided in half with the bathrooms, showers etc running the length of the middle. On either side of them are dorm rooms filled with bunk beds (this camp is mainly for kids summer programs, but various groups rent it during the school year).  No one sleeps in top bunks... that's where we store our suitcases etc.  There are 4 dorms with a fifth in the works. Plus a few other cabins scattered on the grounds.

This is the gym~

The ironing station is set up in the center. You can't see it, but they put in a power box in the center just for us. ;-)

Half of gym

As the weekend progresses, more lovely projects get hung on the walls.  It really is quite inspiring!

We also have a local shop that sets up a 'store' for us in one of the rooms off the gym~

How cool is that?

In my next post I'll show some of my projects.  In all I made 7 totes, 1.5 purses (I need to finish one yet), 1 diaper bag, 1 quilt top, and 1 set of blocks (that I now have into a top).  Plus I made some little projects with a friend that I forgot to get pics of.  Yup, I love retreats!!

Until next time~

Happy stitchin'!