After Retreat~

I am post-retreat dragging today.  ;-) The lack of sleep has caught up with me. LOL

But! I had a wonderful 4 day sewing/quilting retreat this past weekend and got so much accomplished!  I am going to break my posts into two~ first the bag and pouches and tomorrow the quilt blocks. :-) (just a little teaser~ I sewed over 100 quilt blocks!!) 

First up is this Rylee tote bag pattern by Nancy Stroop of Nancy Stroop Designz

The pattern comes in two sizes, and three options for the front of the bag.

I chose option 3 and rather than do machine embroidery I used this~

It was originally a long denim duster-type jacket that belongs to a friend of my Mom's. (I wish I had taken a photo before I cut into it!)  The owner had the floral design hand painted on it and she wished to re-purpose that lovely painting.  

I used the side seam in this option to add a zippered outside pocket--

 The top has a recessed zipper closure and inside there is a large zippered pocket--

 

I am going to have a hard time mailing this off!! :-)

I also made two smaller zippered pouches (no pattern)

A friend gifted me the Moda panels, so I made a pouch for each of us.

For the back I used some red dots--

This was just a fun little nighttime sewing when your brain is too tired to do much else. LOL

Did you get to sew over the weekend? What did you make?

I will be back tomorrow with blocks galore! ;-)

Until next time~

happy stitchin'!

Sewing~ Sewing~ Sewing!

In about another week I will be able to show you some of the fun things I have been sewing. :-)  In the meantime let me show you another little project I did up for my LQS.

We are having 'Fun'tastic Fridays, where we have a little class and the customer goes away with a fun project that would make a wonderful gift~ especially with the holidays fast approaching!

This time I made a 'Take A Quick Note' notepad and pen holder.

I drew out the pattern myself and after making one too small, and the next one too big, I got it just right! LOL My friend said I should have called it the 'Goldilocks Notepad Holder'. ;-)

We had a lot of fun making them last Friday.~

And I feel so much better about the approaching holiday season as I have something for my gift box! ;-)  Have you started holiday sewing? There is so much I want to make/do that I feel like the sooner I get started the better I will feel when December rolls around.

Have a great weekend!

Until next time~

happy stitchin'!!

Happy October!!!

Has it really been since the middle of September since I last posted?!

So sorry! I have been busier than ever, just not a lot I can show for it yet. ;-)

A few projects I can show you~

1.) Machine embroidery

Yes, I have been keeping that machine humming! My friend loves red trucks, so I thought this design was perfect for her~ 

Design from Julia's Needle Designs

And my DDIL loves Halloween, so these ornaments will be perfect for her~

 

Designs from Anita Goodesigns

 

2.) Sewing~

 I have made a few of these for gifties. :-) 

 

 This pattern I made up as I went along. There are two styles of flap~ the curved edge and the angled edge.  I hope to get the pattern into my Craftsy shop soon.  Well, soon as in the next two weeks. ;-)  Next week I will be off to a sewing retreat and I am trying to get my kits ready to go. :-)

Until next time~

Happy stitchin'!!

A Little Secret Revealed~

Pinch me! Go ahead and do it!  

I can't believe I did this, but I wrote a pattern!

After a lot of edits, rewrites and head scratching, it is now ready for the world. LOL

The 'Double the Fun' Zipper Pouches~~

 The pattern is available on Craftsy

I could not have done this without the help of some incredible friends!

Be sure to visit my testers and see all their pix~

Kim@ Lily Patch Quilts chose these lovely pinks~

Daryl@Patchouli Moon Studio went with blues~

 

My friend 'J' (with no blog) chose yellows~

 

And 'M', who also doesn't blog, chose some pretty solids and batiks~

Thank you friends!! <3 div="">

And if you would like your own copy, visit Craftsy.  :-)

(I know that is a terrible photo on Craftsy~ I need to take a better one but the pouches are now at my LQS! I'm still learning!!)

Until next time~

Happy Stitchin'!!

Fun & Un-fun Sewing :-)

I am sure we all have those 'un-fun' sewing tasks that, if you are like me, you put off and off and off.....  LOL Until the need is great. ;-)  

Hubby does all of our outside yard work with the exception of the flowerbeds and garden.  I do push the mower for him at times too. ;-)

And he is hard on jeans!!  It seems like all I have to do is blink and there goes another pair!  So today I took the third pair, which was totally patched and worn through the patches and used the backs of the legs (which were perfect!) to patch his other two pairs. 

 I rip up the side seam and then when I have a big patch in place and sewn down, I use my serger to sew the side seam back up.  I rarely use my serger, so this involves pulling it out, the dreaded threading, oiling etc.  It took me all morning to fix up two pair of jeans! But they are ready for at least another week! LOL

Yesterday I did some fun sewing~

These blocks are from Quilters Cache and are called 'The Dandy Quilt' 

 I love them in autumn colors!  I think I am ready for autumn. ;-)  

I have also been doing a little secret sewing, which I can't show you yet.  It was fun! 

Now I am off to do a little embroidery~ I think I deserve it after wrestling jeans, don't you?

Until next time~

Happy Stitchin'!

Winner! ...and a Few Other Things...

What do you title a blog post when you want to talk about miscellaneous things?

'A Few Other Things'! LOL

When we went to visit family this past summer, my brother-in-law gifted me my sister-in-laws sewing machine. She unexpectedly passed away last November. She was just getting into quilting and I enjoyed 'talking about quilts' with her when we would see them each summer. Unfortunately, she wasn't able to do much sewing the past couple years. So the first thing I did was send my new baby in for a spa day. The spa season got extended when it needed a few minor things replaced and  I wasn't home to approve them. But finally, I got baby back!

She is a Pfaff Expressions 2.0 and sews like a dream!

Very quiet. I think I am going to enjoy learning about her. :-)

This past weekend was not a sewing weekend here!

We have a fence that runs the length of our driveway and is made up of white 3 and 4 rail fencing.  It is a reminder that the builder of the cul-de-sac included when this land was developed~ reminding us that a horse farm used to be here.  Well, the homeowners over the years have always kept the fence up.  A few years ago DH & DS took all the rails off and painted them, replacing the ones that were really bad. Our neighbors yard crew broke one a few weeks ago, so hubby and I decided to replace a few more. We did 8. On the hottest weekend of the year, I was outside painting boards. LOL 

We rigged up saw horses and a long ladder so I could have the boards at the right height. ;-)

And then I forgot to take a photo of the finished fence, but trust me~ it looks very nice! 

I know you have been waiting to read who the winner of my little giveaway is~ I think I gave too easy of a clue!  We were indeed in Yellowstone, and loved it!  I put all your names in a bowl and hubby drew.......

Susan C!!!

 

Congratulations!!!

If you will send me your snail mail address, I will get a little prize out to you on Friday. :-)

 

That's all for now~

Until next time~

Happy Stitchin'!!

Presenting The Organizer Pouch~

While we were on our trip I had the fun of pattern testing a new design by Daryl of Patchouli Moon Studio.  (Yes I always take a sewing machine along~ you never know when you might have a down day!) ;-)

The Organizer Pouch is just that(!) and more. It has 5 zipper pockets~ two on one side, one on the other and one inside the top zippered compartment. Surely enough to keep anyone most organized! LOL

 Mine is going to retreats with me, for all those little things you don't want to leave in your room and might need before you return to your room at night! LOL I have another planned for my embroidery supplies.

Visit Daryl's blog to see all the tester versions and also get in on the sale she is having for the next 48 hours. :-)

Keeep guessing on my previous post~ I will draw a winner on Monday. ;-)

Until then~

Happy stitchin'!!