Interesting Zipper Technique

Dogwood zipper technique
Dogwood zipper technique

One thing I wanted to talk about was the zipper technique that Sara uses for the Dogwood pouches.

One caveat: I am not a zipper expert, though I have added a lot of zippers to various bags. I don’t know if this is a common technique or if Sara devised it.

The basic idea is to measure from the end of the zipper twice in equal intervals and mark the two lines. The pattern was very clear that you needed a certain sized zipper – or to trim your zipper to a certain size. Then you fold the zipper 90 degrees and sew as the photo shows. I don’t know if the interval matters and I don’t know if the size of the zipper matters. This is the first time I have seen this technique. I might ask in the Sew Sweetness group, but we’ll see.  I’d love to be able to incorporate it into other types of pouches.

Hindsight Dogwood zipper detail
Hindsight Dogwood zipper detail

The thing I like about it is that it makes for a very neat finish once the bag is done. In the photo, you can see that the end of the zipper is encased in the seam. Not only does this look good, but it reduces bulk in the seam.

Old Town on the Wall

Old Town - April 2025
Old Town – April 2025

Since all the blocks and sashing are finished, I put them up on my large design wall. They barely fit!! You can see some blocks for my next donation quilt hanging on the right side of the design wall.

I keep moving blocks around, but I am about to start sewing the blocks and the sashing together. The different values of the pinks and blues make various parts of the quilt stand out. I also think the different fabrics move the eye around the piece.

More Dogwood Pouches

Dogwood Pouches F & J
Dogwood Pouches F & J

I finished the latest two Dogwood pouches the other evening. I really like the way they came out.

I was much more careful this time about fussy cutting, so the butterflies are whole. I did a good job on the Hindsight Dogwoods, but the print was much larger, so it was harder to select a part of the print.

Dogwood Pouches F & J - open
Dogwood Pouches F & J – open

The lining is the same as the Butterfly Superbloom, which makes these part of a set.

I like the way the zipper is handled in this pouch. I might have to talk about that in the future.

These are the same sizes I made before. I wanted to make them again to cement the process in my mind. My printer is also acting like a jerk, so printing is iffy at best.

When I make pouches I always think about how I would use them. Pouch F is the larger one and would be great for chargers and other small electronics. I have several pouches in my work bag so I can keep things organized and think I would use this pouch for cords and chargers.

Pouch J is the small pouch and would be great for hand sanitizer and lip balm. I didn’t make these with vinyl on the inside so I have to think about keeping them clean. However, the pouches are washable, so that is a bonus.

 

I wash the pouch and bags I make in a lingerie bag to keep the handles and other pieces from getting into the workings of the washer. I have already washed all the fabric in hot water, so any temperature is ok. I recommend cold, but you can also wash them in hot.

Needlepoint Continues

Needlepoint Flowers - April 2025
Needlepoint Flowers – April 2025

I am surprised I haven’t talked about this project since last November! I have been working on it steadily and have made good progress. I usually just work on it in the evenings after dinner. I meant to use it as a project for when I didn’t have a quilt project on which to work. What has really happened is I haven’t been working on La Passicaglia. I really need to work on that project, but for now, I am enjoying the needlepoint.

At this time I need to roll the canvas up so I can access more of the bottom, but what happens is I find small holes – one stitch or so – that I didn’t stitch. It turns out that I have to wait until an area is filled sometimes before I can finish, because I can’t see the color. I have to look carefully at the rows and make sure there are no holes. When there are, I fill them, then try and use that strand of color before moving to the next color and filling in more holes. There really aren’t that many. It is an interesting process, though. Very different from quiltmaking.

New Donation Quilt Idea

Last year I went to the Sonoma County Fair with friends from Austria. They

2.5 inch square sashing quilt
2.5 inch square sashing quilt

have something similar in Austria, but it isn’t exactly the same. Of course, I visited the quilts and found one that I am going to try as a new design for a donation top.

I don’t know what to call this design and don’t know if it is actual pattern or not.

2.5 inch square sashing quilt - detail
2.5 inch square sashing quilt – detail

The piecing is in the sashing and the blocks are plain. The maker of this quilt, Elysha Ozanian, did a great job making the sashing really stand out. I drew out the quilt and found that instead of making the normal guild donation block, I could make half of one and that would be the pieced part of the quilt. I tried to make a block out of the plain block and the pieced sashing, but it didn’t work, so I will just build the quilt using individual units of the small plain block, the large plain block and the pieced portion using chunking.

The units comprising one plain block, 4 small plain blocks and the pieced sections are over 14 inches. I am not quite sure how big I will make my version. Maybe 4 plain blocks wide with the sashing units on the outside? I’ll have to see.

This might be another option for the guild to make as a donation quilt design.

Grey Improv Finished

Grey Improv Donation top finished
Grey Improv Donation top finished

I have finally finished the Grey Improv donation top and back. It has taken awhile, though much of the time was it hanging on the design wall going nowhere.

I did a good job working through my odd sized grey scraps, which is the whole point of the exercise. I am even more convinced that improv works much better in a monochromatic palette. I think that a complementary color scheme would work as well. I haven’t tried that I think the quilt would end up being bed sized.

Grey Improv back
Grey Improv back

This quilt is about 45 in. x 45 in., which is on the large size for a baby quilt, but definitely kid sized. Also, in this color scheme I could imagine it working well for a boy.

I used the leftovers from two quilts for the back: the Hugs and a Kiss quilt and the Half Hexie Star. Good use of some good fabrics.

Elephant Pet Bed and Changes

Green elephant pet bed
Green elephant pet bed

The guild is changing the way they make pet beds. The pet beds filled with schnibbles have been hard to wash and some shelters and animal rescue sites refuse to take them. I can understand the problem with washing. I, however, produce a lot of schnibbles and want to put them to good use. Erin and Michelle found another project where schnibbles are packed into a cube and used as seating for children. I can now fill up a bag with schnibbles and the team will fill the cube, called cubies (pronounced cube-eez). Cyndi offered to get me one when she heads down to the shop that hosts the group who coordinates them.

We will still make pet beds, but will fill them with more batting and leftover polyfil batting and less schnibbles.

 

Starting Chain Link

Chain Link block
Chain Link block

I should have called this FINALLY Starting Chain Link. I didn’t like the way the pattern was written and that was a “launch blocker”, as we say at work. I finally sat down on the last day of the Retreat and figured out how to make this pattern work for me.

This project seems to be fraught with problems. Besides the challenges of the pattern, I cannot find the white fabric I chose to use.As you can see, I have already cut some up and sewed it into sections of blocks.

It MUST be around somewhere, but it wasn’t where I thought it was. I hope I didn’t use it for a donation quilt. We’ll have to see if this becomes a ‘design challenge.’

Finished: Butterfly Superbloom

Finished: SMAP Superbloom
Finished: SMAP Superbloom

I finally finished the Butterfly Superbloom, but it is bittersweet. The organization to whom I planned to donate it has decided they have something similar and don’t want it, or the Dogwood Pouches, for their auction. 🙁

I have to figure out to whom to gift it or whether I can do my own raffle and send the money to the scholarship fund. Let me know if you want to buy a bag for a good cause!

I am happy with the way this came out. I like the positioning of the butterfly on the side.

Superbloom: Side pockets exterior
Superbloom: Side pockets exterior

Of course, I love the side pockets. They are so fun!

 

I think I am done with the Superbloom pattern for awhile. I think the white of the zipper tape stands out a bit, however the rainbow teeth go well with the fabric. The side seams stands out a bit in the photo, but it isn’t as noticeable in real life.

 

Superbloom: Side pockets interior
Superbloom: Side pockets interior

I accidentally put a treat inside one of the side pockets. I hope whoever ends up using this bag will appreciate the various places where the butterflies are located.

Butterfly Superbloom: Interior
Butterfly Superbloom: Interior

 

 

The lining and interior is similar to the Hindsight Superbloom.

I think I am done with the Superbloom pattern for awhile. It’s a good pattern!

Old Town Sashing

Old Town Sashing - done
Old Town Sashing – done

I visited Cyndi for a Sew Day last weekend and was able to get the Old Town sashing to a good place. I had a lot of 1.5 inch squares to cut and then a lot of trimming to make a house shaped rectangle. It was a lot better to do all of that work with a friend. We were able to chat while I did the tedious parts and that was great.

I got out the Simply Folded Ruler** again to create the flippy corners of those house shapes. That ruler is a gem. I always forget, but it really makes those flippy corners easy to sew. I didn’t have to draw diagonal lines on the squares, which would have made the process even more tedious. AND there was no trimming afterwards which meant no opportunity to cut off the wrong triangle. I haven’t tried one of the Simply Folded patterns (actually Antler Quilt Designs). I remember seeing one that was interesting at the Granary, but thought I was too busy to buy it. I was surprised at how many patterns the company has. I remember them being kind of country colors and having weird looking angles, but that isn’t true. There are a variety of patterns, some with brighter colors and fewer weird angles.

The good part about Bonnie Hunter Mystery quilts is that she suggests different methods of making the various units. I was reintroduced to the Simply Folded Ruler** through this project. It is good to be reminded of how I can use different tools.

More Dogwood Pouches

Dogwood - F & J
Dogwood – F & J

I cut out some more Dogwood pouches the other day. I am using the same sizes (F & J), mostly because I didn’t want to take the time to print more templates. The organization to whom I wanted to donate the set is having their luncheon soon and I wanted to make as many bags as possible. I have only the Superbloom and the Cotton Candy so far.

I need to get busy sewing.

Grey Improv Progress

Grey Improv donation top - April 2025
Grey Improv donation top – April 2025

While working on the Old Town blocks I have been using my grey scraps to add to the Grey Improv donation quilt. I am really enjoying building up the size of this quilt. It takes forever to get the right sized pieces, but all of a sudden it is bigger. It is really fun.

Even More Old Town Blocks

Work has been very busy. It is stressful and I have been sewing a bit at lunch and after work. I haven’t had much time, but my effort at the Retreat at block making has gotten the process down to a science. I can make each block in about half an hour. Still, it has taken me several days to make this batch.

With this group, I only have four more left to make.

Finished: Hindsight Dogwood Pouches

Finished: Dogwood Pouch-F
Finished: Dogwood Pouch-F

I finished the two Dogwood pouches at the Retreat. This is a worthwhile pattern as there are multiple sizes, but also a couple of new techniques to use in making your pouches.

Pouch F is the larger one and would be great for chargers and other small electronics. It went together very quickly.

The zipper instructions were a little tricky, but I watched the video (glad I brought my tablet to the Retreat!) and it was clear. I was actually kind of excited about the zipper instructions. They make a very cool finish to the zipper ends.

Finished: Dogwood Pouch-J
Finished: Dogwood Pouch-J

Pouch J is the smaller one. It would be good to corral small items in your handbag.

I found that the boxing of the corners was a different technique as well. I had to watch the video (Yay tablet, again!), which made the technique clear.

These are already off to their new home. I haven’t had a clear answer as to whether the Angel Mama likes her set of bags, but I feel good having made an effort to thank her somehow.

Starting the Vervain

Vervain start
Vervain start

I started the Vervain at Sew Day the other day. The Vervain is a small belt bag (fanny pack). A front pocket on the outside and a lining zipper pocket on the inside lend storage space. The main compartment secures with the top zipper.

I am making this for my aunt, mostly because I have more iris fabric. She wants to use it to hold her cell phone on her daily walks I am happy to do it as she is my favorite aunt and I have wanted to make this bag.

Honestly, I almost cut out two of them. I restrained myself, though. I decided just to make the one and go from there.

Sew Sweetness has no templates for this one, which is a shame as the pieces are weirdly shaped. I used my scissors and that worked fine. I have a couple of pieces of foam I cut separately rather than on the fold. I’ll either stitch them together or cut a new piece on this fold this time.