Accordion Pouches

Carrie, one of my students, has been sewing up a storm of bags. She is on the Door Prize team and has just blossomed into an amazing and very creative bag maker. She has also been finding random patterns that interest her for free on the web.

She made a few of these Accordion pouches and they came out really well. She said they were easy to make, but hard to make perfectly.

I think it looks like a very cute pouch. I can see using something like this in my handbag. I seem to have a lot of random items rolling around in it, which could be corralled in this little pouch.

It could certainly be used for sewing as well. I can see putting smaller items in it for travel to retreats or Sew Day, then putting it into the Kit Supply Tote. I might have to make one of these just to try it out, not that I don’t have 500 other projects on which to work.

Half Hexie Star Top Finished

I finished this top last night! I am pretty excited even though I still have a long way to go to finish it.

I rushed to get a photo as I went to bed, so it isn’t the best photo. You can see some of the details in the post I published before.

I have been working on this quilt since August of 2012! I thought I had started it in 2016. Time really flies.

I can’t tell you how pleased I am to have made it this far! Assuming I can get the piece prepped to be quilted and make a date with Colleen, I will enter this in the President’s Challenge for the guild.

Various & Sundry 2023 #8

Admin
I updated the Minikins page.

I also updated the Ends Donation Quilts page with the new quilts.

Tools, Books, Fabric, Notions & Supplies

I am fighting a dearth of tools, books, fabric, notions and supplies this week. I just haven’t had the time to go shopping and, aside from the Sew Tite Magnums**, which you do really need if you are serious about EPP, I haven’t found any new tools, etc this time. I thought I would tell you about Notion. Notion is a personal knowledge management / productivity tool that I have been using at work – or mostly for work. Since it is not approved for use at my office, I have a personal account and haven’t downloaded the app to my work computer. I just use it on the web. Since it is a personal account I have decided to start using it at home. I mostly use OneNote for my random thoughts and notes, but I may switch to Notion. It is taking a lot of time to ramp up, because of the possibilities. I have been watching YouTube videos and that has helped.

If you don’t have anywhere to save your random bits of information (have you heard of Zettlekasten??), then Notion might be right for you.

Projects, Classes, Patterns & Tutorials

String & Story has come a long way since I met the founder at QuiltCon some years ago. She used to be active in the Twitterverse and with the podcast crowd when that was a high point. I was following some links on one of Friend Julie’s posts and landed on a new project on the String & Story site, Garment Sewing Academy. The classes are ongoing and you can signup for the next cohort using the waitlist. Julie will take us through her journey, I think and has her first couple of posts up, including selecting fabrics and the terribleness of PDF patterns.

Julie posted some excellent links in her June Cornucopia. I forgot to include a link in my previous V&A post. One such link was a tutorial / informational post on sew-in magnetic closures from Clover & Violet. I have tons of these and never seem to use them, though, in fairness, the patterns I use mostly require zippers. Still, this will be useful post to which to refer. One particularly good piece of advice is “Mark your magnet with washi or masking tape. If you’ve placed your magnet and intend to quilt the project afterward, stick a piece of tape over where the magnet is, then you won’t accidentally sew on it.” You could use blue tape also.

While I was looking at the sew-in magnetic closure article, I saw Clover & Violet’s Ultimate Zipper Guide. Another useful tool. She includes my favorite zipper shops, Zip-it and Wawak. I buy a lot of handbag zippers, she calls them 4.5, just to have on hand when I need them. I also shorten zippers if I don’t have the right color in the right size. I don’t buy 8 or 9 inch zippers anymore. I have a lot on hand and rarely use them. I suppose I should use them for some inside zipper pockets.

I saw a FB video showing the Sewing Space Station. This is essentially a sewing machine mat, but it looks eminently useful because of the storage features as well as the ability to roll it up. It is created by Arabesque Scissors. Check out the features in their blog post. You get a lot of information if you purchase the pattern. They have a series of YouTube videos showing how to make the Space Station. They have a number of interesting patterns.

Vanessa of Crafty Gemini has a YouTube video talking about increasing and decreasing the size of a bag. It starts at about 4:30-13:15. Very helpful information. Completely logical, too.

Riley Blake has a whole page of free patterns. One was called the Taco Pouch, which I thought looked like the Persimmon Dumpling pouch from Sew Sweetness.

Lindsay shared the Ice Cream Soda EPP quilt with me. It is from a site called Tales of the Cloth, which has a fair number of EPP projects. Tales of the Cloth has some free patterns including a needle book, which would make a great gift.

Country Cow Designs has some interesting bag patterns. One of Adam’s designs is featured in the Emmaline Bag of the Month club.

Media, Books and Articles

Frances from the Off Kilter Quilt has a relatively new writing project about life with quiltmaking during WW2. The blog is in diary format, one I love. Under the content tab, she has all of her other writing and media projects.

Remember the Great British Baking Show? There is also the Great British Sewing Bee. This is a commentary on a TV show for which I couldn’t find a link. Still, the video from the The Fold Line is entertaining and there are a lot of good garment patterns in video’s description.

Events, Exhibits and Shows

Souls Grown Deep, the Gee’s Bend Quiltmakers, will hold their ‘airing of the quilts’,

Quilt displays and sales
Beginner and advanced quiltmaking workshops (space is limited)
Guided tours of the Gee’s Bend Heritage Trail (space is limited)
Panel discussions at the Freedom Quilting Bee Legacy (space is limited)
Exhibitions
Food
Music

The Gee’s Bend Airing of the Quilts Festival is free to attend. A suggested donation of $25 will support the Gee’s Bend quiltmaking community. You need to reserve a spot.

**Obviously, you should shop at local quilt shops and small businesses. However, if you are too busy or can’t find what you need there, I use Amazon affiliate links and may be paid for your purchase of an item when you click on an item’s link in my post. There is no additional cost to you for clicking or purchasing items I recommend. I appreciate your clicks and purchases as it helps support this blog.

26 Projects 2023 #7

Finished 2023 Quilt Projects

The Tarts Come to Tea Finished — The Tarts Come to Tea

Finished (for me!) Donation Quilts

I don’t quilt much and I enjoy the collaborative effort of making a top and allowing someone else to quilt it. Thus, the quilts below are mostly tops, but I will include a finished quilt once someone else finishes it for the group.

Pink Strip donation top - finished — Pink Strip donation top – finished

Blue Strip #3 donation top – late June 2023
Ends n.15 – late July 2023
Ends n.16 – late July 2023
Ends n.17 – late July 2023
Friendship Star donation top – January 2023
Pink Strip donation top – March 2023
Spiky 16 Patch #5 – June 2023

Finished Bags and Small Projects

This category covers bags, toys, aprons and knitting as well as other non-quilt projects.

Maria's Scissor Cozy #2 — Maria’s Scissor Cozy #2

Cyndi's Scissor Cozy — Cyndi’s Scissor Cozy

Venetia's Cotton Candy Pouch — Venetia’s Cotton Candy Pouch

La Passacaglia Month 18 - finished — La Passacaglia Month 18 – finished

Valentine's Pillowcases — Valentine’s Pillowcases

St. Patrick's Day pillowcases — St. Patrick’s Day pillowcases

St. Patrick's Day pillowcase 2023 — St. Patrick’s Day pillowcase 2023

I Spy with Pink Batik - empty — I Spy with Pink Batik – empty

Color Wheel Hackney - Sue — Color Wheel Hackney – Sue

Color Wheel Hackney - Carrie — Color Wheel Hackney – Carrie

Cork I Spy - medium #1 — Cork I Spy – medium #1

Cork I Spy - medium #2 — Cork I Spy – medium #2

Cork I Spy - large #1 — Cork I Spy – large #1

Finished: Enigma Bag - closed — Finished: Enigma Bag – closed

Paint Tube Hackney - open/interior — Paint Tube Hackney – open/interior

Typewriter Hackney - interior — Typewriter Hackney – interior

Finished: Knitting Needles Case #2: closed

2-in-1 Case
- #1
- #2
- #3
I Spy pouch
- AMH Coneflowers #7
- Cork I Spy medium #1
- Cork I Spy medium #2
- Cork I Spy large #1
- Grey Cross version
- Pink Batik
- Teacup I Spy
Enigma Bag
- Chrysanthemum version
- Peony version
Kit Supply Tote
Hackney pouch
- Amanda’s Hackney
- Color Wheel Hackney
- Color Wheel Hackney #2
- Hand Bone Hackney
- Small Hackney
- Sugar Skull Hackney
- Typewriter Hackney
Knitting Needles Case #2
La Passacaglia
Napkins
- NYE Napkins
Pillowcases
- January pillowcases
- Valentine’s Day pillowcases
- St. Patrick’s Day
- Easter
- May the Fourth be with You pillowcases
Pink Journal Cover
Scissor Cozies

In Process or To Make

The ‘In Process’ is used to denote projects on which I am actively working or are on the design wall waiting for me to stitch. I am continuing to try not to put away projects. I find putting a project away ensures I never work on them, because I just lose steam.

Quilts (machine work)

- Metro Twist – making blocks and laying them out

Quilts (Handwork)

I decided that some of my quilts are in a different class because they are hand piecing or embroidery or beading. They take longer. Thus I created a new category and have moved some projects here.

Half Hexie Stars Project– I am reignited about this project after working on it at the November Sew Day. I have been working away steadily and can see the light at the end of the tunnel
La Passacaglia – The rosettes are all assembled. I am ripping out the papers and deciding which rosettes to finish into the border.

Ready for Quilting

In the Quilting Process

- Nothing at the moment

In the Finishing Process

- Nothing at the moment

Small Projects

Most of my progress involves thinking or just cutting. I don’t have a bag in process at the moment.

Ultimate Project Organizer – another project from the Crafty Gemini Organizer Club, also on my list, but not yet started. I did pull the fabric, supplies and reviewed some finished photos that others posted, so I am one step closer.
Retreat Organizer – another project from the Crafty Gemini Organizer Club, also on my list, but not yet started. Recently, I saw one of these made up and I am not so nervous about it. I did pull the fabric, supplies and reviewed some finished photos that others posted, so I am one step closer.
Rose Petrillo bag – I found the pieces for this bag cut out, but not sewn.
Superbloom tote using Hindsight fabric – not started. I did pull the fabric, supplies and found a photo I plan to use as inspiration that others posted, so I am one step closer.

Still UFOs
I still have UFOs. Who doesn’t, after all? A project in the ‘UFO’ category means I am stalled, it hasn’t been worked on in awhile or it is waiting its turn to be worked on. The list is a lot shorter and the projects are newer, for the most part.

I am annoyed that some of these are still WIPs. I just need to work on them!

Handbag Sampler – this is still the forgotten project. It should be on the UFO list. The blocks were teaching samples when I taught a sampler class some time before I started writing the quilt class sampler tutorials. I found one block recently, but otherwise I don’t actually know exactly where the blocks are hiding. I crawled up in the far reaches of my fabric closet to see if I could find them and they weren’t where I thought. I am sort of mystified as to where they could be. I haven’t even found a picture of all the blocks. WTH?
Self Portrait: started in 2006 at a class at Quilting Adventures in Richmond, Virginia. After a brief burst of inspiration, I am stalled on this again. As one of my oldest (I am pretty sure) UFOs, I put it on my blog and out into the Twitterverse and Diane suggested that I not consider this as a self portrait. I think that strategy is a great idea. I am now trying to think of a new persona for her.
Serendipity Lady – I am still planning to take this piece to be framed. It might need a bit of quilting first.
Fabric of the Year 2020
Fabric of the Year 2021 – I may combine 2020 and 2021 into a COVID edition.
Fabric of the Year 2022 – yes, I added this one to the list, but this is the last one I plan to do.

July 2023 Donation Blocks

After seeing what Peggy did with a few of my coordinated donation blocks from last month, I decided to create some more for her to work with. Of course, that means going through my box and choosing the same colors. It doesn’t really matter to me which fabrics I use. It just matters that I use up the squares crammed in my little donation squares box. Black and grey blocks will be good for a boy.

I am also starting to work on more color strip blocks in black and grey. First, I’ll make some for the rainbow version I am planning and then for a grey version alone. I have a lot to do on those quilts.

Finished Knitting Needles Case #2

I sewed the binding on to the Knitting Needles Case #2 on Tuesday night and was able to finish the piece. It is great! I really like it. It will be hard to give away. Fortunately, I have more of the poppy fabric so I could make another.

I love the way this closes up so neatly. The roll is so slim and convenient to carry. Of course, I haven’t crammed 100 needles into it yet!

I think my choice of binding was better this time as well. The tone-on-tone red compliments the flora fabric much better than the stripes I used on the first Knitting Needles case.

Finished: Knitting Needles Case #2: open, inside

I was very careful with the fabric, both on the outside and the inside. I wanted it to line up properly and be oriented in the right way.

I really wanted to see the poppy fabric. I decided to use the canvas for the pockets instead of for the inside lining. I used to have some of this fabric in cotton. I made a Petrillo Bag out of it. I should have looked to see if I had enough to cut the pockets out of it. It didn’t occur to me until I had already sewn the pieces together, so maybe I’ll make this bag again and use the cotton, if I still have some.

Finished: Knitting Needles Case #2: inside left

Finished: Knitting Needles Case #2: inside center

Finished: Knitting Needles Case #2: inside right

The inside came out pretty well. I sewed carefully because of the thickness, but really had no problems. I think the turquoise dot fabric goes very well with the Poppy print

Finished: Knitting Needles Case #2: exterior

The zipper, if a tiny bit short, went in very well and matches the fabric very well.

I plan to use the Poppy print for a Sheffield bag, but I may also make a Kit Supply Tote with it. I really like that fabric.

Finished: Typewriter Hackney

Typewriter Hackney - Top — Typewriter Hackney – Top

I finished Lil Sissy’s birthday gift over the weekend and was able to get it off in the mail in time for her birthday, which was yesterday.

She writes a daily journal entry on a manual typewriter. While I plan to go back to Paris fabric for her soon, I saw this typewriter fabric and thought it might tickle her.

Typewriter Hackney - Top & Front — Typewriter Hackney – Top & Front

This Hackney is another large version and went together pretty well. I do better if I don’t have to break the process at the end, but needs must.

I am pleased with how well this looks. I struggled a bit with the top stitching on the top, but eventually got it right.

Typewriter Hackney - Top Inside — Typewriter Hackney – Top Inside

I used one of the Marcia Derse fabrics for the inside. I thought it was entertaining and would appeal to Lil Sissy.

The inside, again, has some elastic to keep pens and tools in place. I saw another one I made and was reminder that I put three or four strips of elastic on earlier versions to improve stability. I may have to do that again. Or go back to the top mesh pocket as per the pattern.

I machine sewed the opening closed and I hope my sister won’t notice. I think it will be fine once she puts some stuff in it.

Hooray! Another finished project.

Maybe I should make myself one of these? 😉

New Knitting Needles Case Progress

Poppies Knitting Needles Bag - inside — Poppies Knitting Needles Bag – inside

I made some good progress since my last post.

You can see that I added the flaps to the top. This keeps the needles in the bag when it is closed. The case rolls up, sort of, so the straight needles could fall out if there were no flaps.

Poppies Knitting Needles Bag - inside with exterior — Poppies Knitting Needles Bag – inside with exterior

I was also able to start putting the exterior together. One thing I did was add the snap and I also sewed the zipper pocket.

I was pleased that I had done inside zipper pockets before as I found the start of this step confusing to read. The pictures are good, so once I took a look at them, I remembered what I was supposed to be doing.

This is a good use of 8″ zippers. I think using a 9″ zipper might be better. I would have to trim it, but the assembly wouldn’t be as tight.

I had fun pounding the snaps into place. There is somethign satisfying about pounding. 😉 I checked the Tinberry/ZaudalCreates videos for the positioning of the various parts. I also used the Sew Sweetness video on how to use the Snapsetter. Using both helped me to get the snaps installed the way they should be.

Next step is to sew the pieces together and apply the binding.

New Knitting Needles Bag

A few Sew Days ago, I cut out another Knitting Needles Bag. This will be a gift for a friend who is a great knitter.

I used the Tinberry/ ZaudalCreates pattern that I discussed before. If you want to buy this pattern, make sure you get the bundle. It is easy to miss.

I used the Joel Dewberry poppy fabric in canvas from several years ago. I got a lot of nice comments on the fabric.

Yesterday, I got out all the pieces and worked on it. I need to get it done as someone has volunteered to take a package to Austria and mail it for me. This saves on postage.

I made good progress and have the inside piece with the pockets made. I should be able to finish soon

It was helpful to have the first one I made handy so I could see what the end result looked like. I often wonder how I made the first one when I read pattern directions. 😉

I also used the video, which I noticed had time markers with links in the description. Very useful!

Ends n.15 Top

I quickly made another donation top using some of the edges of the good quilts I have made in the past.

I wanted to use up some yardage (the taupe) that I won’t use for other quilts.I still have a lot of strips from the edges of various quilts to use up as well.

Also, there is a community quilt day next month where we will be making log cabin quilts. I don’t enjoy making log cabin blocks, so I decided to make as many quilt tops as I could to donate between now and then.

I didn’t make a back and thought I wouldn’t, but now I think I will.

Some Sew Day Photos

Part of Super Sew Day was the meeting. We couldn’t meet at our regular location so we met at the church where we have Sew Day and combined it with an extra Friday to make a Super Sew Day.

We used one of the design walls as a screen, which made me smile.

Claire showed off some Community quilts she made using random assortments of orphan blocks. She was trying to get people to take some of the packets of orphan blocks she had put together.

She chose well for the blue and gold quilt!

A couple of my 16 patch donation blocks were in this predominantly orange quilt.

Claire used other leftovers to put the quilt together.

I thought the whole presentation was a good idea and the examples were well done.