Open Wide Pouch

Noodlehead Open Wide Pouch #1
Noodlehead Open Wide Pouch #1

This pouch serves several purposes. First, I have wanted to try the Noodlehead Open Wide Pouch pattern for awhile. This is a very popular and free pattern. It is nice to have a go-to, simple yet straightforward pouch pattern that I can make up quickly. I still haven’t found one, which is why this was on my list to try. The instructions are basic, but complete. I found it useful to have some experience with other pouch pattterns. Don’t you think it looks like a stingray? 

Second, I told my Mom I would make her some pouches that she could give out as thank yous. This is an easy pattern to follow and I know that I will be able to make a few of them relatively quickly. It also doesn’t require any hardware, such as a frame, which makes the pouch more cost effective.

Finally, I want to learn how to anchor the lining of bags to the exterior. Yes, Lynette showed me once and I did it on the Hildegarde Trunk after Lynette gave a mini-workshop at Bag Club. Then, I didn’t use the technique again and forgot how to do it. I think if I can cut out two or three of the Open Wide pouches and get them to the boxing corners point, I will be able to practice anchoring the lining a few times. That should get the process stuck in my head. 

Open Wide- ready to box
Open Wide- ready to box

The pouch is now at the point where I need to box the corners. I arranged with Lynette to do the boxing of the corners at Sew Day. I hope I can, again, learn to anchor the lining to the exterior.

I was surprised to find that the directions are similar (a shortened version?) of the Emmaline Retreat bag. Then I realized that both are very simple zipper pouch patterns and they are all made the same way. I referred to the Retreat Bag directions, because I wasn’t sure what to do when I was sewing around the edge of the pouch and got to the top of the zipper.

For the next pouch, I plan to use a technique from Sweet Cinnamon Roses (IG) for creating zipper tabs on the top end of the zipper. I have wanted to try it as it looks like it will reduce bulk a bit and make the corner of the zipper pouch actually close.

 

Happy July 4th

For those of you who celebrate, Happy Independence Day! For those of you who do not celebrate, have a great day and please send wishes that our country can wake up from this nightmare in which it is immersed and get back on a good path.

Beacon #11
Beacon #11

This isn’t specifically a Fourth of July image, but our country needs something. Some hope is a good start.

Lessons in civics as well.

New Sidewalk Blocks

Sidewalk #2, block 1
Sidewalk #2, block 1

I have started to make the blue strip donation blocks I sewed in June into the second Sidewalk quilt.

I have more than plenty of the blue color strip blocks to make another Sidewalk quilt similar in size to the first. 

This is the first block I have put together with the white background and I think the block looks nice.

Sidewalk #2, block 2
Sidewalk #2, block 2

I made a second one using some darker blue strip blocks.  It looks nice, too and the sewing is going pretty quickly in between the Chain Link and Triumphant piecing.

I need to finish something as finding the time to finish four projects is making my head swim a little! LOL.

26 Projects 2025 #6

Finished June 2025 Quilt Projects

🙁

Finished (for me!) June Donation Quilts

Sidewalk top: done
Sidewalk top: done
  • Sidewalk

    Finished Bags and Small Projects for June

    🙁

    June Projects Ready for Quilting / In the Quilting Process

    Chain Link Top finished
    Chain Link Top finished

    I still have to make the back and the binding, but otherwise

    this is ready for quilting.

    June Projects In the Finishing Process

    🙁

    All the WIPs

    WIPs are projects on which I am working. This means that I am past the cutting out of pieces stage,  some sewing has taken place.

    • La Passacaglia – I am working on the border, but need to work more and harder

    Cut Out & Stopped

    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 UFOs. I have to give myself credit for completing some of them last year.

Blue Improv #2 Grows

Blue Improv #2
Blue Improv #2

While I worked on the Chain Link top, I used blue improv piecing as leaders and enders. I am really enjoying watching the improv piece grow as my blue scrap pile shrinks.

I still have a big pile of pieces that I am working on enlarging. As the scrap pile shrinks it gets harder to match up pieced units and make them bigger. Still, I seem to be doing it and I am having fun. 

Various & Sundry 2025 #6

Short version this month.

Projects, Classes, Patterns, Techniques & Tutorials

The other day I shared a top that AngelaB made. She shared the source, which is great, because there are several other free patterns there that would be great for donation quilts.

As mentioned, Lynette gave us a bag trunk show at our recent meeting, which was great! I loved seeing her bags. I always love talking to Lynette about bags. She shared a couple of designers she likes. One was Minki Kim. I have heard of her, but I took some time to peruse her website. There are a couple of patterns there I might like to try. One of the patterns in which I was interested was the Crepe Case for Scissors. I like the idea of a small handle on the case. 

Most of the links to her shop seem to be broken, but if you go to the Sewing Illustration, there are a lot of patterns, including Minki’s to look at. The double pocket folder is a really interesting design. I looked at the free patterns, but wasn’t interested in any of them. 

I bought the Joni tote on a whim. It is from Sew Hungry Hippie and I really like the shape. It comes with a video as well.

Another site that Lynette mentioned was Geta Grama. I took a look at the free patterns and was pleasantly surprised to see some interesting ones.  I thought the heart pouch had interesting construction. If you need some easy zipper pouch tutorials, I saw two there. I liked the Chic Bin pattern, but decided I would sew a couple of patterns I have bought recently before I buy another one.

Exhibits and Organizations

Pantone released the winners of their color of the year quilt challenge.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**N. B. : 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 website.

June 2025 Donation Blocks

Hooray! I have some blocks to report. 44 is a good number. I had to start on blue strip blocks even though I didn’t make a white improv quilt after I finished the white strip donation top. My blue scrap drawer is overflowing. I can’t shove anymore scraps in it, so here we are.

I really like making these strip blocks. They are so much more fun than the Half 16 patches, though it could just be that I was sick of them because Sidewalk came out really well.

I plan to use the blue strip blocks for another Sidewalk quilt. The blocks are the same size and I am not done with that Sidewalk design yet. 

Triumphant Again

Triumphant blocks 4 & 5
Triumphant blocks 4 & 5

The way this piecing is going is I cut a lot wrong, then I figure it out, cut it right and piece cool units together. This is the case with Blocks 4 & 5.

However, I like this quilt, am pleased with the fabrics I chose and am learning a lot. 

Except for a couple of background strips, these blocks are done and I have the patterns for blocks 6 & 7. I plan to work on this weekend.

More Blue Improv

Blue Improv chunks
Blue Improv chunks

I have slowed down a little on the Blue Strip blocks, mostly because I am running out of strips. I am, however, putting smaller pieces of fabric together to make chunks of improv piecing for another Blue Improv donation top. The chunk on the left is the largest piece so far, but I am making progress on others as well. 

My blue scrap bin is emptier. I can close it now.

Not So Triumphant

After out Triumphant week off, I am back to cutting out pieces. Well, I am back to trying to cut out the pieces. There are very few this week as we are on the borders, but I am struggling with those #@%^ HRT Bs again. 

I watched the video, which is very clear, and cut several pieces wrong. I am now watching the video again,but stopping it, doing the step and then watching more. I just can’t seem to wrap my head around this ruler. I am glad she came up with the mystery quilt as it is a good way to try out the tools.

Triumphant top border
Triumphant top border

Now I have  the Color 3 (turquoise) pieces cut and am about to add some Color 6 (red-violet) pieces. Fingers crossed I can trim these  to the correct size.

More on Pet Beds

Elephant Pet Bed
Elephant Pet Bed

I keep filling pet beds and I am still working on my most recent.

We aren’t filling them up as much with schnibbles any more, but just how much is something I have to confirm. 

As mentioned, the schnibbles don’t wash well and become giant lumps that pets can’t mold into a comfy shape. I knew this and it worried me, but I was happy to be using my schnibbles for something.

We are now filling the pet beds with Poly-fil** and batting. I am confused about whether we aren’t filling the pet beds with schnibbles at all or only a little bit. I have already stuffed this one a bit, so am now wondering if I will need to remove the schnibbles, put them in a different type of bag and hand them in separately to fill the cubie?

 

 

 

 

 

 

**N.B: 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.

Aneela Hoey Projects

Saturday’s trunk show inspired me to look at the (photos of) the Aneela Hoey patterns I have made. I have a tag for them, but realized I hadn’t tagged all the posts correctly. 

In looking at this list, I realize I have only made 1 project from Aneela’s book, Stitched Sewing Organizers. Most of the others were sewn from stand-alone patterns. I know my friend MaryM has made more. I’ll see about getting the book out again and making another project from it. There is one big organizer that I keep looking at. 

BAM Meeting with Bags

Lynette presenting her bags
Lynette presenting her bags

The BAM meeting was good yesterday. I loved the Bag Trunk Show that Lynette did. I admire her work so much and she is a fantastic presenter. She was super well organized. She brought the patterns as well as the bags, which was really nice and stepped up the trunk show game! 

She talked about the designers she liked, starting with Aneela Hooey. She showed the patterns as she talked about the bags she has made including the Boxy Clear Pouch, the Kit Supply Tote, and several others, which I haven’t made. She then talked about the patterns she has made from the stitched Sewing Organizers book, which I have also discussed and used for patterns, including the 2-in-1 Case. I have made a lot of Aneela Hoey Patterns, but Lynette, I think has made more. I tend to make several of the same ones.

Lynette's bags
Lynette’s bags

She also likes to make Minki Kim patterns. The one she talked about was the one she used to show all the different interfacings when she did a skillbuilder demo at a meeting last year. It is kind of a dome shaped bag in the center of the photo with several examples.

I love bags, bag patterns and other people’s bags so this was a great trunk show for me. I especially love Lynette’s work. I think I am a pretty good bagmaker, but I have a lot to learn from her.

The presentation started off with a quilt that Lynette made as part of a challenge when the guild was young. All of the quilts were shown in November 2011. It was great to see her quilt again as it was one of my favorites from the bunch. 

Bonnie's Holiday quilt
Bonnie’s Holiday quilt

The other thing I was thrilled to see at the meeting was Bonnie’s Holiday quilt. She worked really hard on it at the 2024 Retreat.

Show and tell was pretty good. I showed Sidewalk (unquilted) and talked about my plans for the Blue strip version.