I didn’t think I would have time to make very many donation blocks, but I ended up making a few. Many of these blocks are already part of some quilts.
August Donation Blocks
Finished: Crafty Carrier
Yay! I finished the Carrier in time for the next Sew Day. Yes, I am finishing a lot lately. It feels great, though I still have a lot to finish.
This is a large bag and it is simply a bag. There are no ironing pads or tool holders and there aren’t 45 pockets. I even forgot to put a leash in it with a lobster clip!
As mentioned previously, I thought it would allow me to be modular in my transport of tools and supplies to Sew Day.
There are 8 pockets, six on the outside and 2 on the inside. The inside pockets might have been better as vinyl pockets. I had already added Soft & Stable** as the interfacing. This means that the first time out, I was reluctant to add another layer to some already thick seams.
With this bag, I was already considering whether or not I needed an industrial machine. The top stitching around the handles and the edge was difficult, but I lengthened the seam allowance and that worked pretty well. I really don’t want additional machines hanging around. If I had a larger workroom, maybe, but I don’t.
The pattern called for ‘heavy interfacing’. Peltex 70** was suggested. As you know, I have yards of Soft & Stable and I know how that works. I haven’t tried Peltex 70, that I remember. I also know how to work with Soft & Stable, so I went with that interfacing. The bag stands up, which I like, so I call it a win.
The lining isn’t as tight as I would have liked. I should have used a larger seam allowance. I trusted the pattern maker and the lining was very saggy baggy. I went back and increased the size on some of the seams I could reach once the bag was all together. That made it better, but not as I would like it. I have to review the directions in a different pattern, which is rumored to include anchoring the lining in the seam allowances. Stay tuned for that.
I also painted Odicoat** on the bottom. Not photo since you can’t see it in a photo. I put on two layers after the bag was completed and I don’t see any harm to the bag. I don’t see much, if any, shrinkage. When I do this again, I’ll still pay attention.
I still have to migrate all of my ‘going to Sew Day’ tools and supplies to this bag. That’s a project for another day this week.
Making bags is always a learning experience. I learn something every time. I need to remember to incorporate my preferences into each bag regardless of what the pattern says.
**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.
Holland Pouch Plans
As I was organizing all the fabric to wash, I made notes and took pictures of projects I had in mind for the fabric. I need to do that because I am excited about sewing. I am excited about making gifts and some donation projects. I have a lot going on and I don’t want to forget what I was thinking.
First up is the Holland Pouch. I saw this pattern at Stitch in Ferndale and decided to get it. I love the Hemingway pattern by the same company and it was convenient to purchase the print version while I was there. I found the fabric above and I know the perfect person for it.
I bought the black cat fabric in the second photo for the same person. I bought it first and if I had seen the cat fabric above, I wouldn’t have bought the second fabric. Still, I might make this person two bags. I’ll use the same lining for both.
Finished: Green Strips #3 Donation Top
I worked hard over the weekend to clear out some projects. My workroom and my brain was getting cluttered and I needed some space.
The first one was the Green Strips #3 donation top and back.
The top is finished. It looks a bit weird, but I was trying to accomplish a couple of things. I wanted it to be mostly square, thus the borders only on the sides.
I also didn’t have enough fabric to make the side borders all one fabric. It is more interesting, or it looks weird.
I also made the back.
I was a little sick of this top by the time I got to the back. It has just been hanging around for too long; it isn’t a bad top or anything. I couldn’t find any large pieces of green I wanted to use for the back in my green bins, so I dug into my pile of backing fabrics. I found that stripe, which I know would make great binding, but I wanted to finish it. That piece of fabric has been hanging around for awhile, so it is time to use it for a good cause.
This is ready to go to the Community Quilt ladies.
Finished: Petunia Pouch
I think I mostly like saying “Petunia Pouch”. Here is the finished version. It is not a hard pouch, but what a pain this one was!
I had to recut the exterior to get the print going in the right direction. The zipper is a bit off and I had to rip a lot. I don’t know why. Perhaps I was just tired.
More Tula on the inside – this time the tiny stripes in pink.
This is done and gifted and I am pleased.
Ombre Weave Start
A few days ago, you saw a few of the Ombre Weave blocks on the design wall.
After gathering the supplies, I made a start on the Ombre Weave quilt at Sew Day the other day. The pattern was written for a jelly roll, which I didn’t have, and there were no alternate instructions. That meant that, first, I had to rewrite the instructions to accommodate the yardage and dessert roll I had. I also had to make sure I could understand them.
Once I did that, with the help of Mary C, I got busy sewing blocks. These are super easy blocks to make and I was able to make 22 during Sew Day. On Sunday I was able to make another 20. I am going to make blocks until the fabric is gone.Then I’ll see where I am.
Finished: Green & Grey D9P
I was able to finish the binding for the Green & Grey Diagonal 9 Patch. I am thrilled.
There is still a lot of yellow-green, but this pattern is magical. It works so well with a variety of different colors. I want to play with more different color combinations using this pattern.
The back is one of my typical backs. As usual it is made up of large pieces of fabric. Lately, I have been using older fabrics. I am finding that fabrics are better in a quilt than in the Fabric Closet.
I think it looks great and I can’t wait to send it off, though I think I might make a bag for it.
Starting Ends n.18 Donation Top
I started a new Ends donation top with the leftovers from Scrappy Celebration. I also used some from the back of the Diagonal 9 Patch #3.
I did some processing of the various ‘ends’ I had received back from Colleen over the past few months. I decided I had enough to make another donation top.
Desktop Cube Scrap Solution?
I spent a little time looking through my patterns to try and resolve my scrap organization problem. Once I found a few I decided to make the Desktop Cube from Minikins Season 1. As mentioned, if this doesn’t work, I’ll make a Faithwell Storage Bin and see if that works better. If neither of those work, I’ll rethink.
The Desktop Cube is a pretty easy project and I was able to make it in a few hours while I sewed with Tim. I am also thrilled to make another new-to-me Minikins pattern. It will beef up my Minikins page. ;P
I brought it home and immediately tossed my scraps in it. Of course, they overflowed even the large size I had made right away.
I am undaunted! I need to process the scraps I have now before I decide that the Desktop Cube won’t work.
Note that I used new fabric for the Desktop Cube! I bought that fabric at Boersma’s last month. 😉
Green Strip Donation Top #3 Progress
I have been fiddling with this quilt for awhile, ever since I finished #2. My design walls are full of the grey improv, the black improv and the Pantone Project. I basically had no space in which to put it up and look at it.
Design floor to the rescue.
I finally decided to lay it out and see what needed to be done. I finally laid it out and inventoried the different blocks that I had available.
I am farther along than I thought.
The image above shows my first layout with what blocks I had. As you can see, I have been adding sashing to certain blocks even though I have not seen them up on the design wall.
I had enough blocks to add another row, so I did that to see how it looks. I know it is going to be a weird shape again, but I decided that using up the blocks was more important than my worries about shape. If I were really worried about shape, I would make square blocks.
I have sashing cut, so I prepared sashing and cornerstone strips for the last blocks and see how far I can get in the next little while. I really feel like I need to get this quilt off to the Community Quilt ladies.
What’s on the Design Wall
Short answer? Everything.
You can see that the small design wall is filled. I still like the improv pieces; I just haven’t gotten back to them, though I have a few more scraps to add to each one.
The Ombre Weave blocks are there to remind me where I am going. I have 40 of those blocks sewn already. I might need to get more fabric as the blocks are small and I don’t want to make a miniscule quilt for a teenager.
On the large design wall is the Pantone Project. I haven’t made any more progress since my last post, but progress is coming. It is too long and thin, so that is one challenge that needs to be resolved.
This all means there is no space to lay anything else out. I guess I should work on these projects.
Border Print Project Idea
I got a border print thinking it would be great to use in a bag. I like the idea of the denser motif being at the bottom and thought it would be a great look for a bag.
After thinking about it, I decided that the free Retreat Bag pattern from Emmaline Designs, enlarged, would be a good pattern to use. I couldn’t find information on the enlarged version I had seen, but got a video from a friend that was really helpful.
I am pretty sure I saw a bag using a border print. I am also fairly sure I took a picture, but I can’t find it. I am starting to put inspiration in a tool called Notion, so I hope it helps eventually.
I thought I had made more of these bags, but I have only made four. It is a good pattern and I can now find the frames (Small = Style A**; Large=Style B**) on Amazon.
**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.
Crafty Carrier Project
While I am thrilled that I was able to complete the Ultimate Carryall Bag, it isn’t working for me as a tote for hauling tools to Sew Days and Retreats. One reason it isn’t working is that I forgot to interface the inside pockets and the quilt weight fabric alone cannot stand up to my hard use.
It occurred to me that the one thing that worked for my old Quiltmaking go bag (going to Sew Days/Retreat system) was that the tote bag I used allowed me to be modular. I could put in my Tupperware box of tools as well as rulers and other things as needed. In the Ultimate Carryall Bag, items have their dedicated space and other, less used, supplies I need have to be crammed in where they can fit. The UCAB is bulging.
Yes, I have the Kit Supply Tote I made to replace the UCAB. My original idea was to make myself a Running with Scissors Tote (RwSt) using some of the quilted fabric/foam that Colleen quilted for me to organize my tools inside the Kit Supply Tote. I still have to measure to make sure the RwSt will fit in the Kit Supply Tote! I just haven’t gotten to the measuring or the making yet. I have the pattern** on my cutting table as a reminder.
This problem has been on my mind for awhile. I have searched through my patterns as well as available patterns to see if I could find another bag that would work. The UCAB is pretty unique in its design as a quiltmaking/sewing tote. I really haven’t seen anything else like it. The All Rolled Up Tote is a great bag, but somehow I have never considered using it for this purpose. Perhaps I should. It currently holds a lot of embroidery supplies.
I was thinking about the problem again as I was organizing the fabric and patterns I bought on my trip.
Awhile ago, I checked Etsy to see what was available as ready made or in pattern form. I found some bags that might work. One was the Crafty Carrier by Ellie Mae Designs. I came across the pattern and pulled it out.
I bought this pattern a long time ago, on a previous trip to Portland, at a shop called A Common Thread. (N.B.: I don’t know if that shop is still business.)
While I have a lot of projects in the queue, I started working on this bag over the weekend. Sometimes I have no self control about what I work on!
I cut out everything and interfaced almost all of the pieces on Saturday. Then Sunday, I started to sew. I am making good progress. The picture shows the exterior (inside out) without the bottom
I am using a lot of canvas and Essex linen-type fabrics. You can see the Echino I bought at PIQF. I am thrilled to be using fabrics so soon after purchase!! It is so fun to buy fabrics and use them right away.
The inside doesn’t have many pockets, so I added two, but also thought about keeping it empty so I could put other carriers inside for the modular idea. I could have put an inside zipper pocket, but I didn’t think of it and it might be a bit too late.
Anyway, progress. I think I’ll have to make the Running with Scissors tote sooner rather than later. Having one with my various tools organized and together would allow me to tuck it into whichever bag I was taking to class, retreat or Sew Day.
**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.
Cork I Spy #1 in the Wild
Last year when I went to visit my team in Basel, I took the women on the team some Cork I Spy pouches. One of the team sent me a picture of her pouch on a boat in Croatia.
The photo is amazing and I am thrilled that my pouch got to go somewhere I have never been.
Baby Quilt Storage Bag
I decided at the last moment to make a storage bag for the baby quilt that was off to San Diego earlier this week.
I wanted to use the Jeni Baker of In Color Order drawstring bag pattern, but for a variety of reasons it wasn’t available. I have made enough of those drawstring bags that I have an idea of how to make them.
I used the steampunk fabric from Feather Your Nest in Gresham. The fabric paired well with some black and white stripes I had available. It is also perfect for my niece.
It is really fun to use fabrics I just bought.