Tag: Gifts

Bird Holland Pouch

Bird Holland Pouch
Bird Holland Pouch

Despite my objections to the zipper installation, I decided to make another Holland Pouch. While I was in Portland, I went to Modern Domestic and bought some fabric, then went back to my AirBnB and made the pouch. The second time it only took me about 4 hours from cutting to completion. I couldn’t make these for a living, but I was pleased with how fast I did it.

Bird Holland Pouch Interior
Bird Holland Pouch Interior

I have been buying a few Charlie Harper bird prints lately. I don’t know why as I don’t usually make projects out of novelty prints. I bought this particular print because Amanda loves animals. The print is sophisticated as well. Most of Charlie Harper prints have a bit of humor as well as some sophistication.

The inside of the bag is made from a Ruby Star scattered star print. The color doesn’t exactly go with the outside, but choices were limited at Modern Domestic. I think the variation looks nice.

I also couldn’t wash the fabric (AirBnB and all), but for a bag, just this once I was ok with it. I was concerned about the smell from ironing the fabric, but I didn’t smell anything and didn’t have any breakouts, so it was all ok. The Charley Harper fabric is organic, so maybe that makes a difference?

Quilting Bird Holland
Quilting Bird Holland

This pattern requires quilting the exterior, foam and lining fabrics together. Instead of quilting on each side of blue tape only, I put down a piece of blue tape, measured 3 inches to the right and put down another piece. I did that on both sides of the center piece of blue tape until I ran out of space. This means that my quilting isn’t as close together as in the Oxbow tote. It also took less time and I didn’t get as irritated.

Holland Pouch side
Holland Pouch side

The quilting went faster, but it means there is a 3 inch gap between some of the quilting lines. You can see that there is a dearth of quilting lines on the side towards the top, because of the 3 inch gap. I probably should have turned the fabric around, so there was more quilting on the top. 

I also had a bit of trouble keeping the fabric taut, so the 3 inch spacing may not have been the best interval. Oh well. Live and learn.

Bird Holland pouch top
Bird Holland pouch top

This bag has a bit of an accent around the zipper, which I think looks nice in this bag.

This is a very quick bag to make and I am pleased with the outcome. I was more pleased that Amanda loved it. She really helped me during the visit and this was a small token of my gratitude.

Monsters Pillowcase

National Park Monsters Pillowcase
National Park Monsters Pillowcase

I am on the fence about whether this pillowcase encourages travel or not. I thought the fabric was entertaining, so I bought it and now it is off to be encouragement for the youngest nephew. Fingers crossed.

Friend Julie told me that most of these monsters are made up to give each National Park a monster (or legend?).

I found an article on a site I have never heard of called “6 Mythical Beasts and the National Parks They Call Home.” The article tells you what equipment you’ll need to stalk them.

There is also a calendar of National Park monsters.

Holland Pouch Progress

I am making good progress on the Holland Pouch.

The one objection I have to Center Street Quilts patterns are that she doesn’t cover the zipper with the lining. I know this is super petty and have been told so by people to whom I have mentioned this quirk. After all, zipper tape doesn’t fray and if you use a matching thread, the thread doesn’t even show.

Binding the Holland Pouch
Binding the Holland Pouch

I didn’t have a lot of thread colors with me, but I had one that matched the zipper I chose.

The picture (right) shows how the pouch is finished when the lining and exterior fabrics are quilted. You have to bind the edges from boxing the corners. I have done this by hand before. This time I did it by machine. Again, with matching thread, it would look better. I need to practice this.

I am almost finished. This will be a Christmas gift for the YM.

Ribbon Friendship Stars

Ribbon Friendship Stars
Ribbon Friendship Stars

I made the blocks I promised to make for a group quilt. Most people are making 6 blocks, but I agreed to make more since I suggested making the quilt larger.

I am not a huge fan of the Friendship Star block in general. I like them smaller than 12 inches, which is why I made the Friendship Stars in Flying Around so small. I also like them better when combined in wreath format.

For this quilt, I liked the sentiment of the Friendship star and thought the addition of the ribbon (the green and the blue) was an interesting element. When I put all the blocks next to each other on the design wall, I though they looked great. It looks a little boring with just my blocks, but the group will use different red-violet fabrics for the centers and that will make the whole quilt more interesting.

These blocks are easy to make and would be great for a quilt for friends. I copied the design into EQ8 and created a pattern so you can make blocks for your friends, too. If you need a reminder of how to make Half Square Triangles, you use the Leah Day 2-at-a-time tutorial or my Triangle Technique (8-at-a-time HSTs) tutorial, if you are making a lot of blocks.

Julie is also making some of these blocks. She sewed a practice block, which I think is a good idea, even though I didn’t do it. She also has a great post about her process and the tools she used. I forgot about the Seams Easy marking tool, which I have, but always seem to forget about.

These are the blocks I agreed to make for the project, but I have more fabric, so I thought I would make more blocks so that the quilt can be bigger. We’ll see if I can get them done.

Holland Pouch Start

I went to Portland again last week. My original plan was to help the YM settle into his new apartment. He hasn’t found one yet, so I helped him job search instead. Mom didn’t go this time, which was weird. I tried to embrace the weirdness and I did ok. It was nice to be on my own.

Black Cat Holland Pouch cut out
Black Cat Holland Pouch cut out

In my off hours I sewed. I brought my sewing machine and a few projects. The first thing I started was the Holland Pouch. This is a basic boxy bag, which I bought at Stitch in Ferndale in July. I bought the pattern as I thought it would be a good gift and I was too lazy to try and find a similar free pattern.

Center Street Quilts directional fabric chart
Center Street Quilts directional fabric chart

One of the things I don’t like about Center Street Quilts patterns is that she doesn’t cover her zippers on the inside of the bag. I gave myself a talking to after a discussion with Amanda about this point. First, the zippers won’t fray. If I use a coordinating thread color, it looks fine. So, I am mostly over that. I have to say that CSQ had a GREAT chart showing how to deal with directional fabric. I am in love with this chart. It was so helpful and I am convinced that my cat fabric will not be upside down.

 

Finished: Pink Project Cotton Candy

Pink Project Cotton Candy
Pink Project Cotton Candy

I finished one of the Cotton Candy pouches and was reinvigorated after I did a better job than I did with the Slimline version.

I didn’t have the right length zipper in pink, but I thought the orange went with the fabric. I also thought I should have fussy cut the side panels, but didn’t think of it until later. Still, I am happy with the way it turned out.

I used similar fabrics to the fabrics I used in the Pink Project v.1. I wondered if I should make a whole set using the same fabric. I might have enough of that Denyse Schmidt Flea Market Fancy fabric to make a few more bags and pouches. It might bore me, though, to use the same fabric. I already have a different print chosen for the Chickadee. I don’t want to change that choice at the moment.

The inside is also a Flea Market Fancy print. I filled it with some self-care items and it was used to raise money for Phi Mu Foundation, which provides scholarships and disaster assistance to women. We made $80, which isn’t a lot, but the event was only attended by 9 people. I need to get some more self care items to fill up the next ones.

Cotton Candy – More Starts

Cotton Candy Starts
Cotton Candy Starts

As mentioned, I started sewing some Cotton Candy pouches at Sew Day. I had cut them out as a reminder after I sewed the Slimline version of the Cotton Candy pouch wrong. I was a little angry at myself, because I want to work on new pouches – patterns I haven’t tried before. Even though I love the Cotton Candy pouch, I have made it many times. I felt, however, that I needed to remind myself how to get this pattern right.

I was pleased with the progress I made at our Special Sew Day. I would have liked to have made more progress, but forgot the zippers. When I got this far, it was time to clean up and go home anyway.

I thought I would try the triangle fabric fabric I bought at Bay Quilts recently and see how I liked it in bags.

Both of these will be for the Pink Project. I know one is blue, but I am doing a second batch for the local Alumnae Panhellenic group and want to use some different fabrics.

Drawstring Gift Bag

Pink Artist Lined Drawstring Pouch
Pink Artist Lined Drawstring Pouch

I made another lined Drawstring bag from the Jeni Baker In Color Order pattern as a gift bag for a friend. I was pleased to use the Anna Maria poppy fabric. Can you tell she loves pink?

This one is the Artist size, which is slightly larger than most of the drawstring bags I have made. The size I normally make is called the Project size. I just wanted to try something different this time.

The Artist size is one of the sizes that comes in the paid pattern. As a side note, Jeni Baker has an annual Lined Drawstring Bag Sew Along. It’s coming up in November 2024. It’s hard to find another great way to get familiar with the pattern.

I am still struggling with the ties and really need to figure that out. These look fine, but I always struggle.

I filled the bag with some self care supplies. She said she really liked everything. My friend’s mother died right before her birthday and this was a great way to let her know I was thinking about her.

Another Look at Gifts for Mom

In honor of my Mom’s birthday, which was yesterday, I am revisiting the gifts I have made for her. She is downsizing so I have slowed my production  for her and she didn’t get a bag yesterday. Still, there are a couple of new items on the list. I still have fabric for her, so I am not done making things with it yet.

 

Slimline Cotton Candy

Slimline Cotton Candy Pouch
Slimline Cotton Candy Pouch

I made this Cotton Candy pouch for a friend’s birthday.

It ended up being a ‘slimline’ version as I sewed the side panels to the wrong end of the main panel and had to trim extensively. It worked out and she liked it so no harm.

However, I need to get this right. I have made so many of these pouches that I am shocked and amazed that I made such a big mistake. I am going to make some others to cement the process in my head.

Another Month, a New Pillowcase

Cities Pillowcase
Cities Pillowcase

This month I sent off one of the actual travel pillowcases. Last month was the camping pillowcase. I suppose you have to travel somewhere to camp, but it didn’t feel like ‘real’ travel to me, whatever that is.

This was also a birthday gift since the nephew turned 18 yesterday. I stuck a card in the package for him. I actually got a thank you text! Unnecessary, but much appreciated.

I had some extra fabric, so I added the trim pieces to some of the pillowcases for this project

Ombre Weave Top Finished

Ombre Weave Top Finished
Ombre Weave Top Finished

After allowing this top to languish on my design wall, I finally got down to business and finished the top.

I like the look of it with the sashing in between the blocks.

I am renaming it Hugs & a Kiss. I mostly made Os with the blocks (hugs). I turned four blocks into an X to symbolize a kiss for my niece.

Ombre Weave Back almost Finished
Ombre Weave Back almost Finished

I am almost done with the back and the binding, so this will be off to Colleen soon.

I decided not to make the Heart Strings quilt**, so I had quite a bit of the V&Co ombre to use for the backing and the binding.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**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.

Baby Jacobs Diagonal 9 Patch Finished

Finished: Baby 2 Jacobs D9P
Finished: Baby 2 Jacobs D9P

I finished this quilt at the beginning of last month, but forgot to post the finished quilt. August was busy!

One of my SILs brought it to the new baby when SIL traveled to the area where my niece and her husband live.  I was glad not to have to mail it.

I am pleased with how it turned out and the juxtaposition of the same design in different colors. The first D9P was for this baby’s brother and is almost the opposite in color of this one.