Commentary about works in progress, design & creativity
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
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.
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.
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.
I finished all the blocks for the Ombre Weave and think I will change the layout to highlight more of the Os that show up in the design. The red I added looks good. The piece overall isn’t as depressing as it was before.
I had time last week to trim blocks and cut more pieces for more blocks. I was nervous this quilt would be too small for a teenager, but it is getting larger. It won’t be a huge quilt, but it will be nice for cuddling.
I am thinking I may use some of the ombre fabric I bought to make the Ombre Hearts quilt as the back. We’ll see, but I don’t think I will be making that quilt.
One of the points of the Pink Project is to provide me with a way to test out bag patterns I haven’t made before. A week or so ago, I talked about making some Superbloom totes. I do want to make more Superbloom totes, but I don’t want to miss the chance to test out a larger bag pattern. I decided to make a Chickadee backpack as the main large bag for the Pink Project v2 instead of a Superbloom tote. I’ll make a Superbloom for the other group and also one with the Hindsight fabric.
I didn’t make a large bag for the Pink Project v.1. I used a bag that I received at the last Convention I attended.
The Chickadee backpack is another Sew Sweetness pattern. It came out last year. There is a lot of cutting and I haven’t felt like I had the brainspace or the time to make one. I wanted to, but I also wanted to make some changes:
I know that it is better to, first, make it as the pattern indicates, thus I thought making it for the Pink Project would be a great idea.
I am starting to think more about gifts, not just the Pink Project, but upcoming birthday and holiday gifts. The Classmate Tote** by Atkinson Designs has been on my mind for some reason. Perhaps I need to make one for myself!
I like making useful bags. As you know I have made two of them before, one as a swap gift and one for Gerre. I like the idea of this bag and I think it is useful.
There are a couple of things I need to remember, if I decide to make one of these again. The pen holder is too small for *my* pens, so I need to make sure to measure my pens.
The other thing is to make sure the binding goes with the the interior and exterior. I have to admit that I really like getting to the sewing part. That means I sometimes take shortcuts in choosing fabrics. It is so stupid, because I love shopping for fabrics and I enjoy the fabulous motifs of different fabrics. So, the reminder is to make sure all the fabrics go together.
**Obviously, you should shop at local fabric, knitting shops or quilt shops. However, if you can’t, please know that I use affiliate links. I 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 do not recommend items I don’t like. I appreciate your clicks and purchases as it helps support this blog.
I want to use some of the fabric I bought on my vacation for Superbloom totes. I was really pleased with how the first one came out. I have had plans for another one using the Anna Maria Honorable Mention fabric, but I haven’t gotten around to making it yet. Now I have at least two more I want to make. Good thing I bought the templates.
The first one I plan to make will use these fabrics. The far left black and purple linen/canvas is from Bolt. I bought the iris print at Stitch in Ferndale. It is a good choice for my aunt who loves irises. I am not a huge fan of the background color of this iris print, but I didn’t see any others. In general, I know that there is a colorway with a black background, but that won’t work for the lining of a bag.
Next, I plan to start another project like the Pink Project, but for a different organization. This time I will use blue fabrics as a base. The fabric shown will provide good scope for fussy cutting.
The Superbloom tote will be the bag in which all of the other pouches are carried. I don’t know which other pouches I will make yet. I have to make this one first since it will be a great donation even if I don’t make anything else.
Finally, I will also use this pattern for the Pink Project v.2, I think. It is possible that I will try a different pattern, but for now I am planning on making yet another Superbloom.
I am waffling, because I could use this fabric to try out the Chickadee Backpack or the Cavalcade Travel Bag or any number of other tote bags that I have purchased. We’ll just have to see how I feel.
This EPP Ball #6 is also finished, though not due until October.
As I said in the previous post these go together very quickly. I was able to stuff a couple of them at the same time.
Someone suggested I made smaller ones and I was reminded of the juggling balls set I made for my niece.
So, the new pillowcase project has started. As mentioned, I am trying to encourage the youngest nephew to follow through on his dream to travel through my pillowcase fabric choices.
I sent the first pillowcase off a few days ago. I hope the theme is obvious. To help with that, I sent him the camping pillowcase first.
I am pleased with how this one came out. I like the tree fabric for the cuff.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.