I have a former co-worker who is super kind. I wanted to make him and his new wife a gift. I know mug rugs and some other fabric gifts quiltmakers give to each other are a bit strange to non-quiltmakers. I decided to make some bowl cozies because they are universally useful. I was able to finish them relatively quickly after I ripped out the same mistake I made last time. My error was to sandwich one piece of batting between two pieces of fabric and sew. Instead, I need to layer ONE piece of batting and one piece of fabric then sew. I need two of these elements (top and bottom) for each bowl cozy. Either I assumed or it was hard to see on the instructions. Using the blog post works better for me than just the PDF instructions.
Bowl cozies for Kirk
Once I got that cleared up, the project went quickly. I am pleased with the results and need to send them off.
I love it when people use and love the items I make for them.
I went to a conference recently, as mentioned, where SIL#4 and I shared an apartment at the resort. She brought the Petrillo Bag I made for her back in 2013.
The bag was beautiful and pristine in 2013. It was probably the first Petrillo Bag I made and may have been the first Sew Sweetness pattern I made.
I was reminded that I am a good bagmaker and the bag looked great when I gave it to her.
Petrillo Bag in 2022
The bag is now well loved and well used. It has been to Australia at least once and maybe even to to Europe. Not sure. It has been through the wash and SIL even Oxycleaned it when the dirt from carrying it on trips got to much.
I am tempted to make SIL#4 another one. I don’t know if I still have some of the same fabric, but I think I might.
This is a pretty easy quilt so as soon as I finished all the bits and pieces required to make Pies & Points ready for quilting, I turned my attention to the Diagonal Nine Patch. I talked about the size in my last post and, as you can see, I increased the size. I think this size will be fine, but am still reserving judgement.
With 7×7 blocks, the quilt top will be about 42 inches square and my hesitation is whether that is a large enough quilt. I think it is on the verge of being large enough, but I may want to add another column and row.
I have about 7 more blocks to go in this configuration. The issue is that I am eager to get this quilt done and move on to Orange You Glad. I also want to bring this quilt to Colleen.
I got this idea from Peggy at the June BAM meeting. It was so simple that I slapped my head and wondered why I didn’t think of it.
Peggy is font of good ideas. The quilt she showed was scrappy and had a rose background. It was great and made me start thinking about my newest great niece-phew. S/he is expected in October.
I wanted to make the new baby a quilt, but nothing was generating any excitement. I wasn’t finding the mix of interesting patterns, ease of construction and appeal in the millions of patterns I have. When I saw this one, I felt a flicker of interest.
B&W Diagonal 9 Patch
I decided to try some blocks in black and white and see what happened. I made them while working on Pies & Points.
I am really pleased with how they look. Most of the fabrics came from my bin of white on black dot fabrics. I got those out after I rummaged through my 2.5 inch square bins and pulled out all the white on black squares. Recently I have pulled out another bin of white on black fabrics to make more blocks. This is a great quilt for scraps, as you can see from Peggy’s version. Also, my black and white blocks are a controlled scrappy.
I started with the idea that I would make 18 A and 18 B blocks. I made most of the 18 blocks using the leaders and enders method while I worked on Pies & Points. Once that baby was finished, I put the Diagonal Nine Patch blocks up on the design wall. The blocks aren’t sewn together, but I decided I needed more blocks. I need to make at least one more column and one more row, but maybe two. I like generous baby quilts.
B&W Diagonal 9 Patch – A and B blocks
Once the blocks were pointed out to me, I could see how easy the quilt could be. The A block is highlighted on the left and the B block is in the middle.
You can certainly use all squares, but I decided to save myself some time and figured out the size of strips I needed to use for the A blocks. It makes those blocks sew up a little bit more quickly.
The beauty of this design is that it can be made with 2.5 inch squares, 5 inch squares or any size really. One inch finished would take a lot of blocks unless you were making a doll quilt, but would be a great leaders and enders project. If you used blocks that were larger than 5 inches, it would be a great way to make a large quilt quickly. I am not sure if the design would show up very well, however.
After much drama, Gelato finally arrived in Switzerland. My friend had to go pick it up and pay duty despite me sending it as a gift. I always have problems with Swiss customs.
Right now it is resting after spending 4 months folded up in a box.
My friend says he will probably frame it and hang it in his living room. I can’t wait to see it when I go back to visit.
I was able to finish the Andalusian Pouch over the weekend.
It went together amazingly well. I barely used my seam ripper at all.
Andalusian Pouch- open/side view
This pouch started because I had a fat quarter, cut a few pieces then put them away for later. I got more of the Anna Maria poppy fabric and decided to make the pouch for a friend who has been super helpful at work. I used one of the new True Colors fabrics for the accent fabric.
This pouch has rounded corners and those rounded corners made it so easy to put together! It was really a dream, which makes me want to make another one TODAY.
Andalusian Pouch- open/top view
The pattern is from the Minikins 3 series by Sara Lawson of Sew Sweetness. It comes out looking more like a man’s shaving kit when closed, but when open, it would be great to carry sewing supplies (one track mind, I know, I know!) to Sew Day.
The man’s shaving kit shape is a little weird, but I really like the open wide mouth that the frame provides. I like being able to see all of my stuff.
I am super proud of the way the zipper came out. Both ends of the zipper look like they are supposed to look.
Andalusian Pouch – zipper start
Andalusian Pouch – zipper end
The start of the zipper had the ends sewn at 90 degrees and it looks so finished. I really like it.
The end of the zipper required veering at the end. I think, after much practicing, I have finally gotten the hang of veering the zipper. I have to admit that I did watch that part of the video and followed the directions multiple times. I am still a little unclear on the exact purpose of veering the zipper. I plan to keep practicing so it will become second nature.
Andalusian Pouch – side zipper
My careful fussy cutting didn’t work 100%. I have never made this bag before so that was part of the problem/issue. The accents covered up some of the flowers. I knew there were accents were part of the bag; I just couldn’t judge where the flowers would end up. Still, I think it looks nice. I hope that my friend likes it.
I think if I make this again (and I do have another frame) I would use a fabric with an all over pattern, then use cork or vinyl for the bottom accents and the bottom of the bag. Sara has some turquoise cork that I have had my eye on.
I am making good progress on the pouch. I think I overestimated the time it would take to finish in a recent post. I made good progress, but the last parts seem to take longer than I usually anticipate.
I had to put the Zipper Panel pieces that hold the frame and the zipper panel together. These were a bit fiddly, but not too bad. I was in a good place when I decided to work on this project and it wasn’t too late in the day so I wasn’t tired.
I also ended up putting the grab handle on. I hope the thinness of the handle doesn’t prevent it from being useful.
I feel like I am making good progress and will be done soon.
I made a Sheffield Tote for Gerre as a gift in 2020. I make gifts because I want people to know I am thinking about them. I do know that what I think is great may not be great for someone else, but I don’t have hard feelings when someone doesn’t use a gift I made for them.
Alternatively, I am super thrilled when I see a gift being used. This ‘t the first time I have seen Gerre bring it. She says she uses it all the time. Whenever we sit near each other I see it packed with supplies. It makes me so happy that it is a useful tote.
The Take a Stand** bag (which for some reason I keep wanting to call the “Without a Trace” bag) bag is done and I am on my way to give it to my Mom for Mother’s Day.
This is the first time I have made this bag and it has the usual things that annoy me about a ByAnnie pattern: quilting all the pieces and lots of binding. It is also a great size and shape. It might be a good replacement for my Travel / Go-to-Sew-Day Bag. Or at least a partial replacement.
Yes, I used the Tula Pink webbing for the shoulder strap. It isn’t the perfect color, but works ok and Mom can unhook it and use it for other things. Using webbing means that I don’t have to make straps. I seem to remember making straps with webbing as the inside a la ByAnnie, but I can’t remember (or find) what project they were used on. It wasn’t a completely smooth process, but the strap went together pretty quickly and I am happy with them.
I adore the rainbow hardware!
Take a Stand Bag for Mom lining/inside
I am pretty proud of the inside/lining. It is hard to see in the photo, but easier if you make the photo larger. I used a text print with color wheel type paint blobs on it. It is perfect for my mom and came out really well in terms of placement in the bag.
I have two more in the works, meaning that I have two more cut and quilted (such a chore), so you’ll see at least one of those soon. I decided that I want to make the larger size as well, but will have to cut and quilt that one before I can decide if it will be a good replacement for my Travel / Go-to-Sew-Day Bag.
I hope Mom likes this bag. She is getting quite the collection.
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I made another scissor cozy the other day to give as a hostess gift. As I said when I made Maria’s and Gerre‘s, I like making these. I don’t know if they are useful, but they are kind of a unique gift and something not everyone makes.
For once I remembered to quilt the piece before cutting it out. It was quite a bit of quilting, but I think it looks nice.
I can’t quite decide how long to make the leash, so this one is pretty long.
I used some fabric I have had for ages, which turned out well.
A few months ago I made some bowl cozies for my boss. The other day she sent me a picture of them in action. She has told me several times that she and her husband both use them and like them. I am always so amazed that other people don’t have houses filled with useful items (potholders, napkins, bowl cozies, tea towels, TP totes, etc.) made from quiltmaking fabric!
I finished another Flapper apron over the weekend. I call this the Duck Bones apron because one side has rubber duckies and the other bones. This will be for the YM’s partner. She is on a pathology course and really liked it when I included the bones fabric in a bag I made for her for Christmas.
Duck Bones Apron
The bone fabric is a favorite of various recipients. I have an alert on a shop site so whenever it comes in I buy 3 yards and decide what to make. I have enough left to make more pillowcases, which is probably a good idea for my SIL. Who uses only two pillowcases?
I have made several of these over the past few years and still like the way they turn out. The last one I made was for my mom, I think.
I made two of these at a time. The second one is still in progress. No, it isn’t Christmas or a birthday, but I had them on my mind, so I decided to make them.
I have been adjusting the neck hole a little, but left it the original size this time. I don’t remember why I adjusted it originally. I think the fabric looks really nice in apron form.
Yes, I used some of my precious Philip Jacobs fabric, but why not? It isn’t like there is a shortage at my house.
This is the pattern you can use with a yard of fabric. The pattern is called Flapper Apron from the Decades of Style pattern company. I bought it in 2018 when I was out shopping with Amanda. The clever part of this pattern is that you cut the pattern out on the bias. The biggest attraction is that you only *need* one yard of fabric to make it. I usually make the apron reversible, which takes 2 yards. As mentioned before, I like to give myself a little breathing room with 1.25 yards on each side. Still, the pattern is designed for one yard of fabric.
I got a bug in my ear to make some scissor cozies over the weekend. I’m not sure why, but I just went with it and made two. I didn’t like the way the tips came out, but I am pleased with the overall effect.
I made a scissor cozy for Julie and one for my Mom some time ago, so I had the directions, which I tried to use. There was some confusion, so went and looked up the pattern on Sotak Handmade’s IG feed. It turns out she has a YouTube tutorial now, so I watched that. She has tightened up the pattern and made a few changes, which worked well for me.
I used flannel for the inside instead of batting. I am not sure it made the corners much thinner. I might keep the batting away from the corners in a future version.
This one was for Maria just because. No particular reason. Making two was just as easy as making one. I added the leash.
