I selected some new fabrics for the rest of the pillowcases. I bought more than I normally would have. There was such a great selection that I couldn’t decide.
I went looking first at Boersma’s, because they sent me a coupon. I bought some of the fabrics from them, though I couldn’t use the coupon. All the fabrics I selected were on sale.
I bought Minikins Season 2 specifically for this pattern in March of 2020. At that time, I was a little scared of this pattern. Recently, I realized I wanted to make one as a gift. Since I had the recipient in mind, I dove in to make it. This will match the Superbloom tote I finished a few weeks ago.
Day Trip for Diana start
I was still anxious that I wasn’t up to the task, so I carefully worked my way through the cutting and interfacing. I only forgot one piece! I am about to start working on the pockets, straps and tabs.
I am pretty excited that I am getting going on this project after almost 5 years!
I decided to revisit other gifts I have made. This time it is Friend Julie’s turn.
Julie’s Birthday Gifts
Julie’s Journal Cover – front
Julie’s Purple Pincushion Gift
Kaffe Pillowcase Gift for Julie
Halloween House #3
Halloween House #2
Halloween House #1
Walker Bag
Purple Chair Sew Together Bag for Julie – open
Scissor Cozy for Julie
Julie’s Iron Caddy
Julie’s Pencil Roll
Mega- Pinnie for Julie
Tissue Holder
Purple Chair Needlecase
Purple Chair Bag – closed
Julie’s Mini Maker Case
Large Retreat pouch -aerial view
Julie’s Project Bag
Julie’s Take a Stand Bag
Julie’s UCAB
Lined Drawstring Bag for Julie
Lavender Dot Bluestem – top
I am pleased to see these bags and accessories show up when Julie and I meet to sew. I am still so glad that she is using them. She liked the Bluestem pouch I gave her for Christmas.
I am not sure what patterns are on my to make list for this year’s gifts. I’ll have to see!
I only had enough fabric from my trip for ~6 months’ worth of pillowcases for my nephew who isn’t going to college right now. Recently, I ponied up and bought more fabric. After a week or so, I found cuff fabrics and started in on making the pillowcases.
Train ticket pillowcase
Route 66 states pillowcase
Route 66 road trip pillowcase
Sharks teeth pillowcase
Beige map pillowcase
Passport Pillowcase
I have 6 finished and two more in process. I might be able to finish them by the weekend. Mom helped by trimming some of the threads that sometimes stick out after sewing a French Seam, especially on fabric that frays easily.
After years of whining about the Hindsight Superbloom, it is finally done. Apparently, thinking up someone to whom I could give this bag was the key.
I carefully fussy cut the panels, so those pink flowers were featured. I wasn’t sure how it would look, but it looks good to me.
Hindsight Superbloom – back
I also remembered to machine sew on my label! Yay!
I like the way the handles look. That print is fun. The handles aren’t that comfortable, though. They seem to be made from some kind of polyester. I was trying to avoid sewing strips together to make the handles and that worked. I don’t think the recipient will be able to carry a lot of heavy items in the bag comfortably.
Hindsight Superbloom – interior
Hindsight Superbloom – interior zip pocket
Hindsight Superbloom – top
I used some dot fabric as the lining and it looks really fun. It also achieves my goal of being light colored, so easy to see the items in the bag.
The last photo (above, right) shows the bag closed. It has a recessed zipper. In that photo, the bag has all the small gifts I got for the family who are caring for my stepdad.
I think I might add a slip pocket or two to the next one I make.
Hindsight Superbloom – side pocket
One thing I love about this bag are the sides pockets. They are super cute. I don’t know if they are useful, but I think they would be.
I am really pleased with the way this came out. It went together really well.
I finally started the Hindsight Superbloom. This is a project that has been on my list for a long time. I was excited to make this version at the time I made the first Superbloom. Somehow I lost momentum, but recently I was inspired to pull out the fabric and the pattern and get busy.
Yes, I remembered to put my label on the bag before I started to assemble it! I am happy about that.
Hindsight Superbloom in process with handles
I had a little trouble with the handles as I was using webbing instead of making them from fabric. I eventually got them on the bag. UGH! I know why the process had to go the way it did, but I found it difficult.
I am always surprised at the size of this bag. It is quite roomy, but I always think it is bigger than it actually is.
So far, I am l loving the process. Those side pockets are awesome.
Well, I did. Mom said she wouldn’t be using the walker long enough to warrant me making a bag for it. I waited about 2 weeks before making it, but finally made one the other night. She loves it and finds it very useful. I have to keep reminding her not to fill it up too much. She is limited to carrying 5lbs per hand.
I remember thinking the directions were confusing at the time. I made the same mistake this time that I made before: I sewed the Velcro inside the pocket. DUH! I hope the photos I added will help with that.
This time, I took the time to make some edits and add in some photos for next time. I hope I won’t have to use those directions again, but I am planning for the worst and hoping for the best.
This is the last pillowcase before I have to buy more fabric. I have found some great fabrics and will have to go and buy them.
I don’t really consider camping mind expanding, but I guess it is. I like nature; I just don’t like the dirt and how hard everything is (washing dishes, showering, etc) when you go camping.
Still, the goal is to encourage this nephew to explore the world and get some non-school experience.
Periodically, I revisit the gifts I make for people. I know you have seen the posts about gifts I have made for my sister, my mom, Gerre and Julie. I really do like to give gifts that people will use, though I do give gifts, like the Mega Pinnie that are just fun and unique.
My Mom is staying with me while she recovers from major surgery.
The Take a Stand has art supplies in it. She is using the Poolside Tote like a suitcase for random stuff and the Percheron is where she keeps the complicated crochet project I gave her as a kit gift.
Mom’s Persimmon Pouch
Still, it is not enough. I will need to make her a pouch for her hand quilting supplies. Right now they are in a plastic zipper bag. I know I made her a Persimmon Dumpling and an Inside Outside Pouch, but she didn’t bring either with her.
A Sew Together Bag is the obvious choice. She has one and I don’t want to make another right now. I am thinking about another Cotton Candy pouch. I am also thinking about a Brumby pouch. I haven’t made one of those yet, but recently received the templates as a gift. We will see. I want to look through my various patterns and see what sticks out.
What pouch or bag do you use for hand sewing supplies and tools?
I know it seems like Christmas is lasting forever on the blog. I made quite a few gifts, but it is also taking some time to post about them all.
Tim admired all the project bags I made last year, so I decided to make him one from Christmas.
I don’t have a lot of dark greens and thought these bright greens would be too much, but he loved the bag and said that he loves all greens.
I am super happy with the way this came out and will make one for myself next. Well, maybe not the next project, but the next time I make a project bag. 😉
I received Hugs & a Kiss back from Colleen the other day. I am now working hard on binding it.
I want to get it in the mail soon so as to relieve my house of two quilts. This one and the one for the recipient’s brother, the Green & Grey Diagonal 9 Patch.
The quilting looks really nice. The quilt is covered in different sized circles.
I revisited my Christmas pillowcase gifts after seeing some on SIL#4’s bed on Christmas Eve. It occurred to me that there are a few new spouses/SOs for whom I had not made pillowcases. Nobody will know that they don’t have them, but it is only fair, especially if they see their spouse has one.
My tally was in a post from 2015 and there are a lot of new additions to the family, mostly spouses, but a few kids as well. The original tally was confusing, so I have rewritten it.
Well, that’s at least 8 yards of fabric I can use up right away in 2025. I need to check to see what Christmas fabric I have in case I need to get some on sale. I hope I have enough.
Another project I finished for the holidays was a second Atlas Zipper Case. This one went to SIL#2. She is a Cal (UC Berkeley) alumna so the fabric was appropriate.
As mentioned, the pattern is from Center Street Quilts. The second one went more quickly and came out really well. This is a really good pattern. I want to make more of them.
I didn’t have quite enough of the Cal fabric. I bought 5 yards several years ago and I am down to scraps after this project. I found some yellows and blues that matched the Cal fabric colors perfectly. I went looking for more of this fabric, but aside from Spoonflower options, this particular print is nowhere to be found.
Cal Atlas pouch – open
This pattern requires quilting, as do many of the Center Street Quilts bag patterns. I learned a lot by quilting the other Atlas and applied this knowledge to this bag. As you can see, I only quilted it intensely in a few places, not all over the whole piece. That technique made it a lot more doable. I like very dense quilting for bags, as you know, so I really had to restrain myself.
Cal Atlas pouch – right
I thought about making the privacy pocket (lower right) with vinyl instead, but ended up fussy cutting some of the Cal fabric and keeping it as indicated in the pattern for private items.
The interior fabric on the top vinyl pocket is an older AGF fabric and it is just a little off of the Cal yellow. I like it as an addition so the whole bag too matchy-matchy.
Cal Atlas pouch – left
I think the most useful pocket will be the large vinyl pocket. It has a lot of space for various items.
There are also slip pockets underneath all the pockets described, so flat items can be safely placed there.
I did shorten the tail of the zipper. I had a longer piece than required and thought it would be fine, but it was really too long.
Before Christmas, I went to Mary’s again and we worked on this bathrobe. It wasn’t a complete bathrobe Christmas, but two people got them. That is about all the garments I can manage even with Mary’s excellent assistance.
This is a different pattern than the Tarot bathrobe. It has a flat collar instead of a shawl collar.
I bought this fabric awhile ago, sort of by accident. I was trying to replenish my stock of the dark grey version of this fabric and ended up with the light grey background. I like it, but Mom has put the stop sign up for more bags. I didn’t want to start a whole new set with this fabric anyway. I decided a bathrobe would be good. It used up most of the fabric.
As you know, I often get stuck somewhere on garments and my confidence drains away. Mary has been great about helping me. This time I was able to rip out some seams for one of her projects and also cut out a Classmates Tote for her to sew later. It was a good exchange for me, at least.
YM & Mom in their bathrobes
I was able to take a photo of both bathrobes and their people.
