I took a little time to make a couple of eyeglass cases using the Sew Hungry Hippie Hippie Specs pattern. Yes, I am branching out a bit from Sew Sweetness!
This one will be clipped into the Pandora Charisma and sent off to my sister for her birthday. This is definitely above and beyond, but the piece of fabric was just the right size and I have been wanting to try out this pattern.
Paris Hippie Specs Eyeglasses Case
Paris Hippie Specs Eyeglasses Case-open
I made her something else out this fabric- the Falabella Pouches a few years ago. This eyeglasses case will not be able to be used in conjunction with the pouches, but the fabric will match and a glasses case is useful.
Books Hippie Specs Eyeglasses Case
I also made one of from some of the last remnants of the table leaf covers.
This fabric was already quilted, which I think made the pouch look better when finished. This isn’t a large piece and after some recent quilting on the new machine, I might be able to manage it. I would need to look at the tutorial again to see what Natalie did about the zipper in relation to the quilting.
Books Hippie Specs Eyeglasses Case
Books Hippie Specs Eyeglasses Case
I ended up adding another lining on top of the quilted lining to get this done, which is why I need to check out the video again. I used the same lining as the Paris Hippie Specs Eyeglasses Case. I was just lazy.
I want to make one of these out of vinyl. We’ll see how that works. I have to do some different stuff on the inside.
I still have UFOs. Who doesn’t, after all? A project in the ‘UFO’ category means I am stalled, it hasn’t been worked on in awhile or it is waiting its turn to be worked on. The list is a lot shorter and the projects are newer, for the most part.
I amuse myself sometimes by looking at bags on IG. I recently found one that I really like, the Pruella Ebook Project Bag ToGo. It is similar to the Nightingale by Center Street Quilts, though with a sleeker look. I didn’t check to see if the directions were only in German or not.
If you are in Europe, specifically Bavaria, you can definitely buy from Spreefee. The company puts together kits for various projects including the Pruella Ebook Project Bag ToGo. I am super tempted to have the pattern and kit sent to my friend in Austria and then get it when I go next time.
The Wishing Shed has some fabulous needle case patterns, including a friendly looking crow.
Vermont Country Store Classic Steam Iron
I was reminded that the Vermont Country Store has the “Classic Steam Iron.” I could have bought this one when I went through the last iron drama, but didn’t think of it. There was a discussion of irons on Sewcial Sunday at the beginning of the month. that discussion reminded me of this iron.
Sara also discussed the GEasy Wool Pressing mats. They have tray underneath the mat to reduce the risk of damage to wood tables from condensation.
Sewfisive Foam in 3 thicknesses! video talks about how to adhere Sewfisive Foam and the comparable interfacings. It comes in 3 thicknesses: 1.5mm, 2.0mm and 3.00mm.1.5mm is similar to Decovil Light. 2.0mm is similar to Decovil Heavy. 3.0mm is like Peltex. All are used in the same way as their counterparts except that they are stick-on and can be repositioned. Yes, you have to deal with stupid tariffs to get this, but it is totally worth the effort.
Apparently, the company, Poseyville Distribution, that makes the SnapSetter tool is going out of business or no longer selling their products. It seems that the size 16 long prong snaps, etc can be bought from ColorSnaps. I haven’t purchased anything yet, but will let you know if I do.
Exhibits and Organizations
In celebration of county and state Fairs, the Renwick has an exhibit on about State Fairs. There is a small online exhibit with a few needlework pieces.
Erin showed me a Substack post with an Old Town quilt in it.
NQR
Glass Art by Tracey
My friend Tracey has recently taken up quiltmaking. She is doing amazing things when she is not working on her glass art, which is her normal job.
She lives and works in Tucson, so if you are there to see craft fairs, look out for her and say hi for me.
David Hockney died at 88 on Thursday June 11, 2026 … (N.B. You may need to use your library’s subscription to this NYT article, if you do not have your own subscription). The New York Times newsletter wrote “Though he was born in England, his bright paintings captured the sun-soaked atmosphere of Los Angeles as surely as Joan Didion did in prose.” I wonder if his maximalism inspired Kaffe or Anna Maria at all?
I am continuing to make potato chip blocks as I am determined to use up all the rectangles I cut. I ran out of pink rectangles, but still have tons of the blues, so I am cutting more pinks as I go along.
Potato Chip block #27
Potato Chip block #28
Potato Chip block #29
Potato Chip block #30
Potato Chip block #31
Potato Chip block #32
Potato Chip block #33
Potato Chip block #34
Potato Chip block #35
Potato Chip block #36
Potato Chip block #37
Potato Chip block #38
Potato Chip block #39
Potato Chip block #40
Potato Chip block #41
I am thinking of making some blocks with just blues. I have to think about how to make the design show up.
People brought both Creative Play packets to the guild meeting on Saturday. It was so great to see them! People have done great work to them.
I was also very excited that they were in different states. One has turned into a round robin with people mostly adding borders. Not everyone is adding a complete, four sided border, but, as you can see, there are a lot of borders.
February Creative Play
The other is not sewn together completely. Chunks are sewn together which provides a lot of opportunity for creativity. There is also plenty of fabric left.
As I mentioned before I groan every month when the number is pulled. These are projects that I theoretically want to finish, but I groan when it actually comes to working on them. Why is that? I feel a great sense of accomplishment when I actually finish one of them which I wouldn’t have if I didn’t work on them.
I said before that I have been contemplating UFOs in general. As a result of not putting blocks away and moving on, the Warm Four Patch Fun is ready to quilt as is, as of June 21, the 1-2-3 Mosaic. The Cool Four Patch Fun is ready to be sewn together.
Canvas Vue from Sewfisticated
As I said there are projects on the list I really want to make. I have an idea for how to use the Catalan Storage Cube and was really hoping it would be pulled this month. I also want to use the Canvas Vue fabric I bought from Sewfisticated to make one of the Joni totes. As a result, I was thinking I could cut these projects out, making a small start on them as well as getting ahead in the challenge and possibly making it easier on myself.
I finished the second of the May/June blocks the night before they were due. I try to make them before or as soon as we announce them, but I didn’t this time. As a result, I almost didn’t make the deadline.
In addition, I ended up remaking the X Plus/Lozenge block. Now I have two of them. I’ll use the first one on the back. I don’t want to make it into something else, because the piecing is less than stellar, but it will look fine on the back of the quilt.
BAM BOM Drunkard’s Path
I made the Drunkard’s Path/ Quarter Squares right away. I was in the frame of mind with Chaos with a Twist, so took the opportunity to make a few more in my BAM BOM fabrics.
May/June BAM BOM Participants
A lot of people are participating, which made me really happy! There were some fantastic blocks shown.
I love seeing bags I have made in use and not staged for my benefit.
This was the case with the Cosquilla I made for my SIL#4 for Christmas last year. We visited them for dinner one evening and I saw the bag on a side table when I went to stash my handbag.
This also reminded me that I need to make sure I do a good job when I sew bags. They need to not fall apart as people will actually used them.
I struggled with the curve on this bag and am curious to see how the new machine will handle the curve.
After finishing the back panel, I started on the gussets. Before starting them, I looked through versions of this bag on the Sewfisticated FB group. I noticed one maker had made the back panel open wider by using the same instructions.
It is super helpful to see the different fabrics and modifications other bagmakers think up. I forget that I can do things differently. Although I have made a lot of bags and pouches, every new bag project feels unfamiliar.
Pandora Charisma #2: front panel lining
One of the changes I am making on this one is a clear slip pocket instead of a fabric slip pocket. I thought about the utility of it and whether the vinyl would be a problem. I couldn’t think of one and I wanted to show off the lining fabric. In future I will use a plain fabric for the lining and a featured or printed fabric for the slip pocket.
Part of this step is the key leash. That is done as well. I love the way the flowers show through the glitter vinyl.
I am still having fun with this and the steps are going faster than I expected. Next is to make the mesh pocket. I have cut everything. I just haven’t sewed the zipper in.
I am pleased that this top is done. If you didn’t notice, I enjoyed the process quite a bit. I am already thinking about making another one. I need to watch the sessions again to take better notes on the dice throwing.
This is the first all solids quilt I have made in a long time, if ever. It is also probably the largest all solid quilt I have made. Lots of firsts. I want to keep the focus on the solids, which means that I may need the quilt quilted in a couple of colors. I am even contemplating quilting it myself as insane as that seems.
Chaos with a Twist back
The back has some prints. I need my Philip Jacobs prints!
More insanity is how I am looking forward to entering this original design (!!!) into next year’s Fair.
I spent yesterday, which was a holiday here, cleaning up small projects that I had started.
BAM BOM Lozenge Plus
I finished my second BAM Block. I felt like I sewed it at the last second.
I am not really happy with the way it came out, so I plan to make it again. It isn’t terrible, so I feel like I am keeping up with the project.
I have also been working on the Hippie Specs Eyeglass case. I thought these would make good and useful gifts. I liked the curved edge of that pattern. I needed something to play around with and this was the pattern.
Book Hippie Specs Eyeglass case
The pattern comes as a PDF or a printed pattern. There is a free video tutorial and an optional acrylic template. I made two of these so far and found the template to be super useful. I plan to make one out of vinyl just to see if it works.
I added the leash and lobster clip, because I thought it would be useful. I do that often with bags, as you know. I saw someone else in the FB Sew Hungry Hippie group do it and thought I would as well. I am going to try one without the leash and see what I think.
I also finished some sample snap trays for Megan. I was testing the use of KamSnaps vs. metal snaps using the Snap Setter.
Pandora Charisma #2: Slip pocket and key
I made some small strides on the Pandora Charisma #2 as well.
It was one of those days where I cleared up a few things that had been languishing and did some testing.
I finished Old Town a few months ago, but never posted about it. I think my quilt holders have been busy or out of town. After winning Second place at the Fair, I realized it and knew I needed to get it done.
Old Town with Ribbon
Old Town is finished! Yay! LOL!
Old Town is the 2024 Bonnie Hunter Mystery Quilt. I played along and sewed many of the blocks together at the BAM Retreat, then finished it up at home.
Old Town detail
Colleen quilted it for me and here we are. I was really pleased to get second place since the category in which I entered it (quilted by another) is packed. This was a much easier quilt to quilt than Patchwork Palooza since once I decided how to quilt a block, I just had Colleen quilt all the blocks the same.
Amazingly I have recently continued to work on the Pandora Charisma #2. I didn’t have a Pandora Charisma #2, really, but decided I would make another one with the front panel I sewed when testing the Elna.
It wasn’t a done deal that I would make another one as all I could remember was the struggles I had with the binding on #1. The win really made me excited about the project. Another reason I want to work on this project again (despite the hair ripping during the first one) is I want to see how the Elna does. I also think winning Best in Show made me want to try another one.
On Sunday, when I was done beavering away on other non-sewing chores, I really thought about the project I wanted to work on. Since I am sort of in between quilts, I am working on tidying up little tasks. I made a binding for the Warm Four Patch Fun, I processed a bunch of scraps and did a few other fabric related tasks. I wasn’t ready to start a new quilt or revisit a WIP yet, so the Pandora Charisma settled into my mind. I did really want to work on it. So I did.
Pandora Charisma #2: back panel
I made the back panel. I didn’t scream through it like I did on the front panel, but I did make it. I found it didn’t take long at all.
So far so good. This piece uses the Diamond Quilted Vinyl that looks like pleather. I always refer to it as pleather as I think of vinyl as clear. Anyway, this stuff acts like vinyl, so I after 1 stitch put on the Teflon foot and needle plate. What a dream! Those two are a powerhouse combo! No issues with pulling or sticking.
This time I used regular (#3??) zippers for the hidden zippers in the front and back panels. So far so good, though it was a challenge to get the zipper surround to lay flat.
The next step is to make the gussets for the inside. It was a good stopping point. Stay tuned!
It is a little large, so my quilt holder had a tough time. I hope to remember to get some guild members to help me get a better photo.
Lupine back – finished
The poor quilt has been languishing between travel and other more urgent projects. In the middle of all the chaos I finally was able to sew the binding down.
