Swappy Stuff and a Sandwich Basket

I've spent the last couple of days working on some swappy stuff.  I finally bought the Noodlehead divided basket pattern, and made one for my partner in the Fabric Basket Swap.  It was a popular choice, apparently, as I noticed several of these in the Flickr photo pool.  It turned out much larger than I thought it would, and would be a great size to make to hold all those small things in a nursery or even toiletries in the bathroom.  For this one, I made a patchwork panel for the outside pocket and my favorite Robert Kaufman red dot, called Spot On for both the exterior and the lining. 

The pattern recommends fusible fleece, (which might have actually been a better choice) but I used Peltex, and I'm happy with it.  I don't like floppy baskets, so I wanted this to have some substance to it.  Consequently, I perhaps should have made the lining just a tad bit smaller so it fits a little better.  An extra 1/8 inch in the seam allowance might have made all the difference.  Still, the exterior and the lining matched around the top of the basket and I like the way it turned out.  I actually made a second aqua panel and decided not to use it, so there may be another one of these divided baskets in my future - maybe a giveaway?  We'll see how long it takes me to get it done.

When I did my Weekender class at Derrel's of Pensacola, some of the ladies wanted to do a class on this Bernina Quilted Tool Caddy .  The pattern is located on the Bernina website.  It's a really cute item but the instructions were... um... very hard to follow.  No wonder these ladies wanted a class.  I've been working to perfect the caddy and the instructions before I teach a class on them later this month. 

It measures 6" x 8" and can be made from 3 fat quarters.  Not a bad size, but honestly, I wish it was a little bigger.  It would be great if it really held a 6" x 8" cutting mat and a full size pair of scissors.  I may see if I can create one a little larger.  And I've figured out that if you cut it just right, you can make TWO from four fat quarters.  A pretty good return on your investment, I think.  One for a gift and one for me!  This one is in Flower Sugar, from a "warm" bundle I bought from my favorite fabric shop last time she did a remnant sale.  I sent this one off to my swap partner in the Simple and Sweet Scrappy Swap.

I really like having these random but coordinated fat quarters in my stash. (Aren't they pretty?!)  They have come in so handy already.  I hope she does another sale soon.

This one is Nicey Jane.  This one is the sample for my class.

Here's the inside....

And then I started another set with DS quilts, Baby Jane in aqua and...

Happy Go Lucky.  They are getting easier. This one still needs a flower or a button or something on the front, but that shouldn't take long.  This one will be for my partner in another swap I can't mention yet.  And there's one more, but no pictures yet.

Now to perfect the instructions....

And, just because they were in the background of the divided basket picture above, I thought I'd show you the quilts I sandwiched last week.  Brings a whole new meaning to the term "Sandwich Basket", doesn't it???  Can I just say that it feels so GOOD to have these ready to quilt!

So what have you been working on?

Potpourri

I decided that today I would tell you about some of the non-quilty things I've been working on this month.  Despite my little rant about Flickr, there are still a few swaps going on.  This one - called the Secret Tote Bag Swap, is just ending, and this is the little tote I made for my partner.  I created the pattern myself, and I really like the fun shape the pleat gives to this roomy bag.  The theme was nature, and I found this pretty home dec fabric on the remnant rack at JoAnn's, which is not my usual thing, but it was so pretty, who could resist.  And I think it does make a pretty bag.  Whitney said she was a mom with young children and she requested lots of pockets, so it has my usual zipper pocket and double patch pocket on the inside.  I didn't take a photo of the inside, but the lining is a brown Joel Dewberry Modern Meadow print that was on sale at my LQS.

Another fun little project I did recently was this cute little pinnie.  My partner requested a wrist pin cushion, so I had to figure out how to do that.  (Isn't the internet wonderful?  I combined a bunch of ideas I found to make this little pinnie just what I wanted it to be.)  This one has a little plastic base (cut from a Cool Whip container lid) at the bottom so you won't stab yourself.

The patchwork is from the leftovers of the Fairy Tale Friends honey bun I used to make my Fairy Tale Friends Quilt, which was my first finish for 2013.  I put a little button and some felt leaves in the corner for a little flower.

I honestly have no idea where this little piece of Minkee (or Minkee knock off?) came from, but I found it in my scrap basket and decided it would make a really comfortable wrist band.  I used both elastic and velcro so it was v-e-r-y adjustable to just about any sized wrist.

And I don't remember if I told you about the little Friendship Bag I made for my partner in the Sewing With Friends swap.  Yup, same fabric.  I didn't have the pattern handy, so I just guessed.  I think it might be a little deeper than she specifies in the pattern, but hey - my philosophy is "If you're going to make it, make it your own."  In keeping with that idea, I used ribbon for the handles.

I'm working on the Autumn Sampler from the Frosted Pumpkin Stitchery.

I haven't done counted cross-stitch in years.  Are the holes in Aida cloth a lot smaller than they used to be???

I'm not making a ton of progress on this project so far...  I think maybe this one might be finished by NEXT autumn.

My friend Wanita's birthday was in August, but we just managed to get together this week to celebrate.  I made her this Union Jack bag for her birthday.  I've had the blocks done for-e-ver, but of course I didn't manage to finish the bag until the morning of our lunch (why rush into these things, right?)  Anyway, the blocks are from the Victory Garden quilt pattern.  I was kind of surprised at how huge these blocks turned out to be (originally, I was thinking Union Jack mug rug - but not from these monster blocks...  placemats came to mind.)  I used some Kona coal for the bottom of the bag so that the whole Union Jack would show.

I used this DS Quilts gray dot (yes, GRAY!) for the lining, with my favorite patch pocket.

So, that's what's been going on craft-wise around here...  What are you working on?

March Recap

I never feel like I accomplished as much as I wish I had, but there were a few finishes to report in March.

I finished my Madrona Road quilt using Ali's heximetry pattern.  Every time I see it, it reminds me of the quilt in this picture that Ali made and sent to Britton on the occasion of his arrival...

which was taken the day the quilt arrived.  Their mommy had no sooner put the quilt on the floor and placed newborn Britton on it in anticipation of a photo session, than his big sister had to lie down next to him for a chat.  I love this picture, and these children, and the quilt as well.

And here's another photo of our {then} new little guy {and the quilt, of course}.

Britton was a year old yesterday.  Look how far we've come!

... But I digress...  we were talking about March finishes, weren't we?  Let's see - Madrona Road...

And Jelly Roll Race...

And the wonky Hexie Scrap Basket...

And the little Selvage Pouch...

 And a {sorely needed!} new ironing board cover...

Leona's mug rug...

A table runner, napkins, market tote and pouch for my partner in the Wish List swap....

And my sister's Music Tote.

So, there were a few accomplishments.  And let us not forget that I had my first experience with a long arm, which was a blast!

So, that about wraps up March...  In addition to the Lovely Year of Finishes, I'm linking up with Richard and Tanya's Link a Finish Friday (even though this was posted on Thursday) because they said there were no rules.  =)


Here's to April!

Catching Up!

Hello again!  There's been a fair amount of activity around the prsd4tim2 studio, even though I haven't recorded anything here.  Now that Leona has received her mug rug, I can show it here.  Leona is a "fabric collector" and quilter extraordinaire, and she was my partner for the Rugs with Friends swap this time.  I decided to use some of my selvage stash in her mug rug.  The idea is a peek into the window of a fabric store, with all the bolts sitting on the shelf, just waiting to be purchased.  I thought it was a little "blah" in this version, so I added a little gold "chain" and a button peg above the sign, but sadly forgot to take a photo of the finished product, so you'll just have to imagine...

Then, I'm playing along in the Wish List Swap.  My partner wanted a fairly unique item, so I can't show it until she receives it, but I created this little table runner as the accessory.  The fabric is from the DS Quilts collection at JoAnn's.  I love making wonky stars - they're tons of fun as long as I remember to have the triangle cover the corners.  Sadly, since Priscilla's little mishap with the pin a few weeks ago, she doesn't like FMQ, so this is pretty simple straight line and echo quilting. 

I've got a good start on some pillows for my partner in the Modernista Swap.  Just have to put these together.  These were inspired by the Double Hexagon Tutorial on Kerri's blog and by the Jawbreaker pattern by Jaybird Quilts.  My partner wanted some colors I don't generally collect, but then I remembered I have the leftovers of a FQ bundle of Prince Charming by Tula Pink, which I think hope is perfect. 

And I've finally gotten around to working on my granny square quilt.  I started it last spring (May?) during the Granny Square QAL, but didn't finish enough blocks.  Then last October, I had the ladies in the Sew Fun Bee make some more blocks.  And there it sat.  And sat.  And sat.

But my friend Marcy has offered to let me play with her long arm to do the quilting, so I had to get the top made.  I'm really jazzed by getting to try a long arm! Anyway, here's the layout.  The top and back are now done (sorry, no photo yet) and just waiting to be quilted.   We're getting together next Wednesday, and I hope to remember to take lots of pictures.  Can't wait.

For relaxation, I've made a couple more flowers for my GMFG.  I think I need 4 or 5 more to finish.

Krista has been making me half flowers for the edges and I received a bunch just the other day.  I love the way they make it look so finished!  It's almost done!

Along with the half flowers, Krista sent me (look at all the cool Christmas stamps on the box!) a whole bunch of fabric she inherited from someone.  It will make wonderful quilt backs and other things.  It really was like Christmas when I opened the box.  So fun.

Anyway, I've been needing a new ironing board cover (and new ironing board too I thought).  Desperately.  The old store-bought one was stained and had holes where even the foam underneath was gone.  Can you see it?  Even though this cover is only a year old, it has apparently been abused.  Or maybe they just don't make them like they used to.

So I went to Walmart and brought home a new ironing board.  (Of course I had to clean the sewing room to make the exchange, so the process took - um, a few hours.)  Anyway, I got it set up, and realized that my 1970s ironing board is way sturdier than the new one I bought, and for the kind of use I give the thing, sturdier is better, even if it isn't totally flat any more.  So the new ironing board goes back to Walmart.

But I really did need a new cover.  So what to do?  Going back to Walmart was out of the question, as once a day year is really more often than I care to go, and the sewing room was clean, but everything was out of order so it needed to be finished sooner rather than later.

So I dug in the big box of fabric Krista sent and found fabric long enough to fit the ironing board.  I cut the old nasty one apart and laid it on top, cut around it, found a scrap of quilt batting and some bias tape (labeled TG&Y with a price tag of 96-cents!) and sewed up a new cover.  Honestly it was easy peasy.  And free!  Way better, don't you think?  I may never buy an ironing board cover again.

So that's what's been going on around here.  What have you been up to?

A Tisket, A Tasket

Just after I got home from my grandbaby adventure earlier in the month, I received a wonderful bit of swappy funmail from Christina in the DS Quilts Doll Quilt Swap.  I've shared my struggles with the quilt I created for that swap, so it may be that this lovely little quilt coming when it did was just the burst of inspiration I needed to get that baby off in the mail.

And who could resist this bit of Flea Market Fancy goodness.  The wonky baskets are adorable, and the colors are to die for.  And we all know I'm a sucker for brights on white and hand quilting.

Isn't this just a fun little quilt?

And the back is {almost} as cute as the front.  Usually by the time I get this far, I just want to get the blessed thing done, so I slap some fabric on the back and head for the quilting.  You can tell that Christina took the time to create just the right backing to accent the front.  I love how the hand quilting shows up on the back as well.

And here's my quilt with the other fun goodies Christina sent.  Look at those yummy fat quarters!  You know I will have a ton of fun with those!

I really love this little quilt!  It's just perfect for me.

Thanks, Christina, for a lovely little quilt.

A Star {Doll Quilt} is Born

It's amazing what a little bit of fabric can become.  I started with a few bits of fabric and some hexie templates - a great project for airplanes and airports, as long as you're not squished into the middle of a row (your neighbors don't really go for being stabbed with needles, I think.)

A few {hundred} stitches later, it starts to take shape...

And grow...

A little at a time...

Until it actually starts to look like something.

And then maybe you mount it...

And quilt it...

And quilt it some more...

And maybe you need to add just a touch of hand quilting...

To come up with a finished quilt.

Add a label, and voila!  You're {finally} done.

No wonder this little baby took so long - a lot longer than I thought it would.

Sure hope my partner likes it.