Shhhh... It's a Secret

Knowing how much I like hexagons and tote bags, a few weeks ago Leona gave me this Charming Hexagons tote bag pattern by A Quilting Life.  Sometime later, Krista invited me to the Secret Tote Bag Swap on Lia's blog.  The two seemed destined to go together.  While Krista was doing her chemo last week, we picked the charm pack/fabric via text message (isn't modern technology wonderful?) and I cut the hexagons with my new {to me} AccuQuilt.  I'm not sure whether I'd use the AccuQuilt for simple squares, strips and rectangles, but for shapes like the hexagon, it is wonderful - accurate every time is awesome for machine piecing hexagons.

Since the topic at the ECMQG meeting on Saturday was hexagons, it was perfect.  I used the method Marcy demonstrated at the meeting to do all the Y-seams and it came together very quickly.

Marcy had some scraps up for grabs, and they came in pretty handy, too.  Anything you recognize here, Marcy?  I quilted down each row, and then came back to quilt each crossing line individually.  Honestly, it went more quickly than I expected.

The only thing I didn't like about the pattern was that it had no pockets.  I think pockets are an absolute must for tote bags.  Luckily, since I've  - ahem - made a number of tote bags lately, it was a simple matter to add a couple of pockets to the interior of the bag.  My favorite divided pocket on one side....

And a zipper pocket on the other side.  (Um, Marcy, do you recognize anything else?)  I really love scraps!

So, one more project ready to mail. But don't tell...

Shhhh....  It's a secret!

Showing Off - A Little Pillow Talk

This spring I had another chance to play along in the Pillow Talk Swap.  Pillow Talk was the first swap I participated in and it's always one of my favorites.  This time, I had a pretty good idea of the pillow I wanted to make for my partner from the start - this super fun Show Off pillow from Amanda's tutorial.  

And I knew I wanted to use this lovely bundle of fabric - Les Amis by Patty Sloniger for Michael Miller.  It's not often that I know exactly what I want to make as soon as I receive my partner assignment.  I usually agonize over it for weeks before the plan comes together.  This time though, the hardest part was fitting it in amongst all the other projects, and naturally I wait until I am up against a deadline.

This was especially tricky this time as my youngest daughter and her husband came home for the weekend for the first time since she got married almost 2 years ago.  What a treat to have them come!

I managed to get the pillow top made on Thursday, after I finished another project I can't talk about just yet.  I did the machine quilting Saturday afternoon while they were at the beach.  Luckily, one of the things she wanted to do while she was home (besides go to the beach) was a Star Wars marathon - the original movies, 1970's style - so I had plenty of time for the hand quilting.

I used my (new-to-me) Accu Quilt for the first time on this project.  It was fabulous to have perfectly cut hexies to work with.  And I love the way Amanda's pattern shows off the fun animal prints from the Les Amis line.  It's a great way to showcase your favorite fabrics.

I'm thinking I might have to make this pattern again.