Weekender Giveaway!

It's that time again and once again {what's new?} I'm running late.  I really struggled with what to do for this year's spring Giveaway Day.  It's always such an exciting time and I always have a blast seeing what everyone else is giving away (and entering the giveaways, of course - occasionally I have even won something!)  In the past I've picked favorite fabrics that I've been excited about to give away.

This year I decided to actually create something for Giveaway Day.  I've been going to do this for awhile, and what better time?  I'm creating a Weekender Travel Bag which I will give to one lucky winner.

Here is the front pocket of the bag you will receive.  Chevrons (mostly Amy Butler's Lark and texty prints).  I really think you will like it.  I think I will really like it when it is finished.  (Actually, I think I'm going to have a hard time giving it away.)

So, what do you need to do?  Here's the scoop:  each person can have up to three entries.
1.  Leave a comment and tell me about your favorite Sew Mama Sew Giveaway this spring.  That's it!  You're entered in the giveaway.

2.  If you are a follower of my blog, you receive a second entry.  That's it.  Just a leave a comment and let me know.  If you want to become a follower today, that counts too.  In either case, leave me a comment and tell me so.

3.  For a third entry, Like my PressedForTime2 Facebook page and leave me a comment on this blog post to tell me you did .  If you already Like my page, just leave me a comment and say so.  (I'm sorry to say that comments left on FB will not count as entries - I'm just not that nimble to be able to figure out how to mesh them together.)

In accordance with the rules of SMS Giveaway Day, this giveaway will close May 10 at 5:00 pm PST.  

Anyone, anywhere in the whole wide world can enter - I am more than willing to ship internationally.

Please, please, please check to be sure you are NOT a no-reply blogger.  It is so discouraging to choose a winner only to find out that I have no way to notify them that they won.  I will pick another winner immediately if this is the case.

So, I'm back to work on your bag...  I'll post progress pictures in future posts if you want to see more of what it will look like.  I think you'll really like it!

This giveaway is now closed to new entries!  Thanks everyone!

Fun Mail Update

I  have received some lovely things in the mail lately that I thought I would share.  This lovely Dresden clock came to me from Pam (sewmama123) in the Modernista Swap.  She really hit the nail on the head!  The fabric is Madrona Road, a long-time favorite, and I love that she fussy cut the tree into the center of the Dresden.  The hand stitching outlining the Dresden is really exquisite, and totally up my alley.  She even sent along the stand and a battery for the clock!  Now that's thinking! 

Along with the awesome clock she sent this very cool pennant that I currently have hanging over the doorway in my sewing space.  I love that I see it every time I go through the door, and that the words she embroidered remind me of what is important.

This lovely mini granny came from Emily (simple girl, simple life) in the DS Quilts Mini Quilt Swap, along with some delicious chocolate covered cherries that I had for breakfast one morning.  (Yum!)  This was such a perfect idea, especially since I was just in the process of finishing my granny quilt when it arrived! 

I decided to hang some of the wonderful minis I have received on the wall in my sewing space.  I wish I had more room, because I have many lovely mini quilts that I would love to display!  The top one is from Suvarna (rkpulipaka) from the Wish List Swap, and the middle one from Heidi (fabricmutt) from last fall's Modernista Swap, I think.

 When I returned home from vacation, I had a couple of packages waiting for me.  This beachy mug rug is from Maria (Mary/Maria) in the Rugs With Friends swap.  The embroidery is so fun, and I love the fabric she chose for the waves!

 Here's side two.  Isn't this a fun little print?  Perfect!

 And the Popsicles mini is from Kristina (kcalgary) in the Fab Little Quilt Swap.  It is so awesome.  I have been coveting a Popsicles quilt since I first saw it last summer.  So fun!  And the details are amazing!  Love the little print behind the flower popsicle.  And I love the wonky cross border, and the fact that she used Loulouthi (another current favorite fabric) in her design. Instead of binding, she used a facing technique.  I love that the design goes all the way to the edge.

 

And the embroidery on the 4th popsicle is awesome!  L.O.V.E. it!

And the back is nearly as cool as the front.  I love the fabrics she chose for the panel and the border on the back.

All in all, it has been a great month in the mail department here at prsd4tim2.  I feel so blessed to receive such thoughtful gifts!

Wishing you a happy day!

13 in 2013 - May Goal

I'm doing pretty well on my quest to complete 13 WIPs in 2013.  So far, with four months of the year gone, I have finished four projects from "The List".

In addition, I am making good progress on the quilt that at the beginning of the year I really considered to be a BHAG.  To actually sew more than 80 blocks together, all by hand, seemed a really impossible task.  But with the help of a very good friend, who has made countless little yellow hexies and more flowers than I have, I think, I am getting very close.  But this one is still too far off to make my goal for the month of May.

 A couple of years ago (yes that long!), I received some blocks in the 3x6 bee in some of my favorite colors.

 I played along several more times and received even more blocks...  A total of 24 26 in fact.

So my goal for May is to actually make this baby into a quilt....  Or maybe two.  There's nothing sadder than blocks just sitting in the WIP pile.  And nothing more satisfying than to see those blocks in a finished quilt that can speak warmth and love and beauty...

Yup!  It will feel great to get this done!

A Productive Sewing Day

I had a pretty productive day at the sewing machine yesterday, which is a good thing, considering that my items for the Modern She Made swap need to be mailed today.  To be honest, I like this tote so much it's kind of painful to mail it away.  That said, I just made myself a new bag, didn't I???  Well, as one of my readers said, "Can a woman ever have too many bags?"

I bought some Melody Miller fabric awhile back, which became the focal point for this tote.  Then I started browsing through the fabric scraps in those colors and found a much better selection than I thought I would.  The theme of this round is stars, hence the wonky star....

I used some of the Dear Stella FQ scraps from the Dresden pillow I made last fall, and some of the AMH feathers and the RK Quilter's Linen I scavenged for my Scavenger bag, plus some of the Vintage Modern scraps from the BOM I'm working on (the colors were perfect!), some DS Quilts leftovers from various projects, plus a tiny bit of the Architextures I bought a couple of weeks ago...  Oh, and the floral was from some decorated towels I made for my sister's family last Christmas.  It was fun pulling the fabrics for this one.

The bag is loosely based on Elizabeth Hartman's Perfect Tote, but first I decided that I didn't want to do the piece-as-you-go method, and from there it was a downward slide to do-your-own-thing. Just one more example of that problem I have with following directions, I guess.

This is the first time I've used cotton duck as the interfacing for the bag.  I liked the structure and substance it gives the bag, and will probably use it again. One thing I did learn though - if you're using linen, the linen itself actually needs some stabilizing before it is quilted. The linen stretches and the duck cloth doesn't so it makes for some shifting in the layers.  This might not have  been an issue if I had actually done the QAYG method, but since I pieced it first, and then quilted, I found that I was fighting with the linen all the time as it stretched.  If I were to do it again, I would definitely use a lightweight iron-on stabilizer on the piecing before I quilted the project. 

I did some basic patchwork for the back of the bag.  I haven't done basic patchwork in awhile.  It was fun.

And I had a little catastrophe when I assembled the bag - oops, I sewed the top as the bottom.  And I had already cut the corners.  Made for some interesting moments.  But I managed to salvage the project.  Whew!

The inside has a zipper pocket and a patch pocket on one side - something I hadn't tried before.  It was an idea I got from the original pattern.  I also attached a loop - an idea I got from the AMH bag I made last week.  It's a cool touch, I think, though I'm not sure what to use it for?  Keys maybe?

And a double patch pocket on the other side, for cell phone, business cards, or whatever. My I-phone fits perfectly in one side. 

I had a little extra patchwork left over, so I cut a few more squares and made a fabric basket - my first one.  I love that there are so many fun tutorials on the internet!  It's so easy to find instructions for just the item you have in mind.

And since I was having so much fun, I grabbed some of the AMH Loulouthi scraps youngest daughter donated to me and made my basket for the Fabric Basket Swap.  It feels weird to make something so far in advance - this one isn't due to mail until June 5th.  What's up with that?  It's so unlike me...

All in all, a very fun day sewing yesterday.  I think I'll do it again.  There are certainly some advantages to being retired.

Hope you have a fun sewing day too.

BOM - ing

A few weeks ago, I was talking with my friend about my desire for a Go! cutter, but how, since I am now unemployed retired, there wasn't much chance of buying one.  My friend said she had one that she was thinking of selling because she never used it.  Well, one thing led to another, and we worked out a trade.  She had some projects she needed to have finished, and well, I've got some time right now.

The first project I'm working on is the Fat Quarter Shop 2012 Designer Block of the Month.  I'm really enjoying creating these blocks.  The fabric is lovely - Vintage Modern, by Bonnie and Camille.
And the blocks are really fun.  I don't think there is a single block that I don't like (even the ones that are mostly gray - shhh, don't tell!)

One of the fun things about these blocks is that FQS is so generous with their fabric, I'm getting two blocks from almost every kit.

A quilt for my friend...

And a quilt for me!

Because my very generous friend said I could keep the second quilt...

 Now THAT's a good deal.

 I'm really glad, because the more I see of this quilt, the more I like it.

The colors are gorgeous!

 Isn't it fun to work on a project you really like?

Happy quilting!

13 in 2013 - Granny Squares Quilt FINISHED!

It.  Is.  Done.

Love that many of the squares were bee blocks.  Love the quilt.  Love the binding.  Love that I got to quilt it on a long arm...

Love that I had a couple of extra squares to put on the back. 

Did I already say I love the binding?  I even hand sewed the binding, which I rarely do.

Oh yes, I think this is destined to be a favorite quilt.

Scavenger Bag

If you've read Amanda's recent post, you know that I visited recently and helped around the house a bit while I was there.  One of my tasks was to cut out her AMH Multi-Tasker tote. Sad to say we had a slight miscommunication, and I cut a couple of pieces incorrectly.  While I didn't do it on purpose {cross my heart}, it worked out to my advantage and I got to bring the incorrectly cut pieces of that yummy AMH linen, along with the pattern, home with me.  I had strict instructions to mail the pattern back by Wednesday, and I am proud to say that it was in the mail on time and my bag is finished.

The way this bag is constructed is rather unconventional, but it turns out that there are some nifty short cuts in the construction method, if you just follow the directions - something I occasionally have trouble doing, to be honest.  But I am ever so pleased with the results (if not with the photography - note to self:  when you go out to take photos and the light is fading fast, also take your glasses!)

Since I had such a limited amount of the AMH linen, I used a solid linen/cotton blend for the pocket lining {can I just say I L.O.V.E. the pockets???}...

And some Quilter's Linen (that my LQS was just unpacking while I was there) for the lining...

And some scraps of that beautiful feather print linen for the bottom of the bag.

Despite the fact that I feel something like a scavenger, I LOVE this bag.  I think it will be a perfect all-round carry-everywhere bag.

You can never have too many bags, right?

So thanks, Amanda and AMH for my new bag!