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!

13 in 2013 - April goal

I'm working on the binding for my granny squares quilt.  Finishing it up was my goal for April in A Lovely Year of Finishes on Flickr.

photo by Westwood Acres

I had debated about the binding until I saw this print in Amanda's "Stripes That Bind" bundle in her shop when I was visiting last week.  They're all so pretty!  I knew this print was just the thing.  And I have 9 lovely stripey prints left to make other bindings if I want.  Or, maybe I'll make a quilt with them.  Wouldn't they be pretty as HST's with a collection of solids???  I think I'm drooling.

And this print is finishing up my granny quilt just as nicely as I thought it would.  I love that it looks like it's cut on the bias - but it's printed that way!  Saved me a ton of work and a ton of fabric.  I also love that it pulls out so many of the colors in the grannies themselves.  See how great it looks with the yellow Bella solid backing?

I think I'm in love!  Again!

Oh, and in other news...  you can now follow prsd4tim2 on

Travelogue... And a couple of finished projects

I've been traveling for the last couple of weeks, and I've been having a great time, although the weather is not what I'm used to - AT ALL.  Rexburg was cold and WINDY, and then it SNOWED on Monday and Tuesday in Spanish Fork!  It hasn't gotten above 50 degrees yet, I don't think.  I didn't really come prepared for cold weather, mentally or otherwise.

But it was certainly wonderful to celebrate achievements with Arielle and her husband, Mitch...

And visit with Sean as he congratulated his sister...

And see the grands (and their parents of course)...

 Britton is getting so big, and he smiles all the time (well ok, not ALL the time!)...

And his sister is a bit silly...  But Grandma is having a great time! Not much sewing is getting done, but I do have a couple of finishes to share.

This DS Quilts drunkard's path mini quilt was made with leftover circles from Amanda's circles class at Sewing Summit last October.  I had to cut a new template for the white, of course, but I thought the quilt turned out cute. I had fun accenting the diamonds in the center with hand quilting.  The first time I did it I was so afraid it wouldn't turn out, but it has become one of my favorite techniques.

I didn't finish my mini for the Fab Little Quilt Swap before I left home, so I had to find a project I could do mostly by hand.  While I was at Ari's I helped her with a quilt she was making and she gave me the scraps (which I think she had gotten from her sister!) so I put together this little hexagon mini.  Amanda kindly let me use her Bernina to sew on the borders and binding, so it got finished just in time to mail to my partner.

Oops, gotta run!  Abby wants to play!