Bags

No, not the kind under my eyes....tote bags! I went to a new monthly class at my favorite LQS on Tuesday night and made this bright bag to use in the fundrasier for Sami's dance school. Now I need to dig around to find the fabrics for next month's bag. Since I got such rave reviews of this bag at dance class, i'll probably use more dance fabrics and make more bags for the raffle. And best part of using dance fabrics? I have a TON of them!

This bag is a slight variation from one of this month's magazines. I cut the top shorter than the magazine did but this size actually worked better for me than anything bigger. If you look close you can see the binder that fits perfectly with a skein of yarn to keep in the car for a travel project.

stash report week #10

this week:
Fabric in: 9yds
fabric out: 14yds
Finishes: 5 dresses, sami's bag, and an apron

Year to date:
Fabric in: 57 1/2yds
Fabric out: 177 1/2
net fabric out: 120 yds
quilty finishes: 48 ufos and new projects combined

Stripe Runner Tutorial

Several years ago I saw a magazine that used a border stripe to make a cute table runner. I still have that magazine somewhere but 2 houses and 4 or 5 years later makes it really hard to remember which one it is and where to look for it. So, going off memory and good guesses I've been making them since last fall. I've shown lots of different ones on this blog and I still have several pieces of stripe fabric left to make more. I was asked how I made these and my written explanation with out pictures was less than helpful. This is not a "cut this size and sew this way" tutorial, this is more like a "point me in the right direction" tutorial and I hope it helps!

This is the fabric i'm using in its uncut state(Hobby Lobby Easter rack).

This is after the first cut was made. One complete repeat of the fabric. This fabric was printed with the stripe running width of fabric so it limited how large the runner could be, if the print ran the other way you could make a really big runner! I cut 3 repeats so that i had 2 for the sides and the 3rd to make the ends of the runner.

Using a 60 degree triangle or the 60 degree line on your regular ruler, cut 4 triangles for the ends and angle the long pieces to match.

This is the pieces laid out before sewing.

Here's the top half sewn together. If you sew 2 triangles to the long piece you dont have to use set in seams.

And here is the completed top! This top took me less than an hour to assemble and press. Usually when I quilt these I stitch in the ditch and then I follow any obvious lines around. In this case, I'll quilt along the edge of the green/pink line, on both sides of the yellow line and probably on the outside of the last orange stripe.

These are leftover bits cut off from the pieces i cut off to make the 60 degree angles on the big runner. This ends up being a great size for a candle mat or centerpiece. It needs a good pressing but you still get the general idea.

bears at grandma's house

Here's one of my bearpaw blocks for Judy's http://www.patchworktimes.com/ Quiltalong. I've got them all done and am waiting on further instructions. Judy calls hers "Bears in the Farmhouse" but I'm calling my version "Bears at Grandma's" because it will go wonderfully in the little bedroom my daughter uses when we visit my mom.

Waiting on Summer

These little summer dresses are for my 16 month old niece. Her mom(my sis) wanted some summer dresses but was not happy with what was in the stores-either too fancy or too expensive! Or Both! The stripe and patriotic dresses are from a pattern I used back when my 10 yr old was little. I can practically make that one in my sleep! The other 3 are a new pattern that took a little more effort but they are way cute! Now I can't wait for it to warm up so I can see her wearing them. I have another new pattern, and 3 more pieces of fabric that I may use and make her some more dresses but I need to talk to sis first and see how many dresses she's gonna want/need.

Stash report week #9

this week:
Fabric in:3yds
fabric out: 7 1/2
Finishes:12 centerpieces/candlemats new for this year!

Year to date:
Fabric in: 48 1/2yds
Fabric out: 163 1/2
net fabric out: 117 yds
finishes: 48 ufos and new projects combined

spring has sprung...

at least in the sewing room! All of these are now finished-12 of them! Two will go to new homes soon for spring/Easter swaps. Which would you pick if I were sending to you?