Monday, May 5, 2014

April: Finished, WIP's and Destash

Wow... April was  a crazy month!  But at the same time a great month of finishes, new creations and...not a single trip to the fabric store! And the thrift store didn't have any fabric this month either. But...I did participate in a fat quarter swap and swapped fat quarters I had with some other ladies for new fat quarters! Got some nice pieces. So in April,  my stash has not grown, my budget has not been incumbered and I was able to finish several projects and start a few!

FINISHED - Monkey Tote Bag
My grand daughter loves monkeys so this fabric was perfect.I bought it a couple months ago with her in mind. I didn't have a pattern, just used the basic size....13x15 rectangle with 3" sides, and lined with poly.cotton broadcloth and quilted/FMQ'ed with the meander methodmonkey tote bag
  I added a side pocket on the outside and one on the inside, a front pocket and one on the inside. I did forget to add a clip or O ring so she could clip things on to it tho. Oh, well, guess that means I get to make her another one!

 
 
FINISHED - The "Nanny" Bag
Then I go to visit my 4 grand kids, I enjoy taking them a little "something". So I found this awesomely cute fabric....with little cats playing around in a sewing room... and made myself a tote bag! Yes, you read that right...made myself something! Most every thing I make is for others or for a house decoration, but this time...it was for me! I love pockets so it has alot of pockets inside and out! I used the quilting bar for the first time tote bagto do just square quilting lines..worked great.  I grew up with Mary Poppins and her "carpet bag" of treasures...had the books and the LP record (yes, LP record!) but never saw the movie until I was pregnant with my second child in 1982! But I still remember Mary Poppins and her carpet bag. So, I hope to create some wonderful memories for the kids of when Nanny came to visit! And I LOVE pockets, so this tote has pockets all over...that pocket there on the front has pockets inside it! Plus pockets on the sides and inside! I hope I create some wonderful memories for the girls of their speical times with me!

FINISHED - Traveling Sewing Book
I bought a  pattern from Craftsey but the instructions were very "minor" shall I say, but I got the idea good enough and created my own version.  I used batting on the front and did line quilting/FMQ just straight lines across and a  heavy interfacing on the inside. Then just added sewing necessities. 
travel sewing bag

Pin cushion and needle book, both velcroed so they are removable. A pocket for thread, pocket for other things (I gave her a seam ripper) a pocket for scissor and I added of my own idea...and zipper pouch in the middle where I put in some 5x5" batik charms. She loves batik and calls them "fogs". Last time she was with me I taught her how to hand sew and she made her own "pockets" out of charms,that she called "Nothing Pockets" ....because she put nothing in them! So now she can make more or create something else. I am happy to be able to help her create some memories!

FINISHED - Wedding Quilt..."To have and to hold.."
I fought this quilt the whole way.  Daniel Boone would have been proud of me for fighting this 'ol bear!  Everything that could go wrong, did and I ran out of fabric twice! But I learned to use transparent thread (on the top) and a really fun Scrabble game feature on the back with the bride and groom's names. But I finished it and got it mailed to the bride. It is 72x72.  I hope her memories of her special day stay with her always! Click here to see it.....>> "To Have and To Hold...From This Day Forward".

WIPS for April

Postage Stamp Quilt... I participated in a postage stamp square swap where I swapped with 8 other ladies, 100 each, 2.5" squares!   I had never done anything like this before so it was exciting to see what I would receive! Of 800 squares... I only received 2 that were the same prints as prints I already had! And NO duplicates! So it was pretty cool. In going through them all, I found many that had a single image/item on the square so I pulled those out with the intention of making an I Spy quilt with them. Need to collect more or create a way to use them with other sizes of charms to make the quilt. This will be a WIP for a while I figure!



i spy quilt, hand made quiltI Spy quilt..... I am working on an I Spy quilt for my grand children. I was cutting 3.5x3.5 inch squares of my own stash of items, but didn't have enough so I offered out a swap with others for some charms suitable for the I Spy and my cyber friends blessed me with enough to finish the quilt! I will be finishing the top this week, and have to decide what to do on the back. Then make the book of the list of things to "spy"...then I am done...and get to enjoy it with the kids!



Reorganized My Sewing Room
 
 
I also reorganized my sewing room.  Having the sewing table and my pressing table with my chair in the middle is the most perfect way to go! I sew and then spin and can press and spin back to sew! No jumping up and down to press and now I press all the time! My "to do" list is on my bulletin board right in front of my face so I can always be   thinking of next project.And nice to have a window to open when weather allows! And the TV.. I have DVD's or CD's for that..no tv connection.  

 
My fabric is on 2 book shelves in front of my sewing table. I love just looking at the colors! I have them in color stacks with (usually) solids on the bottom and prints on top of each stack. To the far left in the third photo is a plastic 5 drawer unit where I have my scraps. I have the color taped to the front of the drawer to show what color is in what drawer to better help me organize the scraps. And the crewel flower picture... I did that, oh about 25 years or so ago!. 


April was pretty cool...I hope May will be too! I am particularly itching to get the I Spy quilt done and play with my grand children! They are going to love it!


Want to read more at Fabric and Memories? CLICK HERE
 
 This post is shared on the Linky Part of the day....click the tab at the top of this page.."Here's Where I Party" and join in for lots of fun and inspiration and alot of how-to's!
 

Thanks for stopping by and...keep on sewing those memories!



7 comments:

  1. Wow, you are busy! Amazing bags, and a beautiful quilt finish. Thanks for linking up to Anything Goes Monday!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Love both bags and your quilt room looks perfect! Sounds like you have really been busy! Thanks for sharing.
    Freemotion by the River Linky Party Tuesday

    ReplyDelete
  3. Lots of good stuff happening in that room! I'm sure your grandchildren will love their I spy quilt.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Your room looks great and so do all of your projects. I hope you have so much fun with your Nanny bag. I will have to remember that for when I am a grandma... In 15 or so years. ;)

    ReplyDelete
  5. so many finishes! I love pockets on bags too, you need pockets! That i-spy quilt will be brilliant!

    ReplyDelete
  6. you have so many fantastic projects going on, and so many great finishes! and I'm totally jealous of your sewing room!

    Thanks so much for sharing at Needle and Thread Thursday!

    :) Kelly @ My Quilt Infatuation

    ReplyDelete
  7. What a busy bee you have been! Must have been hit with spring fever! Love those bags. The monkey bag is my fave! And to have finished the wedding quilt and shipped off to the bride? Yes!!! Great job! Your sewing room looks sew inviting!

    ReplyDelete

Feel free to leave a comment!

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...
Craftsy