FQ Sling Bag

I found this awesome tutorial from Laura of We Wilsons. I'm glad I downloaded it when I did (immediately) because it seems that there was so much interest in the pattern, she had to list it for sale on Etsy. It's still really affordable, and I probably would've bought it. The best part of the purse is that it only takes 2 fat quarters, a zipper and some D rings, all things I had. I've been promising my mom a "cute, beachy purse" (her words, not mine) since I saw her in November. I think this will do the trick:The fabric is Palm Beach by Michael Miller, in pink and green. I think I like the line better for clothing (or a purse) than I do for an entire quilt. Here's the inside:
This was the first time I successfully put a zipper on something. Really, this was a great tutorial because the finished product actually came out, and it seems really well constructed. Also, the size is perfect. Now I want to make a bunch of these-- I can see one for every day of the week!

playing on a snow day

In addition to working at the sweat shop, I hold a fairly demanding full-time job, and am completely devoted to a four-day-a-week exercise class regime. Because of the snow, my exercise classes were canceled, giving me some time tonight to sew. Here's what I've been up to:This is from a jelly roll I bought in Iowa a long time ago, and cut into 2.5'' squares. Trying to start the new year off by finishing some old projects, I pulled it out and found it a little more inspiring. I'm not crazy about using all of one collection in a quilt-- I have a lot more fun picking out my own fabrics-- but this really does make it easy. I'm not quite sure what I'm going to do with all of the blocks. Half look like the picture above, and half are the reverse (a white square and a white outer border with a patterned center square). Looks like a baby quilt to me-- if only I could find another friend having a baby! Maybe I'll have someone in mind by the time I get further along.

crisis averted

Last night, while my husband was in the middle of a cleaning binge, I decided to "do some laundry". Which meant putting the two quilts I had just finished in the washing machine, on a cold gentle cycle (forget about washing, say, clothes or sheets). Since they were little quilts, I decided this was a mini load. Fast forward about half an hour, when my husband sees that the washing machine has stopped, and the quilts are sitting in soapy water. I freak out, convinced that the bright colours were going to bleed all over the white. I take them out, and arrange them over the basement deep sinks, with the water dripping into four buckets below. Now, I'm convinced that I have ruined quilts AND need to buy a new washing machine. I go to maytag.com (highly recommended, by the way. They have some good diagrams in the FAQs) and see that the "mini load" was the problem. Apparently the agitation goes by weight. I go back downstairs, and change it to "large". Meanwhile, my husband can't believe I thought two quilts were mini. The quilts washed beautifully, and the washing machine is safe and sound. I don't know which made me happier: saving the quilts, or saving my washing machine?

Mrs. F

Mrs. F is a former teacher of mine. She works with my mother in law and stepmother, and I'm good friends with her son. Mrs. F found out she has lung cancer, and so I decided she needed a quilt. This is a scrap quilt, and one of my favorites. Every scrap is different, and these are the little leftovers from all sorts of other projects. I got the inspiration from this. This will be hard to give away, but I know it's going to a special lady. The white is Robert Kaufman's wonderful premium Kona cotton (200 thread count!) and the rest came from my stash. The binding is some of my favorite Amy Butler print, and the back has a stripe of Pop Garden.

Isabelle

I've decided to name my quilts after their inspiration-- the future owner. This first one is for a baby born to a college friend of mine. I haven't seen this friend in a long time, but figured that any baby born in January in the upper midwest could use a quilt. The binding is Alexander Henry's "Apples + Pears", a favorite of mine. The yellow is striped, the pink is polka dotted, and it's a pretty, preppy quilt. Here's the back:
I love a pieced back. The blue is oxford shirting, and the yellow and pink are extras from the front. The wee bit of stripe in the corner has the label.

why, hello.

I craft often, and subscribe to about 80 craft blogs, so I decided to join in on the fun. Really, I should've done this sooner. I won't promise too much-- that way, I can't get called out later for not following through-- but I will have pictures of my finished projects. That's saying something, because I am a very reluctant photographer. So far, I've finished two quilts for 2009. More on those soon!