Commentary about works in progress, design & creativity
The other day I talked about the first Mega-Pinnie that I made. I got a really sweet thank you note with a photo that really shows how the Mega-Pinnie is used.
I photocopied some of my tools and stuck them in the pockets before I wrapped the piece so she would know there were pockets. This is kind of an unusual tool and I don’t think many people have seen it.
I am so pleased. I might need to make another one! 😉
I finally got my head around the Sotak Handmade scissor cozy tutorial. This is one I made for Julie from the same fabric I used for the pillowcase I sent along with her walker bag.
Mine is a little different as it has a leash and a lobster clasp, so it can be clipped to another bag. I don’t know if I have made Julie a bag with a D-Ring. I’ll have to put it on the list for next year.
I was thinking I could make one of these pouches for my Ultimate Carry All Bag or All Rolled Up tote and clip it to the inside.
I made this Mega Pinnie as kind of a test. It was the second one I had made. I thought I would use it as one of the raffle prizes.
However, we are having a Winter swap in a few weeks. Last year, people didn’t show up so others did not get their gift. I decided that I would donate it as an angel gift for the swap.
I didn’t go as crazy on the pockets, so the pockets are larger than on the Swap Gift Mega Pinnie. I also forgot the handle. I think it will be great, though.
Yep, we are all about gifts here on the blog right now. In case you hadn’t noticed. I am having a hard time wrapping my head around the fact that Christmas is coming. I just don’t believe it. It would probably help if I got some decorations up.
Still the practical part of me knows that Julie’s birthday is before Christmas and I needed to get her gifts done before the Thanksgiving frenzy arrived. So, I also made this pencil roll for Julie. I thought I made her one before but couldn’t find any evidence. She wanted one with a flap. Apparently, the one without the flap leaked writing implements. I have had this experience with mine and keep it upright in order to keep the implements where they belong.
I was really pleased to choose fabrics for this pencil roll. I found some great batiks that I had been hoarding. I also threw in some lime/icky greens. They go well with purple and will tie this piece to the Undercover Maker Mat she made. I knew she would like them.
I left the top open to turn the piece and I won’t do that again when the pencil roll has a flap. I had to carefully stitch the thing in order to make it look right on the top.
These don’t take long to make and I might make some for the officers. I don’t know if they are pen people, though, so perhaps a scissor cozy is better?
As mentioned, I had to make a swap gift for the Winter Extravaganza Palooza at the guild. In that previous post, I talked about the pattern. Since then I have been contemplating WHY I chose what is, basically, a giant pincushion.
Short answer: I don’t know.
Long answer: it is kind of a strange gift, but it is useful. It reminds me of the cube I made for the YM. It is also different from other things I have seen. The pockets can hold scissors and seam rippers, etc. I photocopied a variety of tools and put them in the pockets to show how the pockets can be used.
The baby pincushion (Mini Pinnie) can be removed from the Mega Pinnie and used away from its giant mom. There is also a piece of felt designed to hold needles.
The top has a handle, which can be used to hold the full Mega Pinnie.
As I usually do, I filled the piece with some Beanie Baby pellets as well as stuffing. I didn’t use wool roving on this one; I used poly-fil because I needed so much of it. I hope I put enough of the Beanie Baby pellets in the square to keep it anchored. I know I could have put more in it.
I still want to make more of these!
I finished the Bat Tablerunner on Wednesday and was really glad. I wanted to get it to Amy at the meeting. Fortunately she will be there! It isn’t in time for Halloween, but she is happy to use it next year.
I didn’t intend to quilt it myself, but I ended up doing it, I thought I would just get the project done and it wouldn’t be another WIP in the world, even if it wasn’t on my list. I feel good that it is finished and Amy can enjoy it.
I might have chosen a different color for the back, but I just used black over the whole back. I did switch colors on the top.
I am particularly fond of the orange bat. I think it came out pretty well.
I tried the Bat binding tool and didn’t find it helpful. I just felt like I didn’t need it to get the binding on. I suppose I didn’t take the time to learn to use it. I am sure there is a video around that I should view. It would probably help me understand better whether it would be useful. I did use Sarah Goer’s method to create a machine binding. It looks pretty good and I am proud of it.
Carrie, a self-described inexperienced sewist, made the most amazing group of gifts for next year’s raffle baskets.
One of the reasons I love my guild is that people step up when you ask them to help. Carrie just decided she was going to make some items and did it! I was not expecting this many gifts
This is an amazingly generous group of gifts. It means that each basket will have a book, a group of the items pictured above, a cord holder, some fabric, an organizer, scissors or clips and a small item like a threader or finger light. I think this is a good amount of stuff.
I think I will have to get busy and make pouches in which to put the various items!
I might even be inspired enough to make Jane Market Totes in which to put the items. Then, again, maybe not. I have a lot of shopping bags.
Yes, I have gifts on the mind.
Like the post I wrote the other day about gifts I have made for Julie, I decided to make myself feel better by writing about the gifts I have made for my mom. Again, I was disappointed. In my mind, I have made so many more than show up on the blog. Granted, I don’t always say who the gifts are for and that makes it hard to search, but still, I thought I had made a lot more.
I am not ashamed of the projects I have made and have a few more in the pipeline for Christmas, but still. I really thought I had made more.
In January 2018, I updated the list of gift ideas I originally wrote in 2015. All the posts on the topic start with the same items, but I added and revised the post each time. Lately, I have made different items as gifts and I thought I would share some more with you. Most don’t take tons of time, so you could make a few for the holidays, if you have fabric and no interest in going to stores.
Pillowcases are always useful and you can use a yard of fabric. They are also quick to make, once you find the fabric you like. I have stopped putting the accent fabric in. I make them with two fabrics and that goes even quicker.
I also like aprons as a gift. I made a bunch of them last year using the Flapper Apron pattern, a retro style apron pattern. I purchased when I was out with Amanda near Portland a year or two ago. The thing I like about this pattern, which you have heard before, is that you can make it out of 1 yard of fabric. It is cut on the bias, so directional fabric is challenging, but can be done. I use 1.25 yards just to have a little leeway.
Pouches are a great gift as well. I have made several recently. The Persimmon Dumpling Pouch pattern, a free pattern, from Sew Sweetness. There are many, many pouch patterns out there, both free and for purchase. Add a leash and a lobster clip and it can be used in a larger bag.
The juggling balls I made were a big hit. These will take more time, but are a great project for soccer practice or waiting for people at doctor appointments. I wrote about them pretty comprehensively. I got the idea for the balls from All Points Patchwork, a comprehensive guide on English paper piecing. If you want to learn or improve your English Paper Piecing, get that book. It is great. I still want to make some for DH, but he has to wait.
Key fobs are an interesting idea. You don’t have to use them for keys and can use them for pouches or other supplies that have a lobster clip or hook. These came to my attention when Renaissance Ribbon created a kit using their fabulous ribbons. I think it is a great use of their ribbons. The heavyweight webbing they sell can be used for bags. It comes in a lot of colors, which will blend with your other awesome fabrics.
A scissor cozy could be a great way to keep your scissors from opening in your bag and damaging other items.
Not a lot of ideas here, but you can take a look at a giant list I maintain on my guild’s site. There are tons of ideas there, though no (or few) reviews.
Friend Julie’s birthday is coming followed quickly by Christmas. I always enjoy making her a few things. She always uses and appreciates (or seems to!) what I make.
I was thinking of what to make her and decided to take a look at what I had made her in the past. This is one of the reasons I continue to publish posts on this blog – keeping track of what I have made.
I wanted to group all the things I have made for her together, so I did a search. 🙁 I came up with a lot of great pictures of her, but not very many projects.
I really thought I had made her more gifts. There are a lot of options in the Gift Grouping 1 and Gift Grouping 2 I made for Mary. I think what I do is get her to make the same project on which I am working, like the Midi bag and the Undercover Maker Mat. That way, I get to enjoy her process as well and I don’t have to do all the work. HA! Clearly, I need to get busy and make some more gifts for Julie. There is a lot of potential for future gifts.
I finished the Jane Market tote I am making for my friend, Silvia. I am so pleased with the way it came out. It is hard to let it go! It gives me some ideas about the officer bags, though.
A few weeks ago, I cut out some pouches. I used the Persimmon Dumpling Pouch pattern, a free pattern, from Sew Sweetness for two of them. The pattern has three sizes, small, medium and large, included. This is the small version.
I LOVE this pattern. It went together really quickly after I sat down and just worked on it. It has about 5 seams and the pouch is together. My first try took me awhile, but after finishing it, I thought of a couple of ways I could make this project go faster.
It is so interesting how this pouch opens almost all the way flat. I suppose that could be a problem if the owner had a lot of small items inside.
I have seen this made with two zippers that come together in the middle. Doing that is a skill I have not yet mastered – or even tried. I doubt it is difficult. I’ll put it on the list.
The pattern uses strips to make the exterior. It would be a great pattern to use with some improv piecing, but I just used one piece of fabric for this one and the one I have not yet completely sewed. There is a lot of scope for imaginative fabric use in this pouch pattern (and most, I suppose).
I made this one for the raffle baskets as a test to see if I would want to keep making these as gifts. I think it will be a great pouch to hold all the little gifts. Of course, I have other patterns I can and want to try as well.
It also has a great way of finishing the ends of the zippers. There is no cutting off the zipper ends or making new stops. The ends are tucked into the bottom seam and hidden between the lining and exterior.
I was thinking I would like to add a leash and a lobster clip to this pouch, but since there are side seams, I am not sure if it is possible. I have another one cut out, so I will think about it some more as I make the next one.
Stay tuned for more! If you try this pattern, let me know what you think.
I started a new Jane Market Tote over the weekend. It will be a gift for my NSGW friend Silvia. She drove me all around while we were in SoCal and found Cat’s Quilting Corner, which was a great shop.
I am really pleased with how it is coming along, though I am annoyed at myself for cutting another lining wrong! I seem to do that every time with this pattern. I think I will make a template, as ridiculous as that sounds.
I made a Poolside Tote* for Mom. I have that paint tube fabric to use for gifts for her. I want to make her items that she will use. I sent it off on Wednesday.
She received it Friday and said that she really liked it. I am glad.
If you are familiar with the Poolside Tote pattern*, you know that it is large. I had a hard time photographing it since my workroom is a WRECK, so I put it on the YM’s bed and photographed it there.
She said she liked the large size. I hope to make some things that she can put inside when she goes on a trip or to Sew Day. Not sure how she will use it.
The pattern calls for a D-ring, so I put one in. Currently it is a place for her keys and, later, anything I make for her that has a lobster clip. See bottom right of inside photo.
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I volunteered to take over for Lynette creating raffle baskets for the monthly giveaway. I was a winner a few months ago and was blown away by the amazing array of things in the bag. Lynetee is amazing and I am not sure I can live up to her standards. I recruited a team
Sue S. was the winner at the meeting on Saturday. I love the pouch. It has a handle/leash on it (not sure you can see it), which is really fun. I took a picture so I would have another data point.
I already have a plan and some supplies to make Persimmon Pouches, a free pattern by Sew Sweetness’ Sara Lawson. That will ensure there is something handmade in the basket/bag. I also found 4 books at Tuesday Morning for $4 each! They are great books for quiltmakers and I am pleased with that find. There is definitely some shopping that will need to be done.
If you win a prize at a quilt show or guild meeting, what do you like to win?