Finally

It's been quite some time since I have updated or even visited my blog.  This is a short and sweet update, just to share a few of the things I have been working on since I've been gone.  I finally finished the April, May and June Amy Butler sew along projects.  Also make a birthday gift and a retirement gift for a friend.

Check book cover

Checkbook cover inside

Perfectly Pleated bag - front

reverse side - non pleated

inside

Teardrop bag

Composition book cover

inside - 2 pocket were added

Retirement gift

Winning

Yipee Yahoo.  I won a free pattern from Sew Spoiled.  My Cabrio Bag was one of the winners in the sew along.  Leah from Sew Spoiled selected five winners, Most Inspiring, Craziest camera angle, Loveliest light, Bag making magic and Oops, I meant to do That?  My finished bag won, Oops, I meant to do that. Check out the other winners here.  

My "Sew Spoiled Cabrio" bag

I selected the 'Sew Spoiled Versatile Bag' pattern as my prize.  I'm looking forwarding to make on or two.
Check out the Sew Spoiled Etsy page for some other great patterns.

Sew Spoiled Versatile Bag made by Leah of Sew Spoiled

Another version of the Versatile Bag.

Both pictures are from the Sew Spoiled Etsy page.

April Fools Day aka Our Wedding Anniversary

23 years. WOW!!!  We will be spending the day together, probably a museum and dinner and shopping for a new iron.

I only made 5 out of the 6 Amy Butler Origami bags for March.  I would have made number 6 but my iron died.  Guess as many times as it fell of the table it was inevitable.  I'm sure it's Pia's fault, she likes to get up on my sewing table when she is home alone.

Bad Pia

Amy Butler Origami Bags.

Small

Large

Lining of small and large

  

Mini, Medium and X-large

Worked on a few other things this month.

Love the semi circle pockets.

Found this picture while looking for pic of Pia.  Last summer my, then 9 year old, grand nephew and I made these pillows for his brother and sisters and one for himself.  He did all the sewing and most of the ironing.  I think he did a fantastic job.

That's all for now, off to celebrate number 23.

Happy St Patrick's Day

Thought I would share a jacket I made about 5 years ago for St Patrick's day.  It started out as a sweatshirt that I cut apart, quilted, lined and put back together.  Sounds easy, but what a pain it was putting back together.  I guess the fleece stretched, because the sleeves were a bear to put it.  Oh well I only get to wear it once a year so I will have it forever.

Front.  You can't really see the detail, but I machine embroidered
shamrocks all over the front using metallic thread.

Back

Close up of back

You might think I'm Irish, with all these accessories.


Happy St Patty's to all.

a tisket a tasket

I'm baaack.  It's been a while, did you miss me?  Is anybody out there?

I've been busy, I guess.  Times flies by so fast.  I did work a few days at the Biophysical Society at the Baltimore Convention Center.  Thirty seven hours in 4 days, I was pooped.  Next convention is in May, but I'll be visiting with Mickey and Donald in Disney World.  YIPEE!!

Started working on the March bags for the Amy Butler Sew Along.  They are 6 bags this month from X-small to X-large.  Not sure if I will make all six.  I have finished 2 and fabric cut for the 3rd.  I made a few changes to the x-large bag.  I added a pocket to the front and a magnetic snap and a pocket on the inside.

I have also made 2 fabric wrapped clothesline bowls.  I'm happy with how they turned out but I'm not sure if I will make another one.  It kinda boring.

Made a couple of change purses and a small zipper bag, nothing exciting.

Also about half was through a small Whirligig quilt wall hanging.

And last but not least a strap for my camera.

That's all folks.

Bags bags bags

Okay, I finished two bags this week, the Amy Butler 'Reversible shopper' and the 'Cabrio' bag.  I made a few changes to both bags.  The 'reversible shopper' was huge as described.  You could probably carry a small child or enough produce for a month.  I omitted the bottom panel, sewed the front and back together at the bottom and boxed the corners, added a flap and made the strap wider, maybe a little bit too wide.  The 'Cabrio' bag was pretty easy, even with all the gathering.  I did change the straps.  I made the strap adjustable using 2 rings.  Of course, I didn't decide on this until the straps were already cut, sewn and attached so it didn't really work as I hoped.  Here's some pic's of the finished bags.  Both bags are part of 'Sew Alongs', check out the Flickr page for both, Amy Butler Style Stitches Sew Along and Sew Spoiler Cabrio Tote Sew Along

Cabrio

Cabrio strap

My version of the Amy Butler
Reverse Shopper

Inside.  Oops, I didn't match line up the flap lining and bag lining.
That's what happens when you run out of fabric.

Groundhog Day

Well it seems Catonsville Catey was so sure we would be having an early spring she didn't even bother to show up.  Guess I can't blame her it was kinda of cold out yesterday.

What better way to spend the rest of the day then a trip to a psychic.  We opted for both palms and tarot cards.  I learned that Monday is my lucky day, lucky number is 3, I will live a long life, I am healthy and I need to get out more. Apparently Ms Elizabeth knows I am a hermit.

Ms Elizabeth

Cosmo Bag

The first bag of the Amy Butler sew along is complete.  Definitely not the easiest bag I ever made but I'm happy with how it turned out.  

Sewing along

It stopped snowing and Don is busy clearing the driveway and some of the yard for Pia and I'm inside nice and warm updating my blog and getting ready to sew.

Here is a pic of Pia modeling one of the tutu's I made last week.  

And another tote bag.  I guess tote bags and handbags are my favorite things to sew.  They can be any size and as colorful or plain as your stash dictates.

This week I found two 'sew along's' on the internet.  This is a new concept for me, but I'm sure it will be lots of fun to see the fabric choices and finished project of the other sewers.  Here is a link to the first sew along I joined: AABS Sew along and a link to all participants completed Cosmo Bag, check it out and let me know your thoughts. This sew along will last for 12 months, we will be sewing a different bag each month from the Amy Butler Style Stitches book.  Here is a pic of my completed bag, I love the fabric.  

The other sew along I joined is the Cabrio tote sew along.  This is a very cute handbag that can convert to a backpack.  Very cute.  Here are my fabric choices and a link to the Flickr group for addition photos.

Till next post.

Geocaching

Not too much sewing this week.  I ordered a new toy, a hand held gps to use for finding hidden caches.  Check out the geocaching web site.  There are thousands of cache items hidden all over the world.  We found our first one this week at the PA Dutch Market in Cockeysville.  I thought it was pretty cool.  Don, not to impressed.  Oh well.

Also did some shopping, bought a floor model serger on Thursday, took it back on Friday bought a different floor model and guess what I am doing today.  Yep, you guessed right.  I'm taking it back to get a brand new one in a box.  Hopefully this one will be perfect, if not I'll return it and give up.

Till next post.

Stash

I had planned to work on some unfinished projects this past week, but.  I don't know why it so hard to start working on an UFO that has been waiting so patiently to be finished.  I see them sitting on the shelf every time I enter my little sewing/craft room, but I just seem to reach for something else.  Maybe next week.

This past week was a beginning of scrap buster week. First the great divide and then a few completed projects.

A couple of small projects.  Two change purses a small wallet and a zippered make up bag.

These are my favorite of the week.  A cozy for a plastic cup.  Still working out the best way to make these.  I made 3 and each was made differently.  I have one more idea.  We'll see which way turns out to be the easiest and fastest.

Next was a new grocery shopping bag.  I used a 'jelly roll' of batiks that I have had for quite a while.  The lining is quite a contrast, but for some reason I have quite a bit of this apple print.

Heading to Joann's today, big sale.  I only need some interfacing and tulle.  I saw the cutest idea somewhere on the internet to make a 'no sew' tutu.  I'm sure my two favorite grand nieces would love them for dress-up.  Hopefully no new fabric today.....well maybe a little bit, it's so hard to resist.

Day after

 Party and party favors were a success.  Seems everybody enjoyed the day.

Pia trying on my new hat.  She looks pretty cute, don't you think?

The bread was good, but we all agreed it looked like a ballerina 'on point'.  Pic a little blurry, but I wanted all to see.

Back to the Ravens game.