Wednesday's Work In Progress...

It's coming along...4 rows sewn, and 6 to go!  I'm not sure how I'm going to quilt this yet.  Any ideas out there?  I'm thinking of a fine stitch on this one.

I love laying the pieces out -- stepping back -- and seeing the overall look.  

Thursday Totes...

Tote bags of all kinds are so handy, from shopping, to carrying school things, to travel, and on and on. Last year I made three bags that were given as Christmas gifts.  So, without further comments, here are some "Thursday Totes."  The pattern for the leather-bottom totes was modeled after a tutorial by SeeKateSew.  It is the perfect size for books, files, clothing, whatever!

In the making... 

One tote finished!

Zebras hiding on the inside!

Second bag completed!

I love the way fabric choice completely changes the look of a bag.  Hobby Lobby has GREAT choices of fabric.  I used duck cloth, which is a light-weight type canvas fabric.

Lime green brightens up the inside on this one.

For my friends at work, I am making a tote in this style for the auction.  The feature fabric will be a duck cloth  in this color... You will have to wait and see what fabric hides inside!

The third bag I made more of a shopping tote, although it could be used for any purpose.  It does not having a lining, but very pretty, all the same.  I'm not sure where the pattern came for this one.  I follow some hand-written notes jotted on paper.

Thanks for looking, and have a terrific tote-filled Thursday!

Rotary Cutters are SHARP!

Be careful with a rotary cutter!

It finally happened...as I was zipping along trimming my quilt blocks for the quilt,

               my hand slipped just a bit too close to the edge of the ruler and, 
                              OUCH!  ...a little slice of the side of my index finger...
                                                               G  O  N E!

Needless to say, I have kept my finger bandaged this week ... and have not done any more cutting, YET.  I will get back on the "rotary cutter horse" and do it again!!  I'm thinking a pair of close fitting rubber garden gloves -- not used for gardening yet, of course -- will be a good deterrent from this happening again!

I have had fun, though beginning to lay out the design.  It is exciting to see a quilt take form!

The top is on the side in the pictures -- but you get the point either way!

Quilt Progress...

Check out the quilt progress!

Chain piecing and assembly line pressing! It's a great way to make multiple blocks.

Blocks in the making...

Chain piecing the next set. 

A stack of 20, ready for the next strip.

For chain piecing, you sew the seam on each block,  lining one  block immediately following the other.  Do not cut the threads in between.  This really speeds up the process!

Once you complete the "chain" you will snip the threads between each piece, and press the new seam.    This one looks a bit wonky, but trimming it to size will take care of that.

All ready to snip and press, and then...

...the finished block!

Coming up next -- sewing the top together.

New Year Sewing - 2016

After several weeks of last minute Christmas sewing, it feels nice to sit down at the machine and sew without a deadline!

BERNINA USA's blog, WeAllSew, featured a "Snowflake" quilt in October as a quilt-along project. The red and aqua color combination caught my eye.  It is just the next quilt project I was looking for!

A snowy weekend seems the perfect time to work on my "Snowflake Quilt." 

It's hard to believe this will turn into a quilt large enough to cover a bed!

The pieces are coming together.

Thanks for stopping by!  To those who follow my sewing blog ... I took a long break from blogging my projects.  Keeping a record of my progress helps to motivate me, so.... because I have two quilts in progress, I'm going to "pick up the pen" again ... and the camera ... and the fabric ... and the needles ... you get the point! ... and get going on these quilts!

Enjoy your creative moments, whatever they may be!    

A new bag...

Small purses are great!  I mean, really...do I need all the stuff one can fit into a large purse?

I've been finding, though, that my small purses were just a wee bit too small to comfortably hold my phone.
So...I took my favorite clutch pattern, and enlarged it by 1 inch all the way around to come up with my new, just a bit bigger bag!

Everything fits perfect -- a wallet, phone, glasses, keys and tissue!

A Bunny Challenge

A creative challenge is always fun, and one that includes a cute bunny is even better!  Jennifer Jangles offered such a challenge ... and this is my creative result.

...just in time for some Easter fun!