Tea time, anyone?

Here is Sunday night, and I'm squeaking in with an hour and a half to spare on my next Patchwork, Please! sew-along project.

 This week's project was to make a tea cozy and a tea bag holder.  Learning a new sewing technique is always a challenge, and this sew-along uses paper pieced blocks on a number of projects. This was my first time trying this method, and I must say I loved it!

 Once you know the process it's really pretty easy.  I found a video on YouTube, which showed exactly what to do.  As a visual learner, that REALLY helped to understand how to use the paper-piecing process.

 I do believe I am now set for a tea party!

Mini Quilt finished!

Spring really is just around the corner!  As I look out the window and see the ground covered with a beautiful snow, I have to wonder about that!  On my dining room table, though, it looks like spring.  Take a look...

 Happy thoughts of spring!

Work in Progress Day

Yesterday a beautiful snow graced my day.  This was a delight to me because, as you know if you read this, I love a Snow-Sew Day!  It was also a WIP (Work in Progress) day.  I have several sewing projects started, and worked on a few of them yesterday.

Do they call this Sewing ADHD?

The first little project was to make a Bunny Treat Bag, featured here.  This was a quick project and turned out cute.  The ears are the only clue that it's a bunny, but I think in a basket at Easter,  there would be little confusion.

I cut into my Riley Blake Summer Song collection for this project.

A cute little bag, filled with treats!

My next project is about one third completed.  It is a mini pinwheel quilt.  I decided to use the Summer Song fabric collection for this project as well.  I imagine the finished project on the dining room table with a vase of beautiful spring flowers in the center.  The tutorial for this project was found here.

This project was not on my list yesterday, however, I'm enjoying the progress I see each step I complete. It will be a messenger bag, started several days ago.  I'm loving the hexagons on the front flap.  Today may just be the day to continue on this one!

This is just a little peek into my sewing room.  What are your works in progress?  Baking -- sewing --lesson planning -- writing a book -- making cards -- or just trying to keep a step ahead of your kids???

Winter Sewing

A cold winter Sunday afternoon, in my opinion, is a great time to enjoy some sewing.  Two projects were on my list today, and I'm glad to say they are both finished!  The first project was to finish the Sister's Ten BOM January block in the blue fabric.  I love how it looks!

Grandmother's Frame (January's block)

Grandmother's Frame (middle) with Susannah (February's block)

Because I was on a roll with the sewing this afternoon, I pulled out a project I had started a few weeks ago.  It all began when I won a lovely selection of fabrics from Silly Mama, which included a cute collection of 2 1/4 inch squares by Aneela Hoey called "Posy."  I decided to make a notebook cover for the journal I use to record my completed projects.  I did not use a pattern for this one, and I learned things along the way, so....there are imperfections which I normally would not post, but... sometimes it's good to see it all -- imperfections included!

Fabric collection - Posy by Aneela Hoey

Quilting on back

I used a Moda fabric called "Flirt" for the inside flaps, binding and pockets.

The completed inside.

The outside -- oh dear!  This is where you can see how things went a bit crooked!

My sewing journal. 

The inside.  

I tried to think of a way to do the journal with pockets and not having to use a binding, but just couldn't figure it out this time.  Next time I'll check out some tutorials on line! :)

Susannah

..."Oh, Susannah, oh won't you come for me..."  I can't help but sing that song when I see the name of February's block for the Sister's Ten Block of the Month (BOM) club. My Susannah block is made with Ravenna, a beautiful collection of fabric by Dear Stella.  When I saw this fabric I immediately knew this is what I wanted to use for the Sister's Ten quilt.  I had already started it in pinks and mauves, using fabrics I had on hand, but decided I'd rather like to make one using this lovely fabric.  Maybe two quilts will emerge from this project -- one pink, and one blue -- or maybe I'll make a pillow out of the pink block, and just do one quilt!  You know the old saying, "Time will tell!"  This will be a year-long project, so I'm going to try and figure out how to set up a separate page just for this quilt-along.  Check out genxquilters to see the tutorial for the Susannah block.

Susannah -- February blocks

Grandmother's Frame

This year I've decided to join the Sister's Ten Modern Block of the Month Club.  The quilt theme is centered around your favorite women -- sisters, Grandmother, Mother, friend, etc. The January block is called Grandmother's Frame.  Originally I had decided to use up scraps of fabric I already had, and for this first block that is what I've done.  In the meantime, I've found a beautiful line of fabric in blue and am awaiting its arrival.  I think I'll be making two quilts as I go along!

Grandmother's Frame

Recently I won a give-away from SillyMama Quilts.  This is the very fun package of goodies I received.  More fun ahead!

Zest Tote bag - Part II

Welcome back to the Sewing Nook!  Remember the project we started last week?  The Zest Tote Bag project started here, and today we will zip through the assembly stage.

After sewing on the top band, the instructions tell you to stitch in the ditch!

What?? You mean I need to find a ditch to sit in and start stitching???  Thank goodness that is not what it means!  "Stitch in the ditch" is a quilting term for quilting right where two seams meet.  The photo above shows stitching in the ditch along the band and bag body.  You will do this on both pieces.

At this point you will want to sew a zig zag stitch along the outside edge.  Since this seam will show on the inside of your bag it will protect the seams from fraying, or "fluff" coming out from the batting! :)  Sew the front and back pieces together and you have a simple bag!  Now for the finishing touches...

After sewing bag together you will fold the band to the inside and stitch along the seam line.

You will find this a much easier task if you make your sewing surface a little smaller.  Do this by removing the front part of your machine.  It usually just slides off.

In this way it is quite easy to make that a nice smooth stitch.

When the instructions tell you to "box the corner" or fold the corners diagonally matching side seams, it will look like this.  It's a bit tricky the first few times you do it, but don't skip this step.  It definitely adds more "holding room" in your tote.

Stitch across like this on each bag corner.

The handles are the last step.  The project pattern instructs you to line the handles up with the bottom band edge.  I did not want the ends to show on the inside of mine, so lined them up with the handles going toward the bottom of the bag. After stitching along the seam line I turned the handles up and stitched again along the bottom band seam, and did a top stitch along the top band to hold the handles in place.

Well ... that's it!  The Zest Tote bag is complete!  Up next will be a project from the Across the Pond Sew-Along, a monthly sew-along I am joining in on.  January's project has already "taken flight!"  Watch for my version coming up next!  :)

Pinterest Board Projects

Pinterest has become for me that "file folder" of projects or house ideas cut out of magazines.  I used to do that -- actually take a scissors and cut the ideas I liked, and file them away into organized sections of an accordion file.  Now it's all about pinning them to that virtual board.  It IS so much more convenient, but I must admit a little part of me misses the relaxation of getting that file out and looking carefully at each project, thinking that I surely would make it some day.  Anyhow -- I'm determined this year to make some of those projects I've pinned to my craft and sewing boards.  I may try to do a different one each month!  We'll see...

The first one completed is...

...the Zest Tote Bag.

This is a free JoAnn fabrics pattern for the Zest Tote Bag.  This project went together easily, though I have a few suggestions to make it even easier.  How about giving it a try?  I don't always have long stretches of time to sew, and usually cut my fabric one evening, and take an evening or two to do the sewing.

The fabric -- a fun print I found at a local thrift shop, along with a black piece of Essex linen from the LaFemme collection by Melissa Crowley (Robert Kaufman fabrics).  

Are you new to sewing?  When the pattern says to press the seam open...

...you do just that.  Carefully open the seam with your fingers and press as you go.  Don't get too close! ;)

This pattern instructs you to quilt your  fabric, which then becomes the front and lining of the bag.  This works great, but a quicker option would be to purchase a double-sided pre-quilted fabric.  

While the pattern suggests marking all the quilting lines, I just mark one diagonal going each way in the center of the fabric.  If your machine has a quilt guide, just put it on and adjust it to the desired width.

Now the quilting becomes quite easy.  After sewing along those marked lines, you line up the guide with the previously stitched line, and off you go!  One of these days I will get a Walking Foot, which I understand keeps the fabric from puckering as you quilt.  Yes, yes, yes -- I need one of these! :)

Your finished panel will look something like this (front)...

... or (lining side).  You will do this twice -- once for the front bag piece, and again for the back.  This took me about 17 minutes per side (with sips of coffee along the way)!  In about 40 minutes you could have your basic bag ready to assemble.  You're half way there!

OK ... I'm still smiling!  It really wasn't that bad.  Enough is enough, though for one day!  I'll show the rest tomorrow...or the next day...or...