{cross body sling bag}

My favorite pattern in one of my favorite color combinations {pink/grey/black}.
I made this for a friend, but it was oh-so very hard to give it away!
I was only able to do it 'cause I cut out my own (using different fabric) right after
finishing this bag.

Pattern:  Mail Sack by Pink Chalk Studio
I added the strip of fabric between the body of the bag and the yoke
and also added the removable flower.

Two more:
Brown and White
Blue and Orange Floral

 

Dr. Seuss Notebook Holder

I couldn't resist this Dr. Seuss fabric.  Isn't it cute?
Perfect for a notebook/colored pencil holder.

Still trying to perfect the pattern.
I'm not happy with how the front gets a bit
pulled to one side when the colored pencils are added.
I've got an idea on how to solve the problem...will
see if it works on the next one.

{Fall Quilt Retreat: Finished Project #3}

Another project from our Fall Quilt Retreat is complete. 
I love to have a pattern to follow, but I'm discovering that I really love to
work on projects that are my own design.  Such satisfaction
in completing them.

I'm trying to come up with a name for this quilt.  I've heard that the company
that's coined the term "taggies" doesn't like others to use the word.
How about Close-At-Hand Baby quilt?  'Cause it keeps the baby's toys
within reach when on the floor?  Hmmm...
Here's a link to my first one of these.
 

{hexies = my healthy addiction}

I have an addiction ~ a healthy addiction.
Nope...it's not Papa Murphy's pizza. 
But, this little mini-pizza box houses my addiction.

May I introduce my hexi travel box?  This little box goes on every trip with me,
it sits next to the couch for those evenings when me and the kids
watch "The Andy Griffith" reruns.  It's in my car in case
I need to wait for my kids.  It holds everything I need to work on my
hexi collection.

Ingredients:
1" hexi papers (with added hole punch in the middle for easy removal)
2.5-3" pieces of fabric (I'm working on two projects now, so there are two sets of fabric)
Scissors
Needle holder (from the book "Pretty Little Presents"
Thread
2 wonder clips
Snack size bags (2-3 for completed hexies)

This is my most recent project.  It's going to be a small quilt.  The background will be one solid piece of the lovelywhite fabric (I LOVE the zigzag pattern).  The other five fabrics will be made into hexies and appliqued on the white fabric.  Not sure what pattern yet....still have lots of hexis to make before I decide on that.

Aren't they gorgeous? 

{Fall Quilt Retreat: Finished Project #2}

{My set of little helping hands}

{Washed and Crinkly}

My mom and I went on a fabulous quilt retreat last October.
You can read more about it
here, here, and (one more time!) here.
I've been slowing working on finishing my projects that I started there.
I love this particular quilt top...it's probably my favorite project from the retreat.
However, it's been sitting as I've tried to figure out how to quilt it.  We've been to many quilt shows and seen some amazing quilting designs.  However, all of my quilting must be done on my little machine and, honestly, it has to be simple.  If it's not, the project will probably continue to sit, gathering dust.  I was a bit intimidated by the amazing quilting I've seen over the past couple of years.

One day last week, I finally decided to just get it done.  My favorite way of quilting is strip quilting...sometimes using masking tape for straight lines and even strips and sometimes with random widths and not-so-straight lines.  Since I enjoy it so much and have always loved the final results, I figured it might just work out.

{I love it!}
I love the texture (I always wash the fabric after it's complete, not before).
I love the design.
I love the simplicity.
I love that it took my such a short amount of time.
I love that it can be either a sweet little baby girl quilt, or
I can add a sleeve and it can be a wall-hanging.
I love that it's purple!
I love that it's completed!
{And I love that my pair of sweet little helping hands had a sick day
so both of us were able to stay home and craft.}

{Pattern is from the book:  Three Times the Charm}

Another little owl family

On one of our quilt store trips last year, my mom and I discovered a pretty awesome scrapbook store.  One item for sale was a set of three unfinished wooden owls.  The biggest is about 9" tall and the littlest is about 6" tall.  Before I painted and decorated them, I made patterns and had my husband cut a few out.  Then, I created our little owl family.  You can see them here.  I also made one for a friend for her daughter's room.  It is here.  They are so much fun to make as each one takes on it's own little personality.  

My mom has been asking for a set for, well, about a year.  When she gave me "ideas" for her Christmas gifts this year, they included her yearly photo calendar for her desk at work (she says the pictures of the kids keep her sane some days!) and a set of owls.  So here they are!

{Fall Quilt Retreat: Finished Project #1}

It feels so good to finish a project that's been waiting for awhile.  My favorite part of working on a quilting project is attaching the binding.  I love to sit in my comfy chair and handsew the binding on the back and think about whomever I'm sewing for.  This particular project is going to end up on my yellow kitchen wall, so I spent my time deciding where to hang it.  Once the hanging sleeve is attached, I'll post a photo of it's final hanging spot!

{love} the roosters and the chicken wire

I quilted this with not-so-straight parallel lines.

Finished, washed and crinkly!

Pattern source:  Stashbusters pattern from Quilt Expressions in Boise,

Note to fellow quilters:  This is the second quilt I've made mixing red and white.  Both times I've used Moda red, and there is no dye transfer....not even any on the Color Catcher in the
washing machine.