Selvage bag finished!

I started saving selvages awhile back as I was intrigued by the look of the projects I saw being made with them. One day when I felt like sewing, but wasn't sure what I wanted to sew, I started sewing selvages together to make a large rectangle, thinking that I would eventually make a simple tote bag.

I was hooked and now first selvage project is finished and I love it. It is sort of addicting....and you have to admit, the patterns the words and dots make is really interesting too, as well as the flashes of color.
Here is the back. I'm glad that I quilted it, as it adds body and a nice touch of design to it as well.
See...I already have it full of the money I saved by sewing with selvages!!!

UPDATE: This is the bag I take when I go to quilt shops and shows...and it always gets a few comments from other quilters because of the selvages used. I still love it!

Selvage Story Continues.....

I decided to quilt it simply because I need more practice and it would be nicer that way. You probably can't see the quilting that well, as I used white thread in case it was a disaster...lol.
I dampened the back and front after quilting and threw in the dryer to scrunch it up a bit.
Here is the design from the back, after the dryer. Nothing too exciting, but will work. Now to finish sewing it.

More selvage news...

Well I got a little farther on my selvage adventure last night. The big piece is actually folded in half, a pocket made and ready to put on and the handles done. So it shouldn't take me long to finish today. I haven't decided if I should quilt it or not. Hopefully I will have another pic later.

It's kind of fun and interesting to see what this will look like, but very time-consuming sewing all the selvages together. Sort of like string-piecing, but with very small strips. One of the most interesting things to me is all those colored dots in the selvage lining up in the rows.

Oh no....the bug bit!

I have been watching people make things with selvages. At first I thought, cute but no way!
Then I started saving a few......
tonight I sewed a few together.
It is a lot of sewing...for not much width....
I had to go cut some more as I didn't have very long lengths.
I am determined to make something!

The Bag

Several people asked me about the pattern I used for the bag. It is a Marlous Designs pattern called the Cross Town Carry Maggie's Bag. There are some other cute bag patterns there as well.

Also, exciting news! Geta over at Geta's Quilting Studio is having a giveaway. She is actually giving away one of her mini shadow trapunto quilts! I hate to tell you about this giveaway as it will just lessen my chances to win, but her blog is definitely worth a visit. She is a true quilt artist.

Sunday Sewing Update

Well, you will be happy to know that the quilting didn't entirely ruin the bag, like you probably thought after that last post! I think it turned out cute, I might have to make one for myself!

The Sunday After

I quilted the fabrics I am using for my daughter's bd present this morning. I tried a little freemotion quilting on it. Not sure it looks good, but hopefully will be ok once done. The top photo is the back, so will be hidden, thank goodness.
I find this very difficult to do. I was mostly trying to do some echo quilting in sort of an art-quilt-like way, though I did get a little carried away on those small circular pieces. I need lessons!!! (If I call it art quilting, can I get away with anything, even if it looks bad? LOL)

National Quilt Day

Is everyone celebrating National Quilt Day? I taught a class this morning, then came home and cut out a gift for my daughter's birthday. I got a nice package of blacks and whites in the mail from an online friend who didn't want them any more. I especially love the b & w daisies.

Fantabulous Friday

Why is it fantabulous, you might ask? Well, because it is Friday!!! I have been sick with the crud all week and my throat is still sore so I am glad the week is coming to an end. I did get the Circle and Spin quilt finished, though. I didn't get a good pic of it yet with the borders, as where I hung it, the light was shining through, so it fades them out. But you get the idea. Mama Kitty was inspecting it too, though she really liked it better when it was on the floor and she could lay on it...isn't that what quilts are for?

More fun with family

Amber was really concentrating on drawing some straight lines for her grandma!
Deb is up to 14 blocks!!! She asked me how many more she would have to make to fit a queen size bed.....I told her she should just keep making them until she got enough or tired of it. lol
Mom's quilt has these 2 blocks, she got 3 blocks completed, and 3 more almost. But the whole thing is cut, marked and ready to sew.
Sharon got quite a few done too. See those stars???

In other news, I have been fighting a little irritating allergy/cold thingy and yesterday woke up with a very sore throat. It was even worse today, so I am not so happy about that. It is a nice springy day today, though, so that helps.

Weekend quilting fun with family

I went to Earling yesterday to spend the day sewing and chatting with my family. We had so much fun. This is my sister, Sharon and my niece, who was helping us...she snipped, she drew lines on many many squares for us. This sister and my mom were making quilts from the book: Jelly Roll Quilts by Pam Lintott. Neither one had jelly rolls, they just cut their fabrics up into 2 1/2" strips.
Here is another niece helping out.

This is my sis-in-law, Amy, who didn't quilt with us, but was looking through quilting magazines. And of course Dad doesn't want to miss out on the chatting and food, though he commented that he knew he didn't have the patience for quilting! He does beautiful woodworking, though.
And then there's Deb, who hadn't ever really sewn until we got her going not so long ago. She started some string pieced blocks last time and was anxious to get back to them. I will post some more pix tomorrow.

I love days off!!!!

Ok, is that adorable or what....very wrong, but adorable. Smokey likes to quilt too. I was working on this, and came downstairs for a bit, went back up and she had worked her way into the layers of the quilt. I had left it rolled back loose, or I don't think she could've gotten in. I had to offer treats to get her out! lol

I did finish the quilt, though, so now I am on to something else...I love days off, don't you?

I'm off!!! More blocks...almost finished

I am so excited to be off today (can you tell?), I have plans to get lots done. Last night I sewed 12 more of these blocks and this morning squared them up, so they are ready to go. I have 6 left to do. I want to take them to Earling with me tomorrow so I can lay them out on Mom & Dad's floor and get opinions on layout. They have a massive floor with good natural lighting, so should help. I might even get a chance to start sewing them together, though I don't always get a lot of sewing done there. Now I am off to quilt!

Mama Kitty loves to quilt too! She was looking at me when I snapped, but didn't catch it...darn!

45 Days and Counting Down! Oh yea and pretty fabric.

Has anyone seen this fabric from Good Folks yet???? It really looks pretty. May have to go looking for it.

This isn't a very exciting post, except to me, but someone at school told me today that we only have 45 days of school left....yea!!!! I have Professional Dev. tomorrow and Friday off. I need a day off...or think I do anyway!

I did get the rest of the blocks cut out tonight. I have a quilt to finish quilting Friday, then maybe I can finish sewing them.

More blocks

I finished 24 blocks last night. Good thing I went out and found those batiks!!! I won't have time to do any sewing until Wednesday. I want to get the blocks finished by Saturday as I am going to my hometown (Earling, IA) to sew with my mom and sisters. So I could work on finishing it then.

Sunday Sewing Update

I got 6 blocks together so far. Now to go cut some more.

Sunday Sewing

Seems like I usually sew on Sundays as I have no classes. I have been itching to start another curved pieced quilt, so have been playing around with sizes and colors. Finally got a set cut and shuffled and ready to sew.

Hopefully I will have an update later.

Another Saturday & Round robin giveaway

Aren't these bags cute? Pop on over to Barb's Bejeweled Quilts and find out about her latest great idea for a giveaway!

Well, I bought a few more batiks today...I might be about ready to start that new quilt!

Friday not so news...

Friday finally came, thank goodness. It has been a long week at school. I think spring fever has settled in. It was about 60 again today, so a beautiful day. Almost perfect. Since we live in Iowa, though, the weather it going to take a turn for the cold and miserable again tomorrow, rain...maybe snow by Sunday....sounds fun, huh?

New pretties!!

I took a little break from sewing the other day to go shopping. These are some of the goodies I got. I need some batiks for a project I want to do and I was getting dangerously low!

For a chance at winning some pretty Japanese fabrics, so to the Quilted Pig and sign up!

Check out this giveaway!

Run on over to V and Co. & sign up for this wonderful giveaway! Aren't they yummy?

Tessellating continued...

Here is the finished quilt top. I decided to stop the madness (I say this with a smile as I do like it!) with a solid blue border, then the pink.

I went shopping for awhile today and didn't get much quilty done except work on a pattern for class next week. I did manage to find some more batiks, however! I guess that counts as something quilty too.

A Tessellating we will go.....

I had made this tessellation quilt several times before, most recently to teach a quilt class on it. I had used a background fabric between each one to make it easier.
Last week I started one to show how this pattern can look going from color to color. It was harder lining up the fabrics to go from one color to another, but I like the end result. Here is a picture I took of the beginning.

I finished it last night, but my camera is dead...can't find new batteries, but I will go get some & take a picture later to show how it looks. I like it and I think it will be a perfect gift for my niece's new baby!

One last thing, today is the last day for the giveaway over at Lady Averett Nana so jump on over and register!