More goodies!

Life back to work and quilting got hectic this week, but it all went fine. I taught a sampler club Wednesday night...they are doing a great job. It's a small class and there are two quilts being made. I love the fabrics they chose...these will be some beauties for sure!

I spent most of Saturday at Cut Up and Quilt....it was their 2nd Anniversary celebration and great fun! I saw lots of happy faces as they listened to our demos, shopped the sales and helped Becky and Kim celebrate. It's hard to believe it's been 2 years already.

I'm heading back up to Earling this morning to work on more woodwork...doors this time. Should be interesting!

I hope to get a new quilt on the frame tomorrow and maybe start quilting it. We'll see! Happy Sunday!

A few shares

 Laura brought her finished Stack n Whack top to Tuesday Sewing ...it turned out so pretty. I like what she did with the borders, it really brings out the reds in the blocks.

Jane has been free drawing applique shapes for a campers world quilt. It's amazing what she can draw! Her use of color is great too, wouldn't you love to go camping in her world?

I prepped the new Miss Tess quilt and sewed the backing together so it's ready to load on the frame. I also worked on a bunch of quilt labels. I'll get a pic soon, I promise.

It was back to work yesterday, so after a day with mostly meetings and not much work time, I guess I'm ready to get busy today and get things done so I can open the library. 

A new beginning....

 Last month the Sunbonnet Sue Sampler Club finished their last blocks. They started a new sampler last night, but 2 of them brought their Sues to show and tell. The third quilter has her top finished, but forgot to bring it. They did a great job and were excited to start the Garden Window Sampler (you can see it behind Judy in the upper picture).

 Wildflower was their first block and they got those done quickly. Fresh and pretty!

 Marilyn joined this group and she is working on Gathering Around, a medallion style sampler. Her first block is a 24" Bear Paw, so she got it part way finished. She is using a black background for this quilt.

 Two of the three got their second block, Tulip, finished too. These will definitely make pretty gardens! For this sampler they need to make four doubles of blocks...these are two that I used for those doubles on mine.

 I finished the quilting on Scattered Thoughts yesterday. Now to decide on binding fabric and finish it and the pattern. I'm going to the Tuesday Sewing group today for the last time for awhile...it's back to school for me tomorrow. Today I want to get the back ready for the new version of Miss Tess and work on some labels for quilts. I haven't done very well about getting them put on lately.

A different kind of piecework...

 I went to my hometown Saturday to help get some woodwork stained and varnished for a cabin my brother is building. He took it to my sister's large garage and we worked on it together all day. It was fun chatting and working, though very warm! Plus it looked so pretty when we were finished. Mom and Dad came and brought us lunch, so that was nice.

 I plan on going up to Denison next weekend and working on the doors and stairs there.

 I didn't get any more quilting done over the weekend, but I work on writing the pattern for the new quilt...which is tentatively titled Scattered Thoughts.

 I have a Sampler Class tonight and then Tuesday Sewing tomorrow. I will be going back to my job at school on Wednesday, so these longer days of quilting are coming to an end and I want to get a few more things finished! Happy Monday!

Our workbench!

Bags bags bags

As you know, I'm addicted to making these bags now. I've been making the larger size bag on the Whatcha Got? bag pattern, but wanted to make the smaller version too. It's about 8" x 10" and should work for storing many items. I made one just like the pattern.....

but then for the second one I added the inside pocket. Love those pockets! I also did the checkerboard front a little differently, using only the 2 fabrics from the bag. I like this look too! What do you think?

Yep, there's that pocket. Pockets are always handy, right? I have been cutting an extra piece of vinyl the same size as the front window for the pocket. I was afraid that it would tear after using it, so I framed it with fabric before I sewed it in.

I've been making these bags to use as gifts for the holidays. I've lost count but have made about 6 or 8 now. I figure who couldn't find a use for one of these?

I made another large size too, this time just like the pattern....without the inside pocket. I love the fabrics I used and had a hard time deciding if the bikes should be the outside or inside. I think that is one of the fun things about this bag is that you can see the lining!

This is the only large bag that I put the handle on. Not sure it needs it, though I guess that depends on what you are using it for.

You can see the difference in size. The larger one is about 10" x 14". 

I like to work on small projects for gift giving in the summer since I have a little more sewing time and have linked up with SewCalGal's A Handmade Christmas Challenge. She is encouraging everyone to take the challenge and make gifts all year to avoid the last minute rush. Plus you will have beautiful handmade gifts for family and friends. If you have been working on projects for Christmas gift giving, join the challenge and head over there now and link up! You can link to this month's party until Aug. 25.

I did get some more quilting finished on my new quilt yesterday....love it when I'm past the half way mark, the 2nd half always seems to go faster! I am heading to Earling today to help my brother with some some staining and varnishing. He is building a cabin in a park near there and is ready to start some of the finish work. 

Class magic..

The Sampler Pick group met Wed. night for the last session of this club. It's fun to see these quilts come together as they near the end of the sessions. Kelli had put her frames around most of her blocks...they all look so awesome! She was still working on framing #5 and worked on #6 that night.

Lora's blocks popped with the blue setting triangles and squares.

Lisa brought a quilt to share with us that she made and quilted herself. She is a new quilter just completing Beginning Quilting about 6 months ago.

Her last block involved making 4 of these to make one block, which are somewhat difficult. The small hst finish at 2". I think she did a great job, don't you?

Dorothy worked on the pieced ribbon border that goes around this quilt. It's going to be a beauty.

George didn't put his blocks on the wall, I should've noticed that, but didn't. Hopefully he will bring in the finished top when he gets there.

Debbie from the Sunbonnet Sue club came too, she couldn't come to her class last week. She got her Friendship Star finished and her homework....the Shoo Fly block. I told her the others would be jealous as they got started on the second block but no one finished it.

I will begin a new Sampler Pick Club next month. They always meet on the third Wed. of the month, so if you are interested in picking one of my sampler designs and working on it during these monthly sessions, just let me know. We can meet and look through the 19 designs and pick which one is best for you. Many of them feature new techniques to learn, as well as honing other skills.

I went to Cut Up and Quilt for their monthy CUAQ Therapy yesterday. It was fun. If you have Facebook, you can check out the pictures of everyone's show and tell projects  here. It's always fun to go, find out new products and enjoy the mini quilt show. Sometimes I see student's finishes from my classes too, which I always enjoy.

I also went to a planning meeting about the CB quilt show. Things are coming along nicely, we just need people to start sending us their entries so we can see what we have as far as number of quilts.

I want to get some more quilted on the new quilt today. I have quilted a few rows every day this week and am about half finished. This panto is gorgeous and my favorite but it takes a lot of back control to get it right. So I can't work for long periods of time on it. I've been toying with names for it. right now... "Scattered Thoughts" is my favorite, but we'll see. That's another part of the process, and can be challenging sometimes. I need to write the pattern too. The list just goes on and on. Some days I just have to look at the priorities and go from there. I go back to school next Wed, so I have lots I want to complete before then.

What are you up to today?

Sewing day fun!

I sewed with the Tuesday sewing group this week, and finished my little top for the Strip Tube Ruler demo at Cut Up and Quilt for the Aug. 30 Anniversary celebration.  We were playing with some of the leftover jelly roll strips to see what color would look nice as a border. 

 Dianne worked on her Zipper quilt....she is making it for her granddaughter.

 Cheri was working on these cute blocks. She will make them in several different fabrics but using the same pattern. She shopped at a new shop and found fabrics she couldn't live without!

 Jane stopped by with her cup quilt, make out of the appliqued cups from our swap. It is so cute! I really need to get mine out and put them together.

I spent yesterday doing some catch up work at home, quilting a few rows on the new quilt and helping someone cut out a couple of Stack n Whack quilts. I also met with the Sampler Pick group last night...it was their last class and they were all excited to get them finished! A new Sampler Pick group will start in Sept, so if you are interested in picking one of my samplers and working on it over a 6 month period, just let me know!

I have lots on the list for today, including a meeting for the CB Quilt Show later. Hope to get a little sewing in too!

Another bag and a quilting start....

I made another Whatcha Got? bag for my niece for her bridal shower. (am I addicted? maybe...)  I put in some goodies, along with a gift card to her favorite shop. Instead of the patchwork front, I used panels of the outside fabric. I like it this way too!

The wedding is in 6 weeks. I got to see her in her wedding dress too, she tried it on because she had some alterations done. She is going to be a gorgeous bride!

I started on the quilting on my new quilt....still un-named. This one has a lot of background, so I decided to use my favorite panto.

I am using a lightly colored thread for some added interest. The background is white with light teal polka dots.

I won't get any quilting done today as I am heading up soon to sew with the Tuesday Sewing group. I am taking the demo blocks that are ready to sew into a quilt and the Which Way is Up? quilt to bind. That should keep me busy! 

Kids Camp 2014- officially over...

I had a great time on Thursday with this group of budding sewers....they each made their version of the Carry All Bag. It's always fun to see their ideas and and personalities come out in their fabric choices and how they react to their experience. These girls loved it and were so much fun to work with.

Most of them had some experience sewing, though had never made a bag. It's so much fun to see them leave with a finished project! They were getting tired, but already making plans on how they would use it.

I plan on loading my new quilt on the quilting frame and getting started on the quilting today. I am out of batting, so I need to go get some before I can actually quilt. I will try not to get distracted by the fabric while I'm there. What are you working on today?