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?

You can't have enough bags!

 I had a great time with these girls and a mystery mom yesterday! They did such a great job and their bags turned out so cute! Jordan had made the Kids Camp projects last year. This was Kelsey's first time at Kids Camp, but she had sewing experience too.

Jordan's mom Andrea took the class too...we all loved her bag too.

She declined the photo session, but these girls are naturals!

 I took these photos when we broke for lunch. They were the "aha!" moment when they could begin to see their bags take shape after lots of cutting, ironing on interfacing and finally...sewing.

 Jordan is in 4H so will be taking her bag to the fair. The Cobblestone Floor Pillow she made in Kids Camp last summer was considered for the state fair.

 Kelsey loaded hers up for the trip home.

More Kids Camp fun

These campers were so good, they got their pillows done quickly! Luckily I had brought a backup project in case they did....purse size tissue covers.

Busy busy busy...

but they had fun!

They had fun using up their remaining fabrics swapping fabrics with each other and me. Each of them had 8 tissue covers made by the time they left.

I told them that they would make great Christmas gifts, but they didn't think they could wait that long to give them away as gifts!

Proud sewers!

Kids Camp 2014 and other class goodies

 I had so much fun yesterday working with this group of girls making the CarryAll Bag during Kids Camp. They all had such cute fabric and did a great job on their bags. They learned how to work with a pattern, attach inside pockets, and got really excited when they got to pull their bag through the hole in the lining and see it all finished.

 They all chose their favorite fabrics, we all know that that is part of the fun.

 The pattern I chose used purchased handles, so they got to coordinate the handles, with the bag and lining.

 We used interfacing to make it sturdier and made a casing for a piece of plastic canvas to make the bag bottom more defined.

I am so proud of what they accomplished! 

After a short break, I stayed at the store and worked on the SewCalGirl  Red and White Challenge quilt since I had a Sampler Club class last night. I'm happy to report that I have the rows almost all sewn together. I'm excited to be nearing the finish line with this top. 

Later in the afternoon, Martha came to learn how to bind her quilt. She had to go on vacation (poor thing, right?) and missed the binding portion of the Beginning Quilting classes I taught last month...so she learned last night. She layered her quilt with us during class, but wanted to try quilting on her home machine instead of tying. She did a great job! I love how bright and fresh her quilt looks! 

Kelli's new block -Upper right

 The Sampler Pick Club quilts are coming along nicely too. It's fun to see their finished blocks up on the wall and starting to look like a quilt. Many times they don't get the more complex blocks finished during class, so they show and tell the next month. This is the group of five that are each working on a different sampler quilt.

Lora V's new blocks...she had homework. top row

Dorothy's new block upper left.

Dorothy's block from last night, ready to sew together.

Lisa's block from last night.

George was MIA last night as he thinks it's ok to go on vacation!  Just kidding, it's always ok to go somewhere fun. He has a very large block to complete before next time, which I gave him last month to work on.

All in all, it was a very quilty day and I had lots of fun. Better go get busy....today I'm working on a pattern and then hopefully finishing the Red and White quilt. Are you sewing today?

Topsy Turvy

I had a very quilty weekend! I spent Saturday on a shop hop with a group of friends. We went to the Missouri Star Quilt Co. as well as several other shops in the area. It was great fun. If you haven't been to MSQC, it is a massive amount of fabric in one place. They have 3 store fronts now, and are working on a fourth. Their main store is packed to the brim so they are specializing in these other stores. One has only solids and blenders, one has seasonal. The new one will feature all of their reproduction prints. Everyone in all the shops was friendly and helpful. Since I recently used a lot of my batik stash....I replenished with a few new ones.

Yesterday,  I worked on getting the Topsy Turvy Pillow made and all the paperwork for class ready. I will be teaching this in June as a Kid's Camp, but adults may take it as well if they wish. I used the two fabrics from the Carry-All Bag on it...they will look nice hanging on display together. I love those marching elephants.

I had loaded a quilt on the frame last week, but didn't find time to work on it, so after I got everything organized for the kids class, I started quilting it. I'm happy to report that I got it finished. No pics yet, but soon!
Happy Monday!

Marching Elephants...

I saw this fabric and knew it would be perfect for an easy bag I wanted to make...who could resist colorful, marching elephants? I found yellow dotted fabric for the lining.

It's fun to make smaller projects once in awhile, since most of the time I'm working on quilts. I am teaching a Beginning Sewing class for Kid's Camp this summer, so thought this would be perfect. And when it's all over, I'll have a cute bag too!