A Test Success

A short while ago, Anna from Noodlehead asked if I and some others would be willing to test a pattern for her before she made it available for purchase.

I had put myself on her pattern tester list a while ago, hoping one day to be chosen as a tester.  And surprise, I was this time!
I was just a little excited as I love pattern testing.  It gets me to make things that sometimes I would otherwise never make.  It also gets the English nerd in me excited, because pattern testing is like editing, but in sewing!  

Fun!

The pattern is for a envelope style clutch.  There are a lot of options with this pattern - pointed flap or squared, wrist strap or not, large or small, zipper pocket or not.  I love when patterns have options because then you can really make it your own.

**I am currently on a holiday in Holland visiting my in-laws, so I did not have all kinds of fabrics to pick from.  Nor did I have my own machine to work with or all the hardware to make the pouch. So forgive the lack of hardware and the odd mistake. **

I chose to make a small clutch with the squared flap.  

I used some lightweight denim for the exterior and also for one side of the interior.  And instead of using canvas for sturdiness as suggested in the pattern, I used regular weight denim.  I think this may have made some seams a little bulkier, but in the end, it worked good.

I also had to piece the denim side of my interior because I was using scraps and the piece I had was not wide enough.  I think it looks okay and that you could even do it with printed fabrics, mix and matching to make a scrappy interior as well.

I normally don't work with batik, but even that I think looks pretty good!

The zipper pocket is perfect size for my phone and even a few other small things.  And a magnetic snap - always a good choice.

There are card slot pockets under the zipper pocket perfect for holding bank cards and some cash without having to take along a separate wallet.

I love the inside!  Surprisingly lots of room for something so small, and I love pockets.

The small size clutch measures about 9 1/2" wide and 5 1/2' top to bottom.

There was a Birthday!

We had a birthday come and go last week - my aunt turned 60-something.  I can't keep track of these things.  Sometimes, I don't remember how old I am!

I couldn't blog about the gift for her until I actually gave it to her.  And here it is.

She had mentioned at some point that she would love to have a bag with some pockets.  She is ALWAYS carrying around a bag full of stuff, so something nice for Sunday or so was what I thought she might need.  

The exterior of the bag is home decor fabric, though it is quite soft.  The inside is some cotton print I had in my stash.

The pattern is from Rebekah Lambert, the Pleated Tote Pattern.  The only thing I changed was the pockets.  I sewed a half sized panel onto the lining and then up the middle to make two large full sized pockets.

The button is an oldie, but goodie.

Two large pockets on the inside.

Finishing Up

My husband kindly reminded me last night that it was going to be Wednesday today.  

Seriously, and it sound bad, but I really do always seem to forget when Wednesday is.  Anyone else have that?

I finally finished this mini quilt.  I love this front much better than last time, and with the black binding, I think it looks very polished.  The swap is a 'modern' swap, and I think this fits the bill.

Now, I am and hurrying to finish the quiet book.

To be honest, I am getting a little tired of this book.  So much work!  So far, though, D likes it.

I made some mail for the mailbox.

I printed off pictures of the grandparents and parents of fabric and put us in a house with flaps for windows.  This is D's fave page so far!

I needed one more idea, to fill a page and though, hey, she likes animals, so I made a zoo. Again printing animals on fabric and putting them under flaps.  The carrots and flowers were ideas I had seen on the internet. The flowers are made using this tutorial and they snap on.

 The elephant behind the curtains!

I added some stamps and a sun to the barn page.

The zipper page needed something, so I added hair elastics and buttons.  We'll see how that works yet.

ETA

It's done!  I finished the quiet book today!  that makes me happy.  

A Quiet Book

Hello and happy weekend!

If you follow me on Facebook, you have already seen this photo, but sharing here again as it is a first for me and I am a little proud of it, even though it is not perfect.  

My first ever button up shirt!  

Thus far it is a prototype and so I left it plain, but I think I may do some raw edge applique or some stamping or painting.  

What kinds of things do you put on boys shirts?  Cars?  Animals?  I don't know quite yet what my plan is, so suggestions are welcome.

I am also working on a quiet book for D.  I started this book last winter and now I am working on it again because we are going on a vacation that involves a long plane ride and this is something that will keep her busy for a little while.  

I made this page after seeing it done here.

These are the first pages I made, and I still have to make some letters to mail.

I also made three of these last winter, and just did the zipper page yesterday.  I want to add some button on flowers to the zipper page yet.  Should have shown it better, but are three finger puppets, a cow, a pig and a chicken.

I am debating putting quilt batting between the pages to give structure, but it sure makes the book thick.  Maybe something else?  We'll see.  I read some other sites about quiet books and they have put nothing between the pages and it seems to have been sturdy enough.  

I hope to do another few pages and then be done with it finally.  A book like this is definitely a labour of love, that's for sure.

Working Along

 

It's that day of the week again! 

Last week I showed you all my mini quilt for my For the Love of Solids swap partner.  

I had the top and back all pieced and was debating what sort of quilting I was going to do.  

I went with some quilting that I really loved on the back, but not so much on the front.  Somehow, it was too busy and the quilting distracted from the simple lines of the design.  

I could always say the back is the front and the front the back, but I wasn't satisfied with that either.

So, as any perfectionist would do, I started all over.  

Now I have this little quilt and I love it much more than the other.  Granted, the back is pretty boring now, only white with black lines quilted onto it, but hey, it's the front that counts!

Binding is sewn on, ready to be hand sewn onto the front.

These simple lines look so much better to me.  

Also a W.I.P for me is making some boys button up shirts for the shop!  I have some fabric and some ideas which may or may not include stenciling and cars, and I am almost ready to go!  

Sure hope I have a cute little shirt to show you next week!

Thoughts?

Okay.

I quilted the mini quilt, but now I'm not sure if the quilting detracts from the overall design or if it looks okay.

I like it on the back.

 But do I like it on the front?

It is too late to unpick anything, but I do have more fabric to make another quilt.  

Please!  What do you think?

I'm a Keener!

So yesterday I posted this project as a W.I.P and now I am nearing completion! 

I seem to always do that.  Start something and then really go at it till it is done without doing much else in between.  

Oh, well, here is the update on my solids swap item.

Front of mini quilt.

Back of mini quilt.

Now I have to get on to the business of quilting and binding.

  

I have never ever made a mini quilt before and I have very limited experience in quilting techniques, so this will be simple straight line quilting.  The binding I will most likely do by machine and hand to keep it neat since I am terrible at machine binding.  

Any tips on quilting?  Lots of pins?  I'm just a little nervous!

It's Wednesday

Yesterday was a home day. 

Me and D stayed home since the previous three days were spent outside the house.  

Saturday at the mall.

Sunday is almost always a day away.

Monday at the hospital waiting and waiting and waiting.

Since it was a home day, I thought it high time I made D the dolly blanket I promised her. 

(Not that she would remember, but you know, it's the principle behind it.)

I kept it simple and just used a fq I had in my stash and cut a fq of minky for the back.  

Easy peasy and we both love it.

Snuggling dolly... and yes, that's my scrap corner back there.

Perfect match!  The cats were perfect for this project.

In bed.

Now on to some WIPs.

Yup. I actually have some! 

Well, the first one is ongoing.  It will be very long term I think, but that is okay.  

I did do some work on it though.  I stitched together 4 of the 'flowers' so it is starting to look and feel like something other than scrappy hexies.  Progress is good.

I also received in the mail to day the scraps from Eva-Marie across the ocean in Holland! 

Yay! More hexie fodder!

My real WIP is this baby.  My project for my swap partner in For the Love of Solids.  I also just got the last few fabrics in the mail today, so I will keep cutting and begin sewing!  Maybe next week I will have something at least half finished to show.

I'm loving these colours and sure hope it looks good all together!