I think allergies set in while visiting family and friends in NC and TN. Back home now and coughing my little head off. I couldn’t sleep so I got up and have been hopping around in blog land. I never showed a picture of the finished Ashley bag so here it is with a pocket added to the outside and the handle construction changed from the pattern instructions.
My next project completed is a curtain for a friend. I don’t like to sew curtains, and really don’t remember why I agreed to make up these – but finally! the curtain is finished. (Sorry Sandy that I took so long to sew um up.) Next time I’m asked to sew curtains, I think I’ll recommend the person goes to Jo-Ann Fabrics and inquire about a seamstress! Sandy made a lovely quilt for a young grand-daughter and now has a matching curtain.
You might remember from an earlier post that I am participating in a canvas bag round robin. We each started with the same size 13″ x 15″ x 7″ canvas tote bag. We each picked a theme for our bag and included fabric and items in that theme to pass along with the bag – for using in decorating/altering the bag. This is the third of twelve bags to which I will contribute. The theme for this bag is “Mary Engelbreit.” The owner of this bag included yards and yards of Mary Engelbreit (ME) fabric, along with a ME magazine and several ME books. The first picture shows the bag as I received it. A beautiful cross-stitch with a small border of yellow fabric. The second picture shows what I added – in a fabric collage style. First I purchased and attached a wide yellow rick-rack. Then I fused ME fabric to fusible web. I cut out several motifs and fused them around the cross-stitch. Then I stitched around the motifs in black thread. The cherries above the bowl on the left side are fused to a red fabric and stitched only at the top of the stem so they are three-dimensional. The cherries on the right side I hope look like they are pouring out of the teapot and into the teacup.
fabric collage I added
This past fall, Daily Window announced a sale on their demo bags. I bought two, with the plan on giving one to a dear friend for her November birthday. She loooooves purses just about more than any other possession! To create a card and tag, I used fabric with butterflies, the color purple, and the theme of love, all of which are her favorite things. Searching for a quote for the card, “Love is like a butterfly. It goes where it pleases, and it pleases wherever it goes.” (author unknown) seemed appropriate. The card was placed in the clear pocket and the tag was attached to the bag with ribbon. My friend is still using the bag as I decorated it. I have encouraged her to create her own art to display in the window pocket – and I’m sure she will! If you have not seen these clear pocket bags – they come in a variety of styles – for displaying your own creations, I encourage you to check out their website and blog!
This is the second bag I’ve worked on for the altered canvas bag round robin I’m participating in. The theme for this bag is “Christmas.” The bag came to me with the Sunbonnet Sue created from fabrics included in the bag. I created the Christmas tree, putting an ornament into Sunbonnet Sue’s hand. It is a very cute scene. NOT at all my style, but none-the-less, cute. I think the owner of the bag will like it. There are 9 more ladies to add to the bag. It will most likely be a very busy Christmas scene when it is completed.
Sunbonnet Sue decorating her Christmas Tree
When the mice are away the cat gets to play! All my darling children* are out of the house this week. I’m going to use the extra moments to catch up on some sewing and creating. Pictured here is the pumpkin patch I have created and attached to the canvas bag that is to be passed on to the next person in the round robin this Sunday. This is the first of 11 bags to pass through my hands. The theme for this bag was “country” and at this time of year what better says country than a patch of pumpkins!?
*My two youngest darlings left for NE for the National Homeschool Volleyball Tournament this morning. They are two excited young ladies!
I’ve been showing my little quilties I’ve received from Creative Lenna’s swaps to my quilting friends. If you have ever thought of joining a swap, check out Lenna’s blog. She hosts more than just quilt swaps. And even if you don’t participate – it is a very fun look!
My friend, Teresa, has just received four greeting cards from her first ever online swap! She did a web search and found a card swap that interested her. Her husband laughing said to me, “See what you have started!”
That is not the only thing “started”. Teresa thought our quilting group should host our own swap, so she organized an altered canvas bag swap. Actually, it is a Round Robin. There are 12 of us in the group. We each received a canvas bag, with a pocket created by Teresa, sewn on the inside. We each pick our own theme for the bag, tuck items that coordinate with the theme inside the bag, start to embellish if we wish, and then pass it on to the next lady. The items in the bag do not have to be used, but give an idea of what you mean by the theme selected. We have one month per bag and should receive our completed bag in October of 2009.
There are some pretty good themes selected: Cheerful Spring, Autumn, Butterflies, Music, Birds, Raggedy Ann and Andy, Botanical/Herbs, Flowers, Country, Christmas, Mary Englebrite, and Travel.
My bag is ready to go. I have added some patchwork down one side of the bag. My theme is Flowers. Ok, a bit boring, I should have thought a little longer and narrowed it down a bit. But I did put together a nice assortment of buttons, silk flowers, ribbons and fabrics that should help direct the ladies. The fun thing about a Round Robin is the mystery of it all! You never know what you will get back, but I always love the creativity expressed!
Pocket Created by Teresa
Items included in my bag
No sewing yesterday, but I did pull out fabric for the white quilties I have to get cracking on for the swap at Lenna’s. She has several new swaps listed. So check out her blog and see if you are interesting in joining one!
I’m up and running again today – a continuation for yesterday. After running my daughter to work, I came home and baked to cream pies, brownies, and two pans of manicotti. I had help with the manicotti (thanks Charis and Noel!) as I was running out of time before heading back to pick up Anna. Then we met up with my ‘boss’ so to speak. I have a temporary job sewing for a company that makes items for autistic people called Sensory Critters. And I had items to deliver and new kits to pick up. Then Anna and I went out for lunch. It was her birthday and it’s a tradition that either John or I take each of our children out for lunch. Next was our monthly 4-H meeting and my youngest had a little report to give – she applied for and was awarded a $750 grant through Youth As Resources for our 4-H group to use to help a inner city camp we support. We will be building a privacy fence on the camp property this summer with the funds awarded through the grant!
Next was back to our house with friends for a birthday dinner. Smiles and laughs. And then out the door again for several kids heading to different parties. And finally back home with too many 15-16 year olds in tow for a sleepover. Why are they called sleepovers? No one ever sleeps, and the parents don’t seem to be able to catch much sleep either!
That was my busy day! And today I’m off running again to pick up kids, drop kids off to various places.
These are the pretty Valentines I received in the swap at Lenna’s. Sorry I’m so late posting them! The blue one is from Mercedes, the red one is from Lenna, and the white one is from Michele.
Drum roll please! Congratulations to Laurie of http://stone-belle.blogspot.com/ Laurie has won my giveaway of the pouch and three fat quarters! I must say I was pleasantly surprised at the number of comments left on my blog in just two days. I came across Lisa’s OWOH event through a link and decided to join that day, Feb 12th! Her invitation did say the 12th was the last day to join! So thank you to all 74 bloggers who made their way over to visit me! I do hope to continue to visit the blogs on the OWOH site while Lisa keeps it active. Thank you Lisa for the wonderful opportunity to meet others through your event.
When I saw the amulet pouches by Wendy Coyne in the Dec/Feb issue of Quilting Arts, I thought I’d give the pattern a try. I didn’t paint, but did do some stitching in the swirls of the fabric, couched fibers on the edge and added two charms. Not sure the stitching shows up in the pictures. These could be nice for Valentines with the right fabric and embellishments.
