My Friday Favorites

My Friday Favorites -
Originally uploaded by buttonsforbaga

This is my first attempt at putting together a mosaic of different girls’ projects from the “Seams to Me” group on Flickr. The pictures are of twelve “I Want One of Everything” bags by Anna Maria Horner’s pattern found in her book Seams To Me. These are ones I thought were extremely colorful and creative. To reach the list of the links to the girls who made the bags, click on the mosaic and you will be taken to my Flickr page.  There, under the collection, you will see the list. From there you can check out the bags more closely. I have made a number of these bags for myself and for gifts and absolutely love the pattern and the way it calls for the interesting mixture of fabric designs.

Come Join the “Rainbow around the Block” Quilt Square Project

Rainbow around the Block is a quilting project set up for giving quilts to families in Middle Tennessee who lost their homes and possessions to the flooding in May 2010. The project was organized and is moderated by Anna Maria Horner.  If you are a quilter, or if you just like to sew and think you would like to be a part of this wonderful undertaking, please visit the Rainbow around the Block site for all the information you will need. If you do not sew and want to contribute, there is also information there on how to do that. There is also a Flickr group online where you can view the squares that have been completed to date.  Anna has her gorgeous ones posted on her blog. They are all absolutely beautiful. 

Also, she has written the greatest book entitled Seams to Me which I have used over and over again to create the bags I have posted in earlier entries. In the back she includes all the patterns for the projects in the book. Her “I Want One of Everything Bag” is my gift of choice for my family members and close friends for gifts, and they absolutely adore them. I even adapted it for my little 5 year old granddaughter and her best friend. Her directions are easy to understand, and her bags are just FUN to make.

Variation #2 of Anna Maria Horner “I Want One of Everything Bag"

Two weeks from today is going to be one of the most exciting and happiest days in my life.  I will be attending the graduation of my first grandchild’s graduation form St. Andrew’s School, in Middletown, DE.  I already had a Flax suit but wanted a new bag to wear with it.  I loved the blue plaid variation of the Anna Maria Horner “I Want One of Everything Bag” I made a week or so ago so much it was a no-brainer...make another one but using blacks this time.  The lining is a tiny black polka dot on a dark gray April Cornell fabric and the exterior is a black and white batik apple print.  For the strap carrier I used some plain Moda black.  Since the suit had beige on the collar and sleeves I decided to add some antique tanish-beige pearl buttons I’ve had squired away for years. It took no time at all to complete and love the way it turned out. I can’t wait to hang it over my shoulder and head off to the “big event.” 

A Variation of the “I Want One of Everything Bag"

Our school librarian who has been spearheading my “100 Dress Challenge” was looking at my “I Want One of Everything Bag” and came up with the neatest suggestion.  Should you ever need to make a quick, last minute gift, this is perfect.  It can be completed easily in a day or less. Her idea was to make the same bag, but this time to use only 3 fabrics: one for the outside, one for the lining, and another for the strap channel.  I took her up on it and did just that with a blue and white plaid front, a light due denim for the lining and a blue and white floral strap channel.  I wear blue jean fabric dresses to school all the time so thought it would look really cute. Since I was out of medium non-fussible interfacing,  I used what I had on hand which was a medium weight fusible one. The bag seemed really stiff when I completed it, but after giving it a wash in warm water it came out perfectly.  I can’t wait to use it tomorrow and see the look on my friend’s face.

I DID IT! “I Want One of Everything Bag” Completed

When I got up this morning, I was determined to work on the bag until it was finished.  I even gave up a chance on our first warm and gorgeous Saturday to go to the annual “Road and River Relay.” I was a woman on a mission.  My! What an accomplishment!  Putting the lining to the front and back was a doozie.  I could not understand the instructions to save my life.  Finally, I decided to baste it like I though it was supposed to be sewn and see if it was correct....well, time after time it wasn’t.  Finally I got it right. Thinking I would make another one, I took down lots of notes and kept a pictorial journal of each step in the process.  Since this is to be a special gift, I was careful to baste all of my seams...and I still had to rip on occasion.  When I was in boarding school with the Domican nuns, I can remember Sister Rose Brendan telling me in Home Ec...”Eugenia, if it is worth making, then it is worth ripping.  Otherwise quit the project and go and do something else”  That was in 1959, and it is still my rule of thumb.

                                 Close ups of the torn braided straps

                                    Close up of strap channel

"I Want One of Everything Bag" Interfacing

Following pattern instructions, this afternoon I attached the interfacing to 1/2 of the bag with a 3/8 inch seam.  It went together just fine and looks like it will go the job nicely.

                 Wrong Side

                 Front with Interfacing Attached

I Want One of Everything Bag

Last summer my daughter introduced me to the Amy Butler line of fabrics which our local quilting shop, The Quiltery, just happens to carry. Her prints are so bright and vivid I am drawn back to them every visit I made to the little store. Last week, while looking through Seams to Me by Anna Maria Horner, I became fascinated with her “I Want One of Everything Bag” pattern. Everything about the pattern shouted out, “You’ve got to make me out of some of that Amy Butler fabric.  So back to The Quiltery I went and bought a 1/4 yard of 12 of her gorgeous prints.  Working out the placement was a tad bit tedious, but the fan shaped front and back became a real eye opener when the pieces were laid out side by side.  Today I basted all of the little sections one to the other and then stitched them and pressed open the seams. My next step will be to create the lining, but that will have to wait for another day. Fun, Fun, Fun!