Catching Up

I have been sewing quite a bit lately but haven't been blogging.  I need to find the time to sit down and do it, but things just get in the way.  Since I retired about 10 years ago I am busier then ever and sometimes wonder when I would have found time to go to work.

I have seen something along this line used by other quilters when I have been to quilt bees or retreats and decided that it was time that I made one for myself.  It will keep a few things handy for me and keep other notions in another caddy that can also be close at hand.  I went to Paris, France a few years ago and found this in my stash to remind me of that wonderful time.

Flashing Lights Baby Quilt

I found this quilt on McCall's Quilting but I used polka dots instead of a black background.  I just couldn't put black on a baby quilt.

My Preserves

One of the gals at a quilt group that I attend made a quilt like this and I knew then what I was going to do with my fabric of fruits and vegetables.  I had been collecting them for a while a few years ago just because I liked them.  I could never decide what to do with this fabric.

I even added chocolate chips.  Everyone needs a little chocolate.

The pattern that I followed was a Bug Jar Pattern because I liked the size of the jars.  I had initially made it as a donation quilt but I liked it so much that I am keeping it.  I have enough fabric leftover that I could probably make another one.

Roly-Nesters

I have made a lot of these small pouches.  They are great to keep sunglasses in or other small things in your purse or bag.

  

My sister Lynda came for Easter and she always wants me to make her some things.  She wanted a quilted bowl holder for her microwave and she also lost her little wallet that I had made her before.  

I made the bag from some of the fabric that she had in my stash.  The bowl pattern is from Patchwork Posse.  She has a lot of great patterns.

The bag pattern is called The Tahoe Bag.  I bought the pattern in 2011 the year that my youngest sister got married in Lake Tahoe.

Ring Around the Roses

I got a new Quilting Book for my birthday called "Make It Mini" and this little gem was one of the patterns.  Sometimes I don't take my regular purse but put my things in one of my tote bags and my phone gets lost so this little case will come in handy.

Mystery Quilted Bag

This was a mystery quilt that the guild had in 2008.  I had made one before but my large bags are wearing out so I went through my stash and found this lovely fabric to make another one.  This bag measures 20 inches by 25 inches.  These bags are so handy for carrying supplies or quilts in.

You can see that there is still some snow on the back deck.

Peggy

Getting Ready for Washington DC

I have been busy sewing new things this week to take to Washington.  Lynda and I are leaving on Monday and I needed a couple of new purses and other things.  The first thing I made is what we call our "Day Bag".  Nothing of value goes in here when we travel.  Our daily essentials go in here like our umbrella, Kleenex, water bottle and anything else we might need for the day, since we only go back to the hotel at the end of the day.

This is another Dandy Bag.

I really like this bag pattern, it is 

easy to make and just

the right size.

A made a Rolynester to match.

I use it to put my sunglasses in

when we enter a building and 

then put my reading glasses in

it when we go outside.

Two small wallets from

Lazy Girl Designs.

One for me and one for Lynda.

We both bought Kobo's to take with us so I made covers for them.  I looked at the commercial ones and thought that they were over priced so we went with the quilted version.

I designed this myself and 

made them like a book cover.  

The Kobo is tucked inside.  

I made a buttonhole and then put a 

button on to make sure it stayed closed.

I don't like using Velcro, so I chose

the button instead.

I also made a small purse.

This is a Sew Sweet Satchel.

We wear these purses under our coats or blouses

so that our money and passports

are secure.  I gave Lynda

my other blue one so I needed

a new one.

I think I am all set. now all I have to do is start packing.  That will be my job for the week-end.