Button bag

A while ago, I made this bag (promptly claimed by Sus). The project is from "Everyday Handmade: 22 Practical Projects for the Modern Sewist", and it's right on the cover. 

I added a top strap closure with an extra covered button. I had a blast making the covered buttons. Unfortunately, many (most) of them fell off fairly quickly. I don't even think Sus was too rough with the bag. It's just the brand of button kit I used had pretty weak shanks. Once the shank pulled free, that was it. Any of the buttons that weren't lost on the street, we re-purposed into magnets. 

The verdict: cute pattern, bad buttons.

Easing back in...the water's pretty cold around here

Well, hello! That's right, I haven't posted for over two years. So many things I've made that I didn't even photograph. Here is a small start, with more to come (as usual, not the most excellent picture taking):
 A make up roll (pattern by Stitched in Color), fabrics are from "Grand Bazaar" by Patty Young:

I made this for my daughter, who uses it quite a lot. In fact, it's due for a good washing. The pattern made up really nicely, and gave me a great opportunity to practice little pockets. This would make a great gift, if one were so inclined.

Migration

These little birdies are part of a surprise I'd hoped to complete by May 1...looks like mid-May will have to do. I got the idea from a Sew Mama Sew! tutorial by Kasja Wikman, and had to whip up a few. And then a few more. And I couldn't stop. After I finished the first dozen you see here, I made about 50 more.  Obsess much?  But just wait until I show you the result...check back next week!

I made all of them from findings in my scrap basket and cheap value-priced ribbon, and the bit of stuffing is from cut up batting scraps - those little pieces that are too small or skinny even to use for fabric coasters.  My own little twist is that each birdie has a name under the wing:

They're all living in my sewing room now, but will be flying off this weekend.

Round up

Our lives have been readjusted lately...my husband has a new & intense work gig, that has been taking him out of town for the whole work week at least twice a month. Luckily for us, my parents live about 3 houses away, so Susannah can go there after school.  But I definitely miss having my laundry folded for me.  I have managed to complete a few small projects and a quilt over the past month.  Once again,  I neglected to take photographs as I finished things, so some of the following were taken by other people, using iphones and the like.  A couple of these are pretty blurry, but it's all I have.  I suggest squinting.

I made a throw pillow cover for my Mom, who loves flowers and bright, clear colors.  The minute I saw this fat quarter of Jane Sassaman fabric, I had a plan.  Like the other pillows I've made recently, it's a simple envelope closure.  I really do know how to sew in a zipper, and the next pillow I make will be zippered.  The back fabric is more Jane Sassaman from an earlier collection, that I had in my stash.  The quilting is just a machine serpentine stitch, but I think it gives a bit more interest.

Next up, another banner, this time using stars.  I made this for Tausha, who admired the heart banner.  Tausha does so much volunteer work, and I thought it would be nice for her to get something for no reason at all (start squinting):

I made another pillow, this one with applique and inexpert embroidery.  This was for someone I greatly admire, and who LOVES her dogs. You probably can't see it, but I embroidered the word 'devotion' on the back. 

 Okay, one more pillow to show (better pictures, I promise).  It's another version of the dog pillow.  I like the concept so much that it was fun to play around with different fabrics.  I found My friend Erin picked the PERFECT print to use for the golden retriever silhouette.  With every fabric line they design, Basic Grey includes new shades of grunge, and I love the stuff.  It's one of those not-quite-solid prints that I just want more of, like "Painter's Canvas" prints by Laura Gunn, Moda cross-weave, and the teeny stripe in Momo's "Just Wing It!"  "Origins" by Basic Grey is a current favorite fabric collection, and I have some pre-cuts and yardage waiting patiently to be put into a quilt.

In the meantime, I cut into some of it for this:

This pillow actually went to a friend of a friend, who recently lost her beloved dog.  If you don't have pets, then you may not understand the emotional bond.  And if you do have animals in your life, then you know that some are just really, really special.  This dog was incredibly important to this woman and her son, and I felt the pain of her loss even without knowing the dog.

I finished a quilt for the little girl next door, who is not only super-cute, but deep in the throes of the dress-up, shoe loving, princess-y, pink-purple-sparkly stage of little girlhood. Far, Far Away (I & II) to the rescue:

Hey, I think that's the Wood Cutter holding up that quilt (you can't see the wood shed in this photo).












Here are the four blocks, each about 26 inches square:

 The back, along with an appliqued & embroidered shoe that someone happened to lose in the garden:

And finally, a week ago, a sign of spring after this long, long Vermont winter:

Uh huh.  It's about time.

Love

Valentine's Day - forget the overpriced flowers and chocolate, and the overly hyped romantic dinners. Let's just say it's a good thing to celebrate love. Maybe it feels extra special in my little town, because for years now the Valentine Phantom has been plastering hearts all over town. Whoever the mastermind is, I admire the sheer persistence and dedication. Being out and about at 3 a.m. on February 14 is canNOT be fun. But every year, the Valentine Phantom makes the whole town smile for the day. That's LOVE.

 Here's who I love:

Who do YOU love? 

Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous

Hey, I learned to make tassels! This scarf  is voile and velveteen - Anna Maria Horner's "Innocent Crush" fabric line. The voile was obnoxiously slippy to sew to the velveteen. It's been much easier sewing voile to voile. I don't have a walking foot for my favorite machine; maybe that would help. The scarf is worth it though, it feels totally luxurious. I went with the 'luxury' theme, and taught myself how to make tassels (much cheaper than adding yachts or polo ponies, but now that I think about it, should luxury be 'cheaper'? I'm going all out on the next luxury scarf...). I used three colors of grey and lavender for the tassels, and I really like the subtle variegated look. This scarf was my first commission, and I hope the birthday girl likes it! Here's a picture I love, because it looks like a rolled up magic carpet:

I had experimented with a first scarf for myself, with a beaded fringe, but I think I'll ditch the beads in favor of: TASSELS!

2 out of 1,000,000

In early December, I made a couple of pillowcases for the 1 Million Pillowcase Challenge.  Jen, owner of Stitched in Williston, collected pillowcases and dolls to be donated to the local hospital.  Thanks for the inspiration, Jen!  I used a really quick method I read about on Karamat.  After cutting and pinning (the pinning was a little fussy for me - geez, do I hate pinning) it was super fast, especially with a serger.  Fast, like under 5 minutes fast.  I felt like Wonder Woman.

Valentine's Day project

Once again, I shoved aside my current project list in favor of something new.  Now I need to make the cards to fill these fabric envelopes.  Here's the tutorial by Jennifer Casa on the Sew Mama Sew! blog.  Yep, I had fun, except for the bits of hand sewing I was forced into.  It was a great way to use up some linen-look fabric I had lying around for, oh, 15 years or so.  The envelope lining is from a new Moda line:  "Oz" by Sanae.  I pre-ordered this from Over the Rainbow a while ago.  The layer cake cut (10" x 10") is exactly the right size for this project.

For Susannah

I haven't finished Susannah's quilt, so I made her a pillow case to tide her through these winter days.  I'm sure the quilt will be finished just in time for a summer heat wave.  I love Heather Ross fabrics.  Not just because of her designs (which are super easy to love - you'd have to have a heart of stone to NOT love them), but because of the way the fabric feels.  This is a line from Free Spirit.  It's exactly the kind of material you want to sleep on.  Disclaimer:  In addition to my notoriously amateur photography, the wrinkles are from Susannah's cute little sleeping head.