Journey Bag

Amy Hamberlin over at www.katicupcake.com asked me to do a pattern test for her again. (in reality I begged her, I was in the mood to try something new ;) Here is the pic of her bag pattern available in two sizes. I made the big one, I was envisioning it as a way cute carry on in case I ever go somewhere fun. I made a few adjustments to the inside, but just put two seams on each side of the pockets to make a few smaller ones for pens, and a cell phone etc.

My finished bag. Amy Hamberlin's "Journey" bag. The fabric VINTAGE Amy Butler, the green is Kings Fern from her Charm (?) line, and the brown is from her Daisy Chain line called "sweet jasmine /brown" amazingly enough bought years apart, and had the same colorways so they worked. Not sure if the computer will show it or not, but the pink is almost purple and the green has a minty blue and impossible to match hue to it. So I am so happy I found something that works, and is dark so the straps won't show dirt, and the inside lining won't look grungy. BTW, that was my first real bag I have ever made. Yay me!

OH! And Amy used Sandi Henderson's fabric from her new line "Meadowsweet 2" ( I used a different color way of her line for the dress I did as a pattern test last spring), and a cute model with fun shoes. You have to settle with my entertainment center as neither my legs are my shoes are cute.

First Day of School Jitters...

I start a beginners quilt class tomorrow.

I am way excited!

Also a little nervous.

Course materials via class 'syllabus':

~sewing machine. check. Although I don't relish the thought of anyone looking down their noses at my 'vintage' case and late 60's model Bernina, I love it and it runs a tight ship.

~cutting mat and ruler. check. Although, it does sport some rather primitive art courtesy of the Liv.

~scissors. check. I have Gingers...that someone (cough cough) cut something round and metal (similar to I dunno...wire!) with so there is a glitch in them.

~rotary cutter. check. double check! Just got a new blade too.

~new needles, power cord and pedal, straight pins...check

~one layer cake, CHECK, my favorite part. It was so hard choosing, but I finally ended up with "fandango" by Kate Spain for Moda. Lots of fun "flirty" colors and forms, but a nice dose of dark brown which if this project goes to fruition will make a nice throw on a chocolate brown leather sofa. mmmmmmm.

I am pretty confident, although I don't have anything new for back to school that I have never been happier to go to class!

Amy B and ACU

I really like to sew.
If you knew my history, you would know that me saying that is nothing short of a miracle.
And I have been collecting projects ( and I know I am not the only one)
Here is a hint of a few things I am working on.
And coincidentally have taken pics of with my phone.
Do you detect a theme?

Liv and Learn....

So today, in the quest for finding my youngest son correct football gear (the first time without the dh didn't work out 100% perfectly), we went to a sporting goods store. Liv wore a cute outfit I made, and a lady in the store freaked over it....and I left my business cards at home. Chalk it up to a learning experience I guess. Sigh.

Lesson of the day. Business cards do you no good if you don't have them on you when you need them!!!

Ok, so Amy Hamberlin (http://katicupcakequiltingco.blogspot.com)just did a quick intro on her new patterns, one of which is called the "Darla Jumper", and since she did so I figured I would be ok to show you the finished project I have been working on. I did my first ever pattern testing!

It couldn't have come at a better time. I always have STUFF going on, however the challenge for me for this last little bit, and probably for the entire summer is to find things that surpasses STUFF and moves onto something I could get into. Something motivating, and even better, something with a deadline.

I had a hoot doing this, hope that the project came out the way it was supposed to, and hope that I get the chance to do it again.

The only draw back was that the Liv cut her hair just days before I wanted to go take pics. Her hair was "puffy" and she tried to comb it and it wouldn't lay down. So the solution logical to her was to simply cut off all of the curls. Thus the hat.

Sneak Peak...

Ok, so I got my big project in the mail today and promptly needed supplies. I was only in the hunt of one elusive item, but came up short handed. Will try tomorrow for that, but in the mean time I found my fabrics at Quilt Expressions and completely stressed about the colors so in the end I went with almost one entire coordinating line. Meadowsweet by Sandi Henderson through Michael Miller and also a piece or two from the same lady, from her Farmers Market line, and then threw in a brilliant turquoise blue that I wish I had a whole bolt of, a line called Olive Rose by Vallerie Wells through Free Spirit...

Mixing and matching fabrics makes me crazy. I love it but I always feel a little bit spazzy when I am done, like I am a four year old on a sugar rush and hope that it makes sense when I come down.

It's HERE!!!

It isn't a big deal. Really. It isn't making me any side income or putting me in the papers or anything, but I really am excited to do this. Why? It is something new. Something to challenge me while I am trying to get used ,to being alone a LOT this summer. It is still under wraps as part of the deal, but I have been kind of kicked in the rear to get going by having a deadline.

As a result, I have finished a TON of stuff and have just been knocking projects out that have been lingering here and there. That is a great thing!

So for now, no pics on the "big" project, but I can post pics of the projects that I have been working on!

Yesterday I finished a fun little gift for a friends children. Pink is good for them and the brighter the better so I made them a little something that would be fairly light to mail. And while I was at it I made the Liv a hair bow to match a skirt I made, and then "upcycled" a top so she has a whole outfit. I love the lime green and tirquoise together!

Then I started a project that I volunteered for. Almost done with that, but my back started to really hurt so I quit for a while. It is a bag that straps on the front of a walker. It is for a woman who lives in an assisted living center near our subdivision. Her bag was ripping and she saw that I sew and asked that I make her a replacement. Hopefully she will approve. I added the pockets on the front for eyeglasses or pens or anything she desires so it won't all sink to the bottom and have to be rummaged for.

Oh and I recovered my ironing board because it did not deserve all the yummy fabric it is going to help iron without a facelift.


And as an added bonus I had the fabric on hand ALSO had the trim that matches which was not necessary but fun none the less. I have loads of vintage trim from my Grandma B. Awesome that the colors are EXACTLY the same.

grrrrrr.

So I am finally in the moooood to create some schtuff today. Knocked out some projects getting ready for the BIG one, and *POOF* the serger went hay wire. HOURS later, I am in bad light and in a worse mood. Will have to try this again in the morning. I have actually READ the owners manual checking every thing that could have fouled up and yet.....nada.

PLEZE pleeeze plllleeeeeze let me figure this out before my fun package arrives. It is SUPPOSED to be FUN!!!! Oi.

OOOhhh fun fun!

So really I only have one follower on this blog so really I can ~AlMoSt~ say whatever I want with no real concequence. Not changing the world here. I am totally ok with that because I aDoRe my one follower (hi Mia!). That said; I have a secret! One that came with a confidentiality (is that a word?) notice. I am really excited because it entails sewing, which I enjoy. Also since my dh is going to be gone for a TON in forseeable future I am glad to have a challenge laid in front of me and to have a deadline to meet. Will find out soon when it will be ok to spill the beans...

AND something fun for me coming in the mail (not bills! woot!)

In the mean time I have three projects in the works that have got to be done BEFORE I begin my new one, so I better get on that!

What do you think about THAT!?

My sister emailed me a link today. Check it OUT!!! www.limericki.com



I have had it up to HERE. I have friends from diverse back grounds that don't necessarily share my religious point of view. I make sure that I am not knocking their way of life and yet every once in a while I have to cringe when a comment is made on fb or other forum about sounding like a "silly mormon". Thanks. No really.

I am NOT gonna stack up any soap boxes, but when my sister emailed me this link I thought "Ya know! Pretty good for some 'silly' mormons!"

I admire so deeply people, who in their own way get wayyyy way creative and yet hold onto their standards. I can't say I have always managed that, it is no small feat. Not to mention those that can find a hole in a market and fill it in such a fun, creative, postitive way! I have to say thanks for the inspiration!

getting rolling again....

So our home here in Kuna is newer than our last one, but smaller. Creating a challenge as to making room for the hobbies. My family has been very patient with how much room I can make a project consume. But the creative juices have started to flow, and I either have to get rid of all of my fabric stash or start creating again. I would much rather create.

Three things in the works.

First is a little simple skirt I made for the Liv and Savannah both. Hope it works out ok because I didn't use a pattern and the one for Savannah makes me nervous because she is getting a shape to her and I don't want it to look funny.

Second is a little "love" gift for two little girls of a old friend whom we have recently reconnected with. Lovers of all things pink, the brighter the better, I have had the challenge of finding something to make for them that didn't rely on fit ( I have no access to their measurements etc.) or that the items wouldn't be so bulky it would be pricey to ship. Almost done with those two little peices of fun.

And third I am making a couple of jumpers, one for Savannah and one for Olivia out of the patterns that I made for our humanitarian project. I HAVE to know that they will work before I send that much fabric under the knife.

All fun! All worth doing.... THIS WEEK!

time flew by!

Quite a lot of time has gone by since I last made any comment at all on this blog. We have moved to a new home in a new city and have been adjusting to an entire new kind of life. Chris is working away on his masters degree and we are just trying to make it all happen as we raise four kids and live the student life all rolled into one.

I have been asked to help with humanitarian work with my church and after a WAYYY generous donation of BOLTS of premium yummy scrumboes fabric we are well under way into a rather big project which will both provide clothing for children over seas but will help to hone the sewing skills of the some what reluctant women and teenage girls that we are roping into this. Right now the goal is to turn out aprox. 260 jumpers and dresses from sizes 2- 16. Not a small project. But it is underway. We will have all off the "kits" ready by the end of June for people to "check out" and take home to create their little works of art.

So far we have measured, pre washed and ironed a TON of fabric. Also I have been retrofitting patterns so that the jumpers/dresses can be sewn simply and without any kind of fastners that can fall off and make the item usless. The older girls jumpers have been the most difficult to alter, but with just a few more tweaks I think we are ready to roll for the next phase, and that is cutting the "kits" out at girls camp in June. ((whew))