Snowman Maniac Quilter

Quilt As You Go Baby Blues

2012-01-31T15:43:00.000-08:00

Close Up of Quilting

I made a baby quilt for a friend of mine who is having a boy. I just used my blues and boy themed fabric. I love making a quilt with this method. I bought three yards for the back so it was all the same and used the same for the front sashing and binding. The pillowcases are for the grandkids in North Dakota for Valentines Day. As always, click on the photos to enlarge them.

Crumb Table Runner & Words on Quilts

2012-01-20T14:29:00.000-08:00

What's a crumb runner you ask? I made this using leftovers from the tree skirt I made last year. You had to sew strip sets and then use a template (arch) and cut around that. Lots of fabric not used. So I squared them up, added a strip here and there and made this runner. I quilted it all in leaves, something I would have not done, had I not been following SewCal free motion designs. The design this month was leaves. I am usually a "stipple" quilter. Really happy how it turned out. This not for "anyone" so I was a little more relaxed about quilting it.

My next project is making words out of fabric. I have attached what I have so far. The saying "Today I Will Choose Joy" I got off of http://lilblueboo.com/. You should check out her site, very inspiring! I need a lot of practice - my letters are huge, about 5.5 inches.

Black and White Chevron Disaster

2012-01-15T15:32:00.000-08:00

This started out as a 24" pillow cover. I marked the lines in the black with a light blue quilters pencil, no problems. Then for the white, I used one of those chalk-o things with yellow chalk so I could see the lines. Well the yellow did not come out. I sprayed water and then resorted to soaking it, still didn't come out. So the quilter in me just sewed new lines with yellow thread. Still looked bad, so I added yellow to the back and pinned it to the front. It is my disaster piece for 2012. It is going to hide under my TV in the sewing room on the new table I painted. This is the first time I have ever had a difficult time getting out my quilting lines. I was out of the blue water erase pen, but going to get one soon - those have never failed me.

Free Motion Quilting

2012-01-11T12:27:00.000-08:00

I took the free motion challenge sponsored by SewCal, on FaceBook. The first month is a leaf. This is my second attempt, the prior one was a disaster. I used a variegated blue and yellow King Tut thread, starting in the middle this time and working outwards. Once I relaxed, they actually look like leaves not droopy butts or sad hearts as the first one did.

Desk Paint Job & Dresden Plate

2012-01-05T13:43:00.000-08:00

I acquired this desk from my brother-in-law. He had it for many years. It used to be a roll-top desk but the wood just fell apart. I rescued it about six to seven years ago. It came to me in the dried up condition you see it. I used a half quart of Kilz on it and then rolled on the orange sherbet color. I think it still needs something. So today at WalMart I found a Min Wax stain in a tube. How great is that? I added a fancy knob in the front and then added two hooks on the side to hang bags, my tape measure I can never find, and other fun stuff. The bottom is now useful with the shelf - the basket holds my out of control selvage strips.

My first finish for 2012, a Dresden plate table topper/mat. It measures 18" across. These are very easy and a little holiday scrap buster.

Ringing in 2012

2011-12-31T19:42:00.000-08:00

My plan in 2012 is to use my stash and not buy ANY fabric. I can buy sewing machine needles, buttons, thread, etc. I do have my Etsy shop and possibly might need to buy something for this or that, but hopefully use what I have. Any one else, going on a fabric diet?

Using The Stash

2011-12-28T15:02:00.001-08:00

I must, must use from my stash. So I signed up for Judy L's blog (patchwork times.com) I have a little notebook ready to write down my progress. The fabric ins and outs as I cal it. Hopefully there is way more outs than ins! I have a BOM project that needs to be quilted and I plan on using the quilt as you go method. So I am on a fabric diet and I need to stick to it. Anyone else doing this?

Quilt As You Go Pinks & Pillow

2011-12-23T12:11:00.001-08:00

The quilt is from the book Crazy Shortcut Quilts by Marguerita McManus and Sarah Raffuse. I have had the book for awhile, just kept looking it over and over. Finally I decided to dig in the fat quarter box (well large see through container) to find some similar fabric. I pulled out 18, nine for the front and back each. The quilt measures 48x48 when you are finished. The pillow was made with the leftover strips you cut off each end of the fat quarters. I didn't use fancy stitches on the crazy quilt - just straight lines and some points, whatever came to mind. I am so loving this method of quilting. I encourage you to give it a try. Email me if you have any questions. The pillow is going on my Etsy site, don't know about the quilt yet.

Winner of Casserole Carrier & Oven Mitt

2011-12-17T17:55:00.000-08:00


Random Number:

Desi said... (No Blog)

I have had a carrier on my to-make list and it keeps getting bumped to make things for my daughter :) new follower, I love black and white together. My favorite decoration is the ornament my husband and I bought on our honeymoon to Disney.

Congrats Desi - I will get an email out to you next. Thanks all for playing. I had a great time.

I'm Having a Giveaway!

2011-12-09T09:06:00.004-08:00

As part of the Quilting Gallery Blog Hop I am giving away a casserole carrier for a 9 x 9 pan plus an oven mitt. The pan will not be included in the gift. Carry your food in style to the next party you go to.

Linking to http://quiltinggallery.com/quilters-fun/quilters-blog-hop-party/

To enter my giveaway, become a follower to my blog and tell me what your favorite color and holiday decorations are. Simple right?

I will pick a random winner on December 17th. Thanks for playing.

I signed up for the blog hop party!

2011-12-08T13:02:00.002-08:00

I don't know yet what I'll give away, but it should be fun. This is sponsored by the http://www.quiltinggalery.com/. Over 200 bloggers have responded.

Tree Skirt Made

2011-12-01T18:19:00.003-08:00

I made a tree skirt. I have always wanted to make one for years, but other holiday sewing got in the way. You all know how that happens. I took a class at the local quilt shop (Piece By Piece) and went for it. The pattern lacks in directions, so I am extremely happy I took the class. The teacher was very helpful with useful hints using this pattern. The pattern is called "Snow Falling on Cedars/Tannenbaum" by www.aardvarkquilts.com.

For sale in my Etsy shop $95.00

IPAD Case & Color Nook Cover

2011-11-22T16:25:00.000-08:00

Steve purchased a Nook Color - that's his holiday gift and birthday. I made a new cover. He has a thing for the Three Stooges. I found the fabric in my stash. I bought it in Florida about four years ago.

More Three Stooges fabric - this time an IPad II cover. It has a zippered pocket on the front for your cables, cords, etc., hook and loop tab closure, and a detachable strap. This is going in my Etsy shop for $19.50 if anyone is interested.

Small Quilt Swap #1

2011-11-13T13:06:00.000-08:00

I am in a small quilt swap and this is what I made for my partner. Hope she likes it. It had to be bigger than 22 inches, this one measured 23.5. Now I want to make one in a bigger size for myself. Actually this is the fourth small quilt I made. The other three are done in various stages. I could not decide.

Another Toddler Quilt Made

2011-11-01T12:42:00.000-07:00

I made this for a friends great-grandson. I machine quilted it with straight lines and then used the quilt as you go method to put it all together. Nice and bright for a little two year old boy. The pattern is called Nite ~ Nite, a very easy quilt to make. It was eight fat quarters plus the border and backing.

QAYG Table Runner

2011-10-29T11:37:00.001-07:00

I have been sewing my scrap fabrics to phone book pages. I tear out a bunch of pages and then using the straight side of the page cut the pages six inches by the length of the page, ten or so at a time. I had almost a hundred of these pages which turn out to be about 6 x 10.75. While watching TV, I tear off the paper on the back once I get a bunch sewn. I want to make a lap/throw quilt with them, so I tried the table runner first to see if I liked the method = quilt as you go (QAYG) first. So this is my result. I loved it better after I washed it. It is amazing how all the scraps just float in the center. I used a gray kona cotton on the sashing and borders.

This is about as Halloween as I get. So now I know how it works and want to go on and make a lap quilt. Quite easy. I used the method in "Mile-A-Minute Quilts" by Sharon Hultgren.

New baby quilt and diaper bag made.

2011-10-24T21:13:00.000-07:00

My sister sent me the front fabric to make a baby quilt for her co-worker. I dug the back fabric from my stash. The diaper bag I made from the left over fabric. I stippled it myself. No pattern, just on a wing and a prayer. Happy with how they both turned out. Now I just have to get them in the mail to my sister in Las Vegas.

I have joined a small quilt swap!

2011-10-09T19:54:00.001-07:00

I hope I can come up with something for my partner. This swap is at http://Mary-myneedlethread.blogspot.com. It has to be about 22 x 22. I am trying not to stress too much. Maybe this will help me get my sewing room in order from the move. Seems like everyday we have to go and do something related to living here in Oregon and have not had the time to sew, except two small drawstring bags.

I just came back from San Antonio, Texas. My grandson graduated from Air Force Basic Training. I am one proud grandma! This is a bright future for this 18 year old young man. Maybe he will friend me on FaceBook now??

More Drawstring Bags

2011-10-02T21:45:00.001-07:00

This is my first sewing project since we moved into the house. My sewing room is almost unpacked. I thought I downsized a lot before we moved, but apparently not enough. I have three plastic bins full of nothing but kits I have purchased. What was I thinking??? So definitely on a no buy odyssey now. I am leaving tomorrow to go to Las Vegas. My daughter lives there and of course her five almost six year old twins. We are leaving Wednesday to go to San Antonio together to see my grandson, her son, graduate from Air Force boot camp. I made these two little drawstring bags for them to put toys in or whatever they want. Grandma just can't go empty handed. I will put some money in there, they like that. I have not found a good place for pictures yet in this house.

We have arrived!

2011-09-18T07:53:00.000-07:00

It was 3300 miles from Tampa, Florida to Eugene, Oregon. We are staying in a LaQuinta Inn as they are pet friendly. Our moving truck was suppose to be here September 16th, but as Murphy's Law will prevail in our house, it won't be here until Thursday or Friday next week. So we will be staying a few more days at the Inn. I am anxious to move in and get out of this place. I did pack my little Janome AQS machine and a project so not all is lost. I made 30 string blocks 6 x 10.5 yesterday.

Start of Scrappy New York Beauty

2011-09-04T16:36:00.000-07:00

A little project I started using my scraps. I purchased the book New York Beauty Simplified by Linda Hahn at my local quilt shop Crafty Threads. She really does a good job of explaining and lots of pictures for clarity. My plan is to use pinks for the pie, greens for the background and yellow and oranges for the spires which have a white background. Instead of paper to make the arch foundation, I used something I found in the interfacing section of Joann's. I think it is used to make patterns. I tested it by washing and drying a small sample. While watching the idiot box, I have been tracing the arch's onto this stuff. Works well, I love using it and a bigger bonus, no paper to peel away. Looks like interfacing, but better.

Once we move across country, we will be staying in a LaQuinta with our two dogs in Eugene, Oregon. I am packing my small Janome with this project and another one, just incase I get bored.

2011-09-04T16:16:00.001-07:00

Four Completed Projects

2011-08-24T16:21:00.000-07:00

My $15 thrift store chair redo.

Embroidery birthday pillow for sale $20 + $5 shipping. Contact me if you are interested.

Online quilt class at Quiltuniversity.com. I don't like my colors, just glad it is done. It measures 32 x 32.

That's it for now, just finished packing up my sewing room and have a big box of stuff to donate to my guild meeting on Friday. No more sewing until we move to Oregon. 

New Purse Made

2011-08-17T11:02:00.000-07:00

I made this for a family member for her birthday. She is 80 + and I wanted to put a light color lining on the inside so it is easier to see things, I also put zippered pockets in there. I think the bag looks much neater with the zipper pockets. Loved how it turned out. The outer fabric is from Joan's home dec line and the inside is just some cotton I had on hand. I found the free pattern here and made changes to it. I like this bag as it is just the right size, not too big or small.

New House in Eugene, Oregon

2011-08-11T16:23:00.000-07:00

We finally have a contract on our house in Tampa. It has been on the market with two Realtors for nine months. Last Sunday we went to Eugene for a few days to look for a house to buy and this is it. It has two bedrooms downstairs (a master and guest) and upstairs is a loft and another bedroom. There are three full bathrooms, two down and one up. Several built-in all over the place. Going to rest today, just got back and then packing starts again tomorrow.

Cupcake Pillow and Little Girl Skirts

2011-07-27T17:40:00.000-07:00

I made these little skirts for my five year old granddaughters. One has a Halloween birthday and the other a late September. Both mamas are into Halloween. The cupcake pillow I embroidered and then stippled. I put a zipper in the back of the pillow, my first. It was quite easy. The tutorial came from Piece N Quilt. If I wasn't so lazy, I would get up and get the info. Email me if you are interested.

GPS Bag and Store Sample

2011-07-19T14:27:00.000-07:00

Not much going on here. Trying to get into the retirement mode, which was not easy at first. Retired for almost two months now. I made the Smorgasbord quilt sample for http://www.craftythreads.com/, my local quilt shop. Went together so easy if you are wondering. The patter is by Block Party Studios.

The other is a bag for my GPS. My old one was not updated and kept getting us lost on our recent trip to Cape Cod so we got a new one. I made a simple padded drawstring bag to hold the GPS, the instruction booklet and the USB cord. Now when not in use, it goes in the bag.

Vintage Spools Small Quilt

2011-07-12T16:54:00.000-07:00

I downloaded this pattern from Loft Creations, it is called Vintage Spools. You need some background, spool top and bottom fabric, five inch squares and rickrack. I used a 30's charm pack. I had everything in my stash except the rickrack. It measures 35" long by 31" wide. Don't know want I am going to do with it yet. It could be a baby quilt or a table topper.

Up Cycled IPAD II Case

2011-07-06T07:09:00.000-07:00

These jean men's shorts were meant for the Goodwill bag but were detoured to my sewing room. I wanted to make an IPad case out of them. I put an additional pocket on the inside. The two outside pockets are fully usable. The outside can hold the cell phone and the other all the cords and accessories. If interested, you can purchase through my Etsy shop here for $20.00 plus shipping. The lining and top border are a Robert Kaufman print of old clock faces.

New Bag Made

2011-07-04T15:24:00.001-07:00

Wrong sided hounds-tooth. My bad!

Blue Zippers??

This is called Take Me Away - Weekend Bag by J.L. Stephens Couture. I ordered the PDF pattern from Etsy. I don't know if I will make another one. If I did, I would change a few things. One side is good the other the hounds-tooth did not match up as I was short on fabric. I used what I had on hand to include the navy blue zippers in the lining. I made a hard covered bottom as well.

Early Halloween Wallhangings

2011-06-30T08:35:00.000-07:00

My daughter is a Halloween nut. She sent me home from Vegas with these two panels and the fabric for the borders. I mitered the borders so the little table topper is from the leftover strips and is reversible.

Back From the West Coast

2011-06-26T09:20:00.000-07:00

We took a family trip to Disneyland. There were 15 of us and three vehicles from Las Vegas to Anaheim, California. There were seven kids and one teenager ages two to 18 years. It was exhausting and fun. The little ones were so fun to watch. We went to a character breakfast and well worth the money. Then the Disney characters come to the table and you can take pictures of your child without having to wait in long lines.

I went to M&L Fabrics which is a great store if you get a chance to go there. There are so many fabrics and very good prices. Bring an extra bag if you are flying. My one daughter bought two Halloween panels and fabric for the border to make her wall hangings. I got them together, now I have to quilt them. Pictures later.

Humbug Bags

2011-06-10T07:14:00.000-07:00

I whipped two of these up last night. This pattern is from http://www.quiltwoman.com/. They would be great for cosmetics, toiletries, or to hold the foot pedal and cords for your travel sewing machine. I have one a friend made for me years ago and I keep my little Janome pedal and cord in there. So a great gift for your sewing friends. I will probably put these on my Etsy shop when I get back from vacation. Going to Las Vegas and all seven of my grandchildren will be there. Well three already live there, but all in all, it will be great. We are driving to Disneyland and hope to make a trip to M & L Fabric without the kids.

Any Ideas -Foundation Piecing & the Phone Book

2011-06-08T16:24:00.000-07:00

I call this the start of a phone book quilt. I tore pages from my phone book and laid my six by twelve ruler on them and cut. I then went to my scrap bucket and started foundation sewing. I have 27 six by 10 1/2 rectangles so far. I don't know what I am going to do with them. Any ideas out there? I am thinking sashing in between. I know I need to make several more rectangles.

IPAD II Case and Placemat Pillows

2011-06-04T18:16:00.003-07:00

I designed this IPad cover. I wanted something to hold my charging cord and stand so I put a nice big pocket on the back with a hook and loop flap pocket. I added batting to the lining and outside fabric, so it is nice and cushy for my Ipad.
The pillows are from two placemats I purchased at Target. They add some nice color to my couch.

Pillowcases for the military and more snack bags.....

2011-05-30T13:45:00.002-07:00

Pillowcases made for Carol at http://brownquilts4me.blogstpot.com/. She has taken over this project for Jami who was diagnosed with cancer and could not continue. Jami would go to the airports and give out pillowcases to any service member she would see so they would have something from home. I have only made two, but plan on making more. All she asks if you make them in patriotic colors. Go to her blog and check out her story and make a few.

A few eco-friend snack bags made. They are available on my Etsy site. Go to www.SugarPlumPlace.com and it will link you directly with my Etsy site.

Reusable Snack Bags

2011-05-22T13:31:00.000-07:00

I haven't posted in awhile - have been busy with my retirement plans and trying to sell our house. I officially retire May 31st with 23 years of government service. I am so ready. I am in the process of making reusable snack and/or sandwich bags for my Etsy shop. These are a few I have made so far.

Snack Bags & Quilted Basket

2011-05-11T17:25:00.000-07:00

A few things I made last weekend. The quilted basket is for a customer. The snack bags I will be selling in my Etsy site and the drawstring bags are for a friend I work with.

Quilting Gallery Basket Swap

2011-04-29T17:38:00.000-07:00

The blue and white basket I made for my partner in the Quilting Gallery swap. This is my second one and I have an owl one in the works. The bags are from the same pattern, but I wanted mine a little larger so I added another 2.5 strip. There are zippers at the top of both bags.

Where does the time go?

2011-04-20T15:24:00.000-07:00

It is official - I am going to retire on May 31st with 23 years of government service. In the mean time, it is so hard to stay focused at work. I am counting down the days! Here are a few items I have made recently.

See you next time, hopefully sooner. Happy Easter to all those who celebrate.

Quilting Gallery Swap

2011-04-07T15:12:00.000-07:00

I am anxiously awaiting my swap partner info. I have made one already for a granddaughter. So cute, I can think of a lot of things to use these for.

ACU Easter Basket

2011-03-31T06:54:00.000-07:00

Made for a customer - she wanted gender neutral. It is going to be a give away prize filled with candy. Went out to the APO address on Monday. For all those who don't know ACU is Army uniform.

Trying to Sell the House

2011-03-23T14:31:00.001-07:00

We are trying to sell our house and move to Portland, Oregon. I am keeping my sewing room clean and organized it is somewhat of a pain in the ass. When I am done working in there, I clean everything up and put away my project. So now I don't want to sew as I don't want to pull everything out. I have a couple Etsy orders to get out this weekend. We have "open house" on Sunday another day I can't sew. At least we are getting people to look, which is encouraging in this market. I have received comments my sewing room is "cluttered". There is only so much I can hide by the screen. A girl has to have her fabric you know.

I signed up for the Quilted Basket swap on Quilting Gallery so I better get busy and make a practice one at least.

Recent creations from my sewing room - custom order for the apron and the little dress is for my granddaughter in Hawaii.

Wrap & Go Carrier

2011-03-13T17:32:00.000-07:00

I made this last weekend and just now getting around to posting it. I didn't have the correct size casserole dish for the photo, but now I do. This was very easy to make - I am in the process of making one for a 9x13 pan out of cupcake fabric. Future holiday gifts with maybe a cookbook and dish inside.

Finished Wall Hangings

2011-03-08T16:07:00.000-08:00

The top is a BOM embroiderer wall hanging I started last year. The sunflower little wall hanging is from a Pat Sloan machine quilting book. I went out of my comfort zone with the machine quilting. I like how it turned out. I have two more quilt tops to quilt, kid size and one more lap size Pat Sloan one to finish.

Barbie Bag & Pillowcase

2011-02-26T14:02:00.000-08:00

I promised to make a little bag for my granddaughter to take to her ballet class. Big enough for shoes and a water bottle. This measures 9.5 high by 10 wide at the top. I made a hard bottom insert so it stays up nice. I had to make something for her brother, so I found this fish fabric and matched it up with some orange (his favorite color). Grandma almost wanted to keep it for herself.

More Poop or Deux Bags

2011-02-21T18:00:00.000-08:00

I made these four bags today. One black and white one is sold and the other three are four sale. They will be going up soon on my Etsy site.

Snack Bags

2011-02-18T18:06:00.002-08:00

I made six Eco friendly/reusable snack bags today. The cupcake bags are all a little different, I tried different methods and finally found one with number four. The Arctic ones were easy, just added a flap as I used directional fabric. The craziness in me said I didn't want the flap to have upside down heads. I used ripstop nylon for the inside in all of them. I put some sale candy in there as they are going for gifts this weekend. The candy was 75% off at Target, score!

E-Reader /Kindle / Nook Cover Guitar

2011-02-15T16:42:00.001-08:00

Made this for a friend and have plenty more of this guitar fabric if anyone out there needs a Kindle/Nook/E-Reader cover.

Wristlet & Stroller Bag

2011-02-10T17:22:00.001-08:00

Up-Cycled Corduroy Wristlet

Cowboy vintage look Click & Go Stroller Bag available on my Etsy shop. The wristlet was made from a pair of corduroy pants I found at the thrift shop. Washed of course, I like the look of washed/worn corduroy.

Catching up from weekend sewing.

2011-02-07T16:44:00.000-08:00

Reversible grocery totes.

I made two of these also from this cute fabric.

The is the back side of the Dachshund Poop or Deux Bag.

Four draw-string bags made for a friend, long overdue. She send me the fabric before Christmas and I just got around to making them. Now to get them in the mail... Might be longer Joyce.

No sewing tonight, my back is acting up. One of my Poop or Deux Bags sold at an upscale pet shop. The owner took three on consignment, I go back tomorrow and see if she wants anymore or if the other two sold. Very exciting! I know, I lead a boring life.

The reusable grocery totes were super easy to make. Trying to use up my stash. As always, click on the pictures to make them bigger.

Another Sewing Sunday

2011-01-30T17:18:00.000-08:00

I made one customer Poop or Deux Bag, the pink/brown stripe . I also make two of the blue "old world" type fabric bags. One is sold and one is available in my Etsy store - http://www.sugarplumplace.etsy.com/. The other is a wallet made from an Atkinson Design pattern using two fat quarters, very easy.

Busy Sewing Day

2011-01-23T18:01:00.002-08:00

The weekend started off with me sewing two crayon wallets. One of which goes to my granddaughter. Her latest thing is "Hello Kitty". I had some fabric left over so I made a little snap bag to go with it. For the boys I made bags for the Nintendo DS which have a pocket on the back to hold the games. I just love the "Superman" fabric. So what was left, I made a snap bag which will go on my Etsy site. Anyone else like the old black and white shows featuring Superman/Clark Kent. I am dating myself, but Lois Lane and Jimmy were not the brightest in never figuring out Clark Kent was Superman.

Poop or Deux Bags

2011-01-14T09:42:00.000-08:00

Are you wondering what these are yet? I used to have a dog poop bag dispenser on my leash, but then I was always walking with a bag of poop until the next trash can. Well I solved that problem, this is a two in one bag. The waste bags pull out of the front pocket and after you pick up Fido's poop you drop it into the bag. You no longer have to walk around holding a bag of poop! I am selling these in my Etsy shop. They make nice gifts for the dog lover in in your life. I will also custom make them in your favorite color. Go to www.SugarPlumPlace.Etsy.com and place your order now.

A few things made this weekend.

2011-01-09T17:37:00.001-08:00

The first is a drawstring bag containing two cookie mixes, spatula, spoon, reversible apron and a oven mitt. I had to make the bag a little bigger to accommodate all the items. The second a wine bottle cover which I took to a party today. The third and forth items are for my niece in Idaho. Her grandmother bought the fabric and I made the pillowcases and drawstring bag from the the left over cuts.

First Sewing of 2011

2011-01-02T10:40:00.002-08:00

This is really an easy pattern. Usually I am not a fan of Purse-O-Nalities patterns as her directions are not clear. I heard she was revamping her patterns re pattern directions. This one was written in 2009 so I took a chance. How hard could it be? Very easy! The cutting on the back of the pattern say to cut two rectangles 4.75 x 8.5, but the inside directions do not use these pieces at all or say to cut them. So don't cut based on the back of the pattern. The pattern is called "The Sew Easy Wallet" by Sewphisti-Cat.

Happy New Year

2010-12-31T08:31:00.001-08:00

What more can I say. I hope your future brings you many sew days, health and happiness!

Atkinson Designs "Cash & Carry"

2010-12-30T20:06:00.001-08:00

The small one is made using the cutting instructions listed on the pattern. I then made the larger one by expanding the size. I want to make another small one to hold my sunglasses. They are so easy to make and Terry Atkinson does a wonderful job in writing directions.

Plenty of Pockets Tote

2010-12-21T17:05:00.000-08:00

I love this bag. I am going to use in when I visit Las Vegas over the holidays. A friend gave me the fat quarters, two sets of the same ones, so I was able to make this large bag with them.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS !!!!

Auto Trash Bags

2010-12-15T08:29:00.000-08:00

I made these auto trash bags from military uniforms the sleeve and cuff. They are BDU, ACU, and DCU uniform leftovers from the Hero Bags I made. People seem to like them and I am recycling.

E-Reader /Kindle / Nook Cover

2010-12-12T17:16:00.000-08:00

I made this "E-Reader" cover for my local quilt shop. If there are enough people interested in a class, I will teach it next month. This one is lined with a pretty pink.

BDU Hero Bag

2010-12-12T10:52:00.001-08:00

Fished this customer bag. She picked out the fabric for the outside and I was able to line it as well. This is her uniform from 10 years ago when she was in the military. I have been so busy with holiday sewing, it has been a hectic weekend.

Traveling Artist Roll-Up

2010-12-06T06:38:00.000-08:00

I made these two (one is yellow lining and a little bigger) little artist roll-ups from this free pattern here. Very easy to make and great gifts for the little ones on your holiday list. I just made a slight change in the seam at the top and made it a half-inch instead of 1/4. I top stitched on the top side also to secure the opening closed.

E Book, Nook, Kindle Cover

2010-11-28T14:46:00.001-08:00

I finished this cover today for a friend who admired one I made previously. This is a dish towel, Martha Stewart I think. The back pocket can hold a light attachment and the charger. None of the covers at Barnes & Noble have a pocket to hold these items and they sell for $30.00. Click on the photos for a better look.

Happy Thanksgiving!

2010-11-25T06:06:00.001-08:00

This is my favorite time of year. I love all the fall colors, especially the leaves. Currently visiting in Bethesda, Maryland where all the leaves are red, orange and gold on the trees, slowly falling off. There are heaps of leaves on the side of the roads where people have raked them. You don't see that in Florida. Hope everyone has a nice holiday and safe travels.

Little Wallets

2010-11-22T07:06:00.001-08:00

This is a Keyka Lou wallet pattern. I made one to see what it was like, then I cut out three more. They go together so fast. I might use my snap maker next instead of Velcro. Last week she had her patterns on sale for $5.00 so I took advantage of this one and a market tote. Her patterns are well written and easy to understand.

Pillow Pet

2010-11-14T06:34:00.000-08:00

I taught this PJ Pillow Pet class at our local quilt shop here and this is the demo I made for it. Love how she turned out.

Brown/Blue Damask Hero Bag

2010-11-12T06:57:00.000-08:00

A customer request- she wanted a bag for her mother-in-law. This bag measures 11" high x 12" wide and has a usable front pocket of 6" x 8". This was ordered through my Etsy site here. Take a look around.

Grommet / Eyelets

2010-11-07T06:18:00.001-08:00

I call them grommets, the package says eyelets, but I am challenged to say the least in applying them to fabric. The first couple I tried did not stay together, this is the third attempt and I can't get the tool out of the grommet. Is it me or does anyone else have this problem? I will be off later to buy more and check out alternatives. I am trying to design something and definitely need a grommet. Just one is all I want and it doesn't look like it's going to be easy.

I bought a snap press as snaps never worked for me either.

Vote for me please, pretty please....

2010-11-05T15:08:00.000-07:00

This is the crazy quilt I entered over at www.quiltinggallery.com. It is my version of a crazy quilt. Thanks for your help and votes.

Candle Mat Swap

2010-11-02T18:16:00.000-07:00

This is the candle mat I made for my swap partner. She wanted purple in it, but I could not work the color in with my charm square pack. I did back the candle mat with purple and also made her this little snap bag filled with candy. I also included a little Mary Englebret journal. Hope she likes it!

Mother and Daughter Hero Bags

2010-10-31T17:53:00.000-07:00

Another customer order purchased from my http://www.sugarplumplace.etsy.com/ shop. Hero bags are basically made from a military shirt, then the customer picks out the fabric they want and I take it from there to turn it into a bag/diaper bag/tote.

Additional Snap Bag

2010-10-27T09:52:00.001-07:00

Like potato chips, you can't just make one. This is a pretty pink and green plaid. Going on the Etsy site for purchase. The photo came out light, but the colors are really soft and pretty.

Snap Bags

2010-10-25T17:46:00.000-07:00

I have made four of these snap bags now. Love them, they are so easy. I even found a 25 foot retractable ruler at Wal-Mart for $3.00. I have three more cut out and ready to sew. Just need the time..

Yard Sale Find

2010-10-25T17:42:00.000-07:00

I usually don't go to yard sales, but my mother is visiting and this is what she likes to do. Score - I found this rolling cart. I have plans to paint it a soft pink. I plan to get a board cut for the top and use it as an ironing pad. I also find a cute little pitcher of green depression glass.

Mother - Daughter Heo Bags

2010-10-17T17:39:00.000-07:00

My customer bags are done. Both front and back pockets of the blue damask bag are usable also several pockets inside. The little girl bag looks much bigger than it is.

My mother is visiting from Las Vegas for about four weeks, so my posts may be sporadic. She is 82 and still gets around pretty good.

Eugene Oregon

2010-10-08T20:29:00.000-07:00

We are scouting the area and looking at some homes to see if Eugene, Oregon is the place where we want to live the rest of our lives. So far, I love it. It is such a clean city. Now if we can sell our Tampa, Florida house for a decent price, it is a go.

PJ Pillow Pets

2010-10-02T17:06:00.001-07:00

I finally got my daughter to send me some pictures of the kids with their pillow pets. The pillows look so big, but they are really not. I guess it's the angle. They love them.

Customer Bags/Baskets Finished

2010-09-26T18:27:00.002-07:00

Front and back of a little girls bag from a military ABU (Air Force) shirt. The inside has cute little cupcake fabric. The next one is for the mom and the two boys baskets for Halloween or Easter or just plain storage are lined with Michael Miller vintage plane fabric. Sorry for the horrible pictures. It was dusk, but I didn't think they would turn out this dark. These are custom made and if you would like to order an ABU Hero Bag or any of the above, please contact me or visit here for more information.

Bucket Tote

2010-09-19T16:14:00.001-07:00

This is from a pattern by Sweetwater called a "Bucket Tote". My fourth thing made this weekend. I was a little hesitant as it has a circle bottom. It went together very easy and I don't know why I stressed. It comes with three labels - Make Life Fresh, Make Life Simple and Make Life Fun. I didn't want to waste a label in case this didn't turn out.

Ikea Fabric Wristlet

2010-09-18T07:15:00.003-07:00

I bought this fabric the one and only time I've been to Ikea here in Tampa. I put it on the back of a quilt I made for my niece and had some left. I machine quilted it and really like how it turned out.

Trick or Treat Bag

2010-09-11T12:32:00.001-07:00

I made this Treat or Treat bag to sell on my Etsy side, but I think it needs something?? Right now it could be for boy or girl. I have not made up my mind yet on what to do. Leave it or embellish it?? Help!

Another Little Selvage Bag

2010-09-06T17:17:00.001-07:00

These bags are addicting. This is my second one a little bigger and I boxed the corners so it sits flat. It will be for sale on my Etsy site. This bag measures 10.5" wide x 6.5" tall. Super little bag which can hold your camera, cosmetics, or a nice gift for quilting friend.

Selvage Bag

2010-09-05T17:54:00.001-07:00

A little selvage bag I made today at my friend's house. The handle has a snap closure. It is for sale on www.sugarplumplace.etsy.com. It measures 9.5 wide x 5.5 high. Great for holding your digital camera or attaching to your stroller to hold your keys, debit card and cell phone.

New Clutch Made

2010-09-04T19:33:00.005-07:00

This is Keyka Lou's new pattern a clutch with an inset zipper. Very easy, she has wonderful instructions. Don't fear the zipper, quite easy. Click on the photo if you wanter a closer look.

QT Pumpkin Swap

2010-09-02T15:16:00.000-07:00

This is what came in the mail yesterday. I am in the Yahoo group called Quilted Table and we recently had a swap, all using the same pattern. My partner, Liz B, sent me her version. Didn't she do a great job? Thanks Liz!

Quilted Table 2010 Pumpkin Swap

2010-09-01T18:14:00.000-07:00

My Quilted Table Swap for Kim

I received my cute little wall hanging from my swap partner and a fat quarter of the border fabric. Of course my camera battery needed to be charged and I couldn't take a picture. I will tomorrow. We all had to use the quilt tutorial from P.S. I quilt (www.psiquilt.com) which is super easy. I also wanted to post about this cute tape I bought at Micheal's for 67 cents. I got three rolls and used some of the green on the back of the package going out to Kim. Makes you want to mail something out just to use the tape.

PJ Pillow Pet

2010-08-29T13:11:00.000-07:00

PJ Pillow Pet for my granddaughter. Finished this one today. I had a heck of a time finding buttons.

The orange one is for her twin brother. If you would like to custom order one of these cuties, please contact me. As always, click on the picture to make it bigger.

Gathered Clutch

2010-08-25T18:19:00.000-07:00

I just finished this little gathered clutch. Love how it turned out. It is 8.5" wide by 6.5" tall and the handle has a seven inch drop. It is for sale in my Etsy shop here. There are two slots/pockets on the inside for your reward cards, DL, credit cards, etc. Put your phone and cash in and you are ready to go.

Walker Bag

2010-08-22T07:12:00.002-07:00

A friend commissioned me to make a walker bag for her M-I-L. I made it a little larger than the stroller bag and with a Velcro open and close handle. It goes off in the mail tomorrow.

Key Fob & Fabric

2010-08-14T12:58:00.002-07:00

I made this key fob today for a customer. She bought my sample ABU bag. As an extra gift, I ordered a name tape and sewed it to the cotton webbing to make a key fob.

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I usually don't go for these colors, but they called my name today at Joann's. I had a 50% and 40% off coupon and got two yards of the brown and one of the other. My plan is to make "roll-up" place mats for some of the people I work with for holiday gifts. Make a pocket for lovely plastic ware.

Another note - we have decided we want to move to Eugene, Oregon next year. So I had a realtor come over today to put it on the market the first of September.

A fantastic giveaway on another blog....

2010-08-09T17:10:00.001-07:00

Why I'm doing this I don't know. My chances went to slim and none. http://www.spmousedroppings.blogspot.com/ is giving away a really cute little stuffed mouse on a spool of thread. Go leave a comment, become a follower and link to her blog and you have a chance to win.

Tote Bag

2010-08-08T12:41:00.001-07:00

I bought one of those flannel backed tablecloths at Easter time for 70% off. I used part of it to cover my dryer and made this bag for me today. I needed a bag to carry my stuff back and forth to work and this is just right. It's not lined and the stuff does not fray.

Car Trash Bag from ABU Shirt

2010-08-07T07:34:00.000-07:00

My sister has been bugging me to make her one of these so here it is Sis. It went out today with your belated birthday gift. This is the sleeve from an Air Force shirt. I use the front and back of the shirts to make the bag and have a bunch of sleeve left over. Trying to make use of them and recycle.

The Winner Is......

2010-08-06T15:49:00.000-07:00

Pam of www.pamd56.blogspot.com you won the "Women's Voices" block of the month. I had my significant other pick a number between one and 14 and he picked eight. So he was my random generator. I left you a message on your blog, but if you read it here, please email me privately with your address. Thanks for playing everyone.

Giveaway BOM - Women's Voices

2010-08-02T16:28:00.000-07:00

Just two of the BOM packages I took photos of for my giveaway. All twelve are included in this 1998 BOM. Best I can tell they are reproduction Civil War fabrics. Just link back to my blog and shoot me an email.

I'm Cleaning and Giving Away!

2010-08-01T09:15:00.001-07:00

I am cleaning up my sewing room, trying to down size. It's a big job. I have went through my binders of paper patterns and stuff I would never make so far. I did clean up my fabric closet. I have a set of "Women's Voices" BOM from 1998 all 12 months. Fabric is of the civil war vintage. Never touched all still in their little brown bags. Any takers? I think they will all fit into one of those prepaid postage envelopes. Obviously I am not going to make them.

Leave me a comment, link back to my blog and I will pick a winner by Friday, August 6th.

Gathered Clutch

2010-07-27T17:29:00.000-07:00

I made this Gathered Clutch using the pattern from http://noodleheads.blogspot.com/. I also made one for my friend Billye in reverse colors. I added the handle with a snap closure.

Army Hero Bag

2010-07-24T17:45:00.000-07:00

The latest "Hero Bag" for a customer. This bag measures 14 1/4" high by 15" wide by 4" deep. Her son is in the National Guard. She asked me to put her son's patches on the inside and out.

Mystery Table Topper

2010-07-17T13:04:00.003-07:00

This was a mystery I completed today from here. I saw it in my email this morning and decided to try it. There were only five clues, so I thought it can't be that hard. I got to cutting and pulling fabric, all from my stash. I like how it turned. out and the shape of it. That is actually a brown fabric next to the gingerbread squares not charcoal as it appears.

I completed this yesterday, Sunday, July 18th. I am really happy how it turned out!!!!

Back of finished table

.Quilted and finished.