Scrappy Quilting...

I did finish three blocks for the Crazy Scrappy Quilt-A-Long!

I'm going to use white between them.  Yeah - not sure what I'm thinking with a table runner....but I like it.  I just do.

In other news, I'm out of town this weekend (yay girls' trip!!!) so no more posts until next week.  Have a marvelous weekend everyone!

Progress

Well, so far I have one 12.5 inch by 12.5 inch quilt block finished from my scraps for Aneela's Crazy Scrappy Quilt a Long.

At this point I'm not sure how I feel about my color choices, but it is meant to be a scrap block, so I'll stick it out. I'm thinking three of these blocks together along with some plain fabric between might make a really nice table runner. Choices, choices.

crazy scrappy quilt a long

I love the fabrics Aneela designs for Moda.  I have no idea why...they just really appeal to me.  If I wasn't committed to foregoing new fabric until I use up some of my old stash, then her new line (Sherbet Pips) would already be on its way to my house.  I was even tempted to preorder it but was strong enough to just say no.  It wasn't easy.  I seriously have a fabric addiction problem.

As luck would have it, Aneela is doing a sew-a-long in which I get to use my scraps - yay!  I have a whole box full just waiting for this.  I cannot wait to get started!  Although, I'm thinking these blocks are more likely to find their way into placemats, table runners, hotpads, and mugrugs (things I sorely need!)  before they end up in a quilt.



I'm thinking I'll do yellows/oranges/shades of brown and white....that sounds like happy table runners and placemats, right?

Lets get sewing!

Kate

Amy Butler's Style Stitches

A while back I stumbled upon this Amy Butler's Style Stitches sew-a-long.
http://www.flickr.com/groups/1615921@N22/

I'm not the biggest Amy Butler fan, but I really think it's just because her fabrics are a bit much for me.  After seeing some of the gorgeous photos of her Cosmo Bag (the first bag in the book) done in some non-Amy fabrics, I fell in love and went out to buy the book right away (Amazon link here).


The book really is fabulous.  Out of 12 bags (including several options), there are only one or two bags in the book I don't like.  I have a girls' trip coming up and just knew that the Cosmo Bag would do me right out and about with the ladies.

And so, I set to work.  There are a LOT of pieces to this bag, people.  A - LOT.

It took a while to put together, but I absolutely love the bag.  I wish I had added a large zipper pocket to the inside, but I simply didn't have the energy at the time and just wanted to finish putting this thing together.  I did add a little keyring to the inside of the bag so I could tether a small change purse....otherwise there's really no safe place to secure a wallet (or anything else you don't want lost in the depths!).  It turned out cute, no?

I will say that I should have followed Amy's directions on sewing the front pleats.  She tells you to fold and sew them one at a time....of course I tried to cheat and fold them all, pin them, then sew at the same time.  I never could get it to lie correctly! 

I also wished I'd chosen a different type of heavy-weight red fabric for the accents.  I chose duck cloth, and since I wanted to use black thread throughout the project, I learned that you can REALLY tell when the stitching isn't perfect.  And it's impossible to get perfect on duck cloth because the dang stuff is so thick and stiff.  Ah well, lesson learned.


I thought about working on this little number next...Project number 7:  The Key Keeper Coin Purse.

Except I realized I needed a bigger 'wallet' for my travels and settled on the Gathered Clutch from Noddlehead.  More on that another day!

Kate