Sunday Stash - The Haul from QuiltCon

I was too tired when I made it home last Sunday to do a stash report, but there was quite a haul from QuiltCon. Between the giveaways and the prizes, plus what I actually bought, my car was loaded down a lot more on the way back to Atlanta.

First there were the giveaways. So many vendors were giving away fat quarters and charm packs, and paint chips. Trading pins is totally a thing, and I racked up! 

The best, though, was when I picked up my registration and was handed this awesome tote bag filled with goodies just for being one of the first one thousand people to register.

Then there were the games. Several booths had wheels you could spin or hats to draw out of. I think the moment I am most proud of is the puzzle challenge at the Aurifil booth. 

I won my round, and received a large spool of thread. Before you are too impressed, I was almost twice as slow as the best time posted so far - just over three minutes! My biggest prize was the fat quarter bundle of Art Gallery Fabrics.

And then, of course, there was the shopping. I had to buy a t-shirt. Handmade Rebellion has so many cute ones that it was tough to decide, but I finally settled on this one. I panic bought a pair of Kai scissors fifteen minutes before my embroidery class started because I couldn't find mine. Mostly I searched through the bins at Villa Rosa Designs, narrowing my choices down to two fat quarter rolls and two one yard cuts of fabric.

Finally, I made what I believe is the last large purchase needed to complete my studio space. Luckily this doesn't count towards my stash, but will help my back and shoulders. This saddle stool by Oakworks is so comfortable and a major upgrade from my wooden desk chair. 

The folks at this booth (ABM/Innova) were so fun and friendly. I have to give a shout out to Michael, who took customer service to a whole new level by carrying this heavy box to my car for me.

As for usage, the only thing I managed to finish were two pillowcases for Ryan's Case for Smiles to bring to Monday's guild meeting.

• Fabric Used this Week: 2.5 yards
• Fabric Used year to Date: 7.5 yards
• Fabric Added this Week: 14 yards
• Fabric Added Year to Date: 23.5 yards
• Net Fabric for 2017: -16 yards used
• Used for Charity Year to Date: 2.5 yards
• Percentage Used for Charity: 33%

#TBT - Throwback Thursday - Beach Baby Bag

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It's Throwback Thursday here at Quiltin' Jenny, and I hope you'll link up and share your own creative adventures from your pre-blogging days.

Today's project is perfect for a long weekend at the beach. If only!

This bag is one my BQF Pam taught me on one of our many quilt retreats. She called it a Fat Quarter Bag, but I can't find a link to the pattern or designer. If you know any more details, please let me know and I will update this post.

Pam made one for my birthday in my favorite blues and yellows. She showed up carrying it one day and, when I admired it, said "I'm so glad you like it because it's your birthday present." The other part of my present was for her to show me how to make it!

I made this one for the pool/beach out of the cutest Beach Baby fabric by Kari Pearson (again, I can't find a link). I love these bags because they hold a stack of beach towels OR a full sized quilt easily. Gracie likes to use this one for sleepovers.

I have a third one of these bags that a guild member made me at the end of my term as guild president as a thank you. The bag and her sweet note really touched me.

Let's take a walk down memory lane and see what you made a long, long time ago.

An InLinkz Link-up

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#TBT - Throwback Thursday - Wood Bottomed Purses

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It's Throwback Thursday here at Quiltin' Jenny, and I hope you'll link up and share your own creative adventures from your pre-blogging days.

Today's projects are some wood bottomed purses that (I think) a fellow guild member designed several years ago.  These are clever little tote bags with a piece of 2x4 on the bottom.  You make the whole bag - including lining, pockets, and handle - and then fit it around the edges of the board inside out.  A staple gun around the edges holds it in place; then you flip it right side out and add the decorative tacks to finish it. 

I made these two for the school auction one year.  I can't even remember how long ago this was!

This bag was made for my MiL one year for Christmas.  At the time, she and a group of friends were taking tap dancing together on Monday afternoons.  This bag was just the right size for her tap shoes.  
I made several others to give as gifts, but these are the ones I could find pictures of.  They were a great way to show off a border print or novelty fabric, and I had a lot of fun making them. 

Do you have an old mature holiday craft to share with us this week?

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FAL Q3 Wrap Up - So That's How This Works!

I'm doing the happy dance because all three of my Q3 projects are DONE!  Not only are they done, but they've been done.  Like, ages ago. #NBD.

Never mind that they are also my Q1 and Q2 projects and it has taken me 8 months to cross them off the list.  

Here's what I finished:

The Family Ties quilt

The Christmas Table Topper

The Rainy Day Tote Bag

YAY!  How's your list coming along? 




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TGIFF and Whoop Whoop! For a Visit With My Boy

No FMQ Friday for me today, but you can still check out all the other FMQ goodness at Leah Day's Free Motion Quilting Project.

I am, however, giving a Whoop Whoop! and doing the happy dance over some finishes today. 


I'm also linking up today with Finish It Up Friday with Amanda Jean at Crazy Mom Quilts.

Yes, it's done!  My Social Tote is complete.  It is not the most square thing I've ever made, but I think it will work itself into a slightly better shape as I carry things in it by the handles.  Right now it is home to my hexies, and just in time for a car ride to Tuscaloosa!

I am not an experienced bag maker, so I was nervous about this bag.  It really came together beautifully.  The only tricky part - which Carolyn warns you about - is getting the binding on.  She has some excellent extra pictures and help on her blog, which I just love.  My only request might be to have some of these in regards to the binding and making the corners square. 

I also finished the corn hole toss bags in time to bring them in the car instead of shipping them.  Aren't they cute?  I am becoming a real fan of houndstooth!

I hope you have a great weekend!

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WiP Wednesday - Stalled

I'm linking up with WiP Wednesday over at Freshly Pieced.

After such a productive Labor Day Sew In weekend, I moved right along from Batman's Star Surround to my Social Tote.   I was a little anxious about some of the required materials and my first try making such a structured bag. 

I'm waiting for my Soft and Stable to arrive, so I'm stalled at the moment; however, I did manage to finish what I expect is the hardest part, the lining.  This divided interior is what made me willing to even try this pattern.  The sample in the shop was holding a hexie project like mine, so it will be perfect for our ride to Tuscaloosa for Family Weekend. 

Other than requiring my complete and total attention (I even had to turn off the podcast I was listening to) none of the instructions were hard.  I was quite surprised at how well the seams lined up.

I also made the pockets and the handles so that there should be very little left to do once the Soft and Stable arrives.  I cannot wait to use this. 

All I have left for today is to make the pin cushion. For this I needed some sort of filling, and crushed walnut shells were recommended.  I was able to find these at my local Pet Smart (with the bird and bunny bedding), but it was only in 25lb bags! The other, similar choice was Kay-Kob, which is made of dried, ground corn cobs.  According to the Pet Smart sales assistant, these look nearly identical and serve the same purpose. 

I sent out a call for help on Twitter, and recognized the second problem with the crushed walnuts is the risk for anyone with a nut allergy.  I chose the smaller and less expensive Kay-Kob and will let you know how it works out. 

Anyone else have suggestions for pin cushion filling? 




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WiP Wednesday - Ready for Retreat

I'm linking up with WiP Wednesday over at Freshly Pieced.

Today is less about a work in progress and more like a packing list for retreat this weekend.  It's always a challenge to figure out how much to bring.  

• Batman's quilt - catch up to the Star Surround Quilt Along
• Spiderweb Blocks - these are perfect leaders and enders for anything else I'm working on
• Hexies - a good hand project for late night talks
• QOV Block Drive Components - like the Spiderweb Blocks, these are great leaders and enders.  I have eight more foundations already cut, so I'd like to get those all done and mailed off to Alycia.
• Social Tote - this is a long shot, but I am bringing the supplies just in case I run out of things to work on. 

 

Today I'm also making my mini pressing surface (ala one of these tutorials from Oh, Fransson! and American Quilting) to bring along.  I spray painted my table yesterday; today I covered it with the Insul-Bright and fabric.  It took no time at all and is just what I wanted!

Notes:  I used Krylon Indoor/Outdoor Satin spray paint in Island Splash.  I cut a layer of Insul-Bright about 1 1/2" bigger than the tabletop and a layer of home dec weight fabric about 3" bigger than the tabletop.  I staple gunned it down and voila!  It probably took me longer to buy the supplies than to make the whole thing.

I'm so looking forward to my retreat weekend.  I think some time spent sewing and hanging out with friends is just what the doctor ordered!




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WiP Wednesday - Bags for Drake House

I'm linking up with WiP Wednesday over at Freshly Pieced.

Monday was guild night, and it was our annual charity work meeting.  All throughout the year we collect small items for the women at Drake House, a crisis residential program for women and children in our area.  Sharon assigns us a different item each month - pocket calendars or sewing kits or travel mugs or small umbrellas - and then in August we make and stuff the bags.

I finished one bag (the striped one in the picture above) and got another one partially finished.  I brought this one home to complete, so that's what I'm working on today.

Here's the finished bag:

Please don't look at my dirty windows. 

I'll check and see if I can share the pattern.  It's pretty simple and makes a nice size, neat looking bag.  This one was made with quilter's cotton, but we've been making most of them with upholstery fabric on the outside and they look even better.

What are you working on?



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WiP Wednesday - Adding to the List

I'm sorry to report that fellow quilter Gerry Largay, missing from the Appalachian Trail in Maine, has still not been located.  Please click here to see the most recent details and visit the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Facebook page for updates.  Please continue to share across social media channels...and pray.

I'm linking up with WiP Wednesday over at Freshly Pieced.

Yesterday The Pit Boss treated Mom and me to a fantastic lunch at Marietta Fish Market before we headed over to Sew Main Street to pick out the fabrics for Batman's quilt.  Yes, my brother and sister-in-law - or should I say my niece and nephew - have nicknamed the new baby Batman. 

Since they are tormenting us by honoring the family tradition of not finding out the baby's sex until all is revealed in the delivery room, we were walking that fine line between not wanting anything too girlish or boyish and not wanting a boring old yellow and green quilt.  No offense if you like yellow and green.

We're doing the scrappy version of the Star Surround in the scrappy version of the 3x3 layout of 16" blocks that will end up being a 48" square - one of the options galore so helpfully provided by Melissa over at Happy Quilting - so we needed nine fat quarters.

It was tough, but we finally came up with these fun fabrics.

I do think it is a little boyish, and will probably go into a fit of pink if Batman turns out to be Batgirl, but I'm really thinking boy right now.  I was wrong the last two times, but even a stopped clock is right twice a day, am I right?

Because the Star Surround is so fabulous, and because I'll be doing the piecing for Batman's quilt, Mom got a little envious.  She then proceeded to talk herself into doing a QUEEN SIZED Star Surround for a friend's granddaughter and walked out with something like twelve yards of fabric for that quilt!

I was very restrained, even though I only get over to Woodstock about once a year, and only bought two spools of Auriful thread that I needed.  No really, this is all that's left of my white spool.

I know, I know.  I should get a big cone.  But I never think of it in time and then I need it NOW and also the quilt shops around here don't sell those so I need to order it and that takes, like, for.ev.er. 

The last thing I picked up was this pattern for the most perfect little tote for my hexagons.  It is Carolyn Friedlander's Social Tote that has three compartments and an optional pin cushion that fits into one of the compartments.  I should have taken a picture of how it was displayed at the shop with the hexies in one small section, the pin cushion in the other, and fabric/templates in the big section.  Plus scissors attached with a cute ribbon pinned into the cushion.  Perfection!  Just grab and go whenever I need a hand sewing project.

I guess technically they aren't WiPs until I start cutting.  Hopefully I'll get to that today. 

Yes, I know I'm supposed to be finishing more than starting.  Shut up.

Oh, but in other exciting news, I used my Rainy Day Bag and they noticed it and liked it and thought I could sell them!  (But who has time for that?  I have a long list of stuff that has got to get done!)

What are you working on?



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More Fun With Laminated Cotton

After I made my Rainy Day Bag, I had lots of laminate left over and I couldn't wait to play.  Luckily Deuce has his first real girlfriend, and she was considerate enough to have a birthday, so I had an excuse.

This little pouch with a pocket for your ID (or picture of your favorite guy!) is something I carry everywhere and have been wanting to duplicate for a long time.  Gracie and I stopped by JoAnn's on Sunday and picked up some clear vinyl.  It's in the back of the upholstery section at our store, just in case you don't feel like wandering aimlessly or trying to track down someone who actually works there. 

There are a few things I would adjust, but in general I'm happy with it.  Please excuse the poor quality of the pictures - I forgot to take any and had to sneak a couple with my phone after I had already given it to her.  Whoops!

She seemed to like it, and I think it's perfect for the girl who frequently misplaces keys, purse, etc.  Hopefully this will be useful at college so she can just tuck her student ID in the pocket and clip it to a lanyard or belt loop.




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