Bags, Bags and More Bags

I have been working hard for the past month making duffle bags out of Mini Cooper fabric to sell at the yearly gathering. Supporting a daily sewing habit can be expensive with the price of fabric going up like everything else. The event is June 14 so maybe I will be able to move on to something different after that.

Finished bags May 2012

Three finished. Not counting the ones that are already in to their new homes.

Bags needing grommets May 2012

There are about 10 more in progress that aren't yet to the grommet stage. Two of these sold after I took the picture! They are all one of a kind as I will not use the same accent fabric twice. Last night I gathered about 8 more fabrics for additional bags. 


I'm so lucky to have a dear friend helping me as I would not be this far in my adventure. We meet at one of our local shops so we can spread out on to the classroom tables. The distractions at home (the cats and my good book that I'm reading) lead to not getting as much done in the same time period. 

Duffle ties yet to be installed. May 2012

As you can see I have my days work cut out for me. Better get started.

My orange challenge is still waiting for my attention. I've had lots of time to figure out what to do with all that orange!

Sneak Peek

I was so pleased with how my journal cover swap came out I thought I would show you THE BACK! I don't know if my swap partner reads my blog but if she does she can only imagine what the front looks like. I have an issue with journal covers. For every one that turns out, there is another one that was too small. Yes, I will complete the front of the first one and be searching for a book that is a little bit smaller. The last one that was too small I turned into a zipper bag here!

LVMQG Journal Cover Swap  May 2012

I found a picture of the back of the pickle dish quilt that shows the handwork detail. Unbelievable.

Pickle Dish detail

There was a note with this next quilt that said this quilt was 100 years old in 1957. It had some holes and the batting was coming out in places but it was so cool to see something that is 155 years old! It was well used by someone.

Karen's Collection

It seems my response to seeing these quilts in person is a big WOW. Thanks Karen, I look forward to seeing more.

Until next time, have a happy _____. You fill in the blank!

Oh My

On Saturday a friend brought over a few of the many quilts that have been packed away in boxes that her grandmother, great grandmother and great great grandmother made. This pickle dish quilt all pieced by hand just took my breath away. We forgot to measure it but it is on my 6 foot dining table with some drape all the way around. 

Pickle Dish Quilt
Karen's collection
April 2012

Detail of Pickle Dish quilt

There is a little bit at the top showing the back side of the quilt. I couldn't believe the hours of hand stitching this quilt must have taken. Someone was really stepping out of the box using these colors too. I was determined to find the pattern for this quilt, and not only did I find a pattern I found the paper piecing pattern. Now that, I can do. Not by hand though! 

Extremely old Grandma's Garden Quilt
Karen's collection  April 2012

Another in the collection I was privileged to see. I have always loved this pattern. I think I still have an enlarged version of grandma's garden quilt I started after college. In the garage, in a box, unfinished. I was sewing by hand then because I couldn't afford a sewing machine. I guess I have been doing sewing of some sort since high school. In 2003 is when I started quilting full time.

Now that I have shared these lovelies with you I must return to my binding of the charity quilts, assembling of the dufflebags and thinking about my orange challenge. I finished my journal swap last night but I can't show you until later.

More oldies to come.

Have a good rest of the week!

Orange Challenge

I have been working hard on dufflebags and now I'm waiting for my labels to come to put them together. No bag is complete without a label! Duffles everywhere.


Tonight we have our orange exchange at the Modern Quilt Guild meeting. Oh how I've been looking forward to this. There are 14, 2 1/2" strips in one yard of fabric. Each bag contains 14 strips.  Each bag will be replaced with 14 different strips from other peoples bags. If you bring 4 bags you will take home 4 bags, which is 4 yards. I have seen two of my friends bags and none of us have the same orange fabrics. What are the chances?

MQG Orange Exchange  April 2012

With all these orange strips we do what we want and present it at the June meeting.  Should be interesting.

Until next time, sew happy!

MINI Duffle

I found this fabric online and emailed it to Husband. Lo and behold it arrived in the mail in a few days. It's a MINI (MINI Coopers manufactured from 2002 on) duffle not a mini duffle! He owns a MINI Cooper S and it happens to be red so this was the perfect fabric for this project.

Husbands MINI Duffle April 2012

Classic Mini

Husbands MINI Duffle  April 2012

Husbands MINI

There are a surprising number of older Classic Mini's (manufactured prior to 2002) still on the road.  The twins dad has one that dates back to 1978. It's cool. The steering wheel is even on the 'wrong' side. The Brit's consider the steering wheel placement to be on the correct side!

Friend's 1978 Classic Mini Cooper

While I'm on MINI's and Mini's.... Every year there is an event called A MINI Vacation in Vegas (AMVIV), where MINI's from all over the country drive to Las Vegas for a week of festivities. They are everywhere!  So if you know anyone with a MINI or a Classic Mini tell them to check out AMVIV. The 9th AMVIV commences on June 14, 2012 through June 17, 2012. Check it out here.

Now, back to the charity quilts!

Little Stuff that Makes You Smile

These are so much fun. I need these instant gratification projects between my larger ones. The directions for these little treasures are here. When you make one, go to her flickr group and add your photo. 

Earbud cases  April 2012

I made this zipper bag for Carolyn for pitching in and helping me with my charity quilts. These are some scraps she gave me from a quilt she was making at the time. I learned how to put the fabric on the ends of the zipper so it lays nice. While quilting this I found some interesting scraps and had a wonderful idea. That project is not finished yet but will be soon. I love it when one idea leads to another.


I had so much fun on my Juki I think I will start quilting my zipper bags. Well some of them at least.

Carolyn's zipper bag  April 2012

Have a wonderful weekend.

Fruits of My Labor

I have been working really hard on these quilts. All of these fabrics came from my stash with the exception of the purple and the coral. My friend Carolyn helped me out by making the guitar quilt top. I spent all day Friday quilting it on my Juki. I was very pleased with the outcome. It was pretty hard at first and I realized the table was too high. Lucky me, it was one of those tables that was adjustable and once lowered it made quilting much, much easier.

Charity quilts April 2012

The ones on the right are ready for the binding to be finished by hand. The one with the coral lines still has to be sandwiched and quilted. Amazing what can be accomplished when I'm under pressure! I looked for the top I was going to quilt out of my finished tops to add to make it four but I think I gave it away. It is not in my pile. This may be all I do for now. I will be lucky to get these finished.

Have a happy . . .