A little bit of sewing

I've had a little free time this summer to do something a little different than quilting. Lately I've been caught up in bag making! It's been so much fun, if not a little difficult at times. But you know want makes it literally 100 times easier? When you are sewing with beautiful fabrics from  the lovely ladies at Cotton and Steel,

After Market I got my little hands on a couple fat quarter packs and got to work. The outcome? Two beautiful bags! The first Amy Butlers Weekender tote (More like three weekender) made with August.

Also whipped up this cutie with one of my favorites from August. 

I also scored a lovely bundle of Homebody! Everything about this line reminded me oh hand sewing and taking things slow. So I whipped up the sew together bag by sew demented! And I love the outcome! Full of hand sewing goodies. 

It's so much easier to sit down and work on binding when everything is in it's place in a cutle little bag!

I can't wait to start sewing with the other lines! They are all so truly wonderful.

WIP-Wednesday a Wonderful Weekend and an August Tote!

So...I walked into one of my LQS on Friday afternoon and spotted this beauty!

Sarah Watts 'August'

Yes, that is Sarah Watts new line August for Cotton + Steel! My heart starting beating fast, I was surprised to see they were selling it. So, of course, I scooped it up and paid before they changed their minds!

I knew right away what I wanted to make out of this lovely line- Amy Butlers Weekender Tote. I've heard stories about how tough this bag is to make but decided I just had to do make it with this line! I've had this pattern for about 3.5 years and now is a great time to tackle this project.

All Friday night I couldn't stop thinking about that fabric and getting started on the tote, so first thing Saturday morning I went and got duck cloth, piping the works...except the zipper (where does one find a 30" non seperating zipper?)

Cutting into the fabric made me panic slightly. Usually I find fabric I love and then there it sits...forever. so cutting into this and using it right away felt great!

Following the trend of quilt as you go with this Tote, I made tons of progress on Saturday and Sunday. But for now, I'm taking a break until I pick out my piping fabric. I'm debating between a coral and a more pinky color... stay tuned for more progress and better pictures :)

I'm linking up over at Quilt Story for Fabric Tuesday! And over at Freshly Pieced for WIP Wednesday! Hop on over to see what everybody else is up to :) 

Have a Splendid Week :)

A Friday Finish!

I am so excited for this finish, it has been a long time coming! I have been working on this quilt since August, and have been slowly working my way through it. Once it stops raining or snowing and we have some sunshine I will get better pictures, but right now I am so happy to share this with you all!

I knew as soon as I got a bundle of Amy Butler's Alchemy line that it would be a swoon quilt, i just loved the butterflies so very much. I paired most of the blocks with dreamy Kaffe Fasset shot cottons which are my new favorite fabric to sew with.

Back in December I had finally finished piecing all of the swoon blocks back in November and basted it shortly after. The part that took the the longest was the hand quilting, I echoed the blocks with coordinating perle cotton size 8 and stitched small diamonds in white perle cotton in the cross centers. I bound the quilt in a crosshatch coral/orangy color. I was a little worried about the color until I finished the last inch, then it was LOVE! I think it works well with all of the fabric, especially the center square. I didn't get a picture of the back but it is Anna Maria Horner and it is amazing.

This quilt was a labor of love, I worked slowly on our snow days, this year we had 14 thanks Mother Nature. It's a little small for our bed but looks amazing on Grandma's bed, a lovely touch for our out of town guests to enjoy.

I'm linking up over at the Devoted Quilter for TGIFF!

Happy Friday :)

...catching up...

Ahhh, I haven't posted since January! I don't know where time has gone, it's not that I haven't been creating, because these last few month's I've been super productive!

I have created so very much, finished a granny square quilt, knitted two complete scarves (yippie) and finally finished hand quilting my alchemy swoon and so much more! So, today let's do a small catch up :)

Hand quilted my lovely swoon

I have started learning to knit! I took a simple neck warmer class back in February, and picked some Malabrigo Rasta (spoiled I know) but it knits up quick on a size 15 and is perfect for the beginner like me. I promise finished pictures to come soon! next weekend I learn to knit in the round :) wish me luck!

I've been involved in many bee's over the last few months the Simply Solids Tiny Bee, it's a group of 4 ladies who are extremely talented!

Simply Solids (tiny bee, 4 ladies)

Those feathers!?! Yeah, there for me, I had asked the ladies to make feather blocks from AMH pattern to make into a quilt. So I made a bunch and washi taped them up on my wall and fell in love with it! So over the weekend it turned into this! I hiked to the Ikea in College Park for the frames and by Saturday night the Quilty Hubs had them hung and level! So now, I have even more blocks to make for the quilt, but love the new artwork for our living-room wall!

Please Don't mind the photo it's from my phone at night

I've also been participating in the Sew Pieceful Bee over at Flickr and am having a blast with all the fun blocks and super talented ladies! Can't wait to see what March Brings!

February Sew Pieceful Bee

Snow day sewing: Classic meets modern block

What's better than a snow day after winter break? Sewing on a snow day!

Erin over at Sew at Home Mummy, hosted the simply solids bee last year (loved it, such a fun bee) and this year is doing a very fun QAL. It's called Classic Meets Modern QAL, and I'm super excited. Nothing makes me happier than making classic blocks with a modern twist! I will be working with an assortment of shot cottons and kona white, no prints for me! Here is the first block, and I'm truly in love with this one.

Bear claw/paw in shot cottons and kona white

 If you are interested in joining in hop on over to Erin's blog and Flickr to join in the fun!

New Year, New Goals

I can't believe its 2014! This last year has been super crazy and wonderful at the same time. I started 2013 with great intentions of becoming more involved in the blogging community. This was kind of a fail due to the move and new job, but have every intention to be better in 2014. I also wanted to become more involved in quilt/sew alongs (win) thanks to Flickr! I created and received such wonderful blocks from the granny square bee, simply solids and the bee white black bee.

To ring in the new year I pieced this lovely! I'm so excited and in love with all the blocks I received from the Granny Bee, I have saved a few for the back! I taped it up to the wall behind our sofa, and I have to say I kinda love these bright colors with that blue wall. Maybe I can talk my hubby into hanging it once it's quilted!

Granny Square Quilt, LOVE!

Happy New Year! And here's to me keeping my goals

WIP Wednesday: Blue and Gray

I feel like this month is just flying by, and it's leaving me in the dust! We've been very blessed this month, my the In-Laws came to visit. While the boys worked hard on yard work and re-building our fence, Mom and I went shopping for some pottery! So, very little sewing happened until yesterday/today, but it is so good to have some family time!

My nephew B has been waiting patiently for a quilt of his own however,I don't think I can say the same for my Sister-in-Law (I kid)

For B's quilt I wanted something a little bit masculine and boyish! I choose some Parson Gray Curious nature, and some Simply Color by V and Co  and some of my lovely stash! I sure hope he likes it, if not it can stay here with me!

I am using this great tutorial by John from Quilt Dad. I am in love with the pattern and felt it fit perfectly in the boy quilt category especially with the Parson Gray fabric.

Parson Gray, Simply Color and Stash

 For the solid I choose a pearl gray color, and I am so happy with it. I got all of the HST's sewn together and trimmed up to 7"

Waiting to be trimmed

Trimming to 7"

 This picture makes it look like all of the fabrics are super gray, but I promise those are some nice navy blues in there!

All the HST's Trimmed and looking pretty

 The blocks will all eventually look like this. Note the word eventually, life is a bit crazy around here but I wouldn't have it any other way.

 

Today, I'm linking up over at freshly pieced, hop on over to see what everybody else is up to! As for me I'm going to try out a DIY Tagalong recipe! Wish me luck!