Mug Rug

I made this little mug rug today.  It's a birthday gift for a friend at work. 

 I went to my scrap bag and pulled out blues and browns.  I sewed them to a used Bounce sheet.  Then I cut a scrap of batting and backing, and it was machine quilted in just a few minutes. 

I'll give her this mug to go along with it. 

What I've been working on lately...

I've been working on a tee shirt quilt for a girl I know.  Both she and her mom work for us at our store, and the daughter is graduating from high school this year.  Her mom asked me if I would make a quilt for her.  She brought me a whole bag of her shirts, and I used all but one of them. 

This isn't a very good picture, but you get the idea.  It is big, I think about 82" wide by 86" long.  I will need to piece the back, since I don't have enough of any fabric for the whole thing.  I have one piece that is close, so that will make up most of the back. 

I am hoping to have it all ready to take to the quilters on Monday. 

The majority of the fabric is Reunion, by Sweetwater for Moda.  The golds, reds and grays were perfect for this quilt.  She, like all the other kids from our town had to go to a new school this year, as our school dissolved the sharing agreement we had with the high school these kids had gone to for 3 years, and that high school no longer exists.  Kind of a bummer, your senior year, having to switch schools.

Anyhow, I'll post better photos when I get it back from the quilter and have the binding on it!

John's Quilt

I first showed you this quilt top here.  It was last September, and the grass was nice and green...
I finally got the binding sewn on last weekend.  I've only had it back from the quilter since November, and I managed to fall a little behind with binding.  I still have 2 to go, but of course I'm working on a new project instead...
Anyhow, my intent was to hang it on the clothesline with the stripes going horizontally across the the quilt.  Of course I didn't notice that I didn't hang it that way until I was back in the house and downloading the pictures onto my computer.  So, lay your head on your shoulder to get the full effect.... :)

The back is pieced with random leftovers...crappy picture, I know...
It washed up really nice and soft. 

I think i've become a bag lady....

Ok, so I have discovered that I really like to make bags.  A lot.  They go together quickly, and I am able to get them done in a short amount of time.  Here's the two that I recently made.

This is the other side.  I had 2 quilt blocks left over from the pink and purple log cabin quilts.  I added strips to make the block larger for the front of the bag, and I used the 2nd block for a pocket on the back side of the bag.  I should have positioned the pocket a little lower, and will remember to do that next time!

I lined it with a solid grayish lilac fabric, and I added 2 pockets on the inside.

I made the handles longer on this one - I think there were about 23 inches long.  I had 4 different 2 1/2 inch strips of solid purply fabric.  So, each strap is different.  

I made this bag with the tutorial found here.  I used the insulated batting in this one, rather than interfacing.  I think it's called Insulbrite or something like that. 
In the pink bag, I used fusible fleece to give it more stability.  That stuff works really well, I must say! 

Gifts

A friend is having a BIG birthday on Friday, and we are invited to a little party for her.  My dh took the call, so I'm not sure if it's supposed to be a surprise or not.  Since we are supposed to arrive at the restaurant before she is, I'm thinking it's a surprise party.  Anyhow, I thought it was time to try making a mug rug...





I used my Accuquilt and tried out my new Dresden plate die.

I also decided to make a tote bag made in the same hot pink and orange as the mug rug.  I found a tutorial here.  You have to scroll down on the page a bit to find the tutorial.

The back is made of a fat quarter, cut to an 18 inch square.

The gift will also include some packets of hot chocolate to go with the mug, and some gourmet chocolates.   :)

Does this quilt look familiar?

 Probably because it has a fraternal twin...... shown here. 

I finally got this one done, and it will be heading to South Dakota, to a new great-niece. This one is bound in the pink polka dot, which I also used for the backing.  I'm not loving how it looks like 2 eyes looking at me in a few spots in the quilt, but I'm not taking it apart to change it.  I need to wash it and dry it so it gets the crinkly look, and then it's ready to go.

We are enjoying the mildest winter I can remember in my lifetime, as you can see by some of the bare areas in the backyard.  Last year at this time, I would have been in thigh deep (or deeper) snow if I were trying to take this picture!