Stand 'N Stow Bag

A few months ago, on my way to go bridesmaids dress shopping with my future daughter-in-law, her mom, and all the bridesmaids, I stopped at a quilt shop along the way.  One of my purchases that day was the "Stand and Stow" bag pattern by Atkinson Designs.

Fast forward to the week before last, the week I was away at school.  I was thinking about an upcoming bridal shower.  Not for my future daughter-in-law, but for another couple that is getting married.  This seems to be a busy year for weddings!  Anyhow, one of my favorite things about this pattern is that the largest bag will hold a 9x13 inch pan.  How convenient is that?  Especially for taking food to potlucks, etc.  As luck would have it, I did have a chance to go fabric shopping while I was away.  :)  

I also went to Target, and purchased a baking dish that was on the bride's gift registry.  It's not a 9x13, but it is approximately 9" square.

Anyhow, I made the bag today.  The pattern is really well written, very clear directions with pictures to guide you through.  I didn't have to use my seam ripper.... not even once!  :)

Here is the finished bag...

The bag is lined, and a very heavy interfacing (the heaviest I have ever worked with) called Peltex is used, which makes the bag stand up.  The pattern uses a very neat method - it's like you sew channels in the bag and then you cut the Peltex to fit in those channels, and fuse to the lining side.  

I lined it with a light gray/white dot print.  I made the handles in reverse for a little contrast.  

I think I'll find a recipe to include - one that needs to bake in a 9" square pan.  And then I'll include some of the ingredients that aren't perishable.  Maybe, just maybe, I'll get a picture of it all put together.  

Here it is, one more time....

Last week

I was gone all week (last week), I had some classes to take for work, which required me to stay 5 nights in a motel.  That is a long time to be gone!  I brought my sewing machine along, and managed to get a little sewing time in the evenings...

I worked on making those blogs I talked about in my previous post.  Here are several of them, just laying them out to see how they look.  I still have a few left to make...

I went to a bridal shower this afternoon.  Yesterday, I made a couple of gifts for the bride-to-be...

I bought the fabric for the bag last week...... besides sewing in the evening, I had time for a little shopping!  This is not a quilting cotton, but rather a canvas fabric.  I interfaced it and lined it.  Sorry, I don't have any pictures of the lining.  The lining fabric was a quilters cotton.

I also made these 2 hot pads.  For the backing, I used a zig zag print fabric that I had in my stash.  Very similar to the canvas fabric, but the gray is a little lighter.

I also included a pizza pan (off their gift registry), pizza crust mix, canned sauce, a package of pepperoni, a can of olives and a can of mushrooms.  I didn't think it would be very wise to include cheese...... a little too warm for that!  :)

Now it's back to sewing more 4 patch blocks, so I can keep working on the x quilt ( officially called Arkansas Crossroads!).  

What I'm working on now...

I started working on a quilt for my oldest son and his wife a while ago.  It got put aside while I finished some other projects.  I pulled it out to work on it again tonight.  I have a long way to go....

I have been cutting brown strips, 2 1/2 inches wide.  Here is just a sampling of the browns I have been using.    

Lots of variety...... making scrappy brown 4 patch blocks.

Just a sampling in the photo below.  I need 288 of these for this project.  I am using both old and new fabric..... ugly and not so ugly!

After that, they get a triangle on 2 opposite corners. I just lay a 2 1/2 inch square on top, and stitch on the diagonal.  I am getting lots of bonus triangles from this project.

Here they are with the triangles sewn on...

After I get these blocks done, it will be on to scrappy 4-patch blocks..... I will not be using brown in them.  Mainly orange, yellow, pink and gray, with a few other random colors thrown in for variety.

I will keep you posted on my progress!

The auction

There was an auction yesterday.... at my neighbors house.  Maxine had been my neighbor.  She went to live in the Care Center last winter, and passed away early in the spring.  She and her sister Julia were living in their house 20 years ago, when we moved here.  Neither had ever been married.  Maxine worked in a city for a number of years, but when she retired, she moved in with her sister.  Julia was retired from the post office.  She had been the post master for a number of years. This had also been their parents' house, and both of them were born there.  Here is the house, from my back yard.

I was only in the house once, several years ago when Julia passed away, I went to offer my sympathy to Maxine.  She invited me in and we had a nice visit.  

Other than that, she seemed to prefer to keep to herself.

Her estate auction was yesterday.  They started with the house.  Old house, built in the early 1900's.  Not much updating.  The floors had really old linoleum nailed over hardwood.  Nice woodwork.  Not sure of the age of the furnace.  Would need electrical updates.  It went low.  Dirt cheap.  $2500.  For a 3 bedroom house!  It does need some work, but you could actually live in it that way it is.  Maxine did.  For a long time.

Julie and I served lunch out of the garage.  My dh and I own the grocery store.  The auctioneer had asked dh if we would like to serve food.  You know, things like hot dogs, donuts, coffee, bars, pop and water.  We went through a lot of pop and water.  It was hot and humid!  The garage is not pictured here.  It doesn't have electricity.  We ran an extension cord from my garage for the roaster to keep the hot dogs warm.  

Needless to say, the house selling so low was not a precedent of the way things were going to go.  I was interested in the car.  It was a 1990 Ford Crown Victoria.  Julie's husband, Tractor Joe, had agreed to bid for me.  Well, my top bid turned out to be the starting bid....

I convinced myself it was best if I just stayed in the garage and worked.  I told myself I didn't need anything.

Julie was out looking around.... she came back into the garage and said, " you really should go look at that stuff up near the front of the house.  There are some quilts and other stuff you might like."  So, I went.  and I bid on a quilt...... and I got it....

It is tied..... not with yarn, but it looks like a Pearl cotton.  I didn't see the back until after I took it back into the garage.  The back was made from old sugar sacks.

Crystal Sugar........ this one was turned inside out.

Love the directions on this one, telling how to open the bag.

I am thrilled to have won the quilt.

I got a box of other goodies too, I will show you those another day!

Part 2 of Quilts made before Blog!

I promised more quilts....... 

This is one of my favorites....... made for my daughter-in-law when she graduated from college.

This one was made for her sister when she graduated from high school.

A baby boy quilt with a few appliqued stars...

An easy baby girl quilt, given to a co-worker for her new baby girl...

And then there were also a couple of rag quilts.... also for co-workers new babies...

A bad picture of a t shirt quilt....

And a scrappy trip table runner.....

I think that's all........ at least all I can think of for right now!  Have a happy 4th!  Today is also my birthday.... I will be celebrating with my family.  :)