A Couple More Christmas Gifts

Christmas Gifts 2011, a set on Flickr.

I made another overnight bag for a Christmas Gift.... Here it is. I used a couple of charm packs of a Moda Fabric - Curio by Basic Grey. This is Simplicity 2274 (again). I pieced the body of the bag with the charm squares, and used yardage for the pockets, handle trim, and ends of the bag. I was pretty happy with the way it turned out.  If you click on each of the photos, you can get a much better view!

I also made a couple of ruffled dish towels. I started with some dish towels I got at Ikea....... I think I paid 79 cents each. Something really inexpensive anyhow. I added 3 rows of ruffles....I cut strips of fabric 2 inches wide, hemmed the bottom and both sides, and then ran a gathering stitch along the top. I sewed them to the towel, and topped it off with rick rack..... They turned out really cute, and I wish I made more! I'll have to start a little earlier next year!

Not the kind of day I was planning on...

I have one Christmas gift that I was hoping I could get sewn today, and a few small things that I would like to finish up before Tuesday.  Hmmm....... it looks like that might not happen.  My sewing machine started acting funny this morning when I was quilting with the walking foot.  I turned it off and back on again, and things were going along fine.  This afternoon, I was using a zig zag stitch around the edges, and I had some trouble again.  I thought maybe the needle was bent, and decided to change it.  The needle I was using fell down into the sewing machine.  I can't get it out, and I don't know if the problem is entirely because of the needle that fell inside, or if there was a problem from before. 

So, I will have Mr. Small Town look at it tonight.  But really, I doubt it's anything he/we can fix.  I think I need to take it in to the shop.  So, I might be borrowing a machine to finish up the Christmas things.......... dang!  I hate it when that happens!

A little something to go with the overnight bag

I decided to make a couple of bags to coordinate with the overnight bag.  I made the drawstring bag on the right using Jeni's tutorial found here. 

I made the bag on the left with a tutorial I found here.

The drawstring bag is super easy to make, and goes together really quickly.  The cosmetic pouch on the left was pretty easy too, just took a little more time.

Overnight Bag finished

I finished the overnight bag I was making for my daughter-in-law's birthday.  I think I am safe posting it here, as I am pretty sure she doesn't read my blog..... :)  (in fact, she might not even know that I have a blog...)  It's made from Simplicity 2274.  I made one back in October and if you look back through some of my older posts, you can read about it and see the photos.

This one is made in Kate Spain's Fandango.  I made one change to the pattern.  I used contrasting fabric for both the pockets and the handles.  The original pattern has you using the same fabric for both the bag itself and the pockets.  I see now that I probably should have centered the flowers on the handle... oh well, maybe next time!

I also found if you use a loftier polyester batting, the bag will stand up better. 

Since I still have quite a bit of this fabric, I might make a coordinating make-up bag to go with it.   

Thrift store find and 1 towel finished

I found this fabric last week at the thrift store.  I thought it was really cool.  I'm not sure exactly what I'll do with it, but it would make something cute for the kitchen.  It's kind of a border print - I can't say as though I've ever seen any fabric quite like this - half of it is the yellow print, and the other is the cream print.

 And here's the original price tag - 4 yards for $1.00.  That was what they were charging at the thrift store as well.  :) 

 I followed the tutorial found here for the towel.  I like her fabric much better than mine!  I was in a hurry to get one done, so I did not embellish this one.  I will be appliquing trees on some of mine, and might go for some with yo-yo's as well.  I had a hard time finding charm packs of Christmas fabric in my local quilt shops.  I bought some fat quarters and half yard cuts, and combined them with some Christmas (and non-Christmas) fabric from my stash.

T shirt quilt and pillows

I got the t shirt quilt back from the quilters earlier this week, and got the binding sewn on.  I was planning to bind it in purple, but I didn't have enough.  I had a different orange that I hadn't used in the quilt, so I used that for binding.

Here's the back.  The colors are off a little, but you get the idea.

I had one extra t shirt, and a few sleeves that I hadn't used.  I decided to make 2 pillows to go with the quilt.  The pillow are 16 inches square.  Here's the front of them...

and here's the backs. 

The quilt and pillows are for my daughter-in-law's sister.  I hope she's happy with the way they turned out! 

Yellow and Black Pinwheels

Back in July, I blogged about these blocks.  If I knew how to put a link here to take you back to that post, I would!  It was a really hot and humid day, and the camera lens got fogged over - I called them my hazy pinwheel blocks.  Anyhow, these blocks have just been sitting on my sewing table.  I trimmed them down so they are all the same size (9 1/2 inches square) and sewed them together.  I decided I wanted the quilt to be a little larger, so I added the black & white polka dot border. 

I had started sewing inch and a half strips together after I had pieced those blocks.  It was sort of an experiment that really didn't work out, as it was really wonky.  I cut that down for my outer border.  It still needs pressing, and also needs to be sewn onto the quilt, but I think I'll go for it.