Beach Bag

This summer I made 2 of these Beach Bags from the Sew4home.com pattern Day at the Beach.

 My siblings and I decided to do a family trip to the beach this summer.  With my son, the oldest grandchild at 18 and my brother's daughter at 16 months it was quite an adventure.  It was the first time we had all been together in several years.  It was wonderful to hang out, talk, have dinner together and let all of the cousins play.  Even the adults did some playing.  My youngest sister's birthday was just the week before this trip.  As a crafty person I knew she would enjoy this beach bag.

I found this cute pattern, Day at the Beach Bag. on  the Sew4home.com website. I used canvas for the top half of the bag as recommended in the pattern.  I didn't have the same fondness for the Cotton & Steel Metallic Canvas so, I chose this cotton and linen blend from  Moda Mixologie in Cosmopolitan ice and Steel blue.

The bag is big enough to fit two or three beach towels in the main compartment.  Sunscreen and a book fit nicely into the front pockets.  And when your not at the beach, it makes a nice hide out for your cats:)

Did you miss me?

Beach Bag

Well, the rumors are true.  I am alive and well. (and still as busy as ever).  According to my calendar I have not written a blog post since March.  Can that be right?  WoW!  Quite a lot has happened since then.

My oldest graduated from High School and is now in College. (how is that possible?). Our beloved exchange student went back to Germany.  Both of the previous two boys were on crutches for different reasons. One school year ended and another began. We went on vacation/family reunion.  My two youngest had pneumonia over the summer, which prompted a host of doctors visits.  Band camp and Summer cross country camp came and went.  We are now back in full school mode and all that it entails.

One thing that didn't change.. I still kept on quilting and crafting.
Here are a few pictures of the things that kept me busy this summer...

Bee Blocks

Coaches Gifts

Beginning quilt class demo

cupcake pincushions

clemson t-shirt quilt

Graduation Quilt

Bee Blocks

Graduation Towels

I will go into more detail on the projects above soon.(plus a few more projects who's photos escape me;)

Memory quilts

I finished up 3 more memory quilts this past week.  I was keeping them under wraps until the owner picked them up.  Here they are....

Lap quilt.

Table runner 1

Table runner 2

Hard to believe all of these used to be items of clothing, isn't it?

Spring flowers

The last several days have been beautiful!  With temperatures in the 80's spring is here (perhaps not here but close).  The trees and shrubs loaded with buds ready to burst.  I have even seen spring flowers.  Many of the early bloomers are out!  Daffodils, phlox and magnolias are blooming, pushing away the gray dreary days.

I am dream of planting our garden and setting out pots of flowers.  Spring is definitely in the air.  I know it is still a bit early for planting and gardening but a girl can hope.  While I wait for that last frost to pass I am crocheting up my own little flower garden.  It is blooming slowly with each little flower.  Much like spring, it seems in no rush to arrive to it's destination. Happy to just bloom each day.

Crocheted Granny African Flower (also known as Paperweight granny) is a quick little crochet I have been quietly working on anytime I have a moment.  I am using a pattern I found on Craftpassion.com.     These cute little flowers of mine still need a white border row, but are pretty just to look at even without.

Thread

While sewing on Tuesday evening I ran out of black thread.  Hey. It happens.  I took out a new spool and threaded my machine.  As I have done every time I end a spool of thread for the past year I tossed the empty spool into a bucket.  Then I paused.

Last January I started a thread bucket.  I wanted to see just how many spools of thread I use over the course of a year. This last empty spool was the first empty spool of 2015.  How many spools did I use up.

Twenty one.  Twenty one spools of thread from 200m to 5000m.  Black, white and every color in-between (although admittedly mostly white).

I started saving spools hoping that this would help me plan ahead and know how much thread to purchase the next time I am out.  Now I know..  I need a lot of thread.

Poncho for me (almost)

I finished up my crocheted poncho!  I have been wanting to make myself a poncho for a while, 4-5 years?  With all of the things going on around here plus, my 1 year hiatus from yarn work and the lack of a pattern well it just didn't happen.

I stumbled upon this Lion Brand Pattern for this Laced Edge Poncho (maybe in an email) and armed with my wicked new crocheting skills I got to work.  The pattern calls for multiple colors of Vanna's Choice . The yarn is a cotton blend I had in my stash.  I found at Tuesday Morning so long ago I don't remember what city I was in.

I crocheted along for weeks here and there and then this happened. Perhaps it is a scenario you are familiar with, or perhaps not,  but it goes a little like this....

You are happily knitting or crocheting an item and your child/pre-teen/teen, who normally takes no notice in your craft becomes interested.  Not just interested but Super-Duper excited.  She/he doesn't casually ask about it, doesn't quietly become interested but with sudden and intense enthusiasm Loves It.  They ask to try it on.  They cuddle it.  They even ask the dreaded, "Who is this for?"  and without waiting for an answer they ask, "Are you making it for me?"  And then you are lost.  Doubt may creep into your mind and you think, "No, this is MINE."  But then the final nail is driven into the casket.  "It is like a warm Hug from you when ever I wear it."  This project that was once destine for your closet now has a new owner.  You cannot in anyway, shape or form deny this child the happiness this project has brought to them.  After all you can always make your own.  

  TA-Da.  a new poncho for me or Emma. 

Maybe we will share.:)

New Quilts

Last week I received not one, not 2 but 5 new requests for custom quilts!  Thanks to all of my former clients who are happy to pass on my name.

The first of the 5 quilts is to be a quilt for a new baby.  This is a memory/baby quilt for a repeat client of mine. Over the years she saved various articles of clothing from her daughter and son.  Her son blessed her with her first grandchild in 2013. It was then that I made this quilt for her.

 Some of my long time readers may remember see this on my blog.  Now with the addition of her second grandchild, this time it's her daughter's turn.  The new grandbaby's quilt will be as different as her two children.  This newest quilt will be modern and sleek and full of surprises.  I am pleased and excited to be making this newest quilt for her and Honored to have her as a return client.

The next quilt is a client who recently lost her mother.  She is having me make 2 memory table runners and one lap quilt.  The lap quilt is for the daughter who wanted the quilt made from her grandmother's favorite red and black tops.  I pondered over this a while.  I really felt a traditional quilt block setting would not quite suit the daughters tastes. Yet, I wasn't exactly sure how to honor the style of the grandmother clothing.  Then once again the internet pulled through.  I was reading my blog roll on Bloglovin' and came across the perfect quilt design.

Quilt by Emmalinebags.blogspot.com

This beauty was the creation of Emmaline Bags.  This is the pattern that was I waiting for.  There is even a pattern on the Emmaline bags blog if you want one of your very own.  Click here for the instructions.

I sent off a picture to my client who thought it was the perfect answer.  As of now I have the HST made and laid out.  A few minor adjustments and we will be ready to sew!

The next 2 quilts I am working on are still in the planing and gathering faze.  Both will be long table runners.  One in the reds and blacks pictured above and another in teal and pink.  I have yet to decide on a fabric to complement the clothing.

The last quilt is another t-shirt graduation quilt.  Tis the season.

Duty calls! I am off to the fabric store!