Using up my leftovers

I had some extra charms and extra yardage as well from my last quilt. As the fabric was easy to reach (unlike the rest) and I wanted to keep creating, I decided to make some little items with what I had left.
So ...
      #1. Nearly done is (what is supposed to be) a wallet-like pouch. It is bigger than I imagined. Just need to put on some binding, as I chose to quilt the layers all together.

 (the other side is the same patterns in opposite colors)

      #2. To put the wallet/mini-bag in - a purse! I remembered seeing a charm square purse on the moda bake shop. I didn't have the number of charms left to make it reversible, but went with the general idea for the outside. I have it pieced. I even put the two sides together... then realized I should have quilted it. (I have left over batting I am using too.)

 (this was supposed to face the same as the other side. Oops. I figured it out halfway through sewing it and decided it was fine.)

I decided I had enough sewing for one day and it was time to put my living room back together. I spent a lot of time today cleaning out the corners and clearing off the flat surfaces. :)

Pictures

I got some pictures last night when I finished tacking down the binding. I wanted to get some this morning too, but it was too gloomy outside. 

I really really wanted to get this to my friend before her surgery. I couldn't get it out of my head. It didn't work out to get over there last night (which is fine because it wasn't done). But I couldn't drive by this morning (had to go back to work to get my purse) without stopping. I caught her with her hair in a towel and no makeup, and simply handed it off and gave a hug and left. But I feel so much better - like there is a weight off my chest. It was folded up, so there wasn't much to see of it, but she was happy, said it made her teary. Her porch had wicker furniture and I saw a rose tea set on her living room coffee table. This was certainly the right material choice, and I am sure she will love it. (The porch would have been a great place to take a staged picture. Oh well)

It will probably be a couple months again before I make another quilt. I wish that wasn't the case, but at the same time I am happy about it. We are going to be moving into a 2-bedroom apartment, so I will have room to quilt. Currently I can't reach my sewing machine, I filled the dining room space with empty boxes.

One last step

One last step and I will be done with my latest project: an actual quilt with binding. It has been some time since I have made something with binding. I have gotten the binding on, using the tips I saw jaybirdquilts, and just need to sew it down by hand.

I am very proud of this quilt; it isn't perfect, but I did do a lot of things right that I have messed up before. I am especially pleased with how the quilting turned out as I debated if I wanted to do it myself or pay to have it done. I got zero puckers and my boss, who quilts, asked "how did you get the stitches so even?" I don't know, but I think it's just that I got the tension right this time.

Here it is tossed on my couch last night (sorry for the crummy iphone picture). I finished putting on the binding and went to bed. It's really easy to lose track of time when quilting. 

I was going to give it to a co-worker before she went in for surgery, but she is already on leave. So maybe she will be super nice and let me come by her home and drop it off. (She emailed previously and said she didn't want people stopping by and seeing her without her hair and make up done.)

Quilting Again

It's been some time since I decided to make a quilt. I've been having fun with little one day projects.  But I have all this fabric that I planned to make quilts with. 

One of the quilts I was going to make is for a co-worker. She has been dealing with health issues, and will be going in for heart survey at the end of the month. My plan was to make the Schnibbles Paganini quilt that I did for Le Petite way back in... October? November? There are 4 different layouts and I have been looking at the v 4. (having already done the first version) 

So this afternoon I cut up all the little squares I needed and the strips for the border. I was proud of myself for getting all that done right away.

So tonight as I have pull out the charm squares, in sets of 4, to put together, I had all these sets that looked like blocks. And now I am wondering if I should just put them together in that pattern. I threw them together and while I might move some blocks around, I think it is cute. And really a lot easier. As I discovered previously, just because something is small, doesn't mean it is easy or fast. And if I want to get this done by the time my co-worker goes into surgery, I am thinking this might be the better option. I'd end up with an unused stack of 2 inch squares, but oh well.

Opinions? Paganini or whatever this type of layout is:

Finished bag

Finished butterfly purse. Not bad for making it up without a pattern, if I do say so myself.

I'm not sure why this view keep rotating, but this is the inside, with 6 giant pockets.

Another bag

Bags are my favorite thing to make lately. They don't take much time. This is one I am currently working on. It is a birthday present for my little sister. She's turning 17. I need to cut some handles, square off the bottom (it's just pinned), and put it together at the top. I am excited about it. I just used what I had (trying not to spend money) and it's the first I made with fusible between the layers. And I also just improvised on the pockets. This was with 2 fat quarters and something a little less than a yard of black.

Also finished this one a while ago... also with fabric I had on hand.

A little coffee indulgence

My kitchen is currently decorated with a coffee theme, and the new Java line matches the colors perfectly, especially with the reds and oranges and browns.  I would love to get the kit and make this quilt. However, seeming how the kitchen will not be only mine in a couple months, and Jerry spent the last few years working in a coffee shop, that theme is not up his alley. But I couldn't help getting a little bit of it for myself - and got a charm pack on the way by the quilt store this morning.
I made a reversible cup sleeve (since they know me by name at the coffee shop) and am working on a coaster. I am not sure if I want to make the bottom of it a pinwheel like the top or not. I am a little perplexed however about how it turned out to be a larger square than I began with. And for that reason I think I may have to make another pinwheel. I might have gone ahead with it, but I think I will put a proper little binding on this - and don't want to make time tonight. I've got to go back to work tomorrow for the first time since Dec 23.