Finally! A Friday Finish

The last time I posted a "finish" was July 25. Must be summertime, huh?

Today I have two finishes -- both are bags.

First up, I finally made a Sew Together bag! Friend Mary taught two classes at Ruth's Stitchery for the Sew Together bag. I have to say, it's not difficult -- but it's a lot easier when someone who has made a dozen or more of the STBs is looking over your shoulder.

Here's mine:

Yes, that's Cotton + Steel 2.5" squares. No, they're not available for retail sale. A friend brought them back to me from Spring Market. The "Cotton + Steel" tape was wrapped around the fat quarter bundle I bought to make the inside:

Megan recommends inserting the zippers with one zipping the opposite direction. It helps reduce bulk.

Susie (not of Magic Binding fame) made this lovely winter STB, and let me photograph it to share with you.

Here's the interior of Susie's bag:

I can't wait to start another one!

While hiding out at Mary's cabin last weekend, I got a good start on a "Beatle Bag" from Abbey Lane Quilts.

I finished it up this morning by hand-stitching down the binding and adding some unique goodies to the interior plastic zip bags.

I love that the pincushion is attached with Velcro, so it can be taken out of the bag when needed elsewhere.

The hardest part for both Mary and for me was finding a ring large enough for the unique closure method.

The longer outside strap wraps around the bag, through the ring and fastens with Velcro on the back:

[Oh yeah, see how well my hand is healing?]

Of course, I had to include one of my new pink "PeaceLoveandHappiness" labels.

Stay tuned for another Sunday De-Stash this weekend!

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Back to the WIP Wednesday

Yes, it's been 10 days since my last post! I hate when people say "did you miss me?" (umm, no.) so I won't. I've been "camping" at friend Mary's cabin -- no internet, but gorgeous Colorado Scenery!

A lovely place for some morning stitching:

 And the huge windows face the Colorado sunset:

We spent most of our time working on Abbey Lane's "Beatle Bag." Details to follow!

Once I returned home, I went straight to work on my August UFO challenge. It's the Ryokan quilt, begun two years ago at a block party at Ruth's Stitchery. I've decided to "biggie-size" it to make it fit a full-size bed. Which means eight more blocks.

I'm using Judy Hopkin's "501 Rotary-Cut Quilt Blocks" to choose and sew the additional 6.5" blocks.

So far I have five completed. You'd think, after 111 size 6.5" blocks for the Farmer's Wife quilt, I'd never want to make "little" blocks again. Especially when I choose "Chinook," which has 75 pieces!

I haven't sewn the "quilt blocks" to the "houses" yet, in case I decide to shift them around a bit.

The sashing is 1.5" squares set in two-patches. I'm using it as my "Leaders and Enders" project. A great way to finish a boring part of the quilt!

Linking up to WIP Wednesday at Freshly Pieced.

I hope to have a finished "Beatle Bag" to show you on Friday. Come back and see!

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Sunday Stash:That's Not All

I told you! Three Sunday Stashes in a row? Wow!

My idea of a really great shop is one that has fabric I can't find at my LQS. Around the Block in Cheyenne, Wyoming is a really great shop!

Here is the last of my stash enhancement from the Downton Abbey Retreat trip:

"Branching Out" from  Hoffman Fabrics. Designated for drawstring bags.

"Paw Prints" by Kathy Davis for Free Spirit. Because it looks just like Samosa!

Alexander Henry Fabric Collection, Westminster Fibers, "Sanibel" by Gina Martin for Moda. 

More drawstring bags.

"bisou dot: by De Leon Design group for Alexander Henry, "vie en rose" by Alexander Henry. 

You guessed it -- more bags!

I'm a major "Wizard of Oz" fan, and when I found out Around the Block is doing a WoO BOM, well. These darling little half-pint milk cartons each contain a block that will finish at 8" X 9" and make up onto a perfect wall hanging size quilt. They are designed by Happy Hollow Designs. And ohmigoodness, they have WoO ornaments, too!

So far, I have "Funky Monkey," "Tin Can Man," "City Folk," and "Farm Fresh Eggs."

Another really great quilt shop is Cotton Candy Sewing Shop in Loveland, Colorado. Chrystal's shop specializes in modern fabrics and fun project samples.

Since I'm no longer driving to Ohio twice a year, with a little detour to Stewartsville and the shop of Tula Pink's mama, I missed this collection completely!

Moon Shine by Tula Pink for Free Spirit

Ever since Carolyn Friedlander came to speak at the Front Range Modern Quilt Guild last month:

Carolyn Friedlander for Robert Kaufman. My new obsession.

Peter Jorjus for Blend; Bartholo-meow's Reef by timandbeck

 I know! I won the entire fat quarter collection of Valori Well's "Cocoon" when it first came out. But this print is on linen! Won't it make a wonderful drawstring bag?

"Cocoon" by Valori Wells for Westminster

I usually shop for yarn at Loopy Ewe in Ft. Collins. They have really stepped up their fabric selection since my last visit!

"Doe" by Carolyn Friedlander for Robert Kaufman

If you're a "Sweetwater" fan, you may have heard of Fort Morgan, Colorado. Not only is it the home of the Sweetwater girls, it's home to Inspirations Quilt Shop. It was my first stop on my Retreat Road Trip, so I only bought two patterns. (I know! Gasp!) Good ones, though!

The staff at Inspirations has this design made up in Downton Abbey fabrics. Since I have the entire Downton Abbey FQ collection, I had to have this pattern!

Abbey Lane Quilts is the designer of the clever "Beatle Bag." Friend Mary will be teaching the class on this bag at Ruth's Stitchery later this month. "Meter Maid" is a 15 fat quarter quilt -- perfect for some of those FQ bundles I can't seem to resist!

And "just one more" low volume bundle. I so appreciate Pile O'Fabric, because they label each FQ with the fabric name, manufacturer, designer and collection. They even include the SKU, so if you need more of a specific print, it's so easy to order!

 

 "Maker" Low Volume Bundle

Guess what? They have quilt shops in Texas! 
More Sunday Stash Reports to follow!


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Road Trip Stash and De-Stash

Road trips by car are dangerous for quilters and knitters.  All that room to fill with purchases -- even in the Mini Cooper!

Just for fun, here's a photo of Jack-in-the-Trees at Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park:

Definitely a "bucket list" trip.

So did I buy any fabric on this trip?  Umm -- yep!

Stash

Enough Cotton + Steel deco weight to make a Noodlehead Super Tote for me.

Some "beachy" cottons from Creative Fabrics in Wheeler, Oregon. These are to make a block for one of the members of the 2013 Scrap Squad. She wanted "anything that reminds you of the beach." What's better than fabric from the beach?

I love to visit the shops in Quilt Sampler's Shop Hop magazine. We "happened" to duck into Boersma's Sewing Center in McMinnville (the GPS really, really wanted us to drive I-5 from Portland to California!). This is quite the shop -- at least a half-dozen long-arms in their basement classroom and at least as much fabric as Ruth's Stitchery! Their project in the magazine is my favorite, so how lucky that this is the one shop I got to visit.

The one place I wanted to visit in San Francisco was Britex Fabrics. So after touring numerous historic ships and Fisherman's Wharf, My Little Sailor followed me to Britex. Wow. Just. Wow. I was so overwhelmed, the only thing I bought was buttons for two sweaters, and big metal rings for Friend Mary to use on our next Abbey Lane Beatle Bag.

I missed one skein of yarn on Thursday's knitting post. This lovely thing is from Tangled Yarns in Tillamook. 

As is the lovely matching shawl pin on the left. The Julie Ueland pin is from the Latimer Quilt & Textile Center. Years ago, when I worked at Pacific Lutheran University in Tacoma, Julie also lived in Tacoma. Each season she had a special sale of her jewelry. So I had to buy this just for old time's sake!

Wonder what this is?

It's the ends of these glass knitting needles gifted to me by DD. Aren't they gorgeous? The "needles" are size 10, so I'll have to find some chunky yarn to knit a scarf using them.

Last purchases from our trip are not fabric, nor yarn. This Lucky Cat, or Maneki Neko, is black to protect family. Appropriate, as MLS returns to Japan tomorrow!

And I added a "few" Starbucks mugs to my "You Were Here" collection:

De-Stash

As a reward for reading all the way through this long post, I have 8+ yards of batik fabric to offer you! The first person who comments on this post with your PayPal email address and zip code, gets the de-stash for the cost of postage. It will fit in a medium-size flat-rate box, so US postage will be $12.65.

Think of me tomorrow as I make the early-morning trip to the airport to send My Little Sailor back to Japan for two more years!

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