A Sew-lful Weekend

Finally.... another weekend full of sewing. Gramma took the kids overnight on Friday so I was able to
a) Go to JoAnn's for some fabric,
b) Sleep in Saturday morning - or not...
c) SEW!!!!! I had the day to myself until about 3:30.

Brittany had recently asked me to make some bibs for her little cutie pie, Zander. As I was waiting in line at JoAnn's with the fabric for said bibs, I saw a copy of Quilts & More Magazine with a bib pattern. One 40% off coupon later I was out the door with new fabric and a magazine full of new ideas.

On Saturday I made 3 bibs and today I made 2 more, plus a new purse that has been floating around in my head recently. Moda + Muslin = Love.

It's funny how once I started making purses about 2 1/2 years I haven't bought one at a store. Every once in a while I just feel the need for something new, as do most people. But instead of shopping around at the nearest TJ Maxx or Coach outlet (I wish!), I head to the fabric store. This particular Moda fabric was a member of the "discontinued fat quarter bin" at Mariner's Compass before Christmas. Jeanne bought it for me because for some reason it just whispered to me "I want to be a purse..." So today I pulled it out, grabbed a 1/2 yard of muslin that I found on clearance for $.79, found a few scraps of sueded blue fabric and a bit of canvas strapping. Voila! My new bag! I even used the floral Moda to make a matching button. I guess I'm kind of liking triangles lately.

So that's that for today. I really need to get the backing done for my mom's Christmas quilt as well as the borders and backing for my own Moda quilt. Maybe next weekend...

Shannon's Book-Writing Quilt

This weekend I was finally able to sew something from start to finish.

I made a lap quilt for my friend, Shannon, at work for her birthday. She is an aspiring novelist and has been working diligently on her first novel which we are all hoping will get published.

Shannon's favorite color is pink, so I used Moda fabric in the Boutique Line by Chez Moi for the squares. The white fabric is my favorite discovery of all time: Kona White Muslin. This is the softest, most lovely feeling fabric ever. I'm talking Egyptian Cotton Sheets quality. Yumm! The backing is a basic bubble gum pink flannel for warmth and coziness.

Since I don't have a darning foot or a nice quilting machine (ssshhhh, don't tell my Singer) I am forced to improvised when quilting. I actually sew the 3 layers together inside out, flip it right side out, then I sew along the edge about 1/2 inch in. I usually have a little bunching when I connect the end to the beginning, but I'm learning to accept that for now. On this quilt I added a pink wavy border all the way around and a pink wavy line down the middle. Again with the bunching where the stitching meets up with itself, but, ah well.

So this quilt is named Shannon's Book-Writing Quilt because I want her to cuddle up in it while she writes her novel. I'm not quite sure how inspirational a pink floral quilt can be when writing a murder-mystery, but at least she'll be warm while she writes :)

Edited to add: Oops!!! Sorry! It was the Charisma Collection by Chez Moi, not Boutique.