Chubby Charmer Bag

I'm far from an expert bag maker...in fact, I haven't made many and those that I have are well...works in progress!  But I came across a super cute bag pattern at a local quilt shop that I just wanted to try.  Pair that up with an end of the bolt clearance sale at another local quilt shop and I decided to give bag making another go.

The Chubby Charmer bag was designed to be made out of five inch charm blocks, but the shop where I bought the pattern had it made up in just a solid piece of fabric.  Despite the headache that ensued from trying to figure out the math, I did my best to get it put together!  It involves quite a few layers of fusible fleece which made for some sore arms when trying to quilt it.

Nonetheless, I'm pretty happy how it turned out - please just don't pay too much attention to how the seams match up on the side!



If I had to do it again (which I'm not so certain I would), I would pretty much do it the same with the exception of how the interior pockets are constructed (whether I read the directions wrong or that's how it's written - some of the fusible fleece shows inside the pocket!



I added a snap (my first time ever doing that).  This thing is a monster in size - the bottom I added measures 9 x 17"!  I'm thinking it'll be great if I'm ever toting around a quilt that needs it's binding!

Snowflake Star

It's no secret that I love Kate Spain's fabrics.  I also love a good Christmas project.  So a couple of years ago when one of the major quilting magazines featured a Christmas project with Kate Spain fabric, I jumped at the chance.  Somewhere/somehow I snagged a Kate Spain jelly roll and slowly got to work on putting together the Snowflake Star quilt!

Fast forward a couple of years (yup...it really takes me that long) and I finally finished one!  (This mind you was after quite a few issues with it that at one point made me seriously consider giving up quilting).  Anyways, it got quickly quilted and bound in order to give to a quilty friend for Christmas.  She loves the color blue, and it's not everyday you find a holiday themed quilt that's got blue in it.



It's not too large - maybe about 38" square, but I think it's fun!

Should I even mention that one jelly roll makes four stars total?  Yup...that's a true statement.  But, in an effort to get some of my unfinished projects done, I soldiered on and finished the three additional tops.  They're currently sitting in the pile of projects that need to be sandwiched!  Perhaps one more will get done by next Christmas?

Knitting Project Bags

It's been a bit of whirlwind the past few months - coming off the holidays into the start of a new semester at work and then lots of other committments.  I haven't been crafting as much as I would like - other than a ton of scarves since they're fairly mindless.  But, in January I did get one project done...knitting project bags!

For Christmas my sis asked for some bags to use for her knitting projects.  So when I had a bit of time after the holidays (and we had chatted about what she had in mind), I whipped up three bags for her...


The tamest of the bunch


Because every knitting project needs some sheep


And because she builds helicopters (sorry for the somewhat blurry photo)

These were all made from Jeni Baker's (In Color Order) Lined Drawstring bag pattern.  She's got a great tutorial online, but I had purchased her pattern to get the dimensions for the bigger project bag, which these are!

They got sent along via snail mail shortly after they made and hopefully they're being put to good use!

Fall Scarecrow Quilt

For the past several Mother's Days, I've given my mom a series of wall hangings from the Wooden Bear. 

She's got a turkey, a Santa, a snowman, an Uncle Sam, and maybe one more...

For this past Mother's Day (yup, I realize it was six months ago), I added to her collection with a Straddling Scarecrow...perfect for fall!




Now, I've just got one season left...spring!  I'm notoriously late with these, so maybe I should get working on it over the holidays!



"Swoon"-ing Over Kate Spain

So, today's the last day of the Kate Spain Blog Hop hosted by Blossom Heart Quilts.  As I mentioned yesterday, I basically "lurked" my way through the blog hop - following along, but never making it known.  But, I promise, I have a good reason for my "lurking" tendencies - I was working on my entry for the "finished project" challenge...and boy did it take me the entire month!

When I read about the challenge Alyce put forward about completing a project (any type of project) using Kate Spain fabric, I took it as a sign to finally work on the project I've been dreaming of completing!

I've always been a huge fan of Kate Spain's designs.  My husband knows whenever there are Kate Spain items at Michael's - he can't go wrong bringing some notepads or those cute little clothespins.  I love all of her designs and wish it was a reality to buy fabric from each and every one of her lines! Anyways, a couple of years ago, when Kate Spain's Terrain fabric line came out, the Fat Quarter Shop offered a Designer's Bundle of about 12 fat quarters of Terrain and three matching solids.  Thanks to some very kind birthday presents from family, I was able to supplement it with four more prints, some solid white and some matching binding fabric.  I knew exactly what I wanted to do with it...make the ever popular "Swoon" by Camille Roskelley.

Fast forward however long it's been.  Recently I've been commenting that I've misplaced my "quilting mojo."  Anyone who reads this blog knows my finishes are spotty at best, but it was even harder to get myself into my craft room, and I'm not quite sure why - but that's a conversation for another day.  So, when I read about the Kate Spain blog hop and the challenge to post something you made in June out of her fabrics, it gave me the motivation I so deparately needed.

So, I give you my entry for the blog hop.  My Terrain "Swoon." 

ETA: Just realized this photo is from the side!

Here's one from the direction I'll probably use when on our bed...
 

I really did get this done in a month.  How?  I'm not really sure...I don't think I'd believe it myself if I didn't know it was true.  But I pulled down the fabrics out of their hoarding, errr hiding, spot in early June, got to cutting and put the last finishing stitches in this past Wednesday night.  Mr. Gnomemade helped me with photos this morning in the rush to get to work, so they're not ideal, but they work!

Here are some more shots!

 

And some individual blocks!

So thanks to Alyce for the blog hop - I got my quilting groove back!  And I got my Swoon done!  (Well at least the top of it!)  It was an effort - but in the end, I'm super proud of it! 

Kate Spain Blog Hop

Between work and home life, my blog gets sorely neglected.  Even finding time to read some of my favorite blogs can be challenging - and don't even get me started on commenting!  So, essentially, it means that I'm a blog lurker.  Yup - I'm that person who reads blogs, but essentially leaves no footprint behind.  I always have the best of intentions to comment or to link to blogs or in the most recent case make myself known that I'm participating in a blog hop.

But, alas, June has come and gone and I'm only now commenting on the fact that I'm loving the "Kate Spain Blog Hop" hosted by Blossom Heart Quilts.

I adore Kate Spain's fabric and I think I may make it a bit too well known in our household, because she's one of like two designers that my husband can identify!  So, when I came across that there was a blog hop, I followed along.  And when I realized that there was a call for us to work on a Kate Spain related project during the month of June - I knew I wanted to participate.

However, that brought me right back to my "lurking" tendencies.  I had a Kate Spain project that's been sitting on the shelf for longer than I'd like to admit.  I really wanted to do it, but could I get it done in a month?  And if so, could I also blog about it?  The answers to those questions were yes and no.  I started the project at the beginning of June and completed it last night.  Mr. Gnomemade took a photo of it this morning, and I'll have it posted tomorrow for the June 28th deadline!  [Insert sigh of relief here.] But, it was more time consuming than I ever imagined (in fact, I can barely believe I finished it in a month - and if what I post on my blog is any indication, I really don't work that fast in general).  So, it meant that I never even posted any progress shots of it!  But, thanks to the Blog Hop it gave me that incentive that I really needed!

So, thank you Blossom Heart Quilts for the motivation and incentive!

May the Quilt Be with You...

Nothing like a new baby coming along shortly to give you some inspiration!  Good friends of mine and Mr. Gnomemade are expecting their second child in June.  The first little one came along in August 2011, and she got a quilt made just for her (and Mom).  You see - mom loves everything owl and Wizard of Oz.  So, when the first little one was on her way, it was an easy decision of what type of quilt to make when I found an owl quilt pattern.  So, after months of work, Baby #1 was gifted with this quilt at the shower. 

Fast foward a year, and the Baby #1 turned one!  It seemed only fair that Dad get in the act and something that he loves.  And what does he love...nothing more than Star Wars.  I've never met a bigger fan!  So, Baby #1 got a set of Star Wars Finger Puppets. 

Well, now Baby #2 is on its way (we're not sure if it's a girl or a boy).  And since Mom got an owl quilt for Baby #1, I figured it was only fair that Baby #2's quilt is inspired by Dad.  After a lot of conversation with Mr. Gnomemade and a bunch of internet searches, I decided on an R2D2 Quilt!  I couldn't find any specific pattern, so I needed some inspiration - enter in a cute little photo on Google Images, which I used to inspire a pattern and voila...

R2D2 Baby Quilt, a photo by gnomemade quilts on Flickr.

I present to you the R2D2 quilt!  I'm pretty proud of this one!  It's made of primarily Kona Cotton solids, and is machine appliqued.  I did some interlocking square/rectangular quilting on the light blue background.  Overall, it came out pretty well, but it's a little wavy since I doubled the white fabric to keep the blue from showing through, which made that a bit thick compared to the quilted part.  But, it's a baby quilt, so hopefully Baby #2 won't mind!

And of course, a Star Wars inspired quilt needed an appropriate back.

 

 

Baby #2 is due in June, so I'm way ahead of schedule!  Woo hoo!  It's ready to be packaged up and delivered either at a baby "sprinkle" or when the baby arrives!  However, now that I think about it...dad got both a quilt and finger puppets, and mom's just gotten a quilt.  Anyone have any ideas about owl or Wizard of Oz finger puppets?  I've got over a year until Baby #2 turns one!

 

Final Stats:

R2D2 Quilt

Appliqued and Quilted by: Me!

Inspired by Pinterest /Tumblr Image

Size: ~36 x 40