A Bag for All Seasons

...and for all reasons.  The top bag is 7" x 9", started as an 18" quilted square, and is perfect for carrying cash, credit cards, passport, sun glasses,chapstick - you know, life's essentials.

The middle bag started as a 21.5" quilted square and is now a 9" x 11" bag - perfect for a Kindle and its charging equipment.  Fellow CPS retiree Carol Conway received a Kindle for Christmas from her family - and this bag is a belated birthday present.

This bottom bag is just perfect for carrying an iPad.  It's 10" x 12" and began as a 24" quilted square.

Full credit for this original pattern goes to the Jinny Beyer website.  And I must quickly add how terrific it is to work in a clean and organized space.

A Busy Elf

John's sister Chris ordered 6 envelope purses to give as Christmas presents. Luckily the weather this weekend cooperated and I was able to get all of them finished. There really is something to the saying "Practice makes perfect."

The purse I like this most is this one because I was able to experiment around with some free-motion quilting. I have one more piece of this batik fabric, and I want to try kicking the quilting up a notch.

The MORS bags are for my mom to give as Christmas presents. These Christmas fabrics all have gold in them and are pretty snazzy. One set of bags is smaller than the others - the piece of fabric I had wasn't quite enough for full-size bags. I'll get to the final Christmas commission - just not today!

Today's Letter is P!

This holiday weekend has been so nicely productive. Today I worked on two purses and a pillow. The purses are ones I started Thanksgiving morning (note to self: not entertaining is a good thing!), did the handwork last night, and finished up today with velcro and magnetic closures.  The one of the left is a 90th present for Aunt Marge.  The middle envelope pocket has a couple of cards and a pen/flashlight - she's always been one to write notes.

The pillow is made from the cuffs of Bradley's shirts.  I had to do some quilting to keep the layers of cuffs in place and to try to make the best display of some lovely pearlized snaps.  The design is loosely based on the Courthouse Steps variation of the Log Cabin.  18" x 18"

Finishing the ...

I've talked about Stephen Sondheim and his lyrics before.  I have to go back to Sunday in the Park with George but this time to the lyrics of the song Finishing the Hat.    In this musical the French Impressionist artist George Seurat is working on his large painting "Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte" but his girl friend Dot want to go out. He just can't tear himself away from his work.   The fictional Seurat sings "more red, more blue blue blue - finishing the hat."  We've leaving town for a week, and I'm frantic to "finish my hats."  Only it's quilts - and purses.

The quilts for Sheila are finished.  I'm hoping to photo and blog about them before Saturday.  The shirts to the left all belong to Bradley - they were given to me by his brother Christopher and will be quilts for Bradley's mother and sister.

And there are always the purses.  Finishing the purse.  And starting a new one.  And finishing that one.  And on to the next one...

Update 11/4/10 Gave my sister Paula a purse fashion show this morning and she chose this one. Perfect! Happy Be-earlied Birthday!

Taking Shape

With every t-shirt quilt I do, I am always amazed at how sashing strips define the design and unify the shirts. I usually start with vertical strips that are the same length as the height of the pieces. These strips are invaluable in making the blocks hold their shape. This quilt is going to be for little Ella Hughes's first big girl bed, and the purple is perfect. There's a terrific print that will be the outer border. The backing will be a combination of various purple prints, all of which will make this perfect for a little girl's bedroom.  One of the fun parts of quilting is starting with 75 pieces which then turn into 40 pieces which then turn into 6 pieces. which then - well, you get the idea.  Very satisfying.  Below is my latest envelope purse with only one side of the strap attached.  This is one of those days where there aren't enough hours.

For Wendy

I have a QFF - Quilting Friend Forever in Wayne Rhodes.  He's my quilting Doppelganger, even to the extent that both of us are left-handed and we each sew on a Husqvarna. My friendship with him is invaluable.  Last year I made a quilted jacket for his wife Wendy.  A couple of times John and I have gone out with Wayne and Wendy. If Wayne and I lapse into quiltspeak, there is great rolling of the eyes by John and Wendy.  Last night they were over for dinner, and I gave Wendy this little purse made from her jacket scraps, perhaps as a bribe to keep her eye rolling to a minimum.  John is another story...

Control in the Studio

There are several reasons why I quilt, chief among them color and design.  But control certainly enters into it.  There are parts of life, especially in my life at this point, that I have no control of.  To balance these uncertainties, I create and sew.  Touching, ironing, cutting, sewing, quilting - all are familiar steps I can use with new colors and designs.  And the process is soothing and satisfying, especially when there are finished products.  Here are two more Jinny Beyer Envelope Purses - 9" x 7".  The handwork is getting easier, and each time I do this pattern I learn something new.  Christmas presents?  Perhaps.  All I know is that I need to be doing these right now.

Oh, I forgot.  A part of our living room ceiling fell today - we now have a lovely 6' by 3' problem area - I mean decorating opportunity.