Three More WOW! Duffel/Totes and an Aeroplane Bag in Process

These three new WOW! duffel/tote bags are all very clever and very sturdy. I'd provide a link, but all I know is that I bought the pattern from the Jinny Beyer web site. The pattern is clever, and I've made it before. My sister-in-law gifted her realtor with a bag from my studio, and this is what Linda chose, along with two others, gifts for her sisters. Stylish! Sturdy! So practical! Below is an Aeroplane bag due in mid-September for Wayne's mother-in-law, whom I love. I can't wait to start this. Pauline has chose the black and white striped fabric draped over the bag and wants a hot pink lining. Talk about traveling in style!

Trip Kit #7 and a Process Post

Kit #7

Sheets of Strips

Some interesting batiks

Ethnic?  African?  I love this...

Trip Kits 4, 5, and 6

Seeing these kits makes me eager to start sewing. Stay tuned for some quilty loveliness! (Third picture makes me realize I need a different middle border...)

Creating Trip Around the World Kits

Between Aeroplane Bags and Trips Around the World, it seems I have traveling on my mind when actually we have nothing but a little road trip to Kansas City in September planned.  However, the Chicago Modern Quilt Guild's Fall 2013 Sew-to-Serve-Chicago charity focus is Teen Living, an organization that helps foster teens transition to independent living. What a great reason to go through my stash and revisit one of my favorite and first quilting patterns.  So far I have three kits put together.  And looking at what's on the studio floor and still on the stash shelves, I think there are at least three more kits to put together.

Eileen has volunteered to do this kit of turquoises and browns. Are you noticing that none of these kits so far is very girly? What can I say? Stay tuned for more kits... (final word: Hooray for new rotary cutter blades and my Oliso iron!)

Just One More AeroPlane Bag...

Here's my third Aeroplane Bag, and it's my favorite. The body fabric? there was just enough. In fact, you'll see a little black gusset on each side because I ran out. This is the smaller of the two pattern options offered.
The zippers have tabs, and I'm much happier with this finish.  Thanks, Jen BB, for this.  The pockets require a fat quarters, and I found these two crane pieces that I got from Ebony.  The bottom portion of this bag is a home dec fabric.  Let's see how this wears.  Most amazing of all, I found in my little box of odd accessories purse feet (I know - PURSE FEET and I had some on hand!).  So I'm trying out 6 of these.  Now, where is that Aeroplane Ticket?

Tabbed Zipper

Orange Crane pocket

Red Crane pocket

6 little purse feet

Stash Busters!

An opportunity to go through my stash and create some quilts?  (more about Chicago Modern Quilt Guild's Sew to Service Chicago charity later...)  Fabulous.  I'm going to resurrect one of my favorite patterns:  Eleanor Burns's Trip Around The World, a wonderfully time and fabric efficient version of the Amish Sunshine and Shadow design.  The body of the quilt uses six different fabrics, three-fourths of each.  Look at the index of the bottom right of this blog for examples of these quilts.  Anyone want to join me-either on line or here at the studio? 

Wintersection

 Wintersection has been in process since June, and today it is due - along with the other calendar challenges - at the Chicago Modern Quilt Guild meeting. 
It is 36" wide, and the left side of it is 43" long.  The right side is 32". 

Eileen and Melissa were instrumental in how this piece developed and turned out, and I'm thankful for their input.  John gave me the name, which I think is just perfect. 

The inspiration for this piece came from a picture provided by Wayne from his copy of Joen Wolfram's Patchwork Persuasion, p 86.  Quilter Erika Odemer from Munich, Germany, created a piece entitled "January Quilt", the basis of which was rich colors and strong design lines.

January Quilt, 1993 - Erika Odemer, Munich  67" x 49"

In recent years I've been drawn to more blacks and neutrals and reds.  This piece is my third in this palette. I've experienced over 60 Chicago winters, and winter is definitely my favorite season.  I know the season gets long and cold and dark.  But within winter there is light and joy and warmth.

There is a sparkly overlay on the bottom light section, which was actually a gift wrapping.  Like any crow drawn to sparkly things, I asked John's sister Chris if I could have this wrapping on her June birthday gift.  I don't use "found" bits in my quilting, so this is quite a departure.  As is the shape of this piece.  My Chicago Modern Quilt Guild is the perfect place to take some quilting risks. 

Here's the back of the piece and its label.  This quilt, along with the others sumbitted today, will now be photographed and judged and  used for 16-month calendar for a CMQG fundraiser.  This calendar will be available for sale November 14, 15, and 16 at the Original Sewing and Quilting Expo in Tinley Park, IL.  And all submitted quilts with travel for a year with the Original Sewing and Quilting Expo shows. 

Just a word of warning:  this calendar is what all my friends are getting for Christmas! 



 

 

Aeroplane Bags - Completion!

These two Aeroplane Bags (pattern from SewSweetness) are complete.  The pattern directions are good ones and easy to follow.  With the exception of the zipper.  Here's a little modification I had to make to hide a kershimmeled part:

 Some buddies were over for a sewing day, and I think Jen got the zipper right.  But it was too late for me and either one of my bags.  Both of my bags are absolutely functional, and truthfully - I have always had a bit of difficulty with zippers.

I made both sizes included with the pattern, and obviously I used the same fabric for both.  Whether to use the fabric vertically or horizontally was a issue.  How much fun to do both bags and decide which I prefer.  I do like the smaller of these two bags and will send the larger one to my sister.

See the little zipper pull?  That clever Eileen bought some for all of us on our little Aeroplane Bag day.  I love how it functions.  This pattern is one I will make again.  Meanwhile, I gotta get some aeroplane tickets!

Aeroplane Bag - Large

Aeroplane Bag - Regular

Rich Life

February 2012 my fabulous Chicago Modern Quilt Guild got involved with the Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative. Since 2007 Ami Simms and her relentless crew of volunteers have raised almost a million dollars for Alzheimer's research. Fellow guildster Eileen O'Regan and I have had the luxury in our personal lives to be able to volunteer 20 hours a week to this organization. It hasn't been easy. During this time Eileen's father died, and my Alzheimer's mother has gotten progressively worse. Many in our guild made small art quilts for AAQI to sell or auction. Here's the one I made, Joyful Noise.

My mom's sense of music is the one thing that remains vibrant for her. The top picture is the one Eileen made, and the one I bought. She named it "A Rich Life". There is a vibrant core, and this vibrancy fades closer to the edges. My mom is at an edge, and her vibrancy is gone. Sadness for my mom is tempered by so many joys in my life. One joy has been this new friendship with Eileen. AAQI is coming to an end in a few months, but I know we will remain connected. Tuesday some friends are coming over to work on a new bag/tote pattern. I have quilts rolling around in my head that I need to get out.

 Life's sadness is tempered with life's joys. There is richness in both.

Top 10 Signs of Procrastination

10.  I'm thinking of taking my third walk of the day.

9. I decide to do a process post of the coaster set I just finished. Hexagons, like baby bibs, are not the way I roll.
8. My eyes keep averting "Winter" on the design wall.
7. I go through my thread cabinet to see which colors I am missing.  And see?  I am missing some!

6. I decided I need to alphabetize by author the 9 books on the stairs that I've been meaning to read.
5. I'm actually thinking of reorganizing my own fabrics, something I usually pay one of the kids to do.

4.  These new little clips I got?  Fabulous.  And certainly worthy of a blog entry...  Maybe I should do that right now...














3.  I try to find my list of UFO's - perhaps today is the day to get busy on one of them.
2.  I am thinking about the ingredients in my baking cabinet, even though it's much too hot to even think of turning the oven on.

And the top reason why I know I'm procrastinating:  1.  I think I need to do a table runner or some placemats to match these six coasters. 

These coasters are for Sue and Larry, a couple from Wisconsin that we travelled to Morocco with.  Our day on camels at the edge of the Sahara involved a regret that Sue helped me get over. 

But seriously, I'm putting everything away for now.  Except Winter...