Dumpling Zip Pouch

Las Vegas Modern Quilt Guild members are swapping zip-pouches tomorrow. There were not many guidelines given, only to avoid holiday themes.

The inspiration came from a 7" piece of the rayon/linen fabric, found in the remnant pile at JoAnn's last week. Noticing it's metallic sheen, I immediately thought of the shiny DMC floss I've had stashed for several month's now.

I stitched slowly, carefully, so as not to snag this floss as I worked, yet the stitchery was finished quickly! I chose one of my favorite Kaffe scraps for the inside PoP

This is the smaller-sized Dumpling Tutorial at Michelle Patterns. I had a couple mental complications and received a bit of seam ripper refreshment training, completely removing the zipper after already notching my curves. I could've avoided all that ripping if only there were a way to open the pouch from the inside lol. I think I turned the darn thing inside out and back again five more times than necessary, but I am still so happy with the result!
BTW, the floss is DMC six strand and I used three strands for the over-sized cross-stitch.

 I am sharing this cutie with Elm Street Quilts Bag It Challenge: Only two more days to enter!

One Monthly Goal Linkup: Celebrating September Finishes!

I've completed my first bag for the Bag It 2016 Challenge!! I am ON it, right? I want to make six bags this year and there is no time to lose; the linkup at Elm Street Quilts closes in only 83 days!

I began with a pretty batik sunflower, part of a bundle I won from Mary, at Quilting Grandma Designs.
Can you guess what I have stashed inside those pockets?

Come closer, my pretties,

aaah,
That's better.

My dimensions vary a bit from the tutorial that I used, offered by Carole of From My Carolina Home. I won a gorgeous box of Aurifil Threads from Carole recently. The brightly-colored spools inspired me to pull special fabrics, and piece the inside pockets. It'll be a cheerful burst of color every time this pouch is opened!
For the circles, I ironed freezer paper templates right on the fabric. Easier to rotary cut the fabric that way, and I can re-use them when I make another.
This bag is destined for my SIL. It has a similar style as the jewelry roll I made for her last year, the one on the right with similar bell-style, metal cord stops.

I picked them up at a local bead shop. They fit snuggly and I really like the finish!

Because this is a Christmas gift, I am linking my finish up with Ho, Ho, Ho, and On We Snowman, hosted this month by Sandra Sews!

Just One week left to reach your One Monthly Goal! 

I finished my September goal, btw, to complete the I-Spy backing, but have not photographed it yet. Perhaps I will join the party and link it up here! 

See you soon!!

An InLinkz Link-up

One lucky participant will also win an I-Spy bundle, custom cut from my stash! 
Here it is in-process:

Please visit our OMG sponsors this month, as a way of saying...

Thank you!

10 Things I Learned Sewing the Marrakesh Overnighter Bag

Southwest Summer Tote, 17" x 14" x 7.5"

 Marrakesh Overnighter, found in The Better Maker, by Nicole Mallalieu

I began making the Marrakesh Overnighter, having had some experience making zip-pouches, bags, & such. I was looking to step-up my skills and get comfortable using hardware (for that PRO finish!).
Now I can say I have successfully installed metal feet, hidden magnet closures, handles with rings and tabs, an adjustable shoulder strap, and a large zippered pocket inside! New skills gained.

 And ten things learned:

1. One step at a time. For me, bag-making is step, by step, by step, and on. When I enter my sewing room to work on it, I select one step and tackle it.

2. Purchase a pattern or a book? Books, in general, tend to offer more patterns, inspiration, and instruction than individual patterns. Better Bagmaker has all of the above! As a beginner, I found I had to pour over each of the technical aspects, of each step, which had me jumping all over the book.  How nice to gain enough experience to complete one of the patterns from it's instructions, without having to see three different pages at the same time. That kind of experience would also provide the confidence for the third thing I learned while making the Marrakesh Overnighter...

3. Beef it up! Have the confidence to make changes you know you want. There were things I wanted to alter but did not: wider straps, larger rings, beefier magnets, or rather, a gusseted zipper enclosing the top! Another advantage to the book is to have instructions for features like this so that your bag really can be your own.

4. 1/4" fusible tape! Following advice in the book, (and because I just happened to have a roll), I used 1/4" iron-on adhesive tape to install the pocket assembly to the zipper. Iron the paper-backed adhesive to the finished facing unit, peel the paper off, and press it onto the zipper before top-stitching. This method was a dandy, and left me feeling quite justified in stashing things.
Things like 1/4" adhesive tape.

5. Use glue if it helps. There was no mention of this in the book, but I used a glue-stick a few times as well. A dab will hold a seam allowance open before seams are joined. It would probably work well for the zipper facing too, if you happen to have run out of 1/4" adhesive tape...

6. Those dots you mark from the pattern sheet may not line up the way they used to, even if they are still in the center of that panel. Next time, I may try to figure out the best snap location by hanging the bag, to see how the sides come together. Mine works well enough, but it is slightly off - 1/4" or so and it would feel more natural.

7. What I learned when I had to un-install my magnets:
Make sure to buy them BEEFY, haha!
It was disappointing to pick the bag up by the handles, after installing the first set of magnets, and watch the bag just open right up! I had purchased the correct diameter, but a thin model.
Well, they were easy enough to remove.
Which led me to thinking..

8. Upcycle! Watch for used hardware that is re-usable! As affordable as Bagmaker Supply really is, free cant be beat! Maybe you can rescue a magnet from a worn purse! I found three purses with pink price tags at my local thrift last week, .99 cents each! I salvaged rings, swivel hooks, and..
Magnets! Straight away, I checked the prong size to the slits previously cut, and they fit!

9. Interfacing know-how. Non-woven interface stretches much more in one direction than it does in the other. It occurs to me now that that may be odd, the fact that I just learned this while making the bag. Perhaps this is common knowledge? I am aware the width of quilting fabric has more give than the length, and I consider it when cutting borders, and interface is certainly not a new product to me, I just never pulled on it.

Ignorance is bliss, and my sewing space is a happy one, haha!
In the future, I will reach for woven interface to create strong tabs and things that should not stretch.

10. About that base. I will probably cover a removable base for this tote. My book suggested template plastic because it can be stitched, yet still be manipulated, and even washed. I cant give a fair review of this method since the template plastic I had on hand had been rolled for year's. Combined with stiff interfacing, quilted batting, and lining with interfacing, it is quite stable. Still, it is a large bag and I think I will like the structure inside with a nice, flat bottom.

It is not too late to hop over and join Jan at Sew and Sow Farm!

Le Challenge SPACE for Art Pens!

This month's Space challenge lured me to use some lovely Handmaids fabric from Quilting Treasures, to make storage bags and organize my art pens!

I used a heavyweight wool fabric to line the pencil roll that now holds my set of 24 Lyra watercolors.

The pouch holds all my fabric pens.

The pens are made by Evanscraft for Cross Stitch purposes, they work as well on fabric as Pigma Microns. I really treasure them because, unfortunately, they are no longer available.

I covered some foam-core board to stabilize the bottom.

The top fabric is almost like a burlap, perhaps a linen though I am unsure. Found the perfect little charm at Michael's!

Thank you so much Lucy, and Nat, for this month's Le Challenge theme, 'Space', that has prompted me to organize a bit!

I am also linking these up with Bag It! at Elm Street Quilts - today is the last day of this fun challenge!

Sew Mama Sew Giveaway Day!

Hope y'all have set aside some surfing time this week because... 

It's Giveaway Day, the Ultra-Fun Semi-Annual linkup hosted by Sew Mama Sew!

I love this opportunity to share some favorite things, and to meet new blogger's! 

The giveaway bundle I have put together includes:
One Vintage Market 5" Stacker, by Tasha Noel
Three Fat Quarters of the three prints shown, also by Tasha Noel, from her line "Country Girls".
One Handmade Scissor Cozy, plus whatever happens to jump inside it... and..
One downloadable PiNS pincushion pattern, by Sugar Free Quilts!

I really enjoyed making this over-sized cushion last month. It is large, and fully-lined, making it very durable - mine is getting a lot of use!

If you are new to my blog, Welcome!
I blog for fun..
Sponsor-free and Ad-free..

Today, I have selected a few of my favorite links that I hope you find useful and inspiring:

I made four Scissor Cozies last month, using the tutorial from S.O.T.A.K. Handmade.

You could say I have been on a bit of a bag-kick as of late. I was spurred on by Bag It!, running through the 14th at Elm Street Quilts. Patty has tempted us with tutorials for weeks now, and has encouraged us to enter any bags we make for the chance to win goodies from her sponsors!

This week, I have finished two more bags for the Bag It challenge. Jewelry rolls for traveling!

I over-dyed the fabric for the top case, using an ice-dyeing method and Procion Dyes. Pictured in the background: A Kona swatch placed playfully under the rack in the tub I used,  in the "drainage". It came out better than the bird fabric and I ended up soaking the main fabric again.

Well, more dyeing in my future and I will be sure to post about it!
Two years ago, I made two of these jewelry rolls , guided by the tutorial at Haberdashery.

I kept my corners squared to avoid making bias binding, and I attached my zippers on top of the vinyl. You can read about that HERE if interested. Those first two are a practical size for weekend getaways, but the recipients of my newest rolls travel quite a bit so these are a bit larger.
Lots of little travel-type fabrics selected...

Pink Roses line the inside.

I used beads for the tie-off ends, and little jewelry-stops for the other one.

Thick felt insets are added inside the pockets. These are helpful to keep things cozy and stable.

Five new buttons are on my sidebar that may interest you: 
1. Quilty 365, a Block a Day hosted by Quilty Folk - start anyday you like!
2. Word of the year 2016 - make a mini and enter to win!
3. RSC2016 Monthly Scrap Challenge
4. Sew Simple Saturdays - A new, monthly linkup to share tips and tutorials for prizes!
5. Quilty Orpan Adoption - A giveaway linkup with prize incentives, coming again this Spring!

On with the Giveaway, right? 

Please leave a comment here, prior to midnight (Vegas Time!), on Sunday, Dec.13th.

I would love to know what Sew Along's you are participating with, or perhaps good book you have recently read!

If you are a current, or new Bloglovin follower, leave another comment for a second entry.

If you follow RedLetterFabrics on Etsy, leave a comment for a third entry. 

Finally, Thank you so much for visiting! 

Due to the high volume, I will not be able to reply to comments as I usually do!

All -American Lunch Bag!

All in good humor, I was inspired to make a lunch bag when I came across some McDonald's fabric hanging out in my stash! This result was not really my intent when I bookmarked the Lunch Box Tutorial at Pink Penguin ages ago, but a fun Christmas gift for sure!
The pattern is modified a bit - I quilted some denim to make a sturdy base.
Then, I couldn't resist doubling-up the handles to make the golden arches!

I love the drawstring coverlet!

The Bag It Challenge runs until December 14th - plenty of time to hop aboard, make some bags and enter for a chance at prizes! I am inspired by Patty to make a Jewelry Roll, and next week she will post a tutorial for Triangle Bags that sound pretty tempting too.

Check out more Bag-It makes at the Link-up!

I am linking this up with Ho! Ho! Ho!, hosted this month at Rose & Dahlia!

  The linkup is open through November 30th.

Doubled My Zip Bag Pleasure

I decided my first little Zip Bag needed a mate!
A larger version following a variation of the Week One Bag, with 1 1/4" boxed corners .

I may not be able to complete a Week Two bag, the cute little Boxy Bags! Can't believe it is Friday already, but I am looking forward to next week and I have been eyeing my leather stash!

There are still several weeks of fun - check out the Bag It Series at Elm Street Quilts! 

ALYoF Interrupted by Bagging It!!!

I made the cutest little zip-pouch this morning!

Really, I try to stay focused, I do, but I am continually distracted. I blame it on savvy quilter's like Patty, from Elm Street Quilts, and Carol, who blogs at From My Carolina Home, these among the many blogger's that offer sweet temptations I cannot resist...

I have not even set my goals for the month and already I am breaking them!
Seriously, where is my resolve?

It seems I have jumped right on board with the Bag It!!!
Have you seen the series at Elm Street Quilts?
Irresistible FUN! I finished the first bag, and there are more tutorials to come..



Thought I better share the temptation with all the friendly folk who party with Lorna at Lets Bee Social, and another tidbit I will pass on too...





Carole gave me word she will be announcing a short holiday mystery-along on Friday. (Am I hopeless?)

Are all my flimsies doomed once they are draped on a hanger?

I had a lot of trouble selecting my monthly goal for November, but the clock is ticking and it is time to put something in writing! We all know the first step to achieving a goal is to actually set one. I have two projects I am currently working on that I can not post pictures of since they are gifts, and new bags and QAL's are not in line with my Q4 FAL goals!

My goal for November's Lovely Year of Finishes is to piece a backing and sandwich my Cozy Christmas Quilt. It may seem like an easy goal, however there are several projects ahead of it so this goal will actually help push them all along. Good Luck!