Threads of Love

Fun Sewing ~ Bags

I have been having a blast with some beautiful fabric finds lately. Our local quilting store is a treasure trove of "end of bolt" goodies that are usually too good to be true prices. 

I have been wanting to play around with different color combinations and also to try my hand at making some easy tote bags and small bags for little hands or for carrying Mass Missals. I love the cute bags that Kimberlee created and the Lazy Girl site is full of wonderful ideas and neat patterns, check it out if you get a chance.

Allrighty, on to my creations...

This is a smallish tote bag (about 9 1/2" finished w/ 18" straps). This one is for my Sunday Missal and the pouch below it could be for a quick grab and go wallet or rosary holder, really anything. The outside fabric is my all time favorite fabric find right now. I want to make everything with it, it just makes me so happy just to look at it! It's Treetop Fancy by Tina Givens in Huckleberry - TG52 - Ivory. I actually made this bag reversible and so the lining fabric is Daisy Chain - Dandelion Field AB42 - Grey by Amy Butler, another end of bolt score. I really love how these two colors come together and really both have a personality all their own. The pouch is Feedsack III #25511 Yellow.

 

Another look, isn't it yummy, I'm thinking of covering my master bedroom in both these fabrics, sigh...

The other bag that I made, was actually created before the two above, is based on this adorable market bag in Button it Up! There is a delightful tutorial at this great site: Kristen Roach's Spring Roll Delight Bag.

 

It was fun to put it together, and yes, I did use some vintage buttons from my Moms button box :)

Vintage Button Market Delight Spring Roll Bag: (sorry it's a little blurry)

 

Here is a picture of it open. Notice the interior fabric ;-)

 

And a close up of the buttons:

 

Thanks so much for stopping by, stay tuned for all the lovely little projects Violet has been working on :) Many blessings in your day!

May Flowers :: My First Block

Remember the Pretties?? I received my very first block for my quilt!  From the very creative and inspiring Amy at Fresh Vintage! You can start drooling now....

This just makes me smile!!  I chose a scrappy log cabin style block pattern, and I think maybe she forgot the scrappy part, it's lovely isn't it!!

I can't wait to see what everyone else will send! It's so beautiful Amy, thanks again :)

Happy May!

Pretties ~ May

It's my month for sending out fabric for the VBQ!!

Isn't this lovely, it's going to become my garden for Mary quilt....

Can't wait to see what all the other delightful ladies will send back with their own special touches in each of their blocks!

It has been so fun participating in this kind of a quilting group, I will treasure this experience always! Especially since my dear Violet is enjoying it right along with me! (Hmm, wonder what she'll create for me??? She says she's not showing it to me until she finishes, and that she might even mail it ;-)

Many blessings in your quilting and crafting and creating!

Melanie's Block ~ March

Melanie asked for a block with crosses in it. She sent the absolutely gorgeous "celtic" black and white fabric, isn't it amazing, I just loved working with it!  I was inspired by a lovely block I saw online, sorry can't remember where to link for you.

And here is Violet's incredible block:

All I can say is WOW, I am in awe of my creative daughter, she inspires me so much!!! Note her signature embroidery :) You can see the rest of Melanie's blocks here, enjoy!

Many blessings and please visit again soon!

Theresa's Block ~ February

I forgot to post our finished blocks of Theresa's month!! Here is my *nature inspired* block for Theresa!

 

(Gee, I guess I could have cropped this one, oh well) Here is Violet's it's SO CUTE!!

 

Can you stand the adorable little mousie tea party!!  See the rest of the nature blocks for Theresa here!

See you soon!

Sneak Peek of Theresa's Block

 

Here's a little peek at my "Nature Themed" quilt block for Theresa at Lapazhome Learning.  I can't believe this woman just moved to beautiful Key Largo all the way from Alaska!  She's warming up and thawing out, so I know she'll enjoy seeing a little peek at her block.  Violet will work on finishing hers up this weekend and then I'll post her peek too!

Quilting Spree for a Quilting Bee!

Violet and I excitedly accepted an invitation to join our very first Virtual Quilting Bee with some very talented and lovely ladies across the country!  We completed our very first blocks and sent them off last week to the first recipient, seamstress extraordiare ~ Michele Quigley!

Violet's block is so sweet and she incorporated Michele's fabrics into a nine-patch construction.  I think she did great for her first real quilt block!

 

And a close up of the Rose Baby she embroidered so beautifully...

 

My block is a little more eclectic and random. I wanted to try doing something sort of free form, so here's mine...

 

Michele's fabric is the beautiful blue with the brown and tan floral pattern as well as the royal blue and brown floral.  It was delicious to work with and to add complimentary fabrics from our own stash.  Speaking of our fabric stash...a certain fabric store is having a President's Day sale over the weekend, hope we can make it out!!

You can view all of the beautiful blocks at our Virtual Bee here!  Thanks for stopping by today, many blessings in your day.

Some W-I-P...

With many sick days beginning before Thanksgiving and continuing still, I have been doing a fair amount of knitting amidst the administering to the convalescing.  Here's a few things I have been doing:

A Hat for me.  I discovered a delightful little knitting shop near my new home and found this delicious yarn and thought I'd try a hat for me, although I rarely wear hats, so we'll see, maybe it'll be for Violet (shh, don't tell her)!  Yarn is Curious Creek Fibers "Omo in colorway Birches of Norway".  I'm knitting on a US #3 for some lovely small stitches :)

 

My first attempt at cables.  This handbag was featured in Holiday 2007 issue of Knit Simple magazine and it was very fun and quick to knit up even with the cables!  The yarn I chose for this project is delightful - Rowan "all seasons cotton" in LOT20J5.  I really liked how this knit up, very soft.  I plan to line it with some of the leftover sage cotton fabric we used to back and finish Violet's quilt.  Should be cute and I'll actually get to use it :) 

 

Here's a little closer look at the cables, they were actually quite fun to do and the strap is a quick seed stitch!

 

This next piece probably won't be finished until next year as I may have to set it aside while I work on Christmas presents, but it's a beautiful wrap I just had to try! Featured in the same issue of Knit Simple as the cable bag, I chose some luxurious Alpaca/Wool yarn in cream, sage, camel and chocolate, YUM!

 

And the other half...

 

It is a beautiful stockinette stitch with either side being edged with a seed stitch so it does tend to knit fairly quickly.  I'd love to have at least half of it done before the weekend, but at 64 inches it may take me a little longer!

Hope your knitting has been enjoyable and creative, I am so happy to have even just a few minutes each day to unwind with my needles.  Now if I can just fire up that sewing machine again we'll be in good shape!

Blessings!

Violet's Creativity!

Violet is so creative and just loves to make things for her brothers and friends!  I love her enthusiasm for finding ways to make someone else happy with her special creations.  Here is a few of the little niceties she's recently made.  First, here is a look at her sewing case, she's added to it over the years, but it has made a very lovely and quite portable case, she even brings it to sew in the car!! (She uses the yellow ball block for a darning ball, clever girl) ;-)

:: Needle Case from Sewing With St. Anne by Alice Cantrell.

 

 

:: Sun Bonnet also from Sewing With Saint Anne.

:: Pin Cushion for me :)

 

:: An adorable mp3 player case she crocheted for me back in the summer, I just love it's cuteness!

:: This darling Knitted Striped Ball was an inspiration from a great Knitting DVD we checked out at our library!

:: Pretty little Mermaid.

 

There's so much more, but my uploading time has expired, better save some for another time :)

Many blessings creating something lovely with your sweeties!

My Tasha Tudor Shawl!

My Tasha Tudor Shawl is officially finished!!  I managed to eek out the last of the lace edging yesterday morning before breakfast.  I'm so pleased with how it turned out as this is the very first thing I have ever knit for myself!  The yarn is so soft and yet weighty so it's not flimsy at all.  I'm very happy with the buttery color I found as well, yummy comes close, but it is truly delish!

I think I just may have to make a matching one for Violet now, shh!

Sorry this is a little blurry...

   

A Close-up of the edging...

And the bottom point...

And one more for good measure :)

It feels so good to have a completed project other than a hat under my belt and Violet and I are off on several new projects as well.  I promise I'll get a work in progress (WIP) album up soon...In the meantime, I'll just entice you!  I'm knitting a Pastel Argyle sweater set for Violet from Vogue's Ultimate Knitting book and a Cabled Shoulder Bag I saw in the Knit Simple Holiday magazine 2007 edition.

Violet is trying her hand at some leg warmers in a luscious periwinkle blue, a ballet sweater in pink and a darling little drawstring purse in kelly green!

We'll be busy for a while that's for sure!!  I hope you're wrapping your hands around something creative to ease your soul and feed your spirit!! 

Please nt in the side-bar a new list for Creativity in Action!  Be sure to check out the first one I've added, it's a delightful project to do with your children!!  I'd love to link to any fun projects you have to share, it's a great way to spread ideas for others to try as well!!

Many blessings in your day!