Another fabric Tues

WOW, I can't believe how quickly this week has gone by! I guess I've been hibernating. Last week was so cold and wet. We had rain/snow just about everyday until yesterday. Then we finally got some sun.

I'm doing a link party again this week. Thank you so much Heather and Megan, it's always fun to see what others are doing. And to show off what I am doing....although sometimes it just isn't much. I have to wait till I can get some fabric, to finish my DP16-patch, but I'll be sure to show you as soon as I do :)





This week I want to show you my 'boy bag'. I've been making bags with girls in mind, of course! I love a pretty bag, whether it's a purse, tote or little clutch. I actually get attached to one purse, and just use that till it's used up. But I enjoy looking at them all.

But Rae over at Made by Rae and Dana at Dana made it had a month to celebrate the boy. And I jumped on the band wagon...albeit too late to show over at their sites.

My youngest son is 6, he loves bags, boxes and anything he can get his hands on to organize all his toys. His Daddy bought him a plastic box with 4 littler boxes in it, and each little box has sections...it's supposed to be for tools, screws, nuts, etc...but Littleboy uses it for some of his Lego's. LOL.

So, I made a fun boy bag.

It has lots of pockets.

Some hooky spots, for hooking on flashlight, compass, etc.

I wanted to add a mesh bottle holder, for a water bottle, but didn't have any.

It has a nice flap, with a pocket under it for binoculars or whatever.

A perfect bag for a nature walk, plenty of room for pencil, paper, snack, bug catchers, and anything else he may want to bring along.

Or he can fill it with small toys, crayons, books for a long car trip.

These cute little clips are my dh's idea. He thought it would be a fun thing on a boys bag. A few days after he bought me these, is when I came across Dana's blog. And low and behold, she, too, made a cute bag with these clips!

Well I hope I have more to show you this coming week. I'll try not to be so quiet.

Thanks for stopping by, Dorian

Fabric Tuesday

It's fabric Tuesday again, over at Quilt Story...




Besides finishing another ditty bag and finishing up the mystery quilt from the Q&N, I've been working on my disappearing 16-patches.

                                          
Here are all the colors I'm working with, 4 triangles of each.

I got the inspiration from Melissa, at Happy Quilting. Here is how she did her's. I chose to go with some tone on tone and solid prints, to put together with the petit fours I had of Lovely and Central Park.

I am just trying to figure out how I want to lay mine out. I don't want to do it the same way as Melissa, although that looks lovely. Just not the design I am looking for.

I could put them simply, like this.

 

 

 Or put them like this...with or without borders or sashing. This purple and blue colorways are my favorite, although the yellow and orange color way from Central Park is right up there with them.

 

Pinwheels look neat too.

I want to buy some solid white, so I can play with sashing and borders.

What do you think? Have you done any disappearing 16 patches? I would love to see photos.

Have a great day.

Thanks for stopping by, Dorian

Another ditty bag

 Here is another ditty bag. I've made a cute little pocket in the front, it's hard to see, unless something is sticking out of it.

It also has a zip pocket on the inside. I think I've tested this pattern enough now :) it's already to get written up and printed soon.

 I'm linking up to Karen again this week. Thank you Karen!

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I've also finished the  mystery quilt at the Q&N.

Sorry, but it's going to remain a mystery for now. I don't want to ruin anyone's surprise. And it IS a surprise. Jess is great at keeping it a mystery, till the last few steps.

But you can go to the Q&N, and become a member. And join in the fun on the mystery threads.












It's another stormy, wet week here in Norther California. A good time to be inside, sewing, schooling and being with the family.

Have a great day!

 Thanks for stopping by, Dorian

In common

What does this:

image from myantiquesewingmachine.com. my machine looks just like it

 And these pretties.

 And a bunch of these....

 Have in common??

It must be it's the March mystery quilt going on.

On Monday I had my honey oil the machine and I got it all ready to go (yes, I really do piece on a hundred+ yr old White treadle, and I love it!). I got some of the fabric in the mail on Monday, and got a bunch of HST's cut and trimmed.

Am I just a lame brain, or does everyone have to take time to trim HST's?? And even when I trim them nice and neat, I still have problems getting my points to match nicely...SIGH~

That's the worst part of quilting for me, is all the trimming to make blocks nice and neat. Taking off dog ears and such. It's SO time consuming, at least for me it is....

I spent most of Tuesday working on the Mystery quilt.. I love testing these for Jess. She always comes up with a neat, pretty, fun design.

The mystery quilt weekend is this coming weekend, the 19th and 20th. You can still get kits and/or the pattern here.

I have the rest to finish today. And I should have it finished today, barring any unforeseen problems/issues not only with the pattern, but with the family.

Hope you'll come join in the fun this weekend. We will have a thread on the Q&N where you can share pictures, thoughts or ask any questions. It's always fun!

Have a great day!


 Thanks for stopping by, Dorian

Blog land giveaways!

There is some AWESOME giveaways going on out in blog land right now! Spring is in the air, and everyone is feeling warm and generous. LOL. Lots of fun going on.

Like at Madame Samm's! She is having a terrific giveaway to celebrate hitting 2011 followers!!! AND, she has a fun giveaway for some Perle Finca balls, on her blog.

Vickie, of Spun Sugar Quilts, is having a fun giveaway, celebrating her 700th post AND over 1000 followers!!

Julie, at Jaybird Quilts, is having a super giveaway, celebrating Wonders Woven fabrics, and her awesome new patterns.

Quilt Taffy has a fun one, it ends tonight, with some lovely popsicle colored fabric.

Melissa, at Happy Quilting, Is having a great giveaway, celebrating 500 followers!!

Well, that's a lot of fun!! Go see them all, and join in.



Thanks for stopping by, Dorian

My Ditty bag

Linking up with Karen in her link party! She is having a giveaway this week too!!

I've been pretty busy the past few days, and haven't got much sewing done. So today, I took the morning off and got my bag done.

It's perfect for a lap quilt and book...take it outside and and relax in the shade.

 

Or if you live by the beach, toss in your towel and accessories, and take off.

It has a zip pocket in the inside...bring it to the book store and have a nice bag to carry all your good reads out in.

And of course, it would be perfect for taking to the fabric store, and stuffing with some treasures.....after they are paid for, of course ;) LOL

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Thanks to Melissa and her Happy Quilt-a-long, I have figured out what to do with the lovely petit fours I received from Kate Spain.

This 16-patches are perfect for the little guys. I am adding some solids, and doing my own thing with them. But the idea came from Melissa. She has some darling things on her blog, go check her out. Thanks Melissa!




Thanks for stopping by, Dorian

This and that, again...

But no sewing pictures, just yet. I tried to finish my newest bag by yesterday, so that I could put it on Quilt story's Tuesday link up day. But I've been busy the past few days, and haven't gotten it finished. So hopefully I can do that today, and have a new bag to show you soon.

My husband gave me a few great ideas for bags yesterday, so I have those ideas rattling around my head too. And I was lucky enough to find a big bag of new zippers at the thrift store yesterday, as well as a few yards of dark blue tough fabric. Perfect for those ideas I have in my head :)

Oh, but I did do another tutorial on the Q&N, on mitered corners this time.

But, I thought I'd share a few more pictures of the homestead with you. Here is my dog Spock, he is looking out the window, wishing the rain would stop, LOL! (This was taken over the rainy weekend.)

 Isn't he gorgeous! I love his face, he has the most expression-ist face I've ever seen on a dog.And he loves sitting on this stool and other chairs, just like a person.

 And here's a gorgeous sunrise! Good morning world!

Thanks for stopping by, Dorian

Mystery quilts

Hello out there in blog land!

As most of you know, I am a member of the Quilt and Needle Forum. And if you don't know how wonderful Jess's (owner of the Q&N) mystery quilts are,  then take a gander at some of her previous mysteries.

Phires Compass, mystery quilt 2099 by Jessica Smith

Misty Irish Morning, by Jessica Smith, mystery quilt Summer 2009

A Star in Storm, by Jessica Smith, mystery quilt 2008

I am LUCKY enough to test for Ms Jess. And I just love all her patterns. These are a few of the ones I made, while testing. Mystery weekends are lots of fun!

And the reason I am pointing this out to you, is because March 19th and 20th is the NEXT mystery weekend. WOOHOO! It's also the annual quilters retreat (you can read about it here). I've never been able to make it, but they have lots of fun. And Jess always has a mystery quilt for us all to make, whether we are there or not.

We would love for you to come and join us on the forum.

Thanks for stopping by, Dorian