Oh, what to do on a day off!

Yesterday our microwave decided it was ready to go. It 

croaked just as Joe was ready to warm up his dinner. 

Of course, always when you really need it! 

So today I went to a couple of stores to look for a new microwave.

I also stopped off at the Goodwill to donate some old clothes and to see

what they had to offer. I don't understand how some

bloggers can find all the goodies they find. My Goodwill

rarely has any goodies to offer. I'm so jealous! 

I did see a couch that looked 

promising but as I walked toward it I realized why it was still in the

store. I do know the odor of a cat accident! I don't understand 

why they had it in the store. To me it smelled horrific!

When I got home I found a box of fabric in the mail, 

which always makes my day!

 I am planning on making a couple of new baby quilts

for a couple of friends who I just found out are expecting.

I don't have any pictures to share but I will tell you that I 

got some fat quarters of the Happy Campers fabric group by

Moda. Love the colors and the prints. 

I did stitch together some 2 in squares that I had left-over from the

baby quilts I made a few years ago.

I do need to get an updated photo of this one, as it is 

finished and on the quilt rack.

I guess I had a LOT of 2 inch squares! LOL!

I made this  doll quilt with part of the squares,

and I started another one with the last of the squares.

At least I think it is the last of the 2 in squares! LOL!!!

The border on this one is a very dark navy. I'm not quite 

sure how I will be quilting it. Hand or machine? I really only can

do straight quilting by machine. If I do hand quilting I was thinking

of doing a Baptist fan or something like that. Any ideas?

I'll take some photos tomorrow of the second doll quilt I 

put together and maybe some pictures of the fabric I received today.

:)

Busy making pouches!

Pouches, pouches, pouches!

I started making pouches a few years ago when they were all

the rage on blogs and on Flickr! I started by making the pouch made

from yellow plastic measuring tapes. It was quite trial and error! Mostly error!

They are not very well made but making them taught me a lot.

I learned to have several backup needles ready and waiting. I also learned to have lots of measuring tapes ready to be cut up. I'm sure the manager of the sewing dept. at Walmart was wondering why all her measuring tapes were disappearing so quickly! :) It was also a quick lesson on how hard it is to hand sew on such a non-flexible medium. I think I stabbed myself with the pins and needle a hundred times!

(Not really, just felt like it!)

Anyway, I gave one to my mom and kept the others to use in

my scrapbooking bag.

Now I have graduated to making pouches for makeup, coins, crayons

or anything you want.

I made a bag for the 3 year old grandson of a friend of mine, one to hold crayons and

the other to hold some of his many Matchbox type cars.

 

 Now she says she just has to teach him to put his

stuff in the pouch instead of all over the floor.

I love using bright and happy linings for these bags.

The latest bag I'm working on is a pouch for the daughter of a co-worker,

she asked for a red and blue pouch. 

I found this small print in my stash, wishing I had lots more of it. It had been hiding for quite awhile in there waiting for just the right moment to pop out and be used. If I had more I would definitely use it in my baby quilts and some of the patriotic projects I have planned.

The next pouch I'm trying to design is for another co-worker. She has asked

me to make one for a bride, to keep all the little things a bride might need on the day of the wedding. Such as needle and thread, nail polish, safety pins,etc.

Not a good photo but this satin is what I already have in my stash. I also had this 10 inch remnant of trim. Lots of pleats and double stitching are some of my ideas, along with some hand sewn pearl beading. I also need to get to JoAnn's to see if they still carry some blue satin I can use as a lining.

I can't wait to get to work on it! :)

New curtain for a new home

My #2 son has good taste. He and his fiance bought

a house built about 100 years ago. It had been fixed up

and redecorated and was in "move in" condition.

It is just beautiful.

They decided they are not "lace" people and

wanted a new curtain on their front door to replace the one the

previous owner had left hanging.

(I don't have a before photo.)

I went shopping with #2 son and he was quite frustrated

that he couldn't just go and buy what he wanted ready made.

I had to laugh at that, he had no idea how hard it is to get

good quality curtains at a reasonable price.

He found a panel he liked at JCPennys and I told him I could

make a curtain out of it to fit his window.

Then when I was discussing measurements with him

there was quite a discussion on the amount of

ease of fullness he wanted in the panel.

Oh, my, you would have thought we

were discussing the new health bill!

Many ideas between #2 son and #1fiance

were bandied about, until I had to jump in and

get a compromise measurement.

 My #2son told me I had to get it "Just right!"

So I was under a lot of pressure to do well, he left his

two supervisors watching me to make sure I did it correctly.

I think they were pleased.

 

Both #2son and #1fiance were pleased with the finished product!