One of the things I love about sewing is sewing up gifts for people, especially people who will appreciate such gifts. Before I left for Market, I had an uncontrollable urge to sew up a Super Tote, and in Instagramming the process, a quilty mentor of mine asked me to make her one. Of course I said yes!


Jacquie Gering of Tallgrass Prairie Studios was one of the first modern quilt bloggers I ever followed. Her quilts have always been such an inspiration to me, encouraging me to set aside my Type A personality and try improv piecing and to continually try new things. She's one of those quilters whose style is instantly recognizable - you just know when you see one of Jacquie's quilts, and I really admire how clear her style is. She's such an engaging person, she really motivates you and makes you want to tell a story with your quilts. If you haven't seen her amazing book with Katie Pedersen, Quilting Modern: Techniques and Projects for Improvisational Quilts, you really need to check it out. It's a fantastic resource for modern techniques as well as lots of quilty eye candy - it's definitely one of the most well-worn and loved quilting books on my bookshelf.


Jacquie's favorite color is orange, so while I was in Portland, I picked up a great Comma asterisk print for her Super Tote as well as a great dark wash denim to use for the main body of the bag. I thought the denim would be a good all-around fabric to use, and would contrast nicely with the Comma print.

Sewing this bag up the second time around definitely was faster than the first time, since I had a measurable amount of confidence that I knew what I was doing, although the first time didn't take too long either. I changed up the strap again, creating a long cross-body strap, and I also changed the interior pockets to a smaller pocket on both sides of the bag, just the right size for a cell phone or wallet. This bag is definitely large, so I've found that smaller pockets make it easier to find things. I used a fun aqua zipper for a pop of color against the Hope Valley lining. I hope Jacquie enjoys it - I've found that my Super Tote has become my favorite everyday bag!

I'm sending off this lovely bag today, and have just one more Pay It Forward project to finish up this week to wrap up this project. I've really enjoyed this process and will definitely do it again.

Whenever I travel, especially on quilty adventures, I feel the need to make a new bag. And usually this feeling doesn't come over me until the last possible moment, so right on schedule yesterday, I found myself desiring a Super Tote. Have you seen these bags? It's probably Kelly's fault, because she made a gorgeous one adorned with applique leaves for Tracey, come to think of it. All the same, Anna, as always, wrote an amazingly easy to follow pattern that yields beautiful, professional looking results. I am super excited to board a plane to Portland today carrying my new bag. I love this bag.

It's huge. I could probably even fit my laptop in here, but I'm not going to try on this trip. Inspired by Kelly, I made a few changes to the bag - I added the exterior pocket to both the front and back of the bag, because I like pockets and I added a crossbody strap rather than two shorter straps. At Market, you wind up lugging a bunch of stuff around, so I figured the crossbody strap would be way more comfortable.

I used Essex Yarn Dyed in Flax for the linen bits, Melody Miller's amazing viewfinders in aqua for the exterior pockets, Madrona Road Sprout in Straw for the lining mixed with an old Kumari Garden print called Tarika for the lining gusset. I only wish I'd bought a whole bolt of the viewfinders when they came out, now that they're out of print!

All in all, I'm really happy with how this turned out and have plans to make a second one for Jacquie. She jokingly asked me to make her one to bring to Market, but rather than rush through it, I'm going to make it for her after I get home. She can use it to cart some of her necessities to all of her wonderful classes that she's teaching these days. You should check to see if she's teaching near you, because she's seriously awesome!

I'll be back with loads of pictures from my trip next week, and I will indeed be posting to Instagram (with my terrible camera phone) while I'm away if you want to follow the #quiltmarket fun. Have a wonderful rest of your week!

Did I just put that Red Hot Chili Peppers song in your head? You're welcome ;) It was in my head the entire time I worked on a bag I've been looking forward to making, the Aeroplane bag, pattern by Sara/Sew Sweetness.


My Aeroplane bag was the first project I attempted to tackle at The Stash Bash over the weekend. I had spent a few hours piecing together a patchwork panel for the front and back of the bag, and quilting-it-as-I-went, and prepped all of my interfacing and other pieces before I headed up to Georgia.


I was really surprised at how fast it came together once I got my sewing area all set up in the sewing room. I think it probably took no more than three or four hours to put the whole thing together, which is probably how much time I spent making the patchwork panels, so this is definitely the kind of bag you could tackle making in a weekend.


I made the Long size of the Aeroplane bag, and it is truly humongous. The Regular size is just as tall, just slightly less long. I can easily fit everything I need for a weekend trip in this bag, no problem, with room to spare. I also really like how long the handles are, it's quite easy to carry around.

The directions for the pattern were supremely clear and easy to follow. The bag is literally assembled much like a zippered pouch, so it was fairly simple to put together. This was my first time working with Annie's Soft and Stable, which was really easy to use and did give the bag a lot of additional body. I will definitely choose to use it again for another bag in the future.

Thinking about the construction of this bag versus the Weekender is a little bit tough - I used my Juki to put the Aeroplane bag together, and I used my Sapphire to put my Weekender together, so it's a bit like apples and oranges. The Juki is definitely way more cut out for bag-making, though. No broken needles, no difficulty shoving thick layers through the machine, just smooth sewing. I will say this: there are way fewer pattern pieces, no piping, and there are two inside zippered pockets in this bag that the Weekender lacks (though you could improvise and add them). I would say that this pattern is something that an adventurous beginner can tackle. And it's even more fun to tackle at a sewing retreat, for the record  :)

I hope you have a wonderful day!

After my last update, I first tackled the straps, which was a relatively painless step. Installing them was equally straight-forward. Even installing the top zipper was a cinch...I didn't get tripped up in the pattern until I got to Step 9 with the zipper stop tabs. I broke one of the cardinal rules of sewing a bag pattern - I didn't read the entire pattern before getting started, so I didn't realize that there were actual pattern pieces at the back at the pattern, as there were rotary cutting instructions for the bag. Whoops! I actually asked another person who blogged about having made this bag, Sara of Knottygnome, who helped me figure out the step 9 instructions before I discovered the pattern pieces. The pattern pieces would have made everything make perfect sense.

Step Eleven was the only truly maddening step - lining up all of the bag parts and sewing them together was not exactly fun, but it was also not the horror that lining up all of the pieces of my Weekender was. There's a few less layers in this bag, so it wasn't anywhere near as challenging. I also used my Juki for all of the straight stitching on this duffel, and it sewed right through those layers as though it was just two layers of quilting cotton. No broken needles, no hesitation - this machine is perfect for bag-making!


So, now that it's done, what can I tell you about this bag...well, first off, this thing is huge! I fully expect that I'll be able to pack not only my projects for the Stash Bash retreat next week but also all my clothes in this bag. I tested it out with quilts inside and found that it can easily fit four lap sized quilts, maybe even more. This is a great bag for a weekend trip, and I believe the size is an acceptable carry-on for most airlines.




The main thing I don't love about this bag are the raw edges on the inside of the bag, which I couldn't seem to get a decent picture of. I overcast the edges as best I could with my Viking, but admittedly, I stink at overcasting, so it's not a perfect job. Then again, how often am I going to be looking at the interior of the bag? Probably not very often, so it's definitely something I can live with.


Another thing I'd do differently next time is repeat the pockets that are written to be just on two of the four sides of the bag. I would repeat the zipper pocket that is on one short side of the bag on the other short side of the bag, and I'd also repeat the small pocket between the handles on both long sides of the bag. You can never have too many pockets :)

But all in all, I'm going to be a very happy camper carrying this bag around when I travel! I may even make another manly version at some point for my husband, since he travels infinitely more than I do. I hope you all have a wonderful Friday and a great weekend!

It's just a few more days before I head out to Salt Lake City for Sewing Summit 2012, and I'm super excited. I'm checking stuff off my To Do list left and right and trying my best to stay focused and get everything ready.


I finished up my Sidekick tote this weekend, and I absolutely adore it. I just love this pattern, by the fabulous Anna of Noodlehead, and I'm so proud that I've officially installed my first recessed zipper. This bag feels like such a "real" bag - like my Weekender, it's the kind of bag that feels professional, like a bag you'd find in a store. I used some fabrics that I really love - Madrona Road Memoir in White for the lining, Quilter's Linen in Gray for the exterior, with Madrona Road Sprout in Straw and Madrona Road Broken Herringbone in Blue for the pocket, with some random bias tape I had in my stash to line the raw edges of the pocket.


Hindsight being 20/20, there's a few things I'd do differently with this bag. I think I'd like for the body of the bag to have a little bit more heft to it, so I'd probably choose to use a home dec weight fabric, instead of a quilting cotton. I'd probably also add some Pellon SF101 (Shape Flex) to the interior fabric as well, for just a little bit of extra body. I did use some Pellon Fusible Fleece for the strap, which I think was a good idea, but rather than interfacing the whole strap, I'd insert a skinny piece of fleece the final width of the strap. I love the adjustable strap, but with all the extra fleece I've got on the strap, it's a wee bit stiff. Aside from those minor changes, I really love the shape of this bag, and I'm definitely planning on making one or two of these bags for Christmas gifts this year.


I also made some bunting for the Salt Lake Modern Quilt Guild Mixer at Sewing Summit. Amy had this fantastic idea to decorate the bar with boatloads of bunting, and lots of attendees are bringing bunting to help with this. The best part is that it's been turned into a swap as well - bring one bunting, come home with another! For my bunting, I used a package of double-fold bias binding as well as a ton of Anna Maria Horner string scraps that I pieced into triangles. I really love how my bunting turned out, and I'm really excited to bring it out to Salt Lake!

What are you up to this Monday morning? Next on my To Do list is to tackle my inbox...but first I need some coffee! I'm going to try out a recipe for my current favorite Starbucks treat, a Salted Caramel Mocha, wish me luck :)

It's officially chaos in my sewing room now, as it's barely a week before Sewing Summit now, with boatloads of Sewing Summit-related deadlines approaching fast, as well as a few other non-Sewing Summit deadlines! Eeek! How did it get to be October 3rd already??? Didn't school just get started?? It's going to be a week with a lot of late nights and early mornings, clearing off my sewing plate this next week, but I know I can do it. Now I just need to stop signing up for more deadlines!!

Working on:
Red and white zig-zag - I spent the bulk of the last several days on this project, making 528 half-square triangles and then stitching all of them together. The quilt top is done and basted and ready for some simple straight-line quilting. Stay tuned for a finish on this one soon!


Sidekick tote - I really love how this bag is coming together so far. I'm waiting on some strap hardware to come, so I've saved this fun project for when I'm so tired of HSTs that I want to scream ;) Isn't that pocket just darling? Can't wait to finish this one off and put it to good use!


Sewing Summit class samples - I finished quilting all of the samples, and I'm really excited to share them soon. The binding is half on all of my four samples now, so I'm in the homestretch here. Just need to spend a few nights on the couch, catching up on TV with the husband and hand-stitching to wrap these projects up.

New this week:
Pillow Talk Swap - After sitting out several rounds, I'm back on the wagon for the ninth round of the Pillow Talk Swap. Every time I sit out a round, I watch from the sidelines and marvel over the things that are being made in the swap. I'm glad I'm participating this time around, it's going to be a lot of fun! I've gotten my partner's information and stalking has officially begun. I've got a good sense of what she's into, I think, now I just need for inspiration to strike. Here's the mosaic I made to inspire my partner, of some of my current faves...


4x5 Modern Quilt Bee - Now that the summer is over, the 4x5 Modern Quilt Bee is back in session (and full), with shorter rounds, which I think will be nice. Short and sweet, but with plenty of time to make blocks. I'm excited about this one, it's always fun to see the amazing things that everyone makes in this bee.

Bee block for Katie - Katie sent some gorgeous Field Study and Indie fabrics this month for the {Sew} Beautiful bee, for feather blocks. I'm looking forward to working on this one this weekend, hopefully.

Bee block for Cindy - Cindy is working on a Halloween quilt in the Stash Trad bee, and we're all making Great Granny blocks for her, in shades of black, purple, orange, grey and lime green. I've never made anything Halloween-themed before, so this should be a fun one!


I haven't forgotten about these, but haven't had time for them either:
Washi tunic
Space Dust quilt

So now, it's back to my sewing machine, time is slipping away from me super fast this week!! What are you sewing this week? Write it up and share it at today's specially guest hosted WiP Wednesday, with host Debbie of A Quilter's Table.

Looking for my awesome giveaway for Sew Mama Sew's Giveaway Day?  Click here!  If you've already entered, good luck to you!

Amidst all the Giveaway Day hoopla yesterday, I found myself with a couple of fun finishes.  The first one was an awesome surprise for my son and I when we returned from our weekly trip to the library - the marigolds we planted two months ago are finally blooming!  He was so excited, and given that I usually have a black thumb, I was pretty pleased myself.  Anyone know when I ought to move them out of the planter and into the regular ground? I'm completely inept when it comes to gardening.


I also finished up my Goodie Bag for the big swap yesterday, which wound up being a big summer tote bag, adorned with some fun scrappy log cabins on both the front and the back.

Just a year ago today, I started my very first quilt, thanks to a budding fabric addiction.  It's a really shoddy quilt, looking back on it, but it was definitely the start of something big for me.  Previous to this quilt, I had sewn a few receiving blankets and some burp cloths.  I had always thought quilting was pretty awesome, thanks to my amazing aunt who has quilted for most of her life, but had never thought I could do it myself.  My mother attempted to teach me to sew as a kid, but it didn't really stick.  I cross-stitched for a while, but eventually gave up after getting frustrated by the tedious patterns.

I bought a sewing machine at the beginning of 2010 on a whim, and slowly began gathering fabrics.  What for?  I didn't really know right away.  I started reading everything I could about sewing, and started some small sewing projects here and there, like some simple flannel blankets, burp cloths, and even a simple sling bag.


I picked up Amy Karol's Bend-the-Rules Sewing book at the library and I found a super simple strip quilt pattern, and I felt compelled to try it.  I had no idea what I was doing, barely knew how to measure and cut fabric, it's amazing the quilt was even a rectangle.  I used store-bought binding, which I haven't done since, and totally fudged my way through mitering the corners.  So, like I said, it's a little shoddy, but it's my first quilt, and it made me a quilter.  This little quilt stoked a fire in me that has kept me quilting for the last year.


It's kind of hard to believe I've only been doing this for a year, I feel like it'e been a part of my life forever now.  I feel so lucky to have found a hobby that I enjoy so much that brings such joy to me.  Happy quiltaversary to me, I'm so glad I found quilting and then found all of you wonderful people to share it with.  Your comments and feedback really make my day and it's so nice to find others who share my passion.  I hope you all have a wonderful day!  :)

Firstly, thanks to all of you who commented on my FMQ dilemma.  I feel good about going with a combo of outline quilting and a meandering stipple, and I'm excited to get started on it.  But first, must finish up a few projects.  Phew, another holiday gift done!




I love bags, I love making them.  And I adore the free patterns that Artsy Crafty Babe offers up, the Pleated Tote and the Phoebe bag (which I'm also in the process of making for another gift!).  This Pleated Tote was fun to put together and my first attempt at darts.  I had to dig out my sewing bible, S.E.W., to make sure I was doing them correctly, but that's precisely what my reference shelf is for, right?

Speaking of which, did you notice that I have a new page on my blog?  On the right hand side, you'll find My Bookshelf, which is a direct link to Amazon, with everything that actually sits on my shelf (and one pre-order that will hopefully soon be on my shelf as long as Santa pulls through!).  There's some books for inspiration, some for how-to's, you'll find a little bit of everything there.

Anyway, onto my project finish!

And here's what happens when you try to take project finish photos at night.  He's so happy to help in my sewing room!

This bag was inspired by a black and white photograph of my mother's mother, my maternal grandmother.  She used to grow poppies, and the only remaining photograph we have of her in the family is of her in her poppy garden.  When I saw Laura Gunn's Poppy collection a while back, I knew I would wind up using some of it to make my mother something for Christmas, and I felt inspired to do a handbag.

This bag had some challenging elements for me - eek, darts and pleats, oh my!  But I'm so pleased with how it turned out and glad I kept going despite my moments of uncertainty.  I will definitely be making this pattern again, for myself, once I finish all of my holiday sewing.  Or when I need a break from all of the holiday sewing!

Someone is itching to use the sewing machine for the first time.   Um...no, you're not old enough yet!

I'm also going to be making a coordinating checkbook wallet to go with this bag, as that's the one thing my mother has actually asked me to make!  I'll be using a pattern by KeykaLou, thanks to the tip from Jennifer last week about her wonderful patterns.




In other news, I decided to make a plush stegosaurus for my 9-month old nephew for Christmas.  I was cutting out pattern pieces at the dining room table during lunch yesterday and my toddler actually figured out what I was making based on the pattern pieces (body, spikes, feet, and tummy).  He promptly demanded that I make him one as well.  At least he said please for once.  Add it to the list!