I love to sew, mainly quilts and bags. I am 66, married to Fred and have one son, Matthew, who is 27. I enjoy embroidery and applique and prefer to machine piece and quilt my projects. I love my vintage Singer sewing machines especially my Featherweight 222K. I’m enjoying treadling on my 201K Singer and I collect Miniature Sewing Machines and currently have three Essex , one Singer 20, one Singer 40, two Vulcan Miniatures and my latest, a Grain. My love of sewing I believe comes from my Grandmother - I still have the drawings she made for me to embroider on tea towels many many years ago!

Friday 11 October 2013

TICKET?.... check ; SHOPPING LIST? .... check ; NEW BAG? ....

check!

Of course I had to make a new bag to take to the Craft Show next week.....
GEAR UP BAG, pattern by Sweetwater (link) two outside
pockets and one inside pocket.  11" x 11" x 3"

Outside fabric - Trefle created by Kokka, made in Japan,
sorry I don't know the maker of the pink spot fabric.

Beautiful fabric flower brooch made by my very clever sister...... love the antique button!

Inside the bag.  I only added one pocket (for the new iPhone), plenty of room for purse,keys and a bottle of water! plus
some rolled up tote bags for all of those purchases!!!

I love the inside fabric - A Stitch in Time - Allover by Nutex N.Z.

This bag went together very quickly.  Easy pattern and instructions.  I decided to make it out of some sewing theme fabric I had as I  already own so many 'handbags' so this bag will become a project bag for craft.

I love the fabric on the inside of the bag.  It was quite funny when I was making the bag, I kept trying to pick off the threads until I realised that they were printed on the fabric!

In other sewing news.....  I finished off a Teddy quilt top that I have had stashed away waiting for the time I needed a gift quilt.
The Beary Bunch, pattern by Toni Alexander - The Red Boot Quilt Company
just washed and out of the dryer!

Triangle label.
I usually do my labels like THIS but this time I tried this method where you cut a square, fold into a triangle and stitch the edges down when you add the binding. I wrote on it after I stitched it into the quilt, using a Pigma pen, then I hand stitched the diagonal fold down to the quilt back. Quick and easy! HERE are a few other label ideas

Pieced backing.  I used up some fabrics that I have had
in my stash for a few years..... great way to use up large
chunks of fabric! Stitch in the Ditch quilting although that often takes longer than doing a free-motion meander all over the quilt top. It gets a bit tricky when you have Appliqué blocks.

I always include a book or two with a quilt and this time
I also put in a little car
The Aiming for Accuracy quilt-along is drawing to an end, we are up to the borders this week.  Here is my quilt top minus borders...

Photo taken outside, quilt pegged to the clothes-line - bit breezy!

I'm a little behind with my Batik version of this quilt.  I'll work on it over the weekend I hope.

I was able to use another June Tailor ruler recently.  We had to make the ticker-tape block (that long skinny brown and orange squares block) and I found that the June Tailor Shape Cut Plus ruler worked perfectly to square up and trim the strips.  You won't be surprised to hear that June Tailor rulers are on my shopping list for the Craft Show !


We are experiencing an extremely hot day today, so not much sewing going on right now.  I'm sitting under the fan playing on my computer and watching Midsomer Murders.  Time for a cup of tea I think.....

Happy Sewing,
Cheers from Helen

14 comments :

  1. such gorgeous work you do Helen,love them all,well done.xx

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  2. Love the bag..
    You have been very busy Helen.
    I always do my labels like that. Sew easy.

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  3. Your bag is fabulous - such great fabrics! You are making the most of your time with all of your sewing. The accuracy quilt blocks look great.

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  4. I love the triangle label Helen! I might need to try that on my next quilt.

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  5. Your bag looks great. No point going to the show without the intention of buying stuff. I like the triangle label idea. I think I will try placing the square in the corner then sewing along the diagonal and folding it over to make the triangle. Love your bag brooch too!
    valspierssews@gmail.com

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  6. lots of lovely sewing.... there are a few of us meeting for a coffee on Wednesday at the show... which day are yoiu going?
    Hugz

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  7. It was going so well until you mentioned the hot weather - grrr, jealous!

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  8. Your new bag is adorable! Love the quilt too. You do such wonderful work. Thank you for sharing.

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  9. Beautiful projects and I like your idea for the quilt label.
    Lillian

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  10. Love your bag and your blog! Hope you had fun at the show!

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  11. You've been busy! I love the project bag and teddy bear quilt is so cute!

    Hugs,
    Tatyana

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  12. Lovely bag to take to the show! Make sure you fill it up with goodies! Love that "teddy" quilt and that will be a hit I'm sure! :)

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  13. You have been very busy, Love the bag, you have done a great job, teddy quilt is very cute but most of all what a great idea for the labels and easy too. Now I will start labelling my quilts

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  14. I love the bag too! I need another bag like a hole in the head, but..... :)

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