Same As Last Year, But Different

I borrowed the pattern for big sister's lunch bag from someone a long time ago and have since memorized the pattern from making it several times.  I'm sorry I can't name the designer or pattern.  If you know who it is, PLEASE tell me so I can give them proper credit.  This pattern really is a nifty use for charm squares.

I made this same bag for my daughter last year and she loved it so much she insisted I make it again to match her messenger bag. 

I had so few gray "Ruby" scraps left that she had to pick another color to go with.  She went for the pinks.  (I had NOTHING to do with her choice, by the way.)

And all you Tupperware lovers, yes, that IS a gray lid from the "Miami Vice" pastel color set I bought in the '80s ... tee hee ... I NEVER in a million years thought I'd be so happy to have that gray lid!!

The placemat made with 2 leftovers from the strips cut for the bag ...

She and I both LOVE this super yummy Susan Branch print from ... 2007. 

It WOULD be in a forbidden pile if it weren't for the fact that I have like 10 metres (yds) of the stuff.  Can you say "impulse buy"?  I think I was fantasizing about kitchen curtains or something ...

She wanted it for both the inside of the bag,

and the reverse side of the placemat.

Ok.  I'm done with the back to school sewing projects ... for another year ... I think.

The Girl's Gotta Eat!

Well, I didn't quite get all the back-to-school sewing done before the first day ... but I had a productive weekend.

Here's Little Miss Grade 3er's new lunch bag.  Again, no pattern.  I've had this design in my head for a while.  It was nice to finally get it out. :)

We're both really happy with how it turned out. :)

She picked the same fabric as her pencil case, 'cept in pink

(brought to you by Queen of the Obvious ...)

I didn't know if 2 Fat Quarters were enough to make this lunch bag so I asked her to pick another fabric for the lining, just in case.

She went for this little cutie.

This fabric WAS in (another) forbidden pile ... there are several in my stash.  Turns out I didn't need it for the bag, but I did need something for her placemat and thought what could POSSIBLY be a better use of this sweet print than for a little girl's placemat? 

Uh, nothing?!

I designed the bag to fit her lunch containers:  thermos, tupperware & space for granola bar, etc.

Perfect!

Now.  The question is, how long is it going to stay white?  Oh well, at least there are these pictures to remember it fondly. ;)

Farmer's Wife Quilt Along Week 15

Green, Yellow & White

I was going through my blocks and realized I'm a little shy on yellow, prob'ly because I've never been a huge fan of that color.  Not sure why.  Maybe it's because I don't look good in yellow.  I don't think I have a speck of it in my wardrobe and I don't have anything decor-wise that's yellow, except for a few quilts that happen to have a little bit in them. 

Plus it reminds me of things like jaundice.

When I'm sewing, I tend to use yellow for literal applications.  Like when I make a quilt with a house in the design, I want it to look like someone's home, so I'll use yellow to make it look like the lights are on ...  

Hmmm, maybe I SHOULD wear more yellow!  tee hee

#41 - Friendship Star

Ok, WHOA!  The yellow seems a bit TOO yellow here.  (Although my amateur photoshopping may have something to do with the exaggerated flouresence here.)

I'm hoping it'll look ok when mixed in with all the other blocks.

#50 - Honey's Choice

This turned out to be such a sweet little block!  I love the little pinwheels.

I'm just wondering if maybe I shoulda used a color for the middle square - like red or pink ...

Dear Thy Beloveide ...

No, this isn't an impromptu lesson in Ye Olde English.My daughters were playing "Wedding" with their stuffed animals the other day. 

Here's the script they wrote out.

This kind of stuff has got to be (one of) my all time favorite things about being a mom. 

They crack me UP!

Happy & safe Labour Day long weekend.

Pretty Pencil Case

Today is the first day of school for us and I'm happy knowing both my girls will have a little something made with love from me in their desks ...

You see, fairsies math rules in my house.  So just because I bought little sister's backpack doesn't mean I can't make her a pretty pencil case too.

Lecien's Flower Sugar fabric.  I know.  You're totally shocked. ;)  She picked them.  She wanted polka dots to go with her backpack.   She was sooooo happy when I told her she could have it because it was in the "forbidden" pile with my FWQAL fabrics.

FYI, the polka dot/floral/stripe is one print ... no piecing required!  I love using unusual stripes like this.  Can you say "cheater panel" at its finest? :)

I LOVE this print.  However, I can't use it for my FWQAL blocks because the print is too big. 

But it's absolutely PERFECT for a sweet little Grade 3er's pencil case!

Did you notice my boo boo with the lining?  When I was cutting out a piece of batting, somehow the lining got stuck to the batting underneath and I didn't notice it until it was too late.  So I had to piece it ...

I still have a few more back to school projects to show you next week.

Scrap Pencil Case

Ok.  First of all, THANK YOU SO MUCH for all the Messenger Bag love yesterday!  Wow.  You guys made me blush & tear up ... all at the same time.  A girl could get used to that kind of affirmation!  I'll try to not let it go to my head. ;) 

And I've heard the hue & cry for a pattern/tutorial.  Gee whiz!  I'm totally blown away.  This feels so nice to have people not only like what I made, but want to make one too.  I think I should wait and let my daughter "test drive" the bag for a bit ... see if any fatal design flaws show up.  I'll keep you posted.

Now I'm afraid that Messenger Bag is a hard act to follow.  Today's project isn't quite a spectacular, but I think just as cute. ;)

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I'm always surprised by what can be done with scraps. 

Explains why my scrap bin is overflowing ...

Here's what I managed to eke out from the Messenger Bag leftovers.

A coordinating pencil case!

Cute, eh?  She said she wanted to sleep with it. ;)  I think that means she likes it.

Even the zipper pull is a fabric scrap ... 3/8" x 6".  Little fingers really appreciate them.  FYI, 1/4" is just a bit too narrow.  It will rip apart.  Just sayin'.

I'll show you little sister's pencil case tomorrow.

PS:  Thank you :)

Back to School Messenger Bag

Here it is ... the messenger bag.

Happily I didn't have to resort to implicating an imaginary dog ...  ;). 

What do you think?

My daughter loves it.  I'm sorta impressed with it myself.

One fabric change and few additions were required since my last post. 

First, I talked her into going with the polka dot instead of the red tonal - I thought the dots would look just a bit softer.  Plus, dots are happy ... and little sister's backpack has them.  I like doing things like that. 

I needed more fabrics because the pocket on the back was an afterthought and I made the flap bigger than originally planned (better too big than too small) so we added the pretty scallop and flowers to the mix. 

She resisted the flowers a bit because she was trying so hard to achieve her idea of grown-up, but it was the last gray print in the bundle and she reeeeeeeally wanted to stick with the one color.  She's quite happy with it on the inside. ;)

And I forgot to show you the fabrics she chose for the inside lining ...

Aqua!

When I started making all the different components of the bag, I asked her how she wanted me to top-stitch each piece.  She asked what her choices were. 

"Well, my dear child.  That is an EXCELLENT question.  Let me show you what your mama can do NOW!"

One problem:  we both became crippled with indecision.  Who knew an FMQ repertoire could cause a problem?  haha

So, she went with a few different ones ...

Front

Back (with a little heart in the top right corner ... because I love her.)

A small monogram for the flap embellishment was all she wanted with the FMQ flowers.  And for the first time ever I tried my hand a raw-edge applique.  Turned out great!  Thank you Miss Amy for the inspiration ;)

I added a large pocket to the back and a handle for hanging on a hook.

I installed an easy-to-use zipper on the inside ... TWICE.  (Yep ... I knew y'all were waiting for my screw-up confessional.)  The first time it went in upside down.  It was late and I was tired so I didn't take a picture of it.  But here's the evidence. 

Second time ...

She INSISTED on a red zipper ... to go with all the little red accents on the bag.  She's so cute. 

I used two different fabrics for the zipper to "make do".  They are the leftovers from the front and back panels.  A little scrappy ... but not TOO scrappy.

And check out the shoulder pad!  Thanks for the suggestion, Kate. 

I made the entire bag with 10 fat quarters - no yardage - and only scraps for leftovers ...

Check back tomorrow to see what I did with them.

Farmer's Wife Quilt Along Week 14

Pink & Green

I remember when I was growing up my aunt told me a "rule" about fashion in the '70s - "pink with green should never be seen" - meaning these two colors didn't go together.

Whoever made that up was a very, VERY bad person. 

I think this color combination is not only perfect, it's essential to life as we know it. 

And THAT is all I have to say about THAT.

#61 - Northern Lights

#58 Mother's Dream

Turns out third time really IS the charm for this block. 

Attempt #1 was 1/4" too small. 

Remember, I'm making my blocks 5" instead of 6-1/2" ... because I'm obnoxious ... ;) 

Attempt #2 was 1/8" too small. 

I DO like things perfect and all, but I don't normally go to this much trouble to MAKE things perfect.  The older I get, the easier it is to say "oh well".

On the other hand, I've learned the hard way (several times over, beLIEVE me) that the smaller the piecework, the more difficult it is to "disguise" any boo boos.  And at this size, the dreaded domino effect is very likely - 'SPECIALLY since I'm using white and brights.  If my blocks were bigger, I prob'ly wouldn't have gone through all this effort and lived with a narrow seam allowance.

#3 - juuuuuuuuuuust right. ;) 

Apparently late night sewing isn't always the smartest use of one's time ...

Oh, and also note ... the gingham is behaving herself this week. ;)

Back To School Prep

Five years ago when my oldest daughter started Kindergarten, I made her a backpack for school.  (Sorry, no picture ... it was salvaged for parts a few years ago.)  It was the prettiest backpack ever.  I vowed to myself that my girls were going to have brand new handmade backpacks every September for the rest of their lives. ;) 

So far, I've kept that promise.  But I'm about to break it.

I had a weird moment of weakness this summer when we were shopping for school clothes and I saw this ...

I thought it was perfect for my little one! 

I dunno.  Something about the pink & happy polka dots.  And the navy.  I couldn't even believe the words coming out of my mouth as I asked her if she'd like it for school.  She said yes.  I wasn't sure how I felt about that.

So right now I'm sorta sad that I broke my informal promise to make two new backpacks every year (until they flat out refuse to take ANYTHING homemade to school because "that is SO NOT COOL ... no one ELSE does, MOM!")  (Ouch! Stick a knife in my heart already!)  But I'm also sorta relieved that I only have to make one this year.

So.  My Grade 5er decided she needs something more sophisticated this year ... because she's not a little kid anymore - she's TEN.  So she's requested a messenger bag. 

Ok.  I can do that.

I also gave her freedom to pick anything (well, ALMOST anything) from my stash.  She went straight for these ...

The grays from Bonnie & Camille's new "Ruby" line.  She thinks this is a very grown up color.  I agree.

(I know!  She isn't a pink girl like her mom.  I'm slowly coming to terms with that ... although sometimes I wonder if she was accidentally switched in the hospital.)

I don't have any yardage - just these FQs.  So it will look sorta patchy.  But not TOO patchy (so I've been directed).

She also wants just a little bit of decoration on the flap.  We're thinking about either applique or embroidery in red.  Perhaps a monogram.  Or a heart.  Or flowers.  Or a combination.  Or something else we haven't thought of yet.  I'm workin' without a net here ... or a pattern. 

I've actually never made a messenger bag before.  This is my rough sketch which has been approved by my client.

I can hardly wait to get sewing.  I hope it turns out!  I'll show it to you when it's done ... if it looks good.  If not, then I'll lie and tell you the dog ate it. 

'Cept we don't have a dog ...

Project Simplify - Day 57

Thank you SO MUCH for all the FMQ love yesterday!  Still on cloud nine over here. :)

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Oh how I love scrappy binding. 

I had the forethought to reserve one strip from each cream print in the bundle.

Graying hair doesn't ALWAYS win ... ;)