Five Baht Elephant

my crafty home

Made: Geeky Science Swap Mini

SciSwap
I’m so way late on posting this – I worked on this mini last fall!

My randomly assigned partner likes biology mostly, and warm-ish palette and submitted a favorite science-y quote. I settled on making a mini-quilt of the quote, using paper-pieced alphabet patterns I bought from the etsy shop From Blank Pages I still have most of the jelly roll from the baby girl quilt I made in August, which matched the warm-ish colors that my partner favors.

This. Took. Forever.

There are like a million pieces and a million seams in these little letters. Ok. I exaggerate. But it felt like a million.

My partner, who lives in Texas, also likes to receive things from where I’m from, so I included a Bronco’s Mystery Lego Figure (I’m hoping she got Payton!) and a Colorado sticker. I also included some fabric mini charms (2.5″ squares) and an adult coloring book. Not exactly the sciency-theme, but I think she liked what I sent!

In turn, a different partner made these for me! A LOST themed mini quilt – which is amazing! 2 fat quarters (18″ x 22″) of this awesome math-geeky fabric, elephant poo note paper, decals and a needle book that glows in the dark! AWESOME.

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Processed with VSCOcam with c2 preset

Catch Up Post – Sewing Edition

I have a knitting update as well, but I won’t bombard you with the craftiness all at once.

I’ve been making a bunch of fun little things now that I’m on baby-quilt-making hiatus!

First Up: FRMQG Mini Quilt Swap

The theme of this one is Critters, Creatures and Mythical Beasts! Which sounded super fun when I signed up, but as I got closer to execution, just confused me. My partner indicated that she wanted a critter. And critters just creep me out. But bees? Bees are great. I like bees. They don’t scare me or creep me out. I didn’t like any of the paper-peiced bee patterns I came across, but I did like this cute little cross stitch pattern from the Frosted Pumpkin Stitchery.

Now, I haven’t cross stitched in years. Probably decades really. Most of my couch crafting time is spent knitting, however, I shifted focus to the bees for a week. And a week was all it took for me to finish this!

Look how cute:

xstitch

 

FRMQG Mini Swap

To make the mini quilt, I chose to frame the bees with cathedral windows. Like the flying geese quilt, making a cathedral window quilt has been on my to-do list for a few years. I love the look of this block put together. The construction is fiddly, time-consuming and layered. All that work is totally worth it though. The double layer of fabric means no batting or quilting or binding required! I love the gentle curves that frame the pops of color.

I opted to include a reversible box tote – same pattern as the project bag I made a few months ago. The mini quilt only measures about 12″ square, which is a bit smaller than the swap requirements. I made bias tape out of a super colorful floral print that I got in another swap. I sketched out some curves on the front exterior bag pieces and stitched the bias tape on the pieces before constructing the bag.

Next up are some selfish sewing projects. Appropriately titled project bags. Mostly for knitting. Can’t have too many project bags, right? I usually don’t have multiple knitting projects going at once, but I’m wanting to get away from that. Lately, I’ve been feeling like I want to knit something, but not necessarily the sweater I’ve currently got on the needles. Then other times, I’m all about the sweater.

project bags

I wanted a smaller drawstring bag for smaller knitting projects. I used some leftovers from the baby boy quilt I made last month.

And I really like these reversible box totes! My first one still holds my sweater project, but I wanted another one made out of Charley Harper fabric to hold a shawl project. I bought the canvas/heavy-weight version of this fabric panel and attached the interfacing to the lining fabric to add more structure to the bag. And this time I included pockets on both the inside and the outside.

Whew! That’s a lot of typing for one post. Here’s a link to the tutorials/patterns I used for these projects:

*Beekeeper Cross Stitch
*Cathedral Windows Tutorial, Handy cutting chart for differnt block sizes
*Reversible Box Tote – free pattern
*Lined Drawsting Bag Tutorial

Made: FRMQG Adventure Block(s)

Yikes. I am the worst swap partner. At least lately. My guild hosts a monthly Adventure Block Swap we sew a block of our partner’s choosing. I think its fun because I get to sew new to me quilt blocks using my fabric.

I was a month behind on completing Megan‘s blocks. She asked for nine of these simple blocks (tutorial here) and I really had no excuse for not finishing them on time for last month’s meeting. I’m really excited to see what Megan does with all the blocks she collects from the guild.

adventure block2

And for this month, I made a Greek Cross for Julie. This one was a simple block as well, and I think its just pretty. She wanted solids – which is good, because I have a pretty extensive stash of solids.

adventure block

(some of) April Sewing

We were out of town for a bit, and now we’re back!

In my mailbox was my package from the Pretty {Little} Pouch Swap. Sue (photostream here) sent me the most perfect package.  I love this zip pouch.  The squares are perfectly pieced and the hand quilted border keeps it all together.  I love it. Thanks Sue!

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I did finish the pouch for my secret partner and had mailed it off before we left for vacation.  I blogged about it in my last post, but here it is all finished.  I think it looks pretty good.  My partner is overseas, and I haven’t heard yet if she received it.  I hope it made it there ok.

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And the one bee block I had to make for April.  I was one of two ‘queen bee’ this month, so this was the only block I had to do this month.  Tiffany chose the granny square block and I love the way this looks!  And it seems to be a great scrap buster.  I’ll have to keep this one in mind.

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So that’s it for sewing.  I am in the middle of making a dress, but don’t have anything to show you just yet.  I’ve got the fabric cut out and stacked on my cutting table.  I plan to use my serger for most of the construction and right now I need to thread it.  And neaten up the sewing area.  *sigh* why can’t I keep it neat? Its really not hard, right? To put things back where they belong?  Does anyone else have that problem, or is it just me?

WIP: Pretty Little Pouch Swap

Well, after a couple of weeks of pure awesomeness, I made it back to my sewing machine.  I even have a sewing project to share. Life’s been bright and fun and full of goodness.  And not one complaint from me for being a little behind in my sewing projects.

I’d like to give a big “Thanks!” to Sew Mama Sew and their 15% off sewing patterns.  Its not like patterns are even that expensive, or that 15% off really amounts to much.  But hey.  It got me to buy this one and I’m using it for this swap round.  The big zippy one in case you were wondering.

After poking through my stash and not exactly getting fired up about anything I’ve got, we went to Fancy Tiger.  Considering we stopped by after a birthday lunch that included a very strong margarita, I’m proud of my restraint as I only left with these lovelies:

Fabric Stack!

Yay birthdays!

On to the pouch.  I love love love linen with bold prints, and thankfully my secret partner included samples in her inspiration mosaic.  So I’m hoping she likes this pouch cause I’m a havin fun stitching it together.  The center star is a hexed star and the template I found over at Quilter’s Cache.  

Sneak Peek!

Full disclosure: my geometry skills suck. I had the worst time piecing fabric to turn this hexagon into a rectangle.  And I call myself an engineer?  Yikes.

I just love it so far. I might need to make another one for keeps.  Don’t you wish you were my partner?

Lately…

Finishing up bee blocks for the MBB2:

Bee Blocks!
Bee Blocks!

Finally getting to work on items for my FTLOS2 swap partner.  Here’s the biggie, and I’m just about done!

FTLOS2 Quilting Detail.

And here’s one of the smaller items I’m sending along to her as well.  I really love those zip pulls I got from zipit!  Used the fantastic tutorial from noodlehead.  This is like the 5th zip pouch I’ve made.

zip pouch. small item for swap.

And I finally started another knitting project.  I’m not sure why I’m torturing myself with lace.  But this yummy, squishy sock yarn (Madelinetosh Tosh Sock in Lepidoptra) is so so pretty.  I’m making the Haruni Shawl and here’s my Ravelry project page if you’re on Rav.  (And if you’re on Rav, friend me!  I’ll friend ya back!)  Can I just say that I’ve only been working on this for 2 days and I’ve already ripped it out and started over 3 times?  Yeah, see that pink embroidery floss? That’d be a lifeline. I’m sick of redoing the garter tab start! Gah!

more lace knitting....

And yes, I’ve been running.  But not nearly enough for my 1/2 marathon in 4 days.  Double Gah!

Running!

How’s your week so far?

Whoops!

...what the title says

As I stated in my earlier post, I made a mistake. In the blue block, the points are supposed to be flipped.  The more I look at it, the less I like it.  So, tonight, I’ll rip it apart and put it back together.  *sigh*

This is what happens when I am overconfident.  I make mistakes.  I also find that when I’m stressed, I make mistakes.  Which is what happened last night as I was putting together another zip bag.  Its so horrible that I’m not even going to post photos of it.  I’m just going to rip it apart and start over, remembering what I did wrong and not repeat!

I know that sewing is so much like other things, in that the best way to improve is to learn from mistakes.  And at the rate I’ve been going this week, I’m all set to improve in a big way. 

Working…

…on my November Bee Blocks.  Like the photo?  My external flash is off to camera right, using my $0.99 reflector/diffuser.

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Whew. 

And I’m done.  I can’t believe it either!  6 days into November, and I’m finished.  Well, technically.

Except.  (and I’m not posting the finished photos.  yet.)  I messed up a few of them.  Well, they look ok, I think.  However, I set out to make Ohio Star blocks, and 2 of the blocks are not Ohio Stars.  The tutorial says, “This block is easy to make, so long as you pay attention to the details.” (emphasis mine)

I did not pay attention to the details.

I’m going to give it a few days before I go back with my seam ripper and re-do.

October Sewing Recap….

Fresh Sewing Day

I found this post over at Lily’s Quilts and decided to join in. 

This month was a pretty good month, I think, for my sewing.  Here’s a little collage I just threw together, highlighting the finished objects for this month:

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I kept up with the Nu{Bees} Block swap and the Pretty {little} Pouch Swap.  Meeting some talented and kind people in the process.  The talent in these two groups is amazing.

The project I’m most proud of however, is the Wonky Stars Quilt.  I started this one back at the beginning of summer and I loved every minute I worked on it.  Its because I made it for a dear friend of mine.  I love making things, big things, for others.  Especially when they are not expecting it.  I love being able to put so much of myself into a project for someone I love.

Anyway, that’s my sewing in October.  On to November….

FO: Pretty {little} Pouch

Again, this week at work was pretty crazy, including a quick trip to the East Coast.   I was ready for the weekend!  Running errands and a bit of shopping Saturday, I made it to my sewing space this morning. 

My partner for the Pretty {Little} Pouch swap likes Echino.  So fun.  I wasn’t sure what type of pouch I’d make.  I poked around on the internet for ideas, and ended up using this tutorial: Gathered Clutch.  I love how this turned out!  I followed the instructions and added both the divider and the side-by-side card pockets. 

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I will say that the gathers in the front don’t look all that great.  And when sewing the exterior front and back together I must have misjudged the layers with my stitching because when I turned it all right-side-out there was a hole.  Oops. 

Its not exactly perfect. 

But I think it is pretty.
And its little. 
And its a pouch.

I love these swaps!

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