Opinions Needed

So much for working on the items on my list. I got a little side-tracked (again). I've had this idea for a while now, and I just had to see if it would work. So I cut up a pile of 1 1/2" strips from my collection of vintage oxford shirts and started sewing them together. I fussy-cut shirt pockets for the centers of these log cabin blocks, thinking they would make interesting "wall pockets". You know - something to hang in the hallway or mudroom where you could put letters to mail, or movie tickets, coupons, car keys, or how 'bout a special memento or lucky charm... Even a favorite seashell you picked up on a walk on the beach...
OK - I'll get back on track...
I made four blocks and each one has a "fussy-cut" word on the top - Peace, Family, Home, Love.

My problem is, how do I want to finish these off. My original plan was to quilt & bind each block individually, as four separate mini wall quilts. Each would have a hanging sleeve on the back so any number of them could be hung side by side if someone wanted more than one.

But now I'm looking at them laid out together and wondering - should I add some sashing and sew all four blocks together into a wall quilt like this?

Or all in a row like this?

Or should I follow my original plan of making four individual wall hangings and sell each one separately, or as a group? What would you do???

Tasting Table Tuesday, which way do I go?

Good morning! The sun is shining and it's a gorgeous day here in PA. What's on my Tasting Table this Tuesday? Lots of things! It's one of those days when I have so many ideas rolling around in my head that I don't know which one to start first. (I'm sure I'm not the only one with this problem!)

Anyway, first on the list is to finish this new bag - a custom order - I'm in love with the fabric she chose, which really makes this project fun to work on. I love it when a fabric really "talks" to me like this one does. I'm very excited to see how it's going to finish up, and I'm sure my customer will be thrilled with it. The designs look like they were drawn with a Spirograph, and I spent hours playing with one when I was a kid. Happy memories! This bag is made with this pattern - another Two Zip Hipster. (It's afternoon now and I just finished, so here is a picture of the finished bag as well.)

Next on my list is another quilt using my own "Cube Mates" pattern. This is a repeat of the one I made using re-purposed oxford shirts, but this time I'm using this cream fabric with beige words written on it for the rectangles. I've had it in my stash for quite a while and didn't know what to use it for, but this will be perfect. It's from Moda's Simplicity collection that was out a few years ago. It goes well with the pastel shirting colors.

Another idea is to make a quilt using these fabrics. It's a jelly roll of grey & cream fabrics that would make the most awesome quilt, especially as a gender-neutral baby quilt. The soft grey & cream colors are so classic-looking, yet with a modern flair. I found it on a great Etsy shop called SanourrasFabricLove and she has a terrific fabric selection! If you are looking for a quilt like this, all I need is a little nudge (hint hint) and I would order this fabric in a heartbeat! Otherwise, I'm going to wait until I get caught up on some other projects first. But I really love the idea for this one!

Plus, I've got a plan for a quilt I'm going to make for my husband. I'm drawing up my plans on EQ and I'll share them with you soon. This year we celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary and I've made quilts for everyone but him. He is so supportive of this sewing obsession of mine and I think it's time to make a quilt just for him.

And my list could go on and on, but I'll stop here for now. If I spend all my time on the computer, I'll never get these projects finished! Time to go sew! Have a great day all!

Hobo Bag

It's a snowy, rainy, drizzly LEAP DAY here in Pennsylvania, but despite the lack of sunshine I was able to get some decent pictures of my latest creation. It's a Hobo Bag, and the pattern is by Nicole Mallalieu of You SEW, Girl! I love the orange color and the fun polka dots - it will make a great new spring bag for someone, I'm sure! Check out my Etsy listing for more information. (edited 3/2/12 - SOLD)

By the way - don't forget to join in the Leap Day Blog Hop going on today only - lot's of giveaways!

Tasting Table Tuesday, Pennsylvania Mountain Quilts

Today I finished the Hobo Bag I showed you on Sunday, but not before the sunlight was gone. I'll try and get some pictures tomorrow.

My Tasting Table is a mess right now, and I don't have anything organized well enough to share with you today, so here are some pictures from a previous project instead.

This is a series of three quilts I made, all for the same customer. She wanted quilts to give as baby gifts to new mothers who had moved away from this area, and wanted the quilts to remind them of their hometown. So each quilt is done in a different color scheme, but each depicts the beautiful mountains here in the Pennsylvania Wilds.

For each quilt, I started with a batik fabric for the border that incorporated the colors requested by my client. Then I pulled in various light fabrics for the sky, and medium/darks for the mountains. I arranged the colors from lightest at the top, to dark at the bottom. My client was very pleased with the results, and I hope the new moms and their babies were too.

What's New...

Some new goodies arrived in the mail this week! Zippers, strap hardware, and four new awesome pieces of fabric. Joel Dewberry's "Sparrows" (Aviary II Collection), Kate Spain's "Lantern Flower" (Good Fortune Collection) in taupe & periwinkle, and a grey large-scale floral twill called "Harmony" (Emma Collection from Premier Prints), with bright turquoise and red flowers. Love that one! And I've started a new bag - a Hobo Bag from You SEW Girl!

I've had this pattern for quite some time now, but never got around to trying it. I think it's going to look great - especially in this fun orange twill with polka dots. I'm lining it with magenta Kona Cotton and putting an ORANGE zip on the inside pocket. So fun and cheery! Hope you all had a great weekend!

Tasting Table Tuesday - Hipster style!

Last week I saw a great-looking bag over at Poppyprint's blog and I knew that I just HAD to have this new pattern! It's called the Two Zip Hipster by Dog Under My Desk, and because the pattern is offered as a PDF, I was able to purchase it and download it almost immediately - love these instant downloads! The pattern is very clear with lots of detailed photographs, so I didn't have any problems making this one. It's intended as a Hipster-style cross-body bag, but the strap has lots of adjustment and if you shorten it all the way it can also be used as a shoulder bag. It has a zippered top and two front pockets. One with a zipper closure, and the other is a slip pocket directly behind the zippered one.The inside has a double slip pocket. The one on the right is sized for an iPhone, and the other is slightly larger. The inside of the bag will hold an iPad too! Great for people on the go who have to have their gadgets with them. (Please pardon my mock-ups for the gadgets - I don't have an iPhone, or iPad, so I use these hand-made props instead. Works for pictures and the batteries never run down!) The pattern is shown using one fabric for the entire outside of the bag, but I like the contrast of a 2nd fabric for the pocket section on the front. Both fabrics are quilting cotton.
I also added 5 rows of top-stitching to the strap, just because I like it that way. Now I have to decide (as they say on HGTV) whether to "Love It, or List It". As much as I'd like to keep it, I'll probably list this one on Etsy soon. I have some new fabric coming in the mail later this week and I just might make one for myself with that...

What's on your "Tasting Table" this Tuesday? Any new projects started? I'd love to hear about them!

"Cube Mates" Completed

Today I finished binding my quilt and the weather cooperated, so I was able to get some quick pictures outdoors before supper - (well most of them were outdoors - this first one was on my living room floor.) Don't you just love the late-afternoon sun? It was almost around the side of the house by this time so it didn't hinder my photography, but you can still see the yellow glow in the background.

I quilted this one with straight-rows of stitching 1/2" away from each seam, using a light grey cotton thread.

I mentioned before that the top is pieced entirely from oxford shirts I collected from my co-workers in the 1980's, and you might think "Free Fabric - Great!" - right??? Well, it might have been free, but what I didn't spend in cash, I spent in time. It's definitely a labor-intensive process. After washing & drying the shirts, you have to cut the sections apart, remove all the buttons (ok - I could have just thrown them out, but I love to collect buttons!), discard the stained and/or worn areas, then starch them all before cutting. The old fabric was so soft that I thought it would be easier to work with if I starched it first, and it made a huge difference! Definitely worth the time! Of course, that meant I had to wash the quilt when I was done, to remove the starch, but that's ok.

Using newly purchased fabric would have been much faster, but wouldn't have that "well-worn/loved" look that I love. And if you know anyone who worked at Wellsboro's Glass Factory in the 1980's, you just might find a piece of their shirt somewhere in this quilt! :)

For Sale at Etsy.com - click here to see more.