Playing Hookey!

I have taken 2 days off over the last few weeks-to pick huckleberries! I picked about gallon each time-woo hoo. It's a good thing because those are the only 2 days I got to pick this year. These ought to hold me for while.

Aren't they beautiful!

Day 1 haul

Day 2-Yum

I'm even going to share some this year-I normally hoard them.  My jam was awful last year so I don't think I'm going to try that again-I tried to make some without all that sugar-it didn't turn out well.

Easy Birthday Gifts

Recently I wanted to send a few friends/family a small gift-something quick, inexpensive and easy to send through the mail-I decided a plastic bag holder is perfect. I love mine. I've made several over the last few months, but this week I made one for my sis who has a birthday coming up.

I just use 2 fat quarters, sandwich them with low-loft batting, quilt and sew up the long side. I then add elastic to the top and bottom and add a little loop to hang it. I've given several as gifts the last few months and everyone says "I've always wanted one but never get around to buying or making one". Of course now with using our own bags we probably don't have as many plastic bags, but I still seem to accumulate plenty of them.



I also made my MIL a walker bag. I made one for my sister recently and she really likes it and says she uses it all the time so I thought my MIL might like one too.

I used this tutorial from Quilting According to Annette, but sewed up the pocket to make it 2 pockets, one large enough to put a magazine and then a smaller one, maybe for glasses or something smaller. It's really easy and fast to make.

I made both of these items Sunday afternoon in just a few hours-it's taken me longer to get them wrapped and in the mail!

Edited to add I linked to Crazy Mom Quilts Finish if up Friday

Walker Bags

Another of my sisters recently had a hip replacement-she is doing great but will need to walk with a walker for a while. So, I made her this handy walker bag. She loves it and says it makes it easy to take things with her from room to room-except she can't take a glass with anything in it-hmmmmmmm maybe I should have tried to add a cup holder to it!

I used this pattern from Quilting According to Annette . My plan for today is to make another one for my MIL.

Yes, the treadmill does get used for things other than modeling sewing projects-occasionally.

This was made from fabric from my stash, I have no idea what the names are. I believe the flowered was purchased on sale at JoAnn's and the pink was purchased for a wall hanging that never got made. I used a lighter pink for the inside, I believe that was left over from the Inspiration Quilt.

Get Well Soon!

I made this quilt for my sister who recently had some health issues. My machine decided it didn't like to quilt any more and I could NOT get the bobbin tension correct, I ended up ripping out the quilting on over half the quilt and re-doing it in straight lines. Therefore, instead of receiving the quilt in October as planned, she received it in mid-December. The top turned out beautifully, but I wasn't too pleased with the quilting-but she loves it and that's what matters! I used all flannels so it would be toasty warm this winter.

I used this pattern-Shoo Fly Bed quilt, but made it smaller for a lap size and added sashing in between the columns.

I embroidered words of inspiration and also "mother" "sister" etc. in each white center piece. I love this.

Lessons learned, flannel is tough to quilt, especially when you're in a warm climate! Also, solids show all your quilting flaws. Although they also show all the great things too.

I'm happy to add that sister L is doing great and has wowed her doctors with her speedy recovery!

Finished up!

Another Finish it up Friday. I actually finished all these last weekend, no time for sewing during the week.


I love these table mats. I only completelely finished one, but I have 6 other tops that just need some backing. Hmmmm.....all the reindeer heads were cut off-I had better keep an eye on that!







I also finished a Christmas table runner. I think it needs to be a different shape, but it's a good practice piece.

I linked to Crazy Mom Quilts

Table Cloths

Although I had visitors on Saturday and had to work on Sunday, I still had a pretty productive sewing weekend! These projects were fun and so quick.

First, I made this reversable table-cloth-fall/Thanksgiving on one side and winter/Christmas on the other! I didn't put any batting or anything in it, just sewed the two pieces front sides together, turned it right side out and did a zig-zag stitch around the edge. Wo-la! A new table-cloth!

Our house is on the market so they made me clean up my sewing corner. Therefore I now sew in the dining room. I made a nice little ironing surface there next to my chair, and I have my computer sitting on a stool. I found a great site with free audio books to download, I downloaded "Jane Eyre" and was listening to that while sewing. I haven't read that book for many years. What a great find, I listened to 23 of 38 chapters so far and hope to finish it up tonight.

I saw this adorable Sponge Bob Christmas fabric at JoAnn's the other day, for 40% off, plus I had a 25% off entire purchase coupon so picked up a few yards. My husband loves Sponge-Bob, and Patrick. I paired this with fabric I picked up from the red-tag bin at JoAnn for about $2/yard a year or 2 ago. I will be sending this to him at school-I think he'll get a kick out of it, and I'm guessing it will probably stay on the Christmas side year-round.

I finished my two sided table mat. The center is not very flat and I did a horrible job on the binding-good thing this one is my practice one, so it will stay at my house. They are so cute though, I'm going to give it another try. I also put some fleece on the back of a large 9 patch made with Christmas fabric. Not sure if I like it or not, but it could also be a table mat-or I could do the same with a few other blocks I have done and they could be place-mats. I didn't take any pictures.

So many great ideas for quick Christmas gifts. I have to start early as I will be spending 36 days with my hubby in FL over Thanksgiving and Christmas. I'm thinking about taking my sewing machine with me.

Teenage Werewolf

I made this costume for my friend's daughter-she is going as a teenage werewolf. She wanted an expensive store-bought hood/scarf thing but instead I purchased some faux-fur at Joann's with a coupon and used some left over black fleece I had on hand (10 years old!) and whipped this up for her. The fur only cost about $7 and I have quite a bit left over. I added some fur to her skirt and made a pair of leggings that will fit above her boots. I also added a little glove thing on the back of the 'paws' so she can slip her hand in there (like the one she wanted to buy). I can't wait to see her in it!

It matches Josie the cat!

Here is the hood up close.

Hmmm... the white Pointer dog shed on it. This will also keep her warm Halloween night.

I'm linking up to Crazy Mom Quilts finish it up Friday. Now that this is done hopefully I can finish quilting the quilt I'm working on and have pictures of that next Friday.