Quilting a quilt

First of all, let me that Rhonda and PC for commenting, and for those who emailed me, about my missing meeting.  Thanks so much for making me feel better.  I think mostly I was embarrassed.  Disappointed, of course, too.  But its all good - there will be other opportunities and I am definitely not short on commitments I need to keep. 

Now, I have been mulling over quilt patterns for weeks.  I have two stashes of fabrics.  One is scraps of colorful fabric, from the Scrap Swap and from my mil, along with some bits and pieces I've picked up. 

The other stash of fabric I started collecting was anything red-white-or-blue, 

single or in combinations of those colors.  

But I don't really want to use this pattern...

I really am excited for those colors, so I keep thinking I'll end up making that one first, but I also think I want to make my first quilt colorful - and keep it simple - by allowing the mixture of patterns and colors to take the eye away from any mistakes I might make!!

This is a great article about choosing a pattern.

And here is another article I enjoyed, mostly because of this sentence:

"Choosing fabric for scrappy quilts is like going on a treasure hunt. You never know what you'll find or where you'll find it."

THIS is a great site: allpeoplequilt

And I'm considering this one:

 But I really like Turning Twenty and the possibilities with that one...

I had found a website that I wanted to use as a reference, but I guess I didn't mark it.  The site made it so I could click on a pattern and it described it (easy, complex, etc).

If you have any suggestions, please let me know!  

I hope you get the chance to be creative today!

Wednesday's Woes... I did something stupid.

I know.  I created this to add some fun and creativity to life.  But I need to vent publically.  This seems a better spot than to the people I work with...

This evening after work I had the opportunity to interview for a position on our city's ARTS COUNCIL.  I applied two months ago.  I know the director a little, and one other person on the board, and I like to think they were looking forward to interviewing me. 

The appointment was made 5 weeks ago  
AND I FORGOT ABOUT IT.

I feel like crap.  I can't believe I did this!

I've decided I'm going to at least write them an apology email and thank them for the opportunity to interview, even though I blew it.

I called my husband just now at work (it is midnight) and he succintly said, "Well, look at it this way, at least that is one less thing you will have to worry about."

LOL.  I can't believe I can still laugh about that.  I have to keep that in my head so I don't fall into a funk.  Crud.

Thank goodness work will be heaving lifting tomorrow (restocking the teacher's supplies), maybe it will help take my mind off of it!

Thanks for listening,

~Lori

Lunchbag #2 and Lunchbag #3

I am on a lunchbag kick this week.  
They are fun and immediately rewarding!
 
Lunchbag #2

The other night my 20 yo asked me to make her a large lunch-bag. She loved the one I made HERE but I had it packed up for me.  And we were out of paper sacks, so she asked me to make one.  

 

She's a little skinny thing and eats lots of healthy foods - 

when I say lots, I really do mean a LOT - so she needed a big bag.  

I started with two 13" x 13" squares.  In fact, it was one long piece, and just before I cut them apart, I realized there wasn't any need for me to cut.  I zig-zagged stitched the edges once the pieces were sewn together.

I created it using basically the same pattern as I did before, but I trimmed the top with ribbon and I sewed a length of matching ribbon onto one spot on the side of the bag (so it wouldn't get lost but she could still tie it closed).  

She is getting so many compliments on it!

Lunchbag #3

And here is the third bag. 

You can see that I had intended to put a handle on it, if you look at my sketch.

And here I am, cutting it out.  

Then I began to sew a lining for the flap closer, and promptly sewed over the handles on the one side!  lol

Anyway, it all worked out.  

Here is the flap, I sewed a straight stitch around it on the outside to give it a finished look.  And I added a button closure.  

I do rather think I'd like to have a handle on it - but it works.  and again, it is like the first one, in that it isn't as bulky - if it isn't full off food, it is flat.  and I can fit it in the fridge OR leave it out.  

I hope you get the chance to be creative today!

                                

Blogger's Dinner Party

If you take a look to the right, there is a button for a linky party --->>>

its such a fun idea!  Its a theme party - I've seen furniture link parties:

and mom's helper's link parties:

but not a dinner party!

It's simple, you make something related to a dinner party, and post to to the party!

So, after that loooong introduction, I would like to show you my contribution:

A set of napkins.  Not quilted, not lined, just a simple napkin.  

I started with an 11" x 11" square - but honestly I think that was just a bit too small.  You can check HERE, on Kate's blog, for a better size and some tips on sewing making a nice usable napkin. 

Here you can see I zig-zagged the edges, then folded them over, ironed them, and sewed a straight stitch around the perimeter. 

 I made four - and here they are:

 

And on a placesetting:

This is a fun project because it is so quick and adds something pretty to the house in just a moment.  I was thinking that maybe I could make some in sets, and put them aside to add to gifts.

So make something for the table, and add it to the dinner party!  

I hope you get the chance to do something creative today!