Little Wallet

I have used this pattern since it came out several years ago.  This is the only thing I carry, as I don't carry a purse.  I learned to to this when I traveled so much with my job.

Several people who see what I have done in downsizing my purse carrying wallet, have asked for some special orders.  Recently, I got an order for ten.  So, I went looking for my trusty pattern, and nope, nada, nothing.  I tore my sewing room apart looking for my pattern.  I remember putting it in a safe place a place I will never remember again (Ha! Ha!).  Now, it is off to the only store I remember seeing it for sale, and fortunately they had one, yes one, left.  

I went on a treasure hunt through my stash of fat quarters.  I needed two different prints for each little wallet, so I worked on finding sets of two matching prints.

Worked on getting them all cut out (see the paperwork in the background?  That's a whole 'nother story in my hectic life), and started sewing them together.

The wonder clips are a wonderful tool in working with these types of projects.  The best part for me is I will remove them before stitching that spot they are holding.  I am not so diligent in removing pins, and have broken more needles than I would like to admit.

Here is the first three I got done.  I change up the pattern a bit, by adding velcro for a closure instead of a snap, and I add my "Wren's Nest" label with a key ring.  I also add a birdie charm to each key ring as a symbol of the wren and my business.  I sew a button on the front of the flap to cover where the velcro is underneath.

When I get each one done, I package them in a clear envelope and slap a "Wren's Nest" label on each one.  All nicely done in a perfect little package.

Here they are all done and packaged up and ready to go to the customer.   Hope all the people that receive one will enjoy using them as much as I do.

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Back in the Saddle Again

For the first time in so many weeks, I was back in the sewing room, working on a few things.  One of the first things I worked on was a custom order for a tablecloth for an oblong table in an Easter print.  It is for the same customer that I made 9 sets of holiday themed potholders a couple of months ago.  I was able to find the same Easter print that I used in making the potholders, to make this tablecloth.  It was a fairly simple make, starting with the size of the table, adding  4" hang all the way around, and an additional 1" for a hem all away around.  Then I took a serving plate, about 14" in diameter to round out the corners to fit the oblong part of the table.

Then it was back to the making of the pieced sashing for the Primrose Prairie UFO quilt.  Remember I have to make 214 of these pieces, and each piece has 7 pieces.  Making the sashing scrappy, there are 18 different dark prints, and 12 different light prints.  Somehow the math worked out to be, I needed to make 13 blocks of each print, using one duplicate light print with each 13 pieces set.  After I get them all done, I will either be short a few or have a few extra.  Either way, I have a lot of pieces to make to complete the sashing.  

The box of the cut out pieces show below, here shows that I had one 13 piece dark color set done, and I have 5 sets done.  Only 13 sets to go....I will be sounding like a broken record blogging about this until I get them done.  Sigh...

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Runaround Bag

One of the many custom orders that I received this month, includes one of these "mini bags" that I sell on my Etsy site.  A customer saw one that I had for sale using a college team fabric, and asked if I would make one using Dallas Cowboys print.  Since I had just made a quilt for my son using Dallas Cowboys print, I had a few scraps left over that I used to make the first one.

The pattern that I use is from Lazy Girl Designs called the Runaround Bag.  Ever since I made the first bag, I have also made a "mini key fob" to go with the "mini hipster".  This is a fat quarter friendly pattern, and there is enough fabric left over to make a fob.  Perfect two mini's to go together.

I had to run to Joann's this morning for some fleece and yarn to make some team baby blankets that are also on my Etsy site.  While there, I came across a different pattern in the Dallas Cowboys, so I picked up some and made an alternative one so the customer could have a choice.  This is the one that they happened to choose.

These bags are fully lined, with a back open pocket, measures 10" X 5", zipper closure to the main body of the bag, and a strap approximately 40 inches.  I can cut and sew one, including the key fob, in less than an hour.  One of the easiest bag pattern with a zipper that I have ever done.  Actually the pattern calls for two fat quarters, but you can get two bags out of the focal print if you get a little extra of the contrasting print.  The strap is long enough to carry the bag across the body.  

Now onto the next custom order.  This one is a bag/purse I have already done, you can read all about it here.  I sold it shortly after putting it on my Etsy site, and apparently someone found it on Pinterest, and wants one exactly like it.  This is a labor extensive bag to make, so it will take more than a few days to get done.    I call it the "Browning Bag".

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Red PJ's

Just thought I would pop in and tell you that I finished the second pair of the custom order PJ's.

Again, the lighting wasn't helpful in making good pictures.

Here are the two sets, packaged and ready to ship!

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Custom Ordered Tablecloth

I am not a sports fan, but living in the state of Oregon, there are just gobs of Oregon Ducks fans.  Especially now that they have made it to the first ever championship game.  It is kinda like a "Super Bowl" for college teams, and this is the first time college football is having such a championship game.  So it is no surprise that the fans here are a little excited.  No, they are crazy excited.  Again, not my thing, but it does bring in the customers for specialized "Duck" items.

This customer wanted a tablecloth for a rather large banquet table made with "Duck" fabric.  All the tablecloths we could find were the vinyl ones, and they were not big enough.  She wanted it done only if they won the Rose Bowl (which they did) for the Championship Game on January 12th.  The last couple of days, I have worked on getting this done for her.

The measurements are 66" X 84" that includes a 14" overhang.  See what I mean about a big table?

I did a flange/mitered corner border all around the table cloth to give it some weight and character, rather than just plain old printed fabric.

This is the same customer that I made this potholder set for awhile back, and fortunately I had enough of both fabrics to make the tablecloth to match.

Now onto the next custom order.

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Waiting for the Next Clue

While waiting for the next clue for the Grand Illusion Mystery Quilt, I worked on the UFO Chocolat Legacy project and a custom order.

If you remember, the UFO Chocolat Legacy project is worked in the round, meaning it is started with  four center blocks and then the next set of blocks are sewn around them making a round, and so on.  I worked on the next to the last round of 36 blocks called "Churn Dash".  I am hoping to get them sewn together and sewn in the round of the quilt so far sometime next week.

I have a neighbor who has a recliner that is covered in the "leather-like" fabric.  He doesn't like the covering because it is cold and hot sit on, so he asked me if I would make a cover for him using a king sized plush blanket.  Not my first choice for taking on a customer project, but I did it anyway.

Here are some pictures of the finished product:

The seat piece is separate that includes the foot rest.  I put adjustable elastic halfway around the foot rest part to help hold it in place while sitting in the chair.

Back view.

 I did this picture to show how I did the arm rests.  I did them in separate elasticized pieces so they fit better, and can be taken off to wash.

I mulled over this project for almost three months (they were on a RV trip around the United States), and I managed to get it done the day before they arrived back.  I keep procrastinating this project, mainly because I didn't want to cut into the blanket and not have it work.  Finally I worked it out on paper and in my mind and bit the bullet and ta da!

I'll be back tomorrow with a post about clue 4 of the Grand Illusion Mystery Quilt.

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De Ja Vu? Maybe!

A couple of weeks ago, I finished the John Q quilt, an then I mentioned, that there was enough fabric left for a lap quilt.  The client jumped on it, and so I took the leftover squares, and put one together.

So, no, you are not seeing a post you have already seen in the past.  This is the lap quilt top all done, and approved by the client.


This time around, though, the client wants regular quilt batting, and limited quilting.  I am planning on doing large areas using stitch in the ditch method to quilt it.

I the backing and binding will be the same as the bed quilt, and I should have it done early next week.  I would have it done sooner, but we will be out of town for three days this weekend.

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Finished Potholder Sets

The day before yesterday, I finished the last set of the 8 holiday potholders.    I did get the hang of making them more efficiently the more I made a set, but all in all, they are pretty cute.  The best thing about all of this custom job is the customer is delighted.  Here are the pics of the sets:

And here are the individual set pictures.


This is the spring set:

This is the summer set:

This is the Easter set:

Finally, the Fourth of July set:

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Two Completes

I have two completes to show you today, one is the structure of the greenhouse and the other is another potholder set.

First up the the picture of the completed structure of the greenhouse:

Next we will be working on the floor, sterilizing the ground with a treatment, laying down landscaping cloth, and then bring in some pea gravel and stepping stones for a path down the middle. Although, I might use some narrow pallets for my middle path?  We'll see.

Next up is another holiday potholder set.  The set is for Valentine's Day.  

This leaves four sets to get completed.  I probably won't bore you with individual posts on each set, I did today because I wanted give an update on the greenhouse.

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The Winter Set

The count down is beginning, as I just finished the winter set in the series of holiday potholders.  Five  more sets to make.

Not sure if you can see the quilting without enlarging the picture, but I followed the zig-zag of the red and white print.  So far each set of potholders has different quilting.  I'm hoping I can continue to make all 9 sets different, but at least the first four have their own quilting.

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Holiday Potholder Sets

I received an custom order back at the beginning of September for a local college themed set of potholders.  One was to be an oven mitt and the other was just a simple rectangle one.  I posted about getting them done in between other projects, but in case you missed it here is a picture of them again.

The client then contacted me again, and ordered an additional 8 sets for various holidays throughout the year.  This way they can decorate the kitchen at a reasonable expense throughout the year.  Here are the first two holiday sets, that I will get off in the mail tomorrow, as Halloween month is already here, and Thanksgiving is just around the corner.

Here is the Halloween Set.  The lining, binding and back of the square potholder is spiders and their webs.  

Here is the Thanksgiving set.  The backing, lining and bias binding is a print with words of thanks.

Yes, I made the binding, only because it looks so much better than the limited colors of bias binding that can be bought in the fabric stores.  Anyone who is interested in the mitt pattern that I used, it was on the roll of Insul-Bright  that I used in the middle of the potholders.  If you click on the link, they provide the pattern for free.

Now, I still have to make Winter, Valentine's Day, Spring, Easter, Summer, and Fourth of July sets.  I will keep you updated with pictures as I get them finished.

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Finally Finished

Yes, people, mark your calendars, I have finally completed John Q's quilt.  I couldn't be more happy with the way it turned out either!!!

Pardon the pictures, it is a small spare bedroom, and it is hard to get all of the quilt in one picture.

Even the pillow shams came out random.  Just like the client wanted.

Remember, this bed is a queen size, and the quilt is going to be on the client's double sized bed, so it should be just perfect.

Now on to my next order!

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It All Starts With A Blank Slate

I have begun the layout of John Q quilt, by spreading out a white sheet to be my "design" wall.  Trust me that the sheet is white, very white, but it is picking up the tan wall paint and giving it a tan hue.

Then using my iPad, and some general direction from another layout from the stained glass denim quilt, I began to layout the different sized squares.

To this point, which is about 55" X 58".  This is a starting point, because I need the quilt to cover a double bed, so about 80" X 88".  Right now we are working on getting the randomness to the liking of the client.

Warmest...