There Was Sewing Done

 I made a similar book bag a few weeks ago and immediately received an order for another.
This customer wanted elephants inside the tote.

I was looking for a blue kokka elephant fabric for the inside lining but had to settle on this pasha elephant instead. I believe I have some blue elephants but they may be airplanes instead. Zowie - there goes my mental mindkeeping. I'm almost certain they are inside my sewing room hiding in plain site.
 
haha - here they are. they can't hide forever...

 The book tote is completely reversible so she can put her big books out there or throw the elephants around.

I had some Yoko Saito books come through my library queue and I'm enjoying thumbing through for inspiration. My blogging friend, Mrs. N,  is learning to do Japanese patchwork and I thought to do some myself.


I had to work today for a few hours. I'm very proud of myself - I rode my bike into town and back. Its just over 3 miles to my work place. I need to do this more often. My schedule changes so much and it's difficult to predict. I don't want to be on my busy roads at twilight.
I could always bike in, and if I need to, call my hubby to come pick me up.


We celebrated Memorial Day yesterday with BBQ baby back ribs, baked beans and potato salad.
The weather has been much cooler than a year ago when we were already sweltering under 100' days. This May has been averaging 70' or so making it very comfortable to sit outside on the patio and enjoy our dinner.


I'm trying to get my yard in shape and my new nemesis is the garter snake.
This is the year of the garter snake. 

 

The last few years have been all about cute baby rabbits which are not to be seen (at all!) this year. A whole lotta shrieking has been heard around here as Mr. Snake slithers away from where I'm about to step.


My vegetable garden is still a mass of weeds but I'm almost through whacking them down so I can roto till and re-do the compost piles and show those garter snakes who's the boss.

---breathe---

I made some more microwave cozy hot pads for my etsy shop too. Sewing is easy on these but it took me three sessions in the sewing room to get them done. I just love these red thimbles on the fabric. I found this fabric in Hawaii back in January. So perfect for the sewing enthusiast!

On that note, I'm ready again to try and get computer viruses just so I can watch The Great British Sewing Bee which is now up to season 4.

Recently. someone released season 1 to youtube but I think I would buy it if it were available. This show is sew much better than Project Runway with real sewing getting done and no drama - at all!  Getting little snippets is not my preferred way to watch tv. I saw on Netflix, they are carrying the Great British Bake-off ---- so maybe they will add the Sewing show too.

I had both kids home last week - not at the same time. It was so pleasant to catch up on their news. I am so grateful both of my kids are functioning adults and really living their lives.
 
We'll see the son again multiple times this month as he moves from central oregon to his new digs south of us  and settles in on his pharmaceutical residency. He graduates as a doctor in two weeks. Proud mama.

Rocket Baby Quilt

I sewed this up yesterday afternoon. It's a baby quilt  for a friend of mine.
I was thinking she was having a boy.
She's having a girl.

oh boy!

So this will probably go into my etsy shop.
This first photo is outside - see how the orange is orange?
Next photo inside my sewing room - see how the orange went red?

When taking photos, quilters not only have to worry about lighting more, they have to figure out how to show that the seams are straight. Mine all  look catty-whompus  in these photos. I assure you all my little quarter-inch seams match.


I wanted a blue, orange & gray theme to my fabrics. Since I don't quilt (almost never), most of my prints  --are prints, not solids. It was difficult to find enough 'solids' to offset the definite airplane and elephant theme going on.

Just goes to show you that you can never hope to have enough fabric.






Testing out a binding material. This light and dark airplane material is all over the quilt top in the above photos. I don't know whether to use this fabric.
I'm not real fond of light-colored anything for boys but it seems to work.

This is more of the quilting I like as it was not monotonous figuring out fabric placement in my no pattern sew-as-you-go way.






It's a busy quilt, but then, boys are quite busy.
Right - off to start that girl's quilt....

Check out Gina's Etsy store - she makes the most amazing wedding treasures.