Orange Confetti Clothesline Bowl

 

 My third Orange Confetti Clothesline Bowl. Much happier with my third attempt. Second one was my typical, too fast, trying to make it the same, fiasco (in my mind). This third one is also a tad smaller. About 8 inches across.

Anyway, even with the leather finish, this bowl still had to have a knot. A snake knot, to be precise.

I just love how organic the bowl comes together. Not overthinking the design, just letting it evolve how it wants to.

 Last Sunday, my only day off, was warm - over 60'f,  and sunny.  Yard work was calling. Specifically, this wild Nootka rose.

It had no redeeming qualities other than keeping the neighbors at bay. No excess of blooms, no excess winter rose hips, just excessive vicious thorns and the ability to jump over and under the aluminum flashing I put in to keep it contained.

Late in the summer I tried some Crossbow on it and I was happy to see some dieback.
It will take me two years or so to get rid of the vigorous runner roots but I am waging war.

I have a nice clumping bamboo to put there instead. Teresa gave me some of her clumping bamboo varieties for my birthday last year. They are in pots until I gain control of this spot in my flower bed.

 It's all chopped back, crossbow applied and some roots dug up.

My living fence is now opened up and the neighbors got a bit closer.
Gardening is a process. That's for sure.

 I did do a bit of sewing. This was all cut out on my sewing table and was finished. This little professional pouch with leather accents measures about 5 1/2" by 4 inches tall.
Nice small pouch.

For coins, stuff, timbers memorabilia.
---our local soccer team.

While the rest of the nation is enjoying the winter months, our spring has started here in the Willamette Valley. My Christmas Cheer Rhodies are starting as well as my early daffodils.

Warmer weather is expected through next week and I might even see my mini-iris's pop open.
We can still expect frosts until April but this winter has been mild - our usual state of affairs here. Last year was snowy and icy - which happens every ten years or so. Good to be back to 'normal'.

Fabric Swap

 I've grown fond of Instagram in the last couple of years. Once I figured out how to make it work for me.

 I get posts from the immediate family that has also discovered IG, but mainly my 'friends' are other sewing peoples and, of course, my airplane peoples. My feed on IG is all about the 94% awesome inspiring photos from people who have left the politics and other stuff you should not say in polite company - at home.

Sewing inspiration, airplane inspiration and nature inspiration. IG is now one of the first things I look at in the morning after I complete my online business chores.

My facebook feed, on the other hand,  is cluttered with friends, family, old high school friends, very interesting people and the other "interesting" people.

It became a chore to read FB during election time. Facebook didn't give me too  much joy - until I discovered sewing groups. Since I comment and look at these sewing photos often, my facebook is now 65% sewing posts.

In one of my FB sewing groups, a query was sent out. One of the gals, in Alaska, home to very few fabric stores, proposed a trade. My ears perked up as I had fallen into sewing lust over this print of Sled Dogs on batik in a turquoise colorway:

You might guess that this Iditarod print was only available in Alaska.

My trading partner wanted these religious fabrics she had seen made up into a wallet from one of the other purse groups we both belong too. I found them at HobbyLobby and we quickly fixed our trade. My sled dogs for an equal $amount in the prints below.

As with all trades, adding something extra is de rigueur. I made Alaska Girl a coin purse featuring a map fabric that just happened to show both Alaska and Oregon with a backing of cork. I don't believe she has sewn with cork yet so I included a scrap as well. And I won't tell you how many yards of the map fabric happened to fall into my cart to get free shipping.

The front is vinyl to be able to see what coins you have. The back is green (sea foam) cork which gives this coin purse stability. Completed with a lace zip.

Sweet trade!


I also like IG because it offers a 2-for-1 deal of being able to post a photo on IG and at the same time post to FB.

I already received my swap with an included coordinating fat quarter of fabric to my sled dog mushers. Awesome possum.

Dog Bone Pouches

 I made these as a thank you to our vet and his staff in helping with our dog over the past few years.

They can use them as treat bags, or whatever bags.

I lined them with a laminate fabric from Ikea  - orange polka dots. Easy to wash.
The outer fabric will remind them they are from the lady at the airpark.

I used a selection of yellow and orange zippers from stash.
Now to fill them with some nice chocolates or something.

 I also mis-placed my template pattern from the last time I made these so my notes here include the dimensions;

From pattern file: cut bone out of printer paper. About 8" x 4" with four rounded knobs.
Fold pattern piece in half and cut  with 1/4" SA -  two linings, two outers. Cut two battings at actual size. Install zipper as per usual. Add pull tab.
Because of different zipper widths, Cut the backings after you finish the front. One back, One lining, one batting/wadding less SA.
Open zip, sew all the way around with 1/4" SA. Turn. Top-stitch.


My sixth one is not top-stitched. I literally ran out of thread - not only at the spool but also on the bobbin. I had about a yard left on the bobbin and six inches on the spool!

I took that as a sign that six is enough and no one will notice that one is not top-stitched around the edges.
Possibly I was tired of making six. Done.

Little White Purse

I know someone who is attending a wedding next week. I felt like sewing a small purse with a cross-body strap that would go with anything.

A purse that could hold the essentials including the all important phone with camera.

It does look bridal - maybe too bridal white.
I lined it with pale pink cotton.

There is a lace zippered pocket in front for 'valuables'.
Behind that is a slip pocket for the phone.
And behind that the main pocket of the bag.
Everything from stash (yay!)

BAG IT Vinyl Sewing and Helpful Hints

For this last week of BAG IT with Elm Street Quilts, I have had little time to sew. I did enjoy a drama-free Thanksgiving at my house and I was thankful for those relatives who understand this is now a requirement.

I tried to sew on Thanksgiving as it was a day off work but got bogged down with fabric dithering and decided to just roll with it. Today, I managed to get myself into the sewing room where fabric choices were made quickly and sewing commenced.

My big project is a jewelry bag. I still need to hand-sew the binding down.
 
 I needed a quick & dirty project to 'cleanse my sewing palate' and these two small earbud pouches were sewn without too much fuss. I sized up on the second one as I don't need an earbud pouch. I like Erin's Circle Pouch better. I especially like the heart variation of her small circle pouch.

In any case, a larger see-thru vinyl pouch will be sure to fit in someone's stocking.

I totally stole Janine's idea, utilizing the lace zipper in these. 
It added a bit of polish to these easy bags.

I quilted the back - the diagonal stitching looks best.

Even with my teflon foot, the foot was grabbing at the vinyl during top-stitching, causing the threads to feed oddly. See bottom row of stitching. See those gold dots at bottom? This is the gold top stitching thread being pulled to the bottom. Lessening the bobbin tension might help?

 I had some trouble stitching on this vinyl and I have a little list that could help you sew with vinyl.

1. Sew vinyl with tissue paper underneath or on top or use fabric so vinyl doesn't get stuck on your feed dogs or machine foot. The tissue tears off easily.
Try to sandwich your vinyl in fabric.

2. Use a longer stitch length. This helps when you are navigating different thicknesses in your project. The longer stitch length also keeps things from going to perforated in a heart beat - where the vinyl has so many holes - it tears away from your project.

3. If you own a teflon foot, now is the time to bring it out. It tends to slide over the vinyl rather than your usual foot which grabs.

4. If you don't own a teflon foot, use some post its stuck on your sewing surface with just the feed dogs showing. Some people have used scotch tape on both the bed and underneath side of the foot.

5. My friend who sews with Michael Curry Design (Think giant disney characters and Macy's Thanksgiving Parade)has offered up using K-Y Jelly. You smear it on the vinyl so it doesn't stick and we are officially at TMI.

6. USE A SHARP NEEDLE - A NEW ONE. Don't use a dull one.

7. I had better luck with thicker vinyl bought at fabric store. It comes in guages - I have totally forgotten which one I bought but it's on the thicker side. When I first sewed with vinyl, I  used the vinyl bag I got bed linens in and had a lot of trouble sewing with that thinner vinyl.

8. Use your walking foot to help feed evenly. I have a pfaff which uses the IDT system. It helps keep things from grabbing so much too.

9. No Pins. Anything that leaves holes in the vinyl is to  be avoided. I like to use my Clover Wonder Clips - as long as they are used inside the seam allowance.

The little bag measures 5.5" wide x 4" tall.
The larger bag measures 6.25" w x 5" tall.

October Random Ramblings

 I'm starting to like Instagram more and more. It forces you to edit yourself to one photo and photo uploading does not give me grief like my old smart phone does. I need a new smart phone but I'm waiting for spring when I change plans and shed family members who aren't paying their way.

My smart phone was with me when I took this Quilling class. Will it transfer the photo to my laptop? Will it place it right-side-up - like when I took the photo? Will it lock the dang photo so I can't rotate? It's become something of a chore to transfer photos.

As in, I don't have time for these shenanigans.

In our quilling class, we did alphabet letters. You start with the outline and glue the thin strips of paper (1/4") down. Then start filling in with pretty papers shapes. Most of us did not finish.
Serendipitously, I ran across a huge box of quilling supplies while out garage saling last weekend.

October 10th, seriously. Eggnog so early?

My new Dawgs. Ran across a lady in my friend's shop and noticed her shoes and they are really comfy and much cheaper than Birkenstock's.

 My feet are on killer concrete during the day and hardwoods at home. They are killing me. So - fun (old lady) shoes to wear at home.

 Airplane Poker Run at the neighbors. Nice to see several pilots/friends.

 Random find at the library. That's our biplane! lol ....in espanol....

Pencil Girl in her lace t-shirt. We shopped together back in May for these fabrics. This is when she tissue-fitted my tank top to me that I sewed this summer. She's gotten huge complements on this. She usually wears plain t-shirts (like I do) so this is some serious dressing up.

I need to do a post on her shirt but need  to go back to work now.
I might come back and provide helpful links tonight if I'm not too tired from work.
See ya.