Knitting Project Bag

 My blogging buddy in the UK made a zippered pouch utilizing the Pythagorean theorem
With this method the sides stand straight-up-vertical instead of sloping up towards the zipper.

I ended up with a tall zippy pouch with a somewhat narrow opening that would be perfect for a knitting project bag.

This, of course, was never my intention, as I rarely knit.

But it's tall-ish and has plenty of room for that sweater/shawl plus an outside clear vinyl pocket for knitting stuff.

To offset all that tallness. I added a riveted leather strap and to made the proportions work very nicely.

I cannot re-create this.

On the outside I used some awesome fabric from Ikea - yes! Ikea sells fabric.
The lining fabric is a gospel quilting cotton that I bought too much of for a fabric swap.

The two fabrics pounced on the sunny yellow zip because we're all tired of grey, drizzly days.  (or, the infamous minnesota blizzard, if you're over that way).

For some mid-weight structure, I quilted the inside lining. As I was winging it, I free motion quilted after I attached the zipper. this is not a recommended technique.

Finish measurement is about 9" long x 5" wide x 8" tall.
I didn't add enough sub-structure so my sides don't stand up straight and vertical, but they are.

 And, here it is. In my hand.

And, In my etsy shop, RunningWithHandmade

Airplane Charmer

Benta from SlikStitches offered to send me some airplane charms after I suggested she should. She even offered a swap which I think turned out to be amazing.



Look at all the goodies! 

She has an embroidery machine and took the time to make an airplane tag for me. The guilt free chocolate ( actually minus calories as all calories were expended traveling east to west), a tea towel with bunting on it, a beautiful singer card, and a gorgeous drawstring bag with an airplane charm.






The bag is drawn closed with a "Made in Great Britain" ribbon!

Such a cute detail and one that will make it easy to recall who made me this bag.

The chocolate. We just popped up to 86' Thursday  - that's almost 30' for you guys across the pond.
Needless to say the chocolate had to go visit the fridge while I was away at work yesterday afternoon.
It didn't last long after I arrived home from work. Dinner and all that.

A pop up featherweight Singer sewing machine card.
This is going straight to my sewing room.




Look at the fabric in this bag - too cute with all its retro sewing.







Thank you Benta, This was a lovely swap.

Drawstring Bags

Inspired by Benta, still sewing, with 20 minutes remaining on her recent trip to Ireland...
She cranked out two more bags in that twenty minutes!!!

My two bags took more time then 20.
Since the bag only measures 8" x 10", you can easily make these with fat quarters. 
 I buy yardage 'cuz I'm in no way a cool quilter person.
Svetlana made the tutorial - go make one.

There's an amazing amount of room - four easter egg yarn balls easily fit inside.

The red grosgrain ribbon holds the bag tight but is easily opened.

I used a basic Kona white cotton for my lining. These are lined drawstring bags folks.
My spotted orange came from a little fabric shop in Turku, Finland - just down the street from Finlayson's Department Store.
I just loved the faint checkerboard design covered in random polka dots.
No selvedge name to it either.

While there was a chance of 20 minutes, I thought to sew two at a time.

I hand-stamped the label with a new rummage sale aquisition.
Two  ***complete***  sets of alphabets!
I tossed the other stamps and the dried up stamp pads.

I used instead my washable Crayola purple ink pad that I have had since the kids were littles.
Which is quite amazing as the littles are now 24 & 26 years old.

I set the ink by giving it a good hot press.
I zigzagged closely the orange piece to the white and then used my pinking shears on the white. I then sewed it down with a straight stitch to my drawstring bag front.

I had this bag pinned to my computer as an idea to corral some swap items for Benta but went with the flat zipped pouch instead. Then Hadley made them, and then Benta made them. I got caught up in the madness.
Really - between the day job, yardwork and assorted other little life problems, I needed something fast to sew.
I love all the inspiration found with bloggers who like to sew.

My Mega Pinnie

I saw this Mega Pinnie a few months ago and I put it on my list.  I needed one. I am forever tossing my sewing room looking for a sewing tool I just had in my hand.Then Hadley over at Flying Blind On A Rocket Dog won one.  Then Benta over at SLIKstitches made one. This project jumped to the top of my list.

I figured this caddy/pincushion would be great for hand-stitching times as a way to corral those pins that seem to get stuck in the couch arm (as a surprise!).

Benta made a couple of modifications. I loved her idea for the elastic to keep the thread from rolling onto the floor. She also mentioned wishing for a handle - because this caddy/pincushion is large. I added two D-rings with the idea of a detachable handle but just having something to grip while carrying seems to be enough.

This was a fun project.
I was only stupid once!  

There are six sides which are obviously square but I still read it as cut 6 x 7 squares. I know, I know, it was six 7-inch squares but my brain ignored the square part.  Four sides have pockets covering them up so I just added another inch. I also only quilted halfway on those side squares.








Tutorial from Bluepatch Quilter for the Mega Pinnie is here.


***Update:::Won Blue Ribbon at 2014 Clackamas County Fair.
This is my most used make of 2014. Extremely handy at corralling sewing tools and also for taking to the couch for hand sewing.