Princess's Bottled Rainbow - finished!

I am just so proud!! My Princess finished her very first quilt today!!! Here it is:

Princess's Bottled Rainbow, by my Princess, Age 7

finished size 40 x 47

I love this satisfied look on her face!

And this is what she has been doing since finishing it!! I am so so proud of her!

Dopp Kits

When I finished making the Weekender Bags, I found that I had a obscene amount of fabrics left over. So I thought it would be fun to make little Dopp Kits for the kids to go with their bags. I found several Dopp Kit tutorials, was (and am still) unsure which one to use, so I decided to try THIS one.

I started using my fabrics, so I wouldn't mess up the kids and somehow run out of fabric. Here's try number... well 2. Try number 1 was a disaster... lol!

The cute little handle. It's still a little wonky, but I think I have it figured out for next time!

In a further flash of brilliance, I decided to try out putting in an exterior zippered pocket. I used THIS tutorial for that, and LOVE how it turned out!! Not hard at all. This is going to become a regular part of my bag making!

All in all, this was fun, and turned out okay. I am going to make the kid's smaller though. SO many firsts here, I am definitely linking up with TNT at Happy Quilting! Today she has an awesome bag tutorial, so check it out!!

WIP Wednesday - Mah na Mah na edition

Wow. It feels like a LOT longer since last week's post. Thanksgiving will do that I suppose. I didn't get a whole lot of sewing done this week. Some, but not a lot. But a lot of decorating got done!! :)

Over the weekend, we took the kids to see the new Muppet Movie.

Hilarious. If you haven't seen it, go see it. We laughed our heads off!

Anyway - sewing!

{Almost} Finished:

Lego Bag!!

It is sewn and the grommets are in!! Just need to get cord. I don't know how I missed that when I was getting supplies...

Progress:

E's King Size Zig Zag: the cutting has commenced.

That's 360 squares. And that's only half...

My dress: started

Cut out and the bodice has started getting stitched! I really love the color. So, as I was pinning that wicked curve in the bodice, I was reflecting on how different dress making is from quilting. And then I had a fun idea crop in. Would anyone be interested in a "Dress making for Quilters" sew along? I think it sounds fun! :) Let me know...

Princess's Bottled Rainbow:

She decided to make a smaller quilt, so after she finished her 6th block, we sewed it up and quilted it! Now she is pinning down the binding!! She is doing the roll over method and will be finished soon! I can't wait to show you!!

Last - I finally started a Twitter account. I really don't know how it all works, but if you are on there to, look me  up!! I'm @linzsews!

Well, that's all! Be sure to check out all of the WIPs over at Freshly Pieced! :)

My Turkeys

I really love Thanksgiving!! Since I am not (ever) in charge of cooking the main dishes (I'll try not to take that as a commentary on my cooking... lol!) I try to contribute some fun extras. This year - Cornucopias and Pilgrim hats!!
Wait for it... The Cornucopias started with this...

I know. the picture alone makes me happy... Anyway, that turned into these:

Then - the hats:

Chocolate dipped marshmallows on fudge stripe cookies. Your welcome, family!! But - to the real reason for the post. My Turkeys. The only turkeys I will probably ever make...

You may notice the Princess's very interesting shirt? It her own design. It used to be a tank top, and she had me sew in the sleeves, upside down, of an old sweatshrit of her dad's... as turkey wings. It was a cleaver idea! lol!

He really is a little turkey...

hahaha! But really - from my home to yours - Happy Thanksgiving!

*****

As I have never used foam board in something that someone wears, and also... I have never made turkey costumes, I am going to link up to TNT at Happy Quilting!



I also want to list a few things I am thankful for:

I am thankful for my family. My husband, who is my best friend, and my kids who make me smile everyday.
I am thankful for all of my extended family. It's like having a giant cheerleading squad just for me!
I am thankful for my home.
I am thankful for my talents and the opportunity to share them.
I am thankful for the Internet!
I am thankful for all of you!

WIP Wednesday - Giving Thanks edition

I can't believe it's Wednesday again!! More specifically - I can't believe it's the Wednesday before THANKSGIVING!!!! Where did November run off to? Better yet, where did 2011 run off to?!?

Anyway - it's been a spectacular week!!

Finished:

WEEKENDER BAGS!!! All 3 of them!

Check out all the glory HERE!

Turkey Costumes:

They are finished, hilarious, and fun. I'll be posting a real picture of my little Turkeys in them tomorrow! (In the meantime, here's a funny story - yesterday, my 4 year old was at his karate class, and was telling his Sensei about being a turkey. His Sensei had no idea what this child was talking about. I was laughing pretty hard!)

Music Stand Carrying Case:

I really needed this! AND - I will be putting up a tutorial soon!! So, stay tuned! :)

Progress:

Lego Bag!

I actually got some sewing done on this! The top is about 2/3 of the way sewn! I am using all of my leftover Halloween-fabric-that's-not-too-Halloweeny fabric, and I really like how it's coming together!

Skill Builder - block 18 Circle of Geese

I have been wanting to try this one!! I was a little afraid that my floral print would be killer on the eyes, but - it's okay. I really do like it! And with this block, we are officially half way!!!

No progress:

Dresses - mine is cut out. And we did get the fabric for the princess's! And I got ALL of her cuts at 50% off!! YEA!!!

E's King Size - still in planning and acquiring stage. She did choose the HST route. So I have to gear up for a few hundred HST. Wish me luck. ;)

As tomorrow is Thanksgiving, I would like to take one second to say something I am thankful for. I am thankful for the online quilting and sewing community. I have never "met" a group of kinder people, who have taught me so much and who are unfailingly supportive! Thank  you all for being my virtual friends!! :) Have a WONDERFUL Thanksgiving!!

So that is all for now, I think! Be sure to check out all of the WIPs over at Freshly Pieced!

Weekender Bags... DONE!

I cannot believe I am saying this before Thanksgiving, but... all 3 Weekender Bags are finished!!!! Yeehaw!!!

I have to say, I am really thrilled with the results.

This one is the princess's:

It was the first one to go through each step, and therefore is the worst of the bunch. I almost feel bad. But... not bad enough to try again. I made a poor choice to top stitch the lining in on hers and I cringe every time I look at it. So I hand stitched the other two and I'm glad. But I feel bad about hers. But you know what? She'll love it! So that's okay.

This is the little man's:

His was second on each step, and therefore, greatly improved. I so love the fabrics on this one!

Here's MINE!! (I don't know if you can tell, but I really like mine!)

I saved mine for last. I am glad. (Muahahaha!) By the time I got to my bag on each step, I had things wired. So mine really is the best. (insert smirk). I Looooooove the fabrics for mine. It is so bright and happy. I am a little sad that I have to keep it under wraps until Christmas. I want to use it NOW!! :)

So, my thoughts on the Weekender Bag. Honestly - the best analogy I can come up with is that this pattern is a little like childbirth. The beginning stages aren't too bad. Then you have to suffer through a few stages of utter agony. But when you are done, you are totally thrilled and feel like a goddess. But would I do it again? Hmmm... Ask me in 3 years.

WIP Wednesday!

We'll call this one "I survived the infamous step #11 on one of the Weekender Bags edition!"

hahaha! Anyway -

Finished - Turkey Table Topper!

Weekender bags - as you can see above I got the Princess's bag through that  horrifying step #11. It was slow and believe it or not I was sweating at the end. Literally. It kind of felt like a wrestling match. But it went well (I think. I still haven't inspected it yet.) The other two bags are through step #10 and anxiously awaiting #11.

I am so glad that I did all three bags together. If I waited to make mine (as I had originally planned), I probably wouldn't have ever done it. Not that is pattern is all that bad, but it does leave a bit of a bitter memory... And then I wouldn't have cut into this gorgeous material!

Pretty, right? I just wish the scale was a little smaller. Anyway, here is where the three bags are sitting right now.

:)

Turkey costumes

Almost done. I was trying to keep them simple, but as usual I ended up having to figure out some random problem. This time? I used felt for the feathers and they kept flopping over in a very uncute way. Interfacing didn't work. Even Peltex didn't work. So, I wondered around a hardware/craft store until some inspiration hit - foam board!!

Worked like a charm. Of course, that took out a lot of sewing in favor of hot glue! lol!!

Lego Bag

All the pieces are cut out! I forgot to take a picture, though, but I think it's going to be really cute!

E's King size

I got this beautiful stack of fabric in the mail!

Yea!

SBS Skill builders - Block 16

I just love it. Seriously!

No real progress:
My dress
Mug rugs
Princess' dress

So, that's it! Be sure to check out all of the lovely WIPs this week over at Freshly Pieced!