Bunnies

I remembered, today, that I had planned to make a couple of Easter gift bags.

Awhile ago, I saw a tutorial to make Hungry Bunny Bags on Lil Blue Boo (aka Ashley Hacksaw).

So I pulled out my scraps, and made two, this afternoon.

A pretty little girl bunny.

A tough boy bunny.

Their mouths open, to hold little treats.

I like the primitive style of them. I had to keep reminding myself that if they are too perfect, it will spoil them.

I used my own method, to put them together. I like to minimize the amount of hand sewing is required.  The tutorial has you make the lining separate from the outside and them insert and hand sew the lining, at the mouth. I put the zipper in and attached the lining so the front was complete, did the embroidery, then attached the backs. I had a 3 inch opening at the bottom to sew up.


 

Polaris - Part 2

Spring seems to have changed its mind, and is allowing winter to stay a bit longer. I would think this was a delightful sight, if it were the week before Christmas, however, it's the week before Easter. The bush, on the inside of the fence, is the forsythia, and I was hoping it would start showing a bit of yellow shortly, but it is not to be. More snow is falling, right now, mixed with ice pellets, so I am hiding inside.

I have been doing all the bits and pieces required, to make a bag.

I have made a zippered pocket for one side of the lining.

For the other side of the lining, I made a slip pocket with card pockets.

I have made the strap, and basted the foam stabilizer to the outer pieces. I have been debating putting an outer pocket on the side of the bag, but I think I will leave this one without one. I don't want to chop up the birds.

Next up will be the zipper in the top of the bag, the rings for the straps, and the piping around the outer edges.. I decided this needed some gold hardware, so I got some gold rings.

Purse Making

I started my March Bag of the Month - Polaris.

Yesterday, because it was International Quilting Day, I changed the blade in my rotary cutter, and started cutting out the pieces. Since spring has now arrived, I thought a bright bag was needed.

The birds are the exterior, and the floral is the lining and the strap. The blue strip will be the piping. I am liking it so far. I need to decide shortly if I want an exterior pocket on the bag. I haven't quite decided yet. I am putting extra pockets on the inside.

Today, I am interfacing the pieces and making the strap.

I received a gift today. I am not sure what I will do with it.

It is a hinged metal purse frame. It has crystals along the inside edges (the picture shows it all the way open).
It also has crystals on the clasp.

I don't think I have all the pieces. I think there should be a couple of backing plates and some screws.

There are screw holes on the back side of the frame. I think I can probably find screws that fit. I could use a stiff piece of stabilizer and some washers to reinforce the top edge.

I am not sure of the age of the frame. A friend found it in her mother's craft supplies, and thought I might be able to use it.

Maybe after I finish Polaris, I will take this on. Since the frame is a kind of open lattice, I think a nice bright fabric would be in order, satin maybe?

Another Tea Wallet

When I made a bunch of tea wallets and card wallets, for a bazaar at the church, I got an order from a friend, who asked at the last minute. I told her it would have to wait a couple of weeks, and she was okay with that. Since it has now been 6 weeks, I figured I really needed to get this one done.

She asked for a black wallet, but people who know me, know that I can't possibly do plain black. So I took a few liberties.

The outside is black with tone on tone butterflies. I thought the grey cat button worked.

I found a scrap of batik, which was primarily black, to do the lining and one pocket.

She works downtown and figures it is the perfect thing for her bus pass and debit card, when she runs out at lunch. I gave it to her last night and she thought it was perfect.

Meanwhile, my Fracture mystery shawl is progressing. I have finished Clue 3 and I think the picture may be one row into Clue 4. The shawl is getting too wide to get the whole thing in the picture.

Hearts are starting to appear in the lace. I am not completely happy with the yarn. I think a tonal would have been better than a variegated color, however, if I really love the finished shawl, I will make another in a solid.

As if I ever make the same shawl twice!

Mudville Tuesday

It has turned warm and suddenly the streets are running mud. I went out this morning, and discovered while driving that I had not checked my windshield washer fluid lately, and I was completely without any. Fortunately, I was able to find some clean snow, to wipe the mud off, so I could see out of the windshield, and I filled the reservoir in my car, when I got home.

I received these from a friend, to celebrate International Women's Day. It was her birthday, and we went for lunch to celebrate.

I thought a little handmade gift was in order, so I made her a Pixie Basket.

To give you an idea of the size, I set it next to my coffee mug.

Just a tiny little basket, for collecting tiny things. I thought it would be a place to put one's jewelry at night, or pins or stitch markers, or...

I used a tutorial from Fabric Mutt.

Meanwhile, my addiction to Mystery Knit Along Shawls has hit a crisis stage. I accidentally signed up for two at the same time.

The second clue for the Valentine KAL is about half done. I have until Sunday to finish this clue.

Meanwhile I am in the middle of Clue 2 of the Fracture MKAL.

I have until Friday to finish this clue. I am not sure I like the colour of the yarn for this one. It is a variegated grey and it is a little darker then I like. However, it feels nice, so I will keep going. I am sure I will find a home for it, if I decide I don't like it when I am done.

Linking up to The Needle and Thread Network WIP Wednesday.

New Month - More Twenty

Some how, I started out very well on my twenty minute challenge, but somehow, by the middle of the month, I had lost momentum. Maybe all the snow caused me to snuggle by the fire instead of going to my somewhat chilly sewing studio.

This morning, the sun was pouring in through the window, and I managed to get in to play, again.

I started a quilt a long time ago.  It moved to the finished top pile and never went any further.  I pulled it out last week, and tried to figure out what was still needed. I discovered that the problem was that the back was exactly the same size as the top, and needed to be made a bit bigger. I had already added one piece to the back, so today, I added another.

Pretty wild, isn't it. Trust me the front is even wilder.

I also took the time to cut and piece the binding. This is the binding fabric.

Do we sense a theme here? I think, when the whole thing is together, it will work. I have a wall that has been waiting a long time for this piece.

My next Bag of the Month Pattern came today.

As soon as I saw this bag, I knew which fabrics I wanted to use.

However, when I went into my stash to pull the fabric, some others wanted to play, too.

I may have to make 2 bags, this month. Of course, I haven't started February's bag, but it can wait. It might be a good project to take to Quilt Retreat in April.