Decisions

 Did you ever start planning a project, with an idea of exactly what you want to do, and completely change your mind, as soon as you get started?

I had decided on a bag pattern for my on-going project of making some of bag patterns I have collected, and even knew which fabrics to I wanted to use.

The bag has piping and a contrast flap, so I was going to use these three fabrics. They look great together, and I had two small problems. The fabrics didn't feel very summery and  I didn't have any gold hardware in my stash. So, I will file this combination, and add gold hardware to a future hardware order. I still like it, but it needs to be a fall bag.

Second idea: If the Laurel Burch wasn't going to work, how about some Tula Pink? 

Definitely more like summer, but I just wasn't feeling this was right, either. The fabric for the piping didn't quite work.

Okay, one more try.

Wow, this suits my mood, exactly. It is bright, summery, and would look great with nickel hardware, which I already have. Now to find a lining.

Yes, that all works. I can see it together as a bright, fun bag, just right for running errands in the warm weather. Now, we just need two more things: Warm weather, and my immediate world to start opening for me, again.

As April Ends

 Last week, we had snow, because April in my part of the world is totally unpredictable. Fortunately the bulbs didn't suffer. This week, we have snow, and rain, and warm, and sun!

So, I have some lovely flowers.

A few daffodils are hiding under the forsythia. 

Some grape hyacinths are making friends with dandelions.

There are some regular hyacinths nearby.

Just in time for the Tulip Festival, the tulips are out. The tulip festival is a big thing around here and we are all encouraged to "Paint the Town Tulip" . This year out of town visitors will have to enjoy the tulips virtually. 

As you can see, we kind of favour an English country garden approach. So we plant bulbs in the part of the yard that is heavily shaded in the summer, but sunny in the spring. 

During the cold and snow, I was sewing and finished both my wallets.

The cork exteriors look very nice. I like the little sparkles of pink on the back one, and thought the rainbow hardware suited it.

The paisley wallet is blue inside.

The pattern said that the interior required 1/2 yard of fabric. Actually, it needs 1/2 metre of fabric, which meant I was short by about 2 inches. So, the inner linings are the polka dot fabric.

The pink splash has an equally bright interior.

I'm keeping this one for me.

The pattern for the wallet is Roxy, by Serial Bagmakers. The wallet frames are from Emmaline Bags. The cork is from MM Cork Supply.

I need to decide what I would like to do for my May project. I want to do everything at once, and I need to choose just one, for this month. Of course, if I finish early, I can make two projects in the same month.

A New Goal

 I have been cleaning, sorting and tidying my sewing stuff, and decided that I need to make some of the bag patterns, and supplies (zippers, I'm looking at you!) that I have collected. So, I have decided to set a goal of one bag project per month. I am going to try planning ahead, so I can make sure I have the supplies that I need. 

Last year, I was suppose to go to quilt retreat, in April. I had the supplies to make a wallet, so I am going to start there. This morning, I checked in my sewing room, and decided I had enough to make two wallets.

Wallet #1 (ignore the polka dots, they are next.) Very busy, but cut into small pieces, I expect it will be fine.

Wallet #2, with a bit of bright pink metallic sparkle. 

The outer fabric is cork. The interior will be quilting cotton. The clasp for #1 is gunmetal and for #2 id rainbow iridescence. 

I even have enough Decovil to make two wallets. I don't think it will take much longer to make two than it would to make one.

I have plans for the next two months. this afternoon, I will check my supplies, order what I need, and cut out the wallets. 

I'm not sure what I will do with all these bags and wallets. If you see something you like, we can talk!

Suddenly It's Spring

 The weather has been unseasonably warm.  So, my flowers have come on with a rush.

My incredible forsythia bush is covered in flowers. It has survived ice storms, frigid cold, and having the city dig it up, when the watermain broke. It just keeps blooming, year after year.

Gorgeous, isn't it?

The crocus have all come at once. I had some yellow and some lavender ones, but they have disappeared and I have only purple, this year.

There are tulips, waiting in the wings.

Daffodils that will show their sunny faces, shortly.

In the shadier spots, I have scilla.

There is bloodroot.

As well as hepatica.

It is such a pleasure to see it all again.

My friend, Lois, spent her winter making a couple of quilts to donate to charity. I offered to put the bindings one. This is the first one.

It is all hand quilted, because that is what Lois does. It is great that I can help with the binding.  I'll also put a label on it.

Happy Mail

 The lack of in-person Quilt Shows, and days at home, sewing, has meant that I am running short on Aurifil thread. I have used Aurifil for quite awhile. My machine likes it, and I never have a problem with it. 

So when Karen of Sew Karen-ly Created posted this great special on her blog, I decided to treat myself to some pretty threads. I love it when the seller takes the time to make my purchase special.

Yesterday, the box arrived, and as soon as I opened it, I could see the care that Karen had taken.

First, some pink tissue.

A cute little note.

The pattern ( I may need to buy some fabric.)

Aren't the threads pretty and spring-y?

More pretty tissue.

And the threads I actually needed along with the Aurifil box that will be handy for taking my thread to workshops and retreats.

Thank you, Karen, you brightened my day.

I finished another pair of socks.

Baby socks with a twisted cast on using the leftovers from my last pair of adult socks. I have already sent them to the grandma-to-be.

Spring has sprung!

And Still More

 Mask making continues. After a year, people need new ones, filters are added. So, I was making masks again this week.

A collection of fun ones, made from scraps, because it is bad enough that we have to wear them.

A pretty one, with a matching ear saver, for someone who wanted something professional looking.

And to go with them, I made a pouch with a pocket that can hang off a purse or tote bag.

Sadly, the crane ended up with his head cut off. 

It has a nice pocket for hand sanitizer and a credit card.

The crane on the back kept his head, but he is flying upside down.

I used a tutorial from Bethany of Sweet Bee Buzzings.

In order to have matching zippers, I used a 22" zipper cut in half and I added new zipper slides. The first zipper piece, I zigzagged over the ends after adding the slide. I got too self assured on the second and didn't bother.  Of course, while sewing in the second one, I zipped the slide right off the end of the zipper. At least the ends were still free so I could put it back on.

Randomly, on a Tuesday!

 I've been having one of those weeks, when nothing really gets finished, but some progress is made.

First, the jungle in the dining room continues.

My grandson cut some forsythia branches for forcing. I will need to cut more for Easter. Free spring flowers!

I was asked the other day how you tell what size a zipper is. For the uninitiated the ones I use are usually #3, #4.5, and #5.

On the back of the zipper slide there is often a number. This is a #3 closed end. (3C)  Didn't you want to know that?

I finished a pair of socks. 

They are even twins. It is my usual vanilla sock with self striping yarn. The leftovers will become baby socks.

A year ago, I bought some "comic book boards" to use as mini bolts for my fabric. I started wrapping my fabric around the boards and it really makes things tidy and easy to find.

There are about 40 pieces of large print and novelty fabrics in this box. The best part is that two rows exactly fit on my IKEA Drona boxes. I have now started on my cool colours. I also ordered another package of boards, since I seem to be running out.

I have some more masks to make, and a binding to sew onto a quilt. I think I need to add a fun project to that list.

Finishes

As I have been sorting and tidying my "stuff", I have been looking at my UFO's and decided what to do with them. Some I have totally lost interest in, so their materials have rejoined the stash to become something else. Some are actually getting finished.

First up: Through the Witch's Midnight Garden

I am socially distanced from all my usual shawl models, so I resorted to the hook on the bathroom door. The yarn is two skeins I was gifted at Christmas time. 

Lots of easy to follow lace, which was pleasant to knit. 

Lovely shades hiding in the second skein. The picture doesn't really show it, but the yarn is glittery, because it has "Stellina" blended into the yarn.

I played yarn chicken on this one, and won, sort of. I used nearly every inch of the two skeins and I have a join in the yarn, in the cast off. Hopefully, it will hold.

This is the Spring Rainbow shawl.

It is a one ball shawl from Katia Yarns. I started the shawl in 2017. I think I got bored after awhile, and put it aside for other projects. However, after a bunch of Zoom meetings, it is done. 

Again, I played yarn chicken, and this time, I lost.

The ends should really match, but I didn't make it. I imagine if the beige is wrapped over the navy and held with a shawl pin, it won't be noticed.

Finally, we have Floatini. It was finished last May, but has been waiting to have all the ends woven it. Last week, while supervising Remote School for my grandson, I sat and wove in the ends. So now it is done.

This one had lots of yarn left over. It is light as a feather, and is done in time for spring outings. It is done in mohair, merino and silk. It's a lovely, light and soft shawl. The pattern looks much more complicated than it actually is, but if you don't like counting, I wouldn't recommend it.

In my sorting, I came across a fabric panel.

I feel as though these need to become spring purses. As I recall, the panel was a gift from someone who thought it looked like my kind of fabric.

Project Quilt Season 12 Challenge 5

 I discovered Project Quilt last year. The idea is that a challenge is posted on a Sunday and you must have a completed quilt on the theme by the following Sunday. The rules are pretty loose as to what constitutes a "quilt". The rules for this weeks challenge are here:

https://kimlapacek.com/2021/02/12-5-youre-crazy-challenge-5-of-project-quilting-season-12.html

This week, with the theme of Crazy Patch, I decided to enter.

Tada! I have a completed "quilt". It is 10ish inches by 7ish inches and I call it "Canajan, Eh". The fabric is left over from a quilt I made for Canada 150, and from the apron I made for my son. The binding is left over from something else. It will look lovely under my mug in my sewing room.

I have done machine crazy patch before. This is my camera case.

So, this should have been easy. However, I forgot how I had done it before. So this was my first attempt.

It has two problems. I didn't have enough coordinating scraps for the red, black, and red fabric. and I forgot that you need to trim after each seam.

Yesterday morning, I tossed the whole thing and started over, with a bag of much more coordinated scraps.

Within an hour, I had this. 

I made a practice sandwich to test out the embroidery stitches. From there is was a quick job to finish the piece. I stitched the back side of the binding, this morning, and it is complete. 

And this, of course, is the back. I covered all my stitches with a piece of silly fabric. Looks much tidier.