The Best Bag Ever (and a link party)

I have been in the mood of bag and 3D objects making... so satisfying to complete a project in few days and have it ready to use!!

The Ongoing Project List:

1. Charity Quilts for DC General Homeless Shelter project - no progress
2. Summer Solstice QAL - no progress
3. Mirror Mirror Afghan - no progress
4. Hello Block Swap - completed two blocks, received one (see below) 
5. Splendid Sampler - no progress
6. Secret event (January 2017) - "coloring" continuing
7. Secret event (February 2017) - no progress
8. Secret event (August 2017) - no progress
9. Secret event (Feb-Oct 2017)  - worked more on the design!!
10. Xmas decorations - no progress
11. Bullet Journaling - working on this every day!
12. Various bags and pouches - one done! (see below)
13. Tote bag - the most amazing bag ever, done! (see below)

The EverythingElse List:

1. 70273 Project - no progress
2. Jane T - no progress
3. The SK project - no progress
4. the 31000 Xs project - no progress
5. Spirit cross stitch project - no progress
6. Alice in Wonderland quilt - no progress
7. As You Wish -  no progress
8. Crazy optical illusion - no progress
9. Memory quilt 2 - no progress
10. Gyleen's BCP Mystery QAL - no progress

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Let me start with the Hello block swap blocks for this month.
Since I am the hostess and we have an odd number of participants, I tend to have 2 partners every month.

These are the blocks I made for them.

July 2012 BOM, "Pixels" block and Bento Box pattern

And this is the block Vicki made for me!

PLEASE consider joining the swap!! It is so super easy, one block a month, that's it... it allow us to get to know new people, try fun blocks that we wouldn't make for ourselves, learn new things, and so much more!!

Find all the details on the Hello Block Swap page!!
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Patty (elmstreetquilts) is hosting a fun event (Bag It) to encourage people to share any bag they make for chances to win great prizes and to inspire each other (Bag it, entry page)!!

I have few bag presents on my list for Xmas so I thought to start it early. 

This week I needed a small "bag" to put some crochet flowers I will be making for my mom. She makes compositions with these flowers, so I want to help out, but sending just the flowers in a box didn't seem good. So I built my first lined drawstring bag!!!

I loosely followed that tutorial, but what I love about this simple bag is that you can make it any size, I didn't even measure the pieces, I just cut them to the same size and then followed the tutorial!!

Another fun thing about the bag is that I used a "Free Spirit" ribbon and a ribbon of label with the writing "Hand Made" to close it up! Such a perfect way to share these messages in an useful way!! :)

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I saved the best for last...

I saw this Cozy Nest Designs' Seat Belt Market Tote and I fell in love with the look.

Colors: Aubergine and Liliac, Size: Medium

I bought the pattern and a kit a while back but I was kind of scared about the material: I thought that seat belt webbing would be very hard to stitch... well... I think it is the easier material to sew that I have ever used!!!!! :) :) :)

It is way way way easier than the denim that I used last week for some pouches.

Plus Sarah's patterns are always so easy to follow, detailed and very very clear!! This is not the first bag I make from one of her patterns, and she includes so computer-generated line drawings that show you exactly what she means in her text. I am a quilter, so I don't have much experience (almost zero) with gusset, fully lined zipper pockets within the lining, etc... and I did a great job in my bag (I say it to myself).

Few more details: the colors are not that great in the picture because the weather is not cooperating :) however it is so luxurious and cool that my boyfriend told me that maybe I shouldn't use it every day because it may attract bad attentions because it looks super expensive and high end! :) :)

I choose purple and green as my color combination, and I added that little envelope mini pouch (bought somewhere, I don't remember where). That pouch has two purposes: 1) it is cute and it stores some contact info in case it gets lost;  2) as you can see in a picture above, I can slip it in one of the outside pocket and it keeps the ring down and prevents it from bouncing around. So cute and functional!! 

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How about you? What are YOU up to?

Link it here and share it with me!!

An InLinkz Link-up

Playing catch up (and a link party)

I am baaaaaaaaaack!

Visitors in the house are fun... but they leave no time for sewing :) so I am a little behind with several projects, but I am catching up!

The Ongoing Project List:

1. SYS2015 future projects - done the next object (cannot share)!
2. SYS2015, current project - bag done (see below) this is my project for A Lovely Year of Finishes - May
3. Block Swap Adventure - April and May blocks done (see below)
4. Mirror Mirror Afghan - 2 blocks done, started the 'main panel' but will share that next week
5. Water Lilies (Spangled Stars Quilt-along) - done with this week task (see below)
6. D wall hanging -  no progress
7. B quilt - no progress
8. the SK project - no progress

The EverythingElse List:

1. Embroidery calendar - no progress
2. Animal blocks for charity quilts - paused for a while
3. Project of Doom 2015 @ Fandom in Stitches - paused for a while
4. College Days Blog Hop blocks for tote/grocery bag -  no progress
5. Alice in Wonderland quilt - no progress
6. As You Wish -  no progress
7. Happy Halloween wall hanging -  no progress
8. Crazy optical illusion -  no progress
9. Memory quilt 2 - no progress.

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Susan (quiltfabrication.blogspot.com) is hosting a fun Quilt Along (Spangled Stars)!! I wanted to join but the QAL started exactly during my time off-sewing so I need to catch up with them! But I completed this week task!

As I don't have a design wall here in my living room, I tried to use my sewing helper as a design wall ;). It worked out fine, except that a couple of times I had to chase my blocks around the house :D :D

After that incident I decided that maybe a virtual design wall is a better choice ;)
So below you can see the overall design and my progress!

So this is my current plan

Original design by Susan,

my current draft: modified layout for colors/size

I named this quilt "Water Lilies" because it reminds me of Monet's paintings of Water Lilies (the one below in particular). I hope the final effect of gradient and scrappyiness will work... we'll see!!

Water Lilies Red, Claude Monet, 1914

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And I just received the two prizes I won in Sew Mama Sew giveaway days!

From Leo

From Stacey

The green fabric has already put to good use in the Water Lilies quilt ;) the clothing book is something I will read and see if I am brave enough to try some of those pieces (they look all very cool)

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Progress on my Mirror Mirror Afghan (using the tapestry crochet technique)

I really like this project, it is the perfect activity to do at night watching tv! And since it's going to be a sampler afghan, I can really play around with colors and designs!!

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Blocks for the Block Swap Adventure are flying in and out :)
Top: the ones I received from Debra (left) and Kerry (right)

Bottom: the ones I sent to Debra (left) and Kerry (right)

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And last, but not least... I finished my Pixel Bag!! YEEEEEAH!!! My goal was to finish it by the end of May and I made it!! I am soooooooooo in love with my new beach bag!!
Of course, I couldn't simply follow the instructions that Susan gave us for the SYS2015 May project. I made a single strap (instead of two) and I made it adjustable because when we are carrying thing to the beach sometimes two hands are not enough, so cross body may be easy to have!
And the thing I hate in bags is when you cannot close them! so I added a recessed zipper: first time ever, I am pretty happy with the result... I followed a tutorial, made few mistakes but I think it turned out just fine!!

The bag is really big!! (20''x20''x6'')

Top: the two sides of the bag

Bottom (left): inside you can fit two bottles, a little lunch insulated box, towels and there is a lot more space to get a quilt inside too!! 

Bottom (right): the recessed zipper and the adjustable strap. The lining is home decor fabric.

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How about you? What are YOU up to?
Link it here and share it with me!!

An InLinkz Link-up

MOP Monday - Christmas list completed!!!

The Christmas list is COMPLETE!!

-- MOP: The Xmas presents list --

1. Topolino quilt (MPB) - DOOOOONE (this is my project for Lovely Year of Finishes (Dec))

2. convertible bag (IG) - DOOOOONE (see below)

Extras:
1. the SK project - no progress
2. block swap Dec - planning to work on this today!
3. Bonnie's Hunter Grand Illusion - no progress
4. Color of the Year mini - no progress

(Linking up at Let's Bee Social)

-- MOP: This week updates --
Finally my Topolino quilt is completed!! As you can see below, using a sheet set for the background (and backing) gave me a cute matching pillow case for "free"!! :)

Topolino - 60''x76''
(the light in the picture is terrible, but I don't have time to take better pictures for now... it needs to be wrapped and ready to be gifted soon ;) )

I absolutely love the look of the multi-color binding!! And I love the way in each corner one color ended up "wrapping" the corner! No math, no calculations, just luck!!

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And the last Christmas present was another of those fun 4-bags-in-1

(pattern by Sarah @ Cozynestdesign.com)

I have to admit that my bag has some issues because I was not super careful in some steps so there are parts that are not perfectly centered or perfectly smooth... but considering the rush and the fact that this is my second bag ever made, I am ok with the results and I think the recipient will like it anyway!!
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And the last thing that I want to share is this little project that I actually made few weeks ago with the hope that would be accepted in a magazine, but was it was not :( but this means that I could add the pattern in my Craftsy shop and I can share it with you!

Pattern available on Craftsy

The symbol itself is 10'' square (finished) and the border makes it 12'' finished, a perfect size for a traditional symbol with the modern touch of the inverted border!
I have big plans for the quilting so you will see more of this!!

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And now, what are YOU going to link?? :)

An InLinkz Link-up

MOP Monday - progress and finishes

The experiment of the "trial Linky Party" seems to be pretty successful!! 2 weeks in a row with more than 5 links!!! Hurray!! :)

Still 2 weeks for the assessment of the results, but it looks very promising!

Now for My Own Progress:

-- MOP: The list --

I decided to restructure my list of projects.

I will divide them into WIP and WNEIP.

WIP (as everybody knows) means Work-In-Progress, pretty self-explanatory ;)

WNEIP is Work-Not-Exactly-In-Progress, a term that I invented to describe project that are not UFO (because for me UFO are unfinished object that I archive in my sewing space in drawers that I never open for future unknown times). These projects, instead, are project that are still around and visible in my sewing space, but I work on them only when I am stuck/bored with other projects because the WNEIP do not have deadlines, but they are fun! :)

WIP:

1. the SK project - 1 new block this week! (see below)

2. Rainbow Starburst - no progress
3. Topolino quilt - no progress
4. the Z quilt - 1 block done (see below)

5. Convertible bag - doooooone (see below) - this is my project for Sept. Lovely Year of Finishes

6. Tea Towel challenge and PPV BOM - no progress (progress last week)

WNEIP:
1. Reversible sewing machine cover - no progress
2. College Days Blog Hop blocks for tote/grocery bag - no progress
3. Alice in Wonderland quilt - no progress
4. As You Wish - no progress
5. Happy Halloween wall hanging - no progress
6. Crazy optical illusion - no progress

(Linking up at Let's Bee Social)

-- MOP: This week new blocks --

I finished my first bag!!!

(pattern by Sarah @ Cozynestdesign.com)

Obviously as my first bag ever I had to choose one that has "thousands" of pieces and it is actually 4 bags in one!! :) because I like to challenge myself otherwise life won't be fun, right?

Despite my lack of experience the bag(s) turned out pretty good I think!! The pattern is easy to follow even if it has many different components. Sarah does a great job in showing how to do all the steps and she has some extra tutorial for the most complex ones. So even if some of the sewing line looks kind of drunk (it's my first 3D object that I sew, so I think it's understandable) I like the finished project a lot!!

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The Z quilt, is a very special project I designed for a special person in my life.
The quilt itself has a lot of hidden meaning (from the measure of the blocks, to the color chosen and their location in the quilt, to the fabric line chosen, to the quilting I plan to do). I will share all those when the quilt is all together, but for now I can share the first block I made!

Lu (Professional success or Prosperity) (22''x22'')

Please ignore the fact that I don't iron my fabric nor my block :) I press them quickly because I have so many other things to do, that I spend time ironing only if it is absolutely necessary ;)

It is a Chinese symbol that I hope is what I want it to be. If there any of my reader knows that symbol and if it means something else please do NOT tell me ;) unless it means a very bad word ;).
Its a pretty big block and it's done with what I call "2-steps PP" meaning that the center of the different quarters is done first with a PP pattern, and then the surrounding circle is obtained from a different pattern. This is why I won't share the pattern here with you, it's too complicated to make it understandable for others :) if you are interested you can send me an email and I can share it with you at your own risk :)

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For the Block Swap Adventure, my Sept partner received my blocks so I can share now what we exchanged!
These are the blocks she sent me:

And these are the blocks I made for her:

(star on the left: Banded Star, by Jennifer @ Sewhooked)

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And finally we have 1 new opening line for my SK project.
I hope none will be offended by the language :) SK uses strong language at times but that's the beauty of his book IMHO because it makes them very realistic!!
Again I used the super-great method that I mentioned last week to transfer patterns on fabric: crayola washable markers!
Kate @ Thorn Trace shared on Fandom In Stitches her very through experiment.
If you want to read about it, just check it out on Fandom In Stitches.
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The Shining
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Pattern available on "The SK project" page

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And now what are YOU going to link?
Let the game continue (trial linky party, week 3 :) )

An InLinkz Link-up

MOP Monday - few progress, but pretty big ones!!

I don't have much progress to share with you in terms of number... but they are pretty big so let's get down 

to...

-- MOP: The list --

1. As You Wish - no progress (progress last week)
2. Celtic Solstice - "back" done!!! see below!!
3. Tea Towel challenge and PPV BOM - printed April block
4. Alice in Wonderland quilt - no progress
5. Happy Halloween wall hanging - no progress (progress last week)
6. Topolino quilt - no progress
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7. B&W pillow - no progress
8. Grocery bag - done TWO grocery bags!!! see below!!!
9. Triangle QAL - pieced 2 rows (see below)
10. Emerald wall hanging - no progress

-- MOP: This week new blocks --
I never worked with home decor fabric and I made one bag before in my life... this is why I decided to make not one but two grocery bags for my mom's birthday!! I like to challenge myself ;)

The first one

The tutorial for this great bag is available at sew4home.com.
I changed a little bit the pattern... I added a lining for two reasons: first I wanted to add some fun pockets inside and it's easier to add them on the lining... second I never worked with heavy fabric... and some of the seams where turned many times and pretty bulky... so the lining hides everything ;)
The other thing I added are some snap fastener at the top because I don't like bags that do not close... even if I use them for grocery, when they are not too full or before the trip I like them to close, so this was an easy addition.

The second one is a lighter and more "foldable" bag... I didn't follow a pattern for this... actually I deconstructed my favorite grocery bag (scaaaaaaring process ;) ) and I used it to cut the fabric and reconstruct this other bag

(side note: I was able to reconstruct my original bag too... that was my biggest worry ;) )
I don't know how sturdy these two bags are... I guess I will know when my mom will start using them!!

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Finally I finished the back other front of my Celtic Solstice baby quilt: here they are next to each other!

Left - Celtic Solstice by Bonnie Hunter, Right - My reinterpretation of Weave, by Kathreen Ricketson

The "other front" of the quilt was inspired by the Weave, the quilt on the cover of "Brave New Quilts" by Kathreen Ricketson. I won that book in a giveaway and I absolutely love that quilt... however the way she construct it is a little bit too "matchy-matchy" for my tastes and for my skills ;) so I did it a little bit more scrappy and less calculated... and I went for a single diagonal line: what I wanted to represent is the sun rising on a Celtic hill (this why the greens and the browns in the lower part, and the orange/red/blue of the sky). I absolutely love the way it turned out... so bright and so scrappy... it perfectly matches the scrappyness of the Celtic Solstice front.

Now my goal for April is to quilt it and finish it!!

Liked up at A Lovely Year of Finishes

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The next step in the Triangle QAL @ sassyquilter has been published few days ago and I started piecing together my triangles. The first few were frustrating because I was trying to align the wrong points... once I understood how it should be done, it became easier... now I won't say again that I hate triangles... I just don't like them too much ;)

This is my progress.

I need to cut more triangles because I just cut a few to get a feeling about the process... and as I said, I don't hate it, so I think I will finish it!!

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And as a last note, I received my block from my Block Swap Adventure partner (Melissa @sewgreenm.blogspot.com/)... an amazing Snail Trail block, thanks Melissa!!

I printed the pattern for my next pattern... it's going to be fun and colorful... I hope she will like it!!
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And now, link YOUR own progresses below!!

Rules for the linky party:
1. You can link finished projects or WIP at any stage! Every step is worth sharing
   (A journey of thousand miles is made of single steps)!
2. Link to your specific post to make it easier for others to read about your progress!
3. Spread the word and post my button or a text link (code for the button on the side bar)
4. Comment on other links!! It's always good to support each other every step of the way!! :)

An InLinkz Link-up