Wednesday, April 20, 2011

It's another WIP Wednesday!


Source: etsy.com via Amber on Pinterest


I did warn you all that there would be lots going on on my blog this week! I'm having such a lovely week, lots of sewing, lots of time with the kids and Himself...what's not to love!

As an aside, isn't this the most AMAZING April ever? I don't think I remember such warm balmy sunshine in April...ever!! The kids are loving being out in the garden all day, I'm loving being out with them, or in the kitchen with the windows and doors open sewing while listening to them off adventuring as only 3 and 4 year olds can. Is this only a Cork phenomenon or are other parts of Ireland getting it too? Hope it lasts. I might even BBQ this evening!

Ok, so down to business. Unsurpisingly, its been productive here in my little patch!

Completed this week:


Drum roll please.......I finished my Cosmo bag!!! Woohoo!! I almost can't believe that it has left my WIP basket (having accumulated some serious fluff along the way, that navy fabric shows up every strand of thread making it not as practical as I would have thought!) and become an actually-very-nice finished bag. What do you think? It's made with the Memento midnight fabric from Amy Butler's Love range. The green contrast and the lining fabric are from my local fabric shop, I was sorry I used that green in the end as it was slightly heavier than the other fabrics and made the final sewing on the handles quite tricky.


 I do love the bag but there is no way that I would rate it as an "easy" pattern as it is in the "Style Stitches" book. A lot of the construction is very straightforward, but the handles and the curved band at the top are really not beginner level sewing in my opinion, and definitely the edge stitching around the insides of the handles at the end was quite tricky and I poked myself with pins a gazillion times. If I had tackled this a few years ago as a beginner I would never have managed it and I would have totally lost my sewing confidence I think! I didn't have a quite big enough button for the closure, but I think its ok and I like the effect of using the Memento fabric instead of the green for it.

 

I only did the inside pocket on one side as I ran out of the lining fabric. This is a big, roomy bag and I added some very stiff, cardboard like interfacing to the bottom to strengthen it a little more. I think I'll be using this when I'm out and about, its got good weight and structure and is really very pretty :-)

I also finished this little tag comforter once I got to do the hand embroidery:



In Progress:

I now have 2 quilt tops awaiting quilting - my Dresden from Lily's Quilt QAL


 and my It's a Hoot/Walk in the Woods for my goddaughter.


I really want to quilt the Its a Hoot using free motion quilting so need to get in some more practice in the next couple of weeks before I try it. I was going to do the Dresden in the circular quilting Lynne used on the original QAL block, but now I might FMQ it for practice instead. Still thinking about this one.



Started:

Remember a couple of weeks ago I won a giveaway for about half a Sherbet Pips layer cake, courtesy of the lovely Kristie? Well, I have been trying to decide what to do with it for a while now and finally made up my mind this morning. My 3yr old daughter E is insanely jealous of the quilt I'm making for my goddaughter! She keeps asking for her own and loves the picture of this "The Burbs" quilt from Material Obsession

The 'Burbs

(which I plan on doing later in the year), but that would be a detailed and time consuming one to do if I was to do it really nicely and do all the hand quilting and E is not a lady to keep waiting! So I got thinking, and realised that the Sherbet Pips has 3 of E's favourite things - swings, scooters and - mostly importantly - dogs. I showed her the fabric and she absolutely loved it.

 


This morning I cut the layer cake squares into 5" charms and I intend doing a simple pinwheels design. I will need to cut some more white charm squares to balance the colours but now that I've made up my mind I'm itching to get started piecing!


Still Stalled...

The stupid curtains are the major item still in my basket awaiting attention. Now that I've gotten a lot of progress on other stuff I am determined that I will have made progress on them by next Wednesday.


As always I'm linking up with WIP Wednesday over at Freshly Pieced and some other great blogs!

19 comments:

Mrs Flying Blind... said...

Loving everything including the weather!

Wendy said...

Your cosmos bag is fab! I think it turned out really well. You need the Bag Making Bible, it makes sewing any bag a cinch!

Linz said...

I love every single project!!! I really really love that dresden top! So beautiful!!

Elizabeth Dackson said...

I just love your cosmo bag, love the fabric choices, too!! I agree with Wendy, the Bag Making Bible is ridiculously thorough, a super bag-making resource indeed!! And I adore your It's a Hoot quilt top, it's just lovely, and some FMQ will look fantastic!

Sheila said...

Gosh you have been busy, love the bag! We are having fab weather in Ayr too, last time I remember such a nice April - it lasted until September, if only..........

Bree said...

I would have agreed with you on the beautiful April right up until this week, we're suddenly back in winter! Not fun!

Your Cosmo Bag turned out great!

I'll second (or third, I guess) Wendy - the Bag Making Bible is a great resource.

CityHouseStudio said...

Oh, my, so many beautiful photos!
All of your projects are wonderful.
And the Cosmo bag is so so pretty!

Meredith said...

Your cosmo bag is fabulous! I would never have thought to pair green with the Amy Butler fabric, and I LOVE it! Also love how you used the flower part of the fabric for the button-- too cute!!

Melinda said...

I love it, but I am such a bag freak! I have a few of the ones I've made on my Flickr. I love the amount of space you've got in this one!

Marci Girl said...

Wow you have so much going on, I forgot some of if by the time I got to the end! Cosmo bag turned out fabulous, and no, it is totally not for beginners! Love you It's a Hoot Quilt, so pretty!

Kerstin said...

The bag looks fantastic! And all your other projects are so cute, too. Way to go!

Go-Go Kim said...

Love it all!!!! I am feeling the need to get busy now!!!! Thanks for the inspiration :o)

Kirsten said...

Love the cosmo bag - those AB prints are perfect!!

Leanne said...

Wow, that is a lot done! Pinwheels in the pips will be wonderful I think.

Sara @ Sew Sweetness said...

Wow, you were very busy!! I LOVE your bag...I just saw it on the Flickr group and don't know how I missed your post! Wow, it's so amazing!

ButtonMad said...

Love the cosmo bag...it just needed one of our handoainted buttons ; )
Love your country...my grandfather was from cork...
Happy Easter from south Africa!

ButtonMad said...

Sorry
That's
Handpainted
of course...
Handpainted and fully washable...
Wanted to say the green may have been problematic but it really looks stunning against that blue...worth the pin pricks ...

Jill said...

Beautiful bag - I love the fabric!

Thanks for linking to a Round Tuit!
Hope you have a great weekend!
Jill @ Creating my way to Success
http://www.jembellish.blogspot.com/

Lee said...

Wow! Could there be more fabulousness here? It's all gorgeous! Your Cosmo bag turned out so great, I love your fabric choices. Thanks for linking up to WIP Wednesday. : )