Game Day Bags

Our daughter was home from college this weekend…I was one happy Mama.  What made me even happier was that she requested a cross-body bag to use on game day.  She wanted something she could just drape over her shoulder that would hold her essentials while cheering on her college football team, University of Central Florida Knights.  

Pickle Pie Designs has a few bags that you make almost entirely using the embroidery machine.  Honestly, it takes longer to make the straps than to make the bag.

The bag my daughter wanted was a horizontal design, not vertical like most cross-body bags.  

To meet this request, I combined the bag of one design with the straps of another.

School colors are black and gold.  I wasn't a chevron fan until I found this fabric.

This design included a pocket along the back of the bag as well. Perfect!

Since UCF parent weekend is coming up, I decided I needed a game day bag, too.  I prefer the vertical design.

There are many reasons why I love Pickle Pie...

The design puts the zipper in first, allowing for perfect placement of dimensional  fabric, if you are crazy enough to use it.

Optional ribbon if you want to add a little something to the bag and quilts the fabric and batting perfectly

Cute fonts

The bags are completely lined

NO raw edges inside the bag at all

My game day bag.  Go Knights!! Charge On!!

My favorite supplies for these projects:

• -        Floriani Tear-away stabilizer
• -        Camelot Fabrics - Nightfall (would have been too cute if they named it KNIGHTfall)
• -        Floriani thread - the BEST machine embroidery thread EVER...super strong
• -        Scrap pieces of batting
• -        Organ Needles, size 75/11 (titanium, claims they won’t break but we know better, right? If you don’t remember, click here)

We had a quick but enjoyable Labor Day weekend.  I hope you did too J

Just Jane, Just for Me

Getting quilty mail is always fun but getting quilty mail that comes in packages with dots…

...that’s exceptionally fun and super special.

Stephanie, who blogs at Rummage and before that at Loft Creations, wrote Uncommonly Corduroy.  I have previously shared how much I love this book of bag and quilt patterns.  You can see some but not all, of the bags I made from her book here and here.

The one pattern I had not tried was Stephanie’s Just Jane bag.  That is until she surprised me with a kit containing all of the fabrics and notions I needed to make it.  

The kit contained 21 wale corduroy, a fabric I had not previously used.  It is so easy to work with and I will definitely be using it again.  She also included a mini charm pack of Color Me Happy by V and Co. for Moda.  I love this line of fabric, it reflects some of my favorite colors.

I took the opportunity to test the new little Pfaff by making my new tote.  The machine passed the test.  It transitioned very nicely from just piecing to quilting through Soft and Stable.  I’m really loving the built-in walking foot.

Thank you Stephanie for your kind generosity!  I love my Just Jane bag.

Progress Report and Sweet Mail

Happy September! 

I have been sharing some completed projects with you the last couple of months but realized I had not been mentioning which of my lists the project belonged to.  These are the lists I created while participating in Sherri’s Summer Organizing Series.  So I’m going to back-track a little here.

Progress Report

Work in Progress (WiP):

After weeks of trying to decide whether or not Goodnight Irene was getting a border, it did…

Now this one is off to the long-arm quilter with Willow Weave.  Goodnight Irene was Terry’s sew-along earlier this year.  She has started a new sew-along and you can check it out here.

The other WiP that I have is the helmet liner project which will continue until end of October.  You can read more about them here.

Unfinished Project/Object (UFO):

I shared about Willow Weave here.

To Do (Project I want to make but haven’t started):

I completed more bags from Uncommonly Corduroy and told you about them in early August here.

Also last week, I completed this dish towel/pot holder.

Another item on my To Do list is this Halloween Baltimore quilt, pattern by Pearl P. Pereira. 

This is block one…

I machine stitched the applique using clear thread…not loving it.  So, I’m going to re-think how to complete the stitching.  Since I am using the fusible method for attaching the pieces to the background fabric, I may finish that part and go back to the stitching when all of the blocks are fused.  This quilt will NOT be finished this Halloween and realistically, it may not be finished next Halloween either.  This one will move up to the WiP list and could be there a while J

I have added a new project to the To Do list and this one is for my hubby.  This will be his “man quilt” as Kaaren from The Painted Quilt calls it.  I ordered the pattern today and will share a photo of the cover when it comes but you can see it at Kaaren’s by clicking here. You won't believe this perfect MANLY quilt.

One of our goals is to purchase a camper in a few years.  DH already bought the truck and we have been to a couple of RV shows to get an idea of what we want.  Our plan is to take short vacations until we retire and then take a really looonnng one J

Sweet Mail

You may call this Leftover String Beans…

I purchased Stephanie’s quilt pattern String Beans and took her up on her offer to unload some of the leftover fabric she used.  

You can see the quilt here.  I’m adding this to my To Do list for next spring.

Now that you are all caught up, I’ll do a better job of updating my lists.  I think there is a way to add them to the sidebar of the blog but I have to figure that out…one day.

Have a blessed week everyone!

Yes Sir, Yes Sir, Three Bags…

No, not bags full of wool.  Three more bags finished.  I have made so many from Stephanie’s Uncommonly Corduroy that I’ve become the UC bag lady.  That is ok with me J

My daughter asked for a tote just like mine.

Travels with Lou pattern using Lilly Pulitzer fabric

Then she asked for a smaller purse.

Sister Sharon pattern using fabric from my stash

I also made this one for my sister’s birthday gift.

California Girl pattern, again using Lilly Pulitzer fabric

We have been really busy this summer but I did manage some mini vacations.  My husband and I spent a couple of days in Miami, relaxing and took in a baseball game when our beloved Phillies were in town.

I just returned yesterday from a few days in Fort Walton Beach with my daughter, Mom and sister.  We always have a great time…I just wish we could do it more often.

Today I am home catching up on cleaning and laundry but will be back soon with a couple of projects just to prove I can be a bag lady and so much more J

I hope you are enjoying your summer!