some japanese crafting

This issue (#28) of Cotton and Paint arrived last week. It's my first time checking out this magazine and I'm highly impressed. I was immediately drawn to this image and got to work on my own versions.

I loved the flower pattern on this bag, but I didn't have any of it in my stash, so I made these two instead.

some flowers:



It's a thicker canvas fabric and the design on it is in a soft embossed velvet (purchased in Japan earlier this year). It is now being used as the home for my wip, granny square afghan.

some orange:



The fabric on this tote is from a Tikoli tea towel that I bought at the Bureau of Urban Living in Detroit (thanks Jodi!). I was excited to finally make something out of it...it's been calling my name from my shelf for quite a while. Now this bag is stocked with all my supplies for my felting class tomorrow night. I can't wait!

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Here are some of my favorite images and projects from the magazine:

looks like granny squares are making their way to placemats.

love this bag...it's next on my list for this magazine

fall inspiration

I haven't been lurking much around flickr lately and I've been missing out. I just rediscovered all of the crafty inspiration that is on the site...I've got to check back there more than once a month! Here's a few images of things that have caught my attention:

1. Seeing Double?, 2. Autumn Corduroy Tote-closeup, 3. Patchwork Baby Quilt, 4. Star Quilt Stars, 5. baby quilt, 6. Done!, 7. Baby Quilt3, 8. craft show bags 3, 9. flea market bag 1, 10. BROWN YOYOS, 11. The Eyes Have It: Gingerbread Cupcakes with Creamy Lemon Frosting, 12. Felted periwinkles bag, 13. felted beads, 14. Felted gerbera bag, 15. Dia De Los Muertos Calavera Purse, 16. LOVE XO

And, I was so excited to find this quilt on the Denyse Schmidt quilting group. It's a What a Bunch of Squares quilt that is quilted with vertical lines rather than nested squares that were part of my initial plan. I had to abandon that quilt when I realized that I was not up for the daunting task of my first try at hand quilting on a queen sized quilt. These vertical lines are definitely doable on my current sewing machine so I'll have to add that quilt back to my current project list.

I'm still on the fall inspiration kick...starting the needle felting class on Monday (can't wait to make some cute animals and flowers), working on the new quilt, and cranking away at the granny afghan. My mom and I are out to attend the American Sewing Expo tomorrow.

And, in the meantime, Jon and I are catching up on the last three seasons of The Office...hilarious! Where were we when this show started?

fall

I am so excited that fall has finally arrived! We were able to enjoy the beautiful colors up north at my aunt and uncle's lake house...seriously...is this not the most gorgeouse bedroom window view?

We had a little weekend getaway with two of my college roommates and their husbands' this weekend...lots of good food, laughter, paddleboating and Settlers of Catan playing. It was great to get away.

And, as a special treat, I got to drive my new car up north. I ordered this car over a month ago and it arrived on Wednesday, just in time for our trip. A car that gets 40mpg is a nice tool to have when gas prices are so high! Now, Jon and I have matching cars. A four door Yaris sedan for me and a two door Yaris hatchback for him. Matching glasses and matching cars...we definitely spend too much time together!

I was able to get lots of hooking done this weekend on my granny square afghan. I tired out my wrist while I was fiendishly working, so I'm taking a bit of a break from crochet this week.

In the meantime, I started cutting out the strips for my handkerchief corners quilt. I'm almost ready to assemble the squares...just have to finish trimming the strips and cut out the white squares for the center.

new quilt

I bought this Denyse Schmidt Katie Jump Rope fabric from Cia's Palette (highly recommended with great customer service!) earlier this summer and have been trying to come up with a scrappy patchwork quilt pattern to make with it.

I found this handkerchief corners pattern in Kaffe Fassett's Passionate Patchwork. It reminds me of an inverted log cabin pattern. I'm planning on using this pattern and my new Katie Jump Rope fabric for my next quilt. I bought some white fabric to use for the squares in each block and then I'll use the printed fabric to make the corners. I'm looking forward to getting started on this once I make some more progress on my granny square afghan.

And, I found this quilt in a Country Home book from my mom's collection. I love the pattern on it, Orange Peel Reel, but have had a hard time finding an actual pattern for it online and in quilting books. A version of this quilt might just be my foray into quilting curves...

sewing basket

My mom found this darling little sewing basket at a garage sale earlier this summer. She had it sitting out in her dining room and when I told her how much I liked it, she told me that she had bought it for me. She didn't want to offer it to me without hearing my opinion of it because she didn't want me to feel obligated to take it if I didn't like it, so she was happy when I pointed it out and could pass it along. I'm excited to add another container to my collection.

And a new sewing basket means that I've got to find something to put in it, right? What better than the beginnings of a new hobby? I signed up for a needle felting class at a local yarn store and found out about a woman in my area that is a merino wool roving wholesaler, so I am all stocked up with felting needles, roving and a sponge for felting. Now I just have to wait until October 1 to start my class.

quilted bags

I finished these two bags a couple of weeks ago, but it's taken me weeks to get them photographed and posted.

These are my first attempts at designing a handbag template...a little off as you can see. I think I'll just copy a pattern from Machine Made Patchworks 2 for my next bag so that I don't end up with huge, too wide, too floppy bags.

I suppose making a muslin sample first would have shown me that the pattern I made was flawed, but then again...I don't do trial runs. : ) These bags are too wide to keep their shape (the bag bows in half when there is anything in it) and they just turn into sacks with a strap once their in use.

But, I really like the fabric that I used and the quilting turned out well, so they are both in rotation until I make another replacement for them.

On a lighter (or heavier note)...Jon and I started the cider mill rounds this weekend. First we made a trip to the Rochester Cider Mill on Saturday by ourselves before a wedding reception and then we went to Yates Cider Mill on Sunday with some friends. We're both still recovering from our sugar and doughnut rush...perhaps this could be the problem:

jon's birthday

We celebrated Jon's birthday on Wednesday at my parents' house. My mom outdid herself by cooking a wonderful lasagne...so delicious.

Jon opened up his gifts with his new buddy, Riley the cat, at his side.

He was especially excited to open this gift...a new gps for his car. I think it was especially appropriate as Jon drove past our house on our way home from my parents' house. Let's just say that he's a non-linear thinker and the line of work he's in is perfect for him! : )

I was excited when Jon discovered that the GPS has a feature where you can plug in coordinates, which means that we can finally try out geocaching!

I have been improving on my birthday mound of 2005 and made this red velvet cake for the occasion. I loved the red color of it...so much more exciting than a yellow cake!