Zippy Bag

Hi

I have a few things to post so will start off with the Ziggy Bag.

I tested this bag for Jen Giddens, about two weeks ago I think, but have been waiting for the bag to be named and for Jen to put it on her blog before I posted here.

This is Jen's blog  http://jengiddens.blogspot.de/  Go over and take a look at all the other bags made by her testers. Such a variety with all the different fabrics used. It's amazing how one pattern can be made to look so different.

Ok here's mine.

 

As usual being the rebel I am I had to do my own thing. I chose upholstery fabrics rather than cottons and made a pleather strap instead of a fabric one. The other thing I did which wasn't on the pattern was the hand stitching around the gusset, oh yes and I used metal zips which were a little wider than the ordinary zips used in the pattern. Apart form that it's the same. LOLL

This really is a useful bag with the two separate zip pockets on the outside and two pockets on the inside.

There's also a main zipper closure so all your personals will be safe and sound in this bag.

 

You can also make the strap as long or a short as you like. It make a really nice across the body bag.

Thanks Jen for having me as your tester. I'll enjoy using this bag.

~ Maria ~

Disappearing Four Patch Block

My latest project has come about thanks to the birth of our friends baby girl and I don't have much time. I decided to make a cot quilt. I've never attempted anything this size before and trying to calculate how many squares has been a bit of a chore but I think I've got it worked out now. If it's wrong I'll just add or take away a few. LOLLL
I'm doing 30 8" blocks. I'm still undecided as to whether to add a border or not. I guess I'll wait and see when they're all put together.
Last night I cut out all 120 5" x 5" squares and sewed them together ready for cutting into disappearing four patch blocks.
This was my first test block

 

I woke up this morning and rushed upstairs to my sewing room to start some more before beginning the household chores and managed to make another two. Three down, twenty seven to go. I'm hoping that by the end of the evening I'll have them all completed. Fingers crossed. I'm aiming to finish within the next three days and if time allows I'll make a pillowcase to match.

If you'd like to make one of these blocks I used this tutorial 

http://andiejohnsonsews.blogspot.de/2011/03/disapperaing-4-patch-tutorial.html 

Instead of making my cuts 1" from the center sewing seams I used 1.5"

~ Maria ~

New Cats on the Block

Years ago when my daughter was still living at home and desperately wanted a pet that we wouldn't let her have, decided to tame a couple of Ferrel kittens that wandered into our garden. We have a lot of Farrel cats around here.
This is brother and sister, Patchy and Honey when they first came to us and mum is sitting in the background keeping an eye on them. At this point they still hadn't been tamed and I sneakily took this photo from the kitchen window.

This is them tamed and older.

Honey left us before she was a year old, we never found out what happened to her but Patchy stayed on for a few years. With these two cats in the garden the other Ferrel's started coming in and before we knew it we had 14 all at one time. Most of them gave birth while they were with us.

It was a nightmare feeding all of them. I had to cook all their food everyday, it was like a soup kitchen. LOLLLL

Of all the cats we had my favourite was Fluffy, a Persian kitten. He wandered into the garden one day and after a few days he was tamed too. LOLL
Isn't he cute.

This is him just over a year old.

Sadly he never saw his second birthday, he was knocked over by a car. A truly sad day for me. My daughter had this picture of him put on a mug which I keep on the shelf in front of my computer. He'd often climb up onto the flat roof of the kitchen and come to my sewing room window for me to let him in. He loved sitting on my knee while I typed away.
Not ever having pets as a child it was an amazing feeling I got when I stroked and cuddled all of them. A sense of calm as if nothing in the world mattered.
Eventually all the cats grew up and left home so I was delighted when I saw 5 new kittens from my room today.

 I won't be taming these cuties but it saddens me to know that their mum will abandon them at three months old and leave them to fend for themselves.

~ Maria ~

Triple-Zip Pouch

Finally got some sewing done. That is sewing of the kind I like. I've been trying to get an outfit together for a wedding and it's a nightmare because I don't like sewing clothes. Found a solution to my problem and that left me with a clear head to do some sewing of the kind I like.
So, while my daughter was sleeping, she's been hogging the sewing machine lately, I quickly went to my room cut out the pieces for the pouch and ran them up quickly.
I was given the link by my blogger friend Sandra over at

 http://suddenlysandra.blogspot.de/2012/08/a-few-pictures.html

take a look at hers, it's so cute as are her other pouches. This lady is supper quick on the sewing machine, by the time I've made one pouch she's turned out a hundred of them LOLLLLL.

This is the original link for the pouch.

 http://aquilterstable.blogspot.de/2012/08/triple-zip-pouch-tutorial.html

 Its by Debbie one of my newest bloggy friends and it's a free tutorial. This little pouch certainly gets around.  I've seen it posted on my sewing groups, passed from blogger to blogger and on Pinterest.

Here's mine

As usual I can't behave myself and use fabrics like in the patterns, I have to make life difficult for myself. This is a denim one that I also used fusible fleece on. Then I did top stitching on the top zipper which wasn't mentioned in the pattern and that was a real ordeal.
Loved making it though, it's a really quick project and will make another with cottons next time.
Thanks for the tutorial Debbie.

~ Maria ~

I'm Featured

Hi

Wonderful news. Karen Wetherall from www.sew-whats-new.com has written an article on Christine's Bags.

This is Christines blog http://blog.chriswdesigns.com/

Christine's bag patterns are really wonderful to follow. You must check them out. In fact she has a freebie called the Coco Bag, so you can try before you buy. LOLLL

As one of her bag testers I was featured in this article. WOOO HOOOO a first for me.

Here is the link to the article   http://sewwhatsnew.ning.com/group/sewing-purses-totes-handbags-free-pdf-epatterns/forum/topics/bag-pattern-gallery-4-chriswdesigns-aus?xg_source=activity

You'll also be able to see photos of bags made by other testers too.

~ Maria ~

Another Chance to WIN the Rosie Patchwork Bag Pattern

Hi

I've just been checking out Samantha's blog and noticed that she is giving away 3, yes that's right, 3 patterns to 3 people who leave a comment on her blog. You don't have to be a follower or subscribe to her posts just leave your comment. The giveaway is on from now until 9pm GMT 20th August.

Here is the link.   http://handmadebymrsh.blogspot.de/2012/08/finished-rosies-giveaway.html

You can also see some of the bags made by other testers and comments that Samantha has left about us. She say's I'm her most vocal tester. LOLLLLLL

Best of luck to you.

~ Maria ~

Rosie Patchwork Bag Pattern Giveaway Winner.

Hi everyone.

We have a winner for the Rosie Patchwork Bag Pattern Giveaway.

I'll keep you in suspense just a bit longer. LOLLL Thanks to all of you for leaving a comment. It's always nice to receive them.
A big thank you to Samantha at http://handmadebymrsh.blogspot.de/ for letting me test her bag and also for providing a free pattern for the giveaway.

For those of you who weren't fortunate enough to win her pattern you can still go to her etsy shop https://www.etsy.com/listing/105902671/the-rosie-patchwork-handbag-purse-bag and buy the pattern at a discount by providing the code NEWPATTERN15.

Ok here it is the winner chosen by Random.org is  # 27  barbjolly. Sorry I don't have your first name but I'm supposing it's Barbara. I'll send your email addy to Samantha straight away and she will forward the pattern on to you. Congratulations and hope you enjoy making it.

Once again thanks to all of you for taking part.

~ Maria ~

Kitchen Set

I've been staring at my new fabrics for long enough and decided it was time I started cutting some up. I chose my favorite one first. There was no need to cut out different strips of fabric to get this pattern because the fabric came ready looking like a patchwork. Easy and quick.

The table runner measures 37" x 15.5" and the potholders 6" x 6". I made the tea towel from white cotton fabric and trimmed it with the same fabric as the table runner and accessories to tie it all in together. I also managed to get a fabric box out of it and lastly a Velcro tie with yo yo to hold the tea towel onto the oven door handle. Not bad for half a meter of fabric and there's still a tiny bit left. I wish I'd bought more now.

Now I'm looking over at my Gingham collection and wanting to do another set with those. Unfortunately I won't be able to cheat with those fabrics, I'll have to do the piecing myself.

~ Maria ~

A New Bag & A Giveaway

Before I went to visit my kids I finished testing the Rosie Patchwork Bag for Samantha over at http://handmadebymrsh.blogspot.de/2012/07/last-minute-call-for-pattern-testers.html
you can check out her bag there.

This is my bag made from her pattern.

 

 

 

It's been a long time since I've made a patchwork bag so had loads of fun making this one. It has a couple of slip pockets on one side on the inside and a zipper pocket on the other. Very versatile and you can choose to do any kind of patchwork you like or even leave it plain.

Now for the GIVEAWAY. 

Samantha is very kindly giving away a FREE Rosie Patchwork Bag pattern to one lucky winner. All you have to do is leave a comment here and I will pick a winner with Random.org.

The Giveaway starts from now an is open for a week. I will choose a winner on the 13th August.

NOTE 

Please leave your email with your comment so that I can reply to the winner. Some of you are on no reply or anonymous which means I can't get in touch with you. 

Nearly forgot. If you are not lucky enough to win a copy of the Rosie Patchwork Bag Pattern and would like to buy one you can go to Samantha's etsy at 

https://www.etsy.com/listing/105902671/the-rosie-patchwork-handbag-purse-bag

Samantha is giving a 15% discount to my lovely followers and friends, all you have to do to get your discount is type in the code:     NEWPATTERN15

Best of luck to all of you.

~ Maria ~

Keeping It In The Family

Hi
It feels like ages since I posted. In fact when I mentioned it to my daughter she said, it's only been a week, anyone would think you haven't been on for months. LOLLL Well the truth is I love posting and I love reading your comments even more.

I've been away visiting my daughter and son, I stayed with them for a week and it was fun being with them. When my son left a few weeks ago to take summer work, before starting uni again after the summer, I thought it would be wonderful just me an hubby alone and I suppose it is but I kind of miss the little devil. He has so much energy he wears me out just looking at him coming in and out of the house. LOLLL

Me and my daughter had a day of fabric shopping. She is keeping the family tradition, although she's still not as crazy as I am when I see fabric. We went to a huge indoor shopping center with about 250 fabric shops. Heaven for me. I was like a kid in a sweet shop. At one point I lost sight of her while looking for fabric and was trying to find her and keeping my eyes on the fabric at the same time. After we had bought a few pieces she managed to drag me away. She 'still' has more self control than I do but I don't think it will be for long.

These are the fabrics that my daughter chose for herself.

 

I think she did pretty well don't you?

And here are mine.

I didn't do so bad either. I'm so looking forward to my next visit. I now have a partner in crime. LOLLL

~ Maria ~

 

   

 

Food Glorious Food

This may be the case for some but for me it's a living nightmare. My hatred of cooking is so bad that it stops me from eating a lot of things I should. If it wasn't for hubby I would probably live off cheese and tomato sandwiches, tea and biscuits. LOLLL
Does anyone else feel as I do? or am I alone in my misery. The funny thing is people always compliment my cooking. Yes I can cook just absolutely hate doing it. A complete waste of time. I'd much rather sit here in front of my computer with my cheese and tomato sandwich checking out what people are doing, does that make me nosy? LOLL
Anyway I thought I'd post once in a while some of the things I cook in the hope that it will help me to be a bit more creative when it comes to food.
Last nights meal for example I made Lasagna, salad and coleslaw.

The salad would have just been tossed into a bowl if I wasn't posting it here. LOLLL

The coleslaw I made myself and instead of serving it in a plastic container straight from the friedge I put it into a pretty bowl and made a tomato skin flower to put on top. The leaves are from cucumber skins. I'm impressed myself  LOLLLLL looks like I picked it from the garden.

I'd love to hear from anyone that either loves or hates cooking.

~ Maria ~

Toilet Roll Holder

I found some HTS's quite by accident yesterday that were left over from a previous project and was stuck what to make with them. I wasn't in the mood for cutting out more to make something larger and I could have made a couple of pot holders but they didn't go with the colour scheme in the kitchen. Then a light bulb came on. Just enough to make into a toilet roll holder.
This is what I came up with.

And this is the back

Now I'm looking at a few other HTS's in a different fabric and wondering what to do with them. I'm going to be getting a bag pattern to test in the next few days so don't want to start anything I won't be able to finish before the pattern arrives.

~ Maria ~

I'm Back

I just got back yesterday after visiting my daughter for a week. Had a wonderful time. We went out and bought her her first sewing machine. We decided on this one, the Janome LR1122. I think it will do her fine to start off with. We reorganized her room and she's already thinking of doing some patchwork. Next shopping trip will be for a cutting mat and quilting rulers. Poor hubby has two fabric addicts in the family now. LOL

She's taking sewing classes and has nearly completed her first project which was a skirt. Her next one will be a pair of trousers. She is the fourth generation on my side of the family to keep up the sewing tradition and she seems to have taken to it really well.
Of course now she has a sewing machine we had a good excuse for fabric shopping. Or rather I did. She only bought two pieces of fabric, me on the other hand, lost control and ended up with eleven. LOLLLL They have a better choice of colours where she lives.
These are my fabrics.

I bought these to do some kind of patchwork but still not sure which patterns to choose.
On the down side when I returned home the grass and weeds were knee high so that will take up a couple of days to put back into order but first I need to take a look at patterns to see what I can find for my fabrics.

~ Maria ~

Travel Tote Bag

After getting all that lovely fabric from hubby a few days ago I kind of got distracted from my UFO's and started thinking about making a bag. I'm going away tomorrow for a few days to visit my daughter so I needed a bag that was roomy enough to put my camera and all the other things that us ladies carry with us.
So on Thursday rather than waste time searching for the perfect bag for me I decided to make up a pattern for a bag that suited my needs. Large with lots of pockets a zipper closure and plain. There was no plan I just quickly took some measurements and started cutting away and this is what I came up with.

This is the front which has four pockets. The button closure is just decorative. The handles base and button closure I used Pleather and I even had some leather buttons.

The back has two large pockets and again a decorative button closure. My Travel Tote measures 14.5" High x 17" Wide x 5" Deep. The outer fabric is like a canvas type upholstery fabric.

The lining is home deco fabric. Sorry my description of fabrics is pretty poor. LOLL
This is the inside. As you can see I didn't put any pockets in for two reasons. Lack of time and also I won't be using them.

The zipper closure was a must, I don't want all my personals falling out LOLL and although I don't always like putting zippers in this method is really easy. Anyone can do it.

The pleather button closure gave me some grief. The top stitching kept missing some stitches so had to sew it by hand which wasn't easy. I had to use pliers to pull the needle through each time so it's not as tidy as I would want it to be.

I even managed to take photos of every step of making it but towards the end gave up because it was so time consuming that I was afraid I wouldn't get it finished on time. Now it's made there are a few small changes I'd make on the next one so hopefully I'll make another one and do a tutorial for the tote bag at some point. It takes longer to take photos and write it up than it does to actually make. LOLLL

Oh I nearly forgot to mention that dear hubby even made dinner yesterday in order to give me more sewing time. Well actually I don't think that was his intention LOLLLLL but I'd like to think it was.
Just look at what he made. His version of Kentucky Fried Chicken. Yummmmmm

He was going to do the potatoes fried in the same coating as the chicken but decided to keep it HEALTHIER and just boil them.

There was even tomato and feta cheese salad and marinated olives. Gosh I wish he'd cook every day.

Don't look at the mismatched plates. LOLLLLL Ok I'm off to clean the bombsite of a house now. It's been neglected for days and the ironing is sky high.

Thanks for stopping by.

~ Maria ~