A bag for the delivery!

I have been working on such a fun project!  My daughter-in-law has requested a new tote to take to the hospital when she goes in to deliver my new grand-daughter!  I was more then happy to help her out.  Only one problem.....I had no patterns to follow!  So.....

I set out to design one for her!  We first went to Ikea for the deco weight outer shell fabric, and then to JoAnn's for the inner fabrics and heavy duty zip. 

There were a lot of pieces, but it all came together rather quickly!

It has rounded corners with a nice heavy duty zipper.

Two zipper pockets and one open pocket on the inside. 

Taa-daa!!!  Here it is!

As you can see, it is very roomy! 17.5" wide, 15" high and 7.5" deep.

I then went on to the fussy cut pouches.....5 of them!  Each pouch is quilted differently.

And there are 5 different sizes!  11x9, 9x5, 12x8, 11x7 and 9x5.  Each has a different lining also, as indicated by the zipper pulls.

Here is the entire ensemble! I hope you enjoy it baby girl....I loved making these for you!!!

I am linking over to Needle and Thread Thursday with Kelly at My Quilt Infatuation!!  She always has such great ideas and finishes are her site.  Thanks Kelly!!

Baby girl mania...!

It has been a week of fun sewing.  So many soft and pink things.  Here is a small sampling of what I have been working on!

Sewing ribbon embellishment onto a flannel receiving blanket....

It is just so soft and sweet!

Simple and warm,  Do you see my new "Grandma Loves You" labels?



I rounded the corners for this quilt and just organic line quilted it! 

Her homecoming blanket!  Minky and flannel....dreamy!

Appliqueing the block on the front of the 'Cheryl Arkison' quilt from Sunday Morning Quilts. (pg 13)

I choose to quilt on the printed grid!  I used a walking foot to help keep everything flat.

Named this one "Uptown Girl"!  I will fill in the date when she is born.

Again, I machine stitched the binding down.  It was a dream to do!  In the gold square, I grid quilted it on a 1 in scale.

I got the pattern/tutorial for this car seat cover from Cluck, Cluck, Sew! 

This is a small glimpse into what my week has been.  I have more things to share later on in the week.  Once again, challenging myself with no patterns, totes, pouches and such.  Drop back to check it out.

I am linking over to "Sew Cute Tuesday at Better off Thread!  Janice is sweet enough to host this little linky party each week!  Sew many cute things....check them out!!

Thank you so much for stopping by....I'd love to hear from you!!



My own Sac hop....

We spent some time with our expecting kids up in Sacramento this weekend!  It was time to do some serious shopping for our upcoming grand daughter.  It was so exciting, and we found so many new fabrics!  Here are just a couple of the great quilt shops that are in and around the Sacramento, CA area.

I loved this sign and knew I'd love this store before I even entered the front door!
603 5th St, Lincoln, CA 95648      www.katiejean.net

Light, bright and sooooo cute!!

The selection was great, and they were extra friendly!

She had lots of project ideas happening!  Thank you so much, Katie Trott!!!!

Then we drove out to this great shop!
6011 Nicolaus Rd, Lincoln, CA  95648            angelquilter@yahoo.com

The selection of sale fabrics was unbelievable!

....more sale fabric!

Look how fun this shop is!  Thanks Debbie Whittaker, for letting us visit!

We also visited a great consignment store for kids!  'Once Upon a Child'!
3186 Arden Way  Sacramento, CA       www.onceuponachildarden.com

The prices were great, and the staff was so friendly!  That's my grand daughter bump!

I will be blogging about our purchases and all the wonderful projects planned!  Check out Plum and June's Let's Get Acquainted - Monday!  You won't be disappointed!

Also, remember the New Bloggers Blog Hop, also ever at Plum and June!!

My finish with firsts........

I am so happy and pleased with the way my "2013 Swoon QAL" quilt came out!  I had a lot of firsts with this beauty!  First first..... this was my first QAL!



I quilted an all over loop-t-loop.....a first!  Especially on such a large quilt!!  It took 13 bobbins and about 5 hours to complete.

I sewed the label on before quilting.....a first!

I sewed down the binding by machine.....a first!  30 min as apposed to 4 hours.....yeah!

It is so exciting to see that binding.  I am definitely doing this again!!

Final dimensions are 78x78.  I am sure that all the dense quilting took up some of the size.  I forgot to measure it pre-quilting, but I do know that each block was right on with the 24 1/2" measurement.

Washed it immediately after completion.....a first!  I adore the crinkly effect it has.
Low volume fabrics.....a first!

The final measurement is 75x75! It already looks loved.  I made this project is for me!  It is the first quilt that I have made for myself in about 10 years!  It will be my cuddle up and watch TV quilt!  I am excited!

I am linking over to Whoop Whoop Fridays at Confessions of A Fabric Addict!  I am also linking over to Finish-It-Up Fridays at Crazy Mom Quilts!  These are both such exciting blog sites.  It is a privilege to have the opportunity to link to these sites.  Find each button over to the right.

Also, it is very important to check out the Let's Get Acquainted - New Bloggers Blog Hop, hosted by Beth at Plum and June!  You will find the entire list of participants below.  Check them ALL out, it's a group of multi-talented women who have given this hop their all!  My day will be July 26!!

New Blogger Blog Hop Participant Schedule

Friday, June 7th

Nancy @ Owen's Olivia

Amy @ 13 Spools

Ashley @ Wasn't Quilt In A Day

Casey @ The Studiolo 

Nanette @ Yeah, I Made That

Ange @ Heart Of Charnwood

Kim @ Robot Mom Sews

Erica @ Kitchen Table Quilting

June 14

Julie @ Jolie Maxtin

Melissa @ Melia Mae Quilting

Adrianne @ On The Windy Side

Molli @ Molli Sparkles

Laura @ Little And Lots

Sarah @ Duck Egg Threads

Kelly @ My Quilt Infatuation

Cari @ There's A Thread

Valerie @ Between Quilts

Friday, June 21

Leigh Anne @ Ella's Cottage

Stacey @ The Tilted Quilt

Sarah @ Quilt Candy

Jackie @ NW Patchwork

Liz @ Beadqueene's Bits And Baubles

Erica @ Happy Fabric

Stephanie @ Simple Sewendipity

Lauren @ Seraphym

Amy @ Cloud CouCou Crafts

Friday, June 28

Green @ So Sew Green

Gwendellyn @ The Rainbow Revolts

Jessica @ Stitched In Thyme

Amira @ Little Mushroom Cap

Kathy @ Kayak Quilting

Michelle @ Factotum Of Arts

Paula @ The Sassy Quilter

Kris @ Sew Sunshine

Camilla @ Faffling

Friday, July 5

Christa @ Christa Quilts!

Alyce @ Wonderland By Alyce

Anna @ The Crooked Banana

Rachel @ Sew Happily Ever After 

Stephanie @ Quarter Incher

Shayla @ Sassafras Lane Designs

Caroline @ Carolines Craftiness

Lisa @ Hilltop House Creative Works

 July 12

Karen @ Karen, {Novice} Quilter

Anne @ PlayCrafts

Rachel @ Let's Begin Sewing...

Jan @ Sew And Sow Farm

Anna @ Quilting Along The Grain

Cath @ Wombat Quilts

Sarah @ {no} hats in the house
Christen @ Love by Hand
Julie @ 627handworks

July 19

Karen @ Little Birdie Quilting Studio

Kathy @ Kwilty Pleasures

Katie @ Snuggle Up With A Dish From Karma 

Alison @ Making Happyness

Ella and Nesta @ Ella & Nesta's Little Room

Adrienne @ Chezzetcook Modern Quilts

Nicole @ Modern Handcraft

Aylin @ AyliN-Nilya

Kelsey and Amanda @ Everyday Fray

July 26

Vicki @ A Quilter's Mission

RobinSue @ RobinSue Quilts

Elisa Lea @ Lovelea Designs

Elizabeth @ In The Boon Docks

Jenny @ A Note To Follow Sew

Lorna @ Sew Fresh Quilts

Sonia @ Fabric & Flowers

Emily @ Sew E.T.

Em @ Sewing by Moonlight

A sewing pouch for Miss Luella...

Simply Miss Luellas' Deborah is a wonderful friend, and it was her birthday last week!!  What does a quilter make for an even better quilter for her birthday?  A sewing pouch!!

This project was so much fun to make!  Here again, I had no pattern to follow, but knew what I wanted to make. 

I knew that I wanted a pocket for her glasses on one side and her scissors on the other....

I have been admiring every one's circular quilting, so I thought that this fabric lent itself to a circle! 



What is a sewing kit without a needle book?

Closing up the side seams.  You can really get a feel for the circular quilting!

Turn, baby, turn...

While I was taking this picture, a butterfly flew into the frame about 1/3 in on the bottom left side!

Here are the stats....finished size is 6 1/2 x 3 1/2. 
Cutting stats............needle book - 6-3 1/2 x 3in pieces
                                outside fabric and lining - 1 ea. -  8 1/2 x 7 1/2
                                7 in zipper
                                pocket - 7 1/2 x 4
                                binding - 1 1/2 x 7 1/2
**you can make this as scrappy as you'd like.  Use your stash and your imagination!!!

Check out Simply Miss Luella to see what beautiful work Deborah does.  It has been a while since she's posted, but she will start posting again later this summer.  Life sometimes gets in front of our blogging time!

I am linking this post to Needle & Thread Thursday over at My Quilt Infatuation.  You can click on over to check out the wonderful projects that are being featured!  Thank you Kelly for the chance to share with all our quilty friends!

It is so exciting to be part of the Let's Get Acquainted - New Bloggers Blog Hop!  Beth over at Plum and June has been such a blessing to those of us who are new and newer bloggers.  It is so amazing to see what these talented women are up to.  Please, click on over to get the entire schedule.  Visit ALL of the sites to see some super inspiring work!!!

                              
                            

Showing some progress!!

Hi all...I am linking to WIP Wednesday over at Freshly Pieced!!!  I definitely have a BIG work in progress!

The table I use for basting is 24x48, yes, inches!!  This quilt is 80x80.  So you can see that it is a little tricky, but it went very smoothly.  Make sure that your backing and batting are pressed well.  Once I have it centered, I fold the quilt in half, and center it on top.

Now I have all three layers, centered and ready to pin baste.  Make sure to smooth your three layers out, and then smooth them out again!

One advantage of using a plastic table, you can press stubborn areas right there on the table!

I can't stand stray threads.  Pick...pick...pick!

Now it is time to baste.  I try to keep the pins at about 3-4 inches apart.  You can't use to many as far as I'm concerned.  This is what stabilizes your work.  You will be pulling and pushing your quilt, a lot, so this is a very necessary step!

It is a job getting this heavy, bulky quilt quilted, but I know that it will be beautiful when it is done.  It takes a lot of bobbins to quilt something this size.  I am about 1/3 the way done, and I have used 6 bobbins so far!!

I am using a loose loop-t-loop.  This is a first for me, so I am learning as I go.  I can't wait to have this "Swoon" complete and washed.  I love the crinkly look after it is laundered!

I trust that everyone is remembering to check out the bloggers involved with the Let's Get Acquainted - New Bloggers Blog Hop!!  Beth has been so generous with her instruction and hosting.  You will be so amazed at what some of these gals are up to.  Just click on the button over on the right for a full schedule.  My time is coming on July 26, I'd love for you to include me in your hopping!!

Comments keep me going.  Let me know what you're thinking!  Thank you so much for checking in on my progress.  I am hoping to have more to show you next week!