D Whynn Designs

Gift Giving: A Random Tote

I made this tote for a friend as a thank you for the many things she has done during the school year.

I used random cuts of fabric from the Darla fabric line by Tanya Whelan, pieced them, quilted them and then cut out a bag. I usually like most of Tanya Whelan's collections. I like the romantic florals mixed with the modern.  I especially like the brand new one, French Hatbox,  and am trying to justify why I need yet more fabric.

One side:

 

The other side:

 

I really debated about using one fabric for the handles or piecing them but the Queen of All That is Fashion said piecing would be too much and since I was already sewing into the 11th hour that sounded like a good enough reason to me to go with a fast finish and use one fabric handles.

Inside with pleated pocket (because, of course, there has to be pockets):

 

And a key hook too (because, of course, there has to be a key hook as well):

 

The recipient seemed to really like her gift and was using it right away.  Always a good sign, right?

Yesterday was my last day with my little class.  Rather sad really because none of them wanted school to be over and kept asking me why we had to be done.  Someday, soon enough, they will be counting the days until summer vacation.

Now I'm off to clean the classrom from top to bottom and pretty soon it can be summer break for me too!

Doing The Happy Dance

and all because of this . . .

 

Yep, the pressure washer.  Saturday was pressure washer day at Chez Bag.  I grew up in the north and we never had pressure washer day but down here in the land of wet, heat and humidity we have pressure washer day about once a year and the decks, sidewalks and porches are cleaned. Pressure washer day is loud and messy and hot. 

By Saturday afternoon I was anxious to go take a shower and run some errands but I couldn't because on pressure washer day the pressure washer uses all the water.

So while I was thinking about how much I wanted to take a shower I was sewing - making progress on several projects that are slated as gifts and need to be finished. Really it was good that it was pressure washer day.

One of those projects was sewing the binding on a quilt (that I hope to gift this Saturday). I've never been thrilled with the start/stop connection of my quilt binding and have tried several times to finish the binding as shown on the quilt binding tutorial on Heather Bailey's blog (link) without any success.  I have been unsuccessful ibecause I am impatient and because I'm a visual learner. I can't just read something and do it -- I have to have a project in hand while I'm reading -- and because I'm impatient I try to finish it from memory sitting at the sewing machine.

BUT since it was pressure washer day and I couldn't go anywhere I actually sat in front of the computer with my quilt and binding and guess what -- I did it!!! It's not hard, just follow the directions and the diagram.  I was thrilled with my success.

See that ---

 

You can't, right?  It's a perfect join.

I'm happy that I finally took the time to learn this technique and will use it from now on.

Now if I can only get this binding sewn down by Saturday . . . .

And, oh, yeah, the decks look great. . . . and just for the record, I'm not the one that actually does the pressure washing - I just watch out the window.

Happy Mother's Day!

To all the mom's out there.

I had my preschoolers recite the Mother's Day "promise" all week. It goes something like this:  I promise, on Mother's Day, that Mom is the Boss.  There will be no fussing, no fighting, no crying and no throwing a fit.

May you all have a fussing, fighting, crying and fit-throwing free day.

Enjoy!