UFO picked by The Tavern Wench :)

At the beginning of May I asked my friend Nancy to pick a project that I would work on and try to complete before the end of the month.  She picked a quilt "flimsy" (made with mile a minute blocks), and a couple of days ago I remembered to start working on it, lol.  I backed the quilt with orange polar fleece, birthed it, then tied buttons to the intersections of the blocks.  Presto - a donation quilt, 54x72, finished and ready to go where it's needed :)

Fun Flickr-y things to do :)

 Here are some of my favorite photos from flickr - mosaic created here :)

1. CAPAS DE AGENDA COLORIDAS....., 2. Gift for a friend, 3. CONJUNTINHO  - MELANCIA, 4. Birdie coin purse, 5. bird pouch, 6. BOTÕEZINHOS....., 7. Fabric covered sketchbook, 8. Selvage Clutch Purse, 9. Zipper Zipper Pleated Wristlet - The Roses

Triplets :)

My friend The Tavern Wench should recognize the fabric I used to make these bags!  Free tutorial here :) 

Placemats completed :)

Here's the set of 4 watermelon placemats I just completed --- the pattern is available as a freebie from my LQS - here :)

They look pretty, but in actual fact, we all eat with our plates in our laps, in front of the tv, watching Bones or the news, depending on what time it is we sit down to eat, LOL!!!

This made me cry :)

Make a Bag Sewalong - charms chosen :D

I went through my (relatively small, I think?  approx. 10?) sets of charm squares and realized that most of them didn't have enough squares for the sew-along - I ended up with 2 sets to chose from, and chose this yummy set of 40 :)  I'll get some orange fabric to co-ordinate, and maybe some of the bright green showing in the top charm - I need to check the shopping requirements! 

And now I'm off for a lunch date with a neighbour - she's been busy working and spending time with her hubby (he retired a few months ago) - I hardly see her, so we decided to get together today!  Not sure where we're going to eat, but it'll be nice going out and catching up :)

Bags from scraps :)

Here are the 4 bags I made from the first bag of scraps I bought from Evelyns --- the fabric is so nice to work with!

A couple of bags completed with a different set of scraps from Evelyns - the bag on the top is made from a pattern I drafted myself, and the coin purse @ the bottom is from a pattern from thecreativethimble.com :)

This bag was made just so I could use up the scrap piece of pink/white/black fabric in the centre of the bag, lol.  A zipper bag made around a single scrap - I guess I must really like scraps! ;)

I also got one more watermelon placemat done tonight - only one more to go and the set is finished.  I'll take a photo of the entire set when it's completed :)

Make a Bag Sewalong - part 1 is up :)

For those of us following Kelly's sewalong, part 1 is now up, and is available here :)   This is basically what the set looks like - sweeeeeeeeeeet!  (Kelly's picture, posted with permission - thanks Kelly!)

Brotherhood of Electricians ;)

On the same job site, putting in switches and plugs ;)

 This guy never minds having his picture taken, lol. 

Notice I didn't tidy first - this is what the family room looked like while the downstairs was being painted.  Looks like crap, eh? LOL!  We're buying new furniture for this room so it'll be a while before it's put back together!

The entrance to the dining room ... all that stuff is now put away but we haven't brought the furniture back in yet :D 

I needed to get my mind off of the mess up here, so I went downstairs to work on some summer placemats :)  One done, three more to go!

A couple more bags, finished last night :)

Scraps from Evelyns ...

magically turned into pretty patchwork zipper bags :)  The front and back are pieced (different piecing order, tho) and the bag is batted.  I'll make beaded zipper pulls when I get the right color of beads.  These measure about 7x8 and 8x9 - the fabric is quilt store fabric so it's quite lovely!  

I won a giveaway!

Sew, Mama, Sew recently hosted a May giveaway, and *hundreds* of bloggers from all over the world participated by offering up items that they would mail to people who commented on their blog.  Quite a few of the bloggers were able to ship internationally (which is quite generous, since we know postal rates are quite appalling!), so I posted entries at a few blogs.  And I won one of the giveaways!  Thank you Kim @ Kim's Big Quilting Adventure - she drew my name, and I won these delicious fabrics!  Bloggers are The Best - thank you again, Kim - you've made my day!

What a lovely day today :)

The painters are almost finished painting, it was a beautiful warm and sunny day, and I got to go out with a friend (Nancy, aka The Tavern Wench :D) :)  We went to The Quilt Store (formerly Evelyns Sewing Centre) in Newmarket, Ontario - I picked up 3 remnants and 3 bags of fabric scraps.  Then we went for lunch @ Molisana Bakery (mmmmmmmmyummy!), then we went to Fabricland in Newmarket where I picked up some zippers, a couple more remnants, and some trim for a zipper bag I had ready to sew.  Tonight I whipped up the zipper bag - it worked out perfectly!  I got the pattern @ craftster a while back, and have made several of them - it's very easy to put together :)

I also finished up a couple more zipper bags from the last of the bones fabric I bought in Ohio a couple of years ago :D

 Here's the fabric from one of the small scrap bags I picked up @ Evelyns - all the prints go together!  It's probably about half a metre of 115cm fabric - I'm definitely going to have to pick up more of those the next time I go!  I have 2 ideas in mind for these scrap bags (one is Mrs. Myrtle :D) - will post pics when completed ;)

Pink mode :)

A spool of pink thread was handy, and 3 zipper bags are done :D

Now I'm off to test some "vintage" decorative stitches, thanks to the brilliant minds @ Singer 50+ years ago :D

Later in the afteroon:  

 I'm almost speechless.  I forgot the value of "check twice, sew once" ... aka "Pay ATTENTION!" ... LOL!!  The decorative stitches are fine, but the rest is NOT, lol!  *insert groaned DOH here* :)

I wordled :)

How cool is that, lol!!  Kind of a pain in the butt to save in jpeg format tho - but overall TRES cool!  Try it here :)

My 3 ebay auctions arrived today - the vintage buttonholer (+ extra templates), and the vintage zigzagger (+ extra cams) - as soon as supper is over I'm taking my fat butt down to the sewing machine to try them out!

Panties and owls :D (and Zoomer!)

I tried doing a bit of a tutorial tonight on how I make my panty zipper bags - the pattern is available from sewlover.com (link on the right side of my blog) but her instructions are in Chinese, so I thought I'd just document how easy it is to put these together.  Camera didn't co-operate and I ended up with a finished bag and corrupt pics, lol.    Lesson learned - I'll try again tomorrow!  In the interim, here's the bag I completed :) After I took that picture I remembered I had pink panty charms, so I removed the ribbon and added the panties - photo 2 is a close-up of the charm.

 I also finished the little zipper bag that matches the owl tote I did yesterday - this set can now go into the box for the shelter :)

Here's Zoomer today watching the action while the painters painted - supervisory position much? ;)  That's a good photo of our new carpet - it's so cushy and pretty!

The painters are here :)

Paraphernalia in the front hall :D

Living room covered up and first coat is on the walls :)

I have my own inspector undercover to make sure there are no problems! ;)  I guess he's more overcover than undercover, lol.

Another "Tote by Khris" by Sandra :D

I used Khris's freebie tote tute to make another tote bag - I have just a few small bits and pieces left over to make a matching zipper bag, but I'll make that tomorrow.  It measures 17" X 11" X 2.5", and I used up 2 pieces of stash fabric :)  I expect this set will be going to the OSPCA for fund-raising :)

Assembly line - blue :)

I'm particularly fond of these 4 bags, as the lining is made from a recycled work shirt belonging to my husband - it was too worn out to wear, so I salvaged what I could and put the pieces in my stash!  Just say YES to upcycling :)

Assembly line - black!

Another day, another assembly line - this time with the black thread ;) 

Hubby just came downstairs to check out the new water softener, and noticed my "new" sewing machine.  He actually commented on how nice looking it is :)  Not something he would normally notice - that's for sure!  I took the opportunity to tell him how well the machine works and that I had ordered some accessories for it --- now he won't be too surprised when the Mastercard bill comes in at the end of the month, LOL.  He did ask if I was going to get it serviced, so that will be coming up within the next month or two.  What a great guy :) 

Assembly line + spool of red thread =

Zippers installed, ready to be pressed ...

Stitching done, ready to have opening stitched closed ...

 Signed, sealed and delivered ... I mean stitched, pressed, finished :D

Edited to add:  I took out the bobbin to replace it with black (my next assembly line will be black, LOL) - there was 10" of thread left.  TEN INCHES!  I finished everything I needed to do and had such a tiny piece of thread left over - thanks, Universe and karma!!!    That doesn't, however, quite make up for the fact that our water softener started leaking yesterday and we had to get the whole unit replaced today, LOL.  $$$$$OUCH$$$$$ :D

More panties :)

The latest pair of panties to be created in The Dungeon :D

The tripod wasn't firmly in position when I was getting ready to take the next photo - here's my cement Dungeon floor and my toes as the camera swoops downwards :)   

The next project up - more panties ;)

My work area - front and centre is Bella, my new-to-me 57 year old Singer 201 :D  The area looks like crap in this photo - it really isn't this dreary and utilitarian when I'm working down here, but the photograph certainly amplifies the BLAHness! 

A couple of finishes ...

The daisy fabric is one of the two pieces my husband won (lol) at the quilt show we recently went to in New York.  There was half a yard and I used every inch of it - the tote and zippies are smaller than the ones I normally make because I was very short on fabric.  It's the perfect size for a quick run to the grocery store to pick up bread and olives :D

 This tote/zippy set uses up the last of the puppy fabric I got at Joanns in Ohio during our first trip there in 2008.  The lining fabric is cute - it's all dog sayings - fetch, sit, good boy etc. :D

The last of some fabrics purchased at Fabricland a few years ago - I think I have about a 2" x 3" piece left, which of course is in the scrap pile for a scrap block :D



I found my container of sewing machine oil this morning so I downloaded a manual for Bella (201k) and oiled her up.  I'll take her in for a check-up some time this summer - I don't know when she was serviced last.  I can do basic maintenance and suck out the dust bunnies, but I want to make sure she gets looked over properly - at 57, she may have a few achy bones, LOL. 

Look what's coming my way ...

I shopped ebay this week and won a few auctions for some vintage accessories for Bella ... since she only does straight stitch (no zigzag and no decorative stitches) I wanted a zigzagger and cams so I could get a few fancy stitches ;) I also bought a vintage buttonholer - I don't even do buttonholes with my regular machines, but the vintage set called to me. Yes it did, so don't argue!! :D Here's my zigzagger - I can't wait for it to arrive so I can play with it :)

I went thrifting tonight :)

We have "thrift store alley" in the town just north of us - 3 thrift stores in very close proximity to each other.  Tonight hubby drove me up to Newmarket so I could poke around - I had a few things in mind I was looking for but didn't find any of them, lol.  I did find a bag of zippers @ Valu Village for a buck - score #1!!  - a dozen long (20" or so) zippers - YAY!  I also got a few pieces of fabric - some cotton eyelet, some red cotton (a heavy weight, with almost a satiny sheen - just lovely!) and some fleece (for cage quilts) - a buck a piece - score #2! ;)  They're in the laundry now so I didn't get a picture :)

I also sat down with Bella and made a zipper bag from a bunch I have kitted up - I have 4 more identical ones ready to sew - these will go to the animal shelter for a fundraiser.  As I recall, the fabric came from a Joanns in Ohio (shopping with Dishy and the Quilt Whisperer!) and was on a major clearance for about a buck a yard - historical score! ;)

Bella got busy! ;)

I picked up a couple of sewing machine bulbs and class 66 bobbins today at Walmart - that made Bella very happy and bright :D  Together we picked a project to work on - she has no zigzag stitch so I attached the trim with my old machine, but Bella did the rest of the sewing.  And she did it beautifully, of course!  She's 57 years old - they sure as hell knew what they were doing back then!!  But I bet she's never made panties before, LOL!!!

Mother's Day gift ... and my new Bella!

Last weekend I found a gorgeous small dresser on kijii - the seller was local, it was exactly the right size and the right price.  My oldest son drove me over to take a look, and we brought it home with us.  It's officially from both of the boys for Mother's Day - I just happened to get it a bit early ;)  It dates to the 1920's, and came from England (near London).   It's a lovely, lovely piece in excellent condition - I'm so happy to have found it!

Please meet Bella ... a 1953 Singer 201k low shank sewing machine.  She is gorgeous!   She's a straight stitch machine with an aluminum (apparently, from my research) body, and a wooden curved top carrying case.  I found her locally on kijiji and the seller was kind enough to bring her over to my house for a test run - she PURRRS, I tell you.  Of course, in true Typhoid Sandra fashion, the damn light bulb burned out 5 minutes after the seller left, and until I get a new bulb, I can't run the machine.  If you ever need a machine killed so you can get a new one - just leave it with me for 5 minutes!!! FFS!!!  I've already had her running so I'm not concerned, but how annoying, LOL!!!  I'll buy 2 lightbulbs when I get to the store - just in case :D

I'm a happy camper for SURE, with my beautiful new-to-me-but-vintage goodies!