When you're having a bad day ...

and if you don't mind seriously offensive language in a hysterical usage, check out this site :D  Warning - language definitely NSFW or for those of a "delicate nature" :D

I was having difficulty this morning with my sewing machine.  A piece of the plastic thingy that holds the bobbin had broken off, and the bobbin kind of flops around like a fish out of water.  I called Brother Canada and after being told the bobbin holder thingy was a consumable (like a needle or lightbulb! That's what they told me, until I argued, politely about it!) they said they'd ship me a new machine and I could ship the old one back when I get/test out the new one.  Seems like overkill when I expected them to just replace the piece, so we shall see how this goes.  In the interim I have no zigzag machine, ARGH.  I'm going to have to figure out some workarounds for decorative/zigzag stitching - I can't wait for a week to get these projects finished - I have time constraints.  Wish me luck - it wasn't a very good day today, LOL!! 

I can't post a picture of this morning's completed project as the recipient will recognize it and it's supposed to be a surprise - so I'll post this instead - it's what my oldest son did one day when I asked him to peel some potatoes :) 

Sign me ... Sandra, the Typhoid Mary of Sewing Machines!

Hmmmmmm I just found a "draft" post :D

I started this post a few days ago and never published it - I guess I got distracted! A few photos to entertain and/or bore you :D

Panty bag with zipper pull added :)

Close-up of zipper pull :)

Ric rac bib set :)

Embellished bib set :)

Close-up of (twin needle) decorative stitching :)

Singleton bib, to use up the very last bits of this flannel :)

I know someone ... who knows someone ...

who is having a baby, but hasn't received any handmade baby gifts.  EEEEeeeeeeeeeeeeek that just seems wrong!   I went to Santa's Sandra's Workshop and made these - I'm sure at least two of them will be suitable for the arrival of le/la bebe :)

What's under the quilt?

This is the view I came downstairs to yesterday morning. It's our oldest lad curled up on the floor under a quilt - I didn't have the camera at hand when the cat was sniffing him curiously, lol.  I don't think he even knew I was photographing him!

Blog "removed" - now back ... maybe?

Just checking to see if my blog got added back - for all of today it was GONE - poofed into cyberspace for ??? reason - along with my main email address.  JUST TESTING!  Maybe I can stop freaking out, LOL!  (What a day I've had because of this!)

Oh - I don't like posting without a photo, so here's my niece's cat - Lucifleur Flower :D

October 21 FNSI - very productive!

Tonight I got together with no-blog Amanda and Miss Nancy for an evening of fun, carrying on, sewing and general goofiness :D    Nancy proved to be a natural at freemotion quilting - impressive!  Amanda made herself a lovely bag (pattern compliments of Quilt a Bag in Markham!), and I completed 2 boxy bags, a tall pouch and a zipper bag.  I can't post one of the sets as it's a Christmas gift and the recipient will figure it out due to the fabric theme, but I can post the other set :)

Nancy practicing freemo quilting

After about 3 minutes of practice she was ready to quilt her project, a lovely bag made with Tilda fabric :)

My project-which-cannot-be-posted - under construction - this is the tall pouch :)

Amanda's vest bag - ready to be worked on

Nancy's gorgeous quilted bag front and back!  Note the container of homemade cookies in front, LOL - cherry and white chocolate! ;)

One of the sets I completed - pizza boxy bag and zipper bag :)

Amanda sewing the straps onto her bag :)

Amanda's finished bag - gorgeous!

Thank you ladies - it was a blast!!  And thank you Nancy, who gifted me with two packages of twin needles (2 needles per pack) - in a size I don't have -- I can't wait to try them out, woooooooooooohoooooooooooooooo!!!!

P.S.  I had already started my bags - they were cut out, interfaced and had the zippers attached - that's how I was able to get all 4 of them finished :)

"Electrician" Halloween costume, lol

Hubby tonight brought home a special safety outfit designed for electricians working on live wires.  He tried it on in the kitchen, much to the amusement of his photo-snapping wife - aka ME :)   By the time he got all the pieces on he was sweating to death and had to rip everything off - I can't imagine how practical that would be on a job site, but it would certainly be safe!

#1 - getting dressed

#2 - adding the second pair of gloves

#3 - I told him to pose ... ROTFL!!!  (at this point I could barely breathe because I was laughing so hard, LOL)

#4 - stripping everything off as quickly as possible because he was SWELTERING! 

Tonight was FNSI night, and I had a blast with Nancy and Amanda - I have to download the photos from my camera and do a FNSI post - I had a very productive evening, plus the 3 of us had a blast sewing and being generally silly :D

LANT panties :)

 I wanted to try something out today, so I whipped up this panty bag (hey Katherine - look really closely at the zipper!) :)

Here's a close-up of the "LANT" (learn a new technique) part of the bag - I did twin needle decorative stitching on it, and it worked out VERY well!  If you try it, just remember to handcrank the machine to test out at least one full pattern of the decorative stitch, just to make sure your twin needle clears the foot and plate - ask me how I know that's important, LOL! 

Presented without comment, for Angela :D

Ahem, Angela!  ;)

Fauja Singh, I salute you, sir!

Fauja Singh, 100, earned a spot in the Guiness World Book of Records after becoming the oldest person to complete a full-distance marathon in Toronto on Sunday. What an inspiration - I hope he makes it to the 2012 London Games!!

And in the "cute and funny but not world record breaking" department ... a little bag I finished this weekend - the pattern is from sewlover.com and the batik fabric was gifted to me by Nancy :)

Now, Angela ... I'm not saying

that I *completed* our challenge, but I hope you've at least picked out a project to work on!! ;)

Challenge extended - and accepted :D

My friend Angela in Germany (aka No Blog Angela) hasn't been doing much sewing lately.  She's been distracted by something - we won't go into the salacious details, but suffice it to say she's having fun at a craft OTHER than one involving a sewing machine *grin* :)

Today I challenged her to make one zipper bag this week - she has until Friday @ 6:00 p.m. :)  She accepted my challenge, so it's ON!!!  Of course I, in return, will also attempt to make a zipper bag *bites tongue to stop from laughing* !!

Here's the project I'll be working on - the fabric is from Joanns, and I'm going to use a twin needle to quilt the fabric. 

Here's a closer view of the charms I'll be adding inside (they say Made with love) and the lampwork beads for the zipper pulls.

Hopefully I'll be able to complete my own challenge, LOL! ;)

Hey Nanc - guess what this means?

The new bobbins work - YAY!

Happy (belated) Thanksgiving ...

... to my Canadian friends :)  The 4 of us (hubby and I and both boys) went "home for the holidays" to visit my family :)  We had a fantastic time, and the weather was so lovely that we actually ate Thanksgiving dinner on the deck overlooking the lake - NICE!!! 

I got a few little projects finished up over the last few days: 

Chicken and coffee boxy bags :)

Two more cowboy bags (I'm waiting for the boot charms to come for the zipper pulls)

Halloween bibs for the twins next door :)

Mushroom zippy from fabric I salvaged from a project that went awry, LOL!

Boxy and zipper bags from the last of this dec fabric :)

Halloween bibs (gifts) :)

Zipper bags finishing up stash bits and pieces :)

Hey Nanc - front and centre!

Here you go, my lady ----- you can pick them up at your convenience, and if you want the black crimp beads/lobster claws to make zipper pulls, let me know! I hope you and she like :)

Boxy and pleated bag set for Nancy for Miss B :D

Close-up of the buttons and quilting on the boxy bag :)

Close-up of the button on the pleated bag :)

The boxy bag is my usual boxy bag (based on the Patchy Apple tutorial), and the pleated pouch is by Skip to my Lou (see my sidebar for links).  The buttons are from a previous Joanns trip, and the quilting on the boxy bag was done with a twin needle!!! Lovin' it!!!   

Lavender paisley set :)

Boxy and zipper bag set :)

Close-up of twin needle quilting

Close-up of shell buttons and beaded zipper pull :)

A little preview ...

I wanted to sit at Bella and do some zippers today so I could get some projects ready to be stitched together.  Here's a set that's not near the top of my "needs to get done quickly" list, but it was in the pile so it got zip-ified :D  It's a gift for N to give B :)

N - check out the fancified quilting!!  And maybe get cracking on a couple of nice colourful zipper pulls - I have black lobster claws and crimp beads that would match the black zippers!

Some theme charms are ordered ...

 ... for zipper pulls for these bags :)  I have enough cowboy fabric for a boxy bag and another zipper bag, so the these ones will go to Blue Hills for a little boy :)  I seem to have way more girly fabric than boy fabric, so I'm always happy to be able to even the score a bit :D

Speaking of boy fabric ... well, not really - these would be good for a boy OR girl, of the Canadian persuasion!  These also will go to Blue Hills, and are limited edition bibs, as I used up the last of the fabric to make them :D