Birdies and hexies and quilties ... oh my :D

Lots of sewing got done in July - most of these items are going to Blue Hills for the kids :)

QAYG baby quilt done with alternating pink and red blocks.  Backing and binding is a pink print with accents of red.  Finished to 36" x 36" - for Blue Hills :)

Whale bib and killer whale zippered pouch - for Blue Hills :)

Kristin Link (Sew Mama Sew) zippered iPad and pencil pouches - tutorial and sizing info here :)

Zip pocket pouches by Michelle Patterns - the one in American flag fabric is my new cellphone pouch for the cellphone I use when we go Stateside, and the other two will go to Blue Hills :)

4 little birdy pouches - for these bags, I tried to do more "boyish" designs.  These are from Amy Morinaka's Zakka Handmades book (which I LOVE - NAYY!), and will be going to Blue Hills :) 

Well THIS is a fun design - a hexy zipper pouch!  I used a 4" hexagon template to make mine - the tutorial is here - these will be going to Blue Hills :)

More goodies from Zakka Handmades!  Here are 10 pencil pouches I made for Blue Hills - mine are a bit larger than her instructions, which made them a bit easier on my fiddly hands :)  (collage created @ fotor :D)

First QAYG quilt finished :)

I finished my first QAYG (quilt as you go) quilt - I love this technique!  This one measures about 49" x 49" - perfect toddler size :D

Construction details, for future reference:
- 9 x 6.5" squares stitched 3x3
- each 9 patch block cut and restitched into a D9P (disappearing 9 patch) block
- D9P was layered with batting, quilted in straight lines (about 1/2" apart)
- quilted blocks were trimmed to the same size (17")
(this is pretty much the technique I followed - thanks Maureen :D)
- 9 quilted blocks assembled and backed (backing was pieced to make it big enough)
- straight stitched in the ditch of the 9 blocks to quilt the front to the backing
- corners rounded off with a plate, then 2 3/4" binding attached
DONE and GORGEOUS (iidssm) :)

I may never sleep again! Warning - BUG picture ahead!

I was putting laundry away today and decided to lay on my bed for a minute or two to cool off under the ceiling fan.  I wasn't wearing my glasses so when I looked up and saw a black blob on the shade I had to get up and stick my face right in the light to see what it was.  A FRIKKING SPIDER!  I ran down to the basement to grab my camera *huff* *huff* *huff* then ran back upstairs to my bedroom *puff* *puff* *puff*, only to discover that the battery was completely dead.  Ran back downstairs *huff* *puff* *huff* and grabbed my cellphone (which I use approximately once every 6 months) to take a picture.  Back up the stairs *huff* *huff* *puff*  to photograph the terrifying (yet oddly pretty) beast.  It took me 20 minutes to figure out how to get the picture from the camera to my computer, HAHA. 

Normally when I find spiders in the house I scoop them onto a paper towel and release them outside.  However, seeing one above my face and realizing that it could have JUMPED IN MY MOUTH WHILE I WAS SLEEPING, led to this one's demise.  Sorry, spidey, but when it's between me and you - the screaming redhead holds TRUMP!

No spiders were One spider was harmed in the making of this post.

PRESENT ... arms!! No ... wait ... PRESENT ... CUTENESS!

(Pretty lame for a title - I think it sounds better in my head than it looks on a computer screen, HAHA)

I posted a picture yesterday of a zipper bag made with these fabrics - I made a mistake during construction and forgot to add the handles.  I was more successful today, and this is the result.  IIDSSM, it is adorable!  I made a couple of minor changes to Amy's instructions - I increased the height of the two prints by 3/4" each, used my normal 3/8" s.a. instead of 1/4", and added a prairie point tab to the side for fun.  This is a bit taller (9.5" x 6") than what might be considered "pencil case" size, but the bigger size was a bit easier for me to work with, and will still work either as a pencil case or even just a regular zippy (with handles) :) I'm VERY pleased with it!  If you look closely, you can even see the wooden beads I added to the zipper :)  This is the Children's Pencil Bag from Amy Morinaka's Zakka Handmades :)

 Here's a Kristin Link/Sew Mama Sew bag set where I also used a prairie point (made with a 3.5" square) for the tabs.  The larger pouch is 10" x 11.5", and the smaller one is 10" x 6".  Both have a glass bead attached to the zipper pull :)  Tutorials here and here :)

Here's a closer picture of the beaded zipper pull - just a simple bead strung on cord :)

|t pays to read the directions :)

 Here are 2 more birdy pouches from Amy's Zakka Handmades - they're the last of the "girl" ones I have cut out - I also have 4 boy versions ready to sew as time permits :)

 I had a little scrap left of this lovely cake fabric, so I added a bit of tone on tone fabric and finished up a pretty little zipper bag for Blue Hills :)

 Here's where I realized that I *should* have read the directions first.  This was supposed to be the Children's Pencil Case from Zakka Handmades - I got so excited about finding a decorative stitch (waves!) that would work well with the dolphin fabric, that I went ahead with construction before reading the instructions.   I completely forgot to add the handles, LOL!!  I had enough of the fabrics to cut out another bag, and that one worked out perfectly tonight - WITH handles :D  I'll get a picture tomorrow - I really like the design, and will make some girly ones too :)  Amy designed several very cute bags for that book, and I'm enjoying trying out the patterns!

I have a cellphone that I use when we go Stateside for my Buffalo runs - I decided to make a little bag for it, and did a trial run with this Canada fabric.  This is Michelle Patterns Zip Pocket Pouch, made in the phone case size.  It's a touch too small for my phone, so when I cut out the bag using the American fabric my friend Mickie gave me (thanks Mickie!) I used the medium size.  I need to get a zipper for it - I ran out of red zippers, LOL. 

A zombie apocalypse is upon us!

This is what I woke up to this morning --- our very ripe bananas, graffiti'd by DS1 :D

The front one says Chris (his brother) - the screaming face with arms raised face are certainly what Chris would look like during the apocalypse!

This one says zombie banana - apparently my kitchen (or at least, my banana-bread-ready nanners!) has been taken over in preparation for the up-coming zombie apocalypse! 

This was his first food art project - from 2005 (when he was 16) - I should have known then he had The Talent :D  This was carved when I asked him to peel some potatoes for supper, LOL.

I'm a lucky mom - they make me smile every day :)

A bird in the hand = 2 birds in the bush ... wait ... what? :D

2 more birdy pouches from Amy Morinaka's wonderful book, Zakka Handmades :)  Mine are enlarged by 30%, and I tuck a bit of stuffing into the beak for added dimension :D  These ones apparently tried to fly away - I found them in my neighbour's shrub!  ;)

A perfect little boxy bag, with emphasis on the "little", as I cut it wrong and had to go smaller, lol.

Happy Canada Day, to my fellow Canadians!

In honour of a special day, I present ... two special pictures :D

You've seen this before - it's my oldest son modelling a hat I made for a g-nephew for Canada Day :D

And here's the sweetie g-nephew wearing the hat!!!  LOVE YOU LL!!!  These boys are second cousins, 23 years apart in age - the littlest one is my sister's grandson :)   Fun fact:  a redhead made the hat, a redhead modelled it, and now, a redhead is enjoying it :)

Have a safe and happy Canada Day! 

Last finishes from June ... and a bunny :D

Zipper bags for Blue Hills, using up the last of the chocolates fabric

A couple of holiday zippies, using up some scraps

Potato boxy bags, LOL!

6 Michelle Patterns Zip Pocket Pouches :)

Assorted zippies - the one on the left is a Kristin Link freebie (pattern here) :)

Chenille dino stuffy! 

Mesh toy bag - tutorial here :) (my construction notes on the tutorial here, LOL)

Denim (reclaimed from DS2's work jeans) and flannel bibs - these are the last of the flannel scraps from the bibs I posted here (pic #3) :)

We spotted this little one in our back yard today when I was hanging clothes on the line - he watched me for a minute then hopped under the fence :D  Bye bye little Canada Day bunny!