Ninjas and Turkeys and Eunices and Humbugs and Bats - oh my!

Well!  I got some sewing done this month, despite the ear infection (that I'm fairly sure still hasn't cleared up) and the cold that followed and intermingled with said infection :D

I wasn't able to get anything New to Me completed for the October linky, but I did get all of my Halloween and Thanksgiving, and some of my Christmas sewing completed, so I'm ready for the October Ho Ho Ho and On We Sew party :)  Here are a few of the projects I finished up:

Trial run TMNT superhero cape to check sizing for a great nephew.  It's just right, so I'll be making Batman versions for his upcoming 5th birthday party!  Da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da  da ... BATMAN!!!!!  That's from the 60's episodes because I'm old and I loved that show :)  I don't know if the TMNT have a jingle because I'm old :D

Thanksgiving bib for a great nephew for his first T-giving - happy turkey day, Nash!

3 Eunice bags - Christmas gifts for some family members.  I tucked goodies inside, and boxed 'em up - they've been delivered already :D  I did them in "boy" type fabrics for 3 members of the 2BC - 2 Boys Club :D  That would be the grandma, mom and auntie of 2 of my great nephews ;)  Just in case they ever - you know - have little guys around to play with?  :)

Close-up of the zipper pull on the vehicle bag :)

Close-up of the zipper pull on the airplane bag :D

Close-up of the zipper pull on the solar system bag :)

Some of the Halloween sewing I got finished - the bags in the back are humbug/triangle bags, and in the front we have some of the bat finger puppets I made (pattern here) - these are the ones with glitter embellishment :D

I made about 6 (or more?) skeleton hand puppets and more bat finger puppets for some little friends - I hope I took pictures - I need to check my camera :D

Posting to Ho Ho Ho and On We Sew for October!  Check out Fiona's Figgy Pudding Tea Towel tutorial - it's adorable - I think it would be adorable as an applique (3D, maybe?!) on a Christmas tote :D  And speaking of Ho Ho Ho and On We Sew ... I did the tutorial for September - a snowman drawstring bag - one of my bloggy buddies MADE MY BAG!!! and she won the prize for September - I am tickled pink black and white about that - congrats Kathy!

Also posted to Bag It! 2016 --- 3 Eunice and 2 humbug/triangle bags :D

OMG for October - progress report :D

Earlier this month I decided to try out the OMG challenge/linky, to get some projects done that have been planned in my mind, but not even started.  I decided on a dino D9P quilt - here's what I posted as my goal for this month:

"For October I'd like to get started on a toddler size Disappearing 9 Patch (D9) quilt with some fabric I bought on sale a few years ago ;)  Since October is a big month for Christmas sewing, I'll aim for cutting out the block pieces, and assembling some of the blocks (4 maybe?)."

I'm happy to report that I achieved - and even surpassed - my goal, and finally cut into the fabrics and got started on a quilt :)

One of the D9P (Disappearing 9 Patch) blocks :)

I got 7!!! blocks done!  So pleased :D

Because I was doing a lot of Halloween and Christmas sewing earlier this month (plus I've been feeling not-so-well :D) I set my goal low - to cut out the blocks, and to MAYBE get 4 done.  I did get the fabric cut (81 X 6.5" squares - not exactly the most time-consuming of goals, lol) and got 7 of the 9 blocks needed, assembled.  The other 2 are laid out on the cutting table ready for stitching - after everything is cut, each block takes less than 1/2 hour - it's very VERY simple sewing, with very little matching needed ... which is why I like the block so much, lol.  

I'm definitely joining OMG again next month - Heidi's non-aggressive KITB (kick in the butt!) is just what I need - especially at this crazy busy time of the year.  Thanks Heidi!

Posting this to the October OMG finish linky party :)

Halloween sewing :)

I'm alternating Christmas and Halloween sewing, because thanks to the internet, there are approximately 87,479,461 (and counting) free crafty tutorials available for us to look at, and I'm trying to catch at least a glimpse of all most lots of them :D  To that end, I'm working on Christmas gifts AND Halloween goodies - and here's what I finished up today  :)

 First up are some hand puppets along with a Halloween book, and a drawstring bag to hold everything for presentation :D  Links:
Ghost Tutorial/instructions
Ghost Pattern page 1
Ghost pattern page 2
Skeleton Tutorial/instructions
Skeleton Pattern page 1
Skeleton Pattern page 2

I did "hax0r" the tutorials a bit to change these from softies to puppets :)  I also resized the pattern to 75% to make it work for a little guy :)

My 2nd Halloween gift is for a baby (not quite 1).  I made him 4 Halloween fabric "taggy" triangle bean bags, along with a drawstring bag to hold them.   I'll be tucking a card into each bag, and some candy into the puppet bag :D

For those of you who make Halloween gifties for the little ones - what do you make, and for what age range?  I'm sewing for kids age almost 1 ... to 8 :)

Oh - I forgot!  I'm making the puppet recipient some pumpkin spice scented play dough - I found some recipes on Pinterest that I want to try out.  I thought I would include a pumpkin cookie cutter with the playdough :D

Posting the two drawstring bags to Bag It! 2016 :)

OMG! :D

I decided to try out the OMG linky party that the lovely Heidi @ Red Letter Quilts, curates :)  As per her description ... "One Monthly Goal is open to any quilter who would like to set (and achieve!) ONE monthly goal, and share the success in a group environment! This is a friendly and social linkup: Loitering is permitted and Participant's are encouraged to spread CHEER: Encourage and congratulate one another! " :)

For October I'd like to get started on a toddler size Disappearing 9 Patch (D9) quilt with some fabric I bought on sale a few years ago ;)  Since October is a big month for Christmas sewing, I'll aim for cutting out the block pieces, and assembling some of the blocks (4 maybe?).    Here's a D9P quilt that I want to try as well - I love the colour blocked design - but I'd like to get a donation quilt finished first :)

Here are the fabrics I'll be using, or at least, choosing from:

Classic Jurassic - by wilmingtonprints.com

Classic Jurassic by wilmingtonprints.com

Classic Jurassic by southseasimports.com

Check back at the end of the month to see how I do with my goal ... which has been posted to OMG for October :D

Christmas sewing ... and bags for Bag It! :D

Now that Christmas is getting closer I hope to be able to spend more time sewing ... just in time for Bag It! from Elm Street Quilts!  If you like to sew bags, or if you want to learn how to sew some fun new designs, you should check it out :)   There are prizes to be won, and links to fun new blogs and tutorials - I use this as a challenge (and excuse) to make more bags :D  This blog post alone has 6 bags that were made during the challenge period (2 of these 8 were made prior to September 19) in it - my first bags for the challenge this year - that's a pretty good start!

Candy corn zippies ... for some friends :)

Santa Sack - for a lil guy who shall remain nameless :D
Based on this tutorial :)

Pleated Pouch for a friend - tutorial here :)

Close-up of the zipper pull for the grey pouch --- is that really a bra??  Why yes!  Yes it is! :) But what's that other thing above the bra??!  Could it be ... ohhhhhhhhh ...

Yep - panties!  The zipper pull is a bra and panties - someone obviously has a disturbed mind :D  Why yes!  Yes I do!  :)  If the recipient prefers something a bit less "out there", I put a note in the bag saying I'd make a new one for her, LOL :D

Strawberry zipper pouch - with beaded ribbon embellishment and strawberry zipper pull :)

I'm not sure if you can see the beading, but I added red and pink seed beads to some of the dots on the ribbon :)

Another pleated pouch :D

Acrylic teardrop zipper pull :)

Christmas stocking for He Who Shall Remain Nameless :)
Construction is based on this tutorial - I can't remember where I learned the technique originally, but back then (5+ years ago) it was called a Magic Stocking :)

Here's the back of the stocking - it's not pieced - it's just another print from that particular Dr. Seuss line, quilted on the diagonal like the front :)

The lining is another print from that series - I bought a set of FQ's years ago in Pennsylvania (hi, Mickie!  Hi, Shayme!) and am finally getting around to using them!  

Here's a closer view of the patchwork and quilting on the front :)

For Bag It!, 3 of the candy corn zippies, both pleated pouches and the Santa sack qualify for entry - 6 in total :D  OOPS!  Update Nov. 1/16 - I goofed up while posting to the Bag It linky party, and only the 3 candy corn bags are counted - 3, instead of 6, lol.