Unofficial OMG for January ... and more finishes :)

I didn't get signed up for OMG for January but I did pick out a UFO quilt top, and got it finished.   It'll be my unofficial and successful invisible entry for January ;)  I don't even remember when I made the flimsy, but it certainly has been a few years!   I backed the quilt with dark grey flannel from stash, and had enough scraps left over for a couple of bibs.  This set will go to Blue Hills :)

A close-up of the bibs ...

... and a close-up of the fabrics (quilt has been washed, so that's why it looks kinda wrinkly).

A friend gave me a bunch of flannel scraps ... so I made bibs :)  I still have more bits and pieces to use up - quilt store flannel is SO much nicer than the regular fabric store stuff!  I'm talking to YOU, Fabricland, with your crappy pilly flannel!

17" x 17" dolly quilt - I had 8 X 6.5" squares bagged up in stash for several years - I finally grabbed a scrap piece of chenille for the center block, and whipped up the dolly quilt in under an hour :)

Large boxed bottom drawstring gift bag from a Joanns post-Christmas remnant purchase -- I call this ... Does a Bear **** in the Woods?  ;)  Play!  PLAY!  What were YOU thinking I meant?!  ;)

One of my favourite finishes for this month - I got a lovely Frosty the Snowman remnant at Joanns after Christmas :)   I was able to make a pillowcase for a great who will be moving into a bed near Christmas ... as well as 2 drawstring gift bags.  I didn't have so much as an INCH left of that fabric :D  The "pre-Christmas gift set" will include the pillowcase for the lil squirt, a Frosty the Snowman DVD for his older brother, and both pieces will be packed in a Frosty drawstring bag.  I'm very pleased with my finishes and with my gift set idea!  *Sandra pats herself on the back even though that's kinda weird* :)

I got quite a few pillowcases whipped up this month - they'll all be donated.  I just about froze my babushkas off getting these clothesline pictures today - brrrr!

Here are a couple of close-ups of the fabrics I used - it's hard to really see what they are from the group photo. 

Cupcakes fabric - from Hobby Lobby

Large dotty design - pillowcases are the reverse of each other :)

Nursery rhyme print :)

That's it for January - I'm shutting her down, and will go pick out an OMG project for February :D

NOT posting this to January's OMG - but I'll include the link so you can go look at what other people accomplished - that's where I'm headed in 3 ... 2 ... 1 :)

TR ... tr ... tr ... TRIA :)

A few January finishes:

"Use up scraps and extra ribbon" zippies ;)

Orange and pink zipper pouch

A close-up of the cute bird zipper pull :)

Construction wallet :)

Batman wallet :)

My first new project of the year - a TRIA Coin Purse - pattern from AppleGreen Cottage on Craftsy.com - link to pattern here :)  It's a very simple pattern, but it's very small, and my fiddly arthritic fingers struggled with it.  It finished to 5" wide X 4.5" tall - I posed it with a can of nectar of the gods Diet Dr. Pepper to show that it's rather itty bitty :D  I totally forgot to install the little tab that it's supposed to have - I even MADE the tab, but forgot to stitch it on - oops!  I won't make another one that small - I upsized the pattern by 25% to make it easier for me to work on, and will try it out.  The problem was not the pattern - it's rated for Intermediate sewers and that's very accurate.  The problem is mine, but I think it'll be a very easy fix, so I give it 2 thumbs up :)  No raw edges - YAY - and she designed the pattern so that the lining fits perfectly into the outside without bunching and scrunching - I like that Damjana went the extra mile to give us a pattern for such a nicely finished bag :)


Posting to Celtic Thistle Stitches January New to Me linky :)

Sometimes - I hate Blogger >:(

A couple of days ago I started a post with photos of a set of bags I had completed from a bag of scraps I had in stash.  Today I sat down to finish the post, and as I usually do, I saved it frequently while I was working on it.  Strangely, I couldn't open a preview page, even though the screen showed that the saves WERE saving.  I hit publish, and apparently that caused black holes to form in the universe, because despite all the saving I did - Blogger erased all of my saved edits, sending the page back to the original few sentences and one picture.  Can't tell you how much I appreciate that, Blogger - I'm sure someone is chortling at their desk right now, enjoying my annoyance :D

Rather than redoing the post - which - obviously - would have been the Best.  Post.  Ever.  in the history of posts ;) - I'll just show you what I finished :D

Here are 8 of the items --- a tallish zipper pouch (back), earbud pouches and a wallet (middle), and 4 humbug/triangle bags (front).  I've linked the tutorials where I used them.

Here's a regular old scrappy pipper pouch (haha typo but I'm going to leave it because it made me laugh :D) ...




And here are 3 sets of bags from a design by Kristin Link of Sew Mama Sew.  She offered up a lovely no-raw-edges front zip pouch tutorial several years ago, then gave us a great bonus of a tutorial do make the bag in more sizes!  Both links are on my zipper tutorial page (here).

This whole collection is going with me to aquafit tonight, where I'll deliver it to my Blue Hills connection - aka my friend, neighbour and sewy buddy, Miss Amanda :D

Fingers crossed that the post will go up without more black holes being created ...

A good start to the sewing year ...

Like most sewers, I plan on getting much done this year - much stash denting, and much less shopping.  For fabric, that is - I've already sent an order to Connecting Threads for 15 spools of thread, hehe.  I put fabric in my cart and then took it out ... which made me happy and unhappy at the same time :D  Baby steps!

Here are some of the quicky finishes I have under my belt for January.  With the exception of the pillowcases, these items will be going to the counselling center (I'll be delivering them to my contact tomorrow, as long as she shows up at aquafit, lol!):

A couple of denim zippies, and a use-up-some-Batman-fabric-scraps cat pouch :D

6 flickies, using some of the fleece leftovers from my dinosaur quilt :D

Doggy and soccer pillowcases - these are part of several birthday gifts I'm working on for spring birthday gifting :D

Eunice zipper pouch (a $$ pattern from IThinkSew)

Monkey Retreat bag (without the frame) :)

Orange Retreat bag

Floral Retreat (blue zip)

Floral Retreat, pink zipper

Skip to my Lou Pleated Pouches

I actually have more finishes - I'm hoping to get some pictures outside but the back yard is sheer ice, so I need to wait until it's safe for me to be out there :D