Bag editing

After making a very successful bag (my first one) awhile ago I received a request to make two more, but with longer straps. The bags turned out quite good, but I had this uneasy feeling I had made the straps a tad too long. Thus here I am unpicking the seams to get to the straps to lengthen them.... very time consuming, but again my patience makes the end result rewarding.

Inside out and on it goes!

That zipper

Two hours later and the zip is in.... Although I must admit I mucked up initially and after some very helpful advice and guidance I unpicked my stitching and re-did it as to how it should look! When I have a moment I shall upload a picture of my pocket, complete with zipper (yes, there is excitement in my words as I type this!!!). First pocket with zipper, many more to come, hopefully... Ha, I almost forgot to mention it is for my first bag I am making.

Two weeks off from my sewing group on Wednesdays so I shall have to keep focussed and sew, sew, sew!

Progress on bag and cabins

Whilst down in Geraldine I sewed the bottom and sides of my bag together. Once I turned it inside out it looked like a real bag, how exciting, my first bag! I started on the two pockets at my sewing group. I have decided to go with one of the pockets having a zipper. Eek, I already am looking at this option as the spooky option, but then I reckon I would want a zipper in my bag if it was for me.

As for my log cabin quilt I finished off making all my blocks last weekend and yesterday I measured and cut my blocks to equal size and then sewed them into rows. I'll load some pics in a day or two.

This is a before shot, with all 36 blocks lined up before sewing

I'm going to check out some other quilt blogger's now!

Bargellos, bags and cabins

Crikey, the month of August has just flown by. I almost haven't had enough time to scratch my bum!

I've been pretty busy trying to get my bargello together to resemble looking like a quilt. I finally sewed together all my 16 blocks the other weekend and then arranged them on my bed to see what the end feature would look like, and I must admit I was pretty blown away by the effect it is going to make. My next assignment on that quilt will be to sew the rows together.

All 16 blocks assembled ready to sew together

At my sewing group I started making a bag with the rest of the troops and am progressing slowly, but surely. Two of the group finished theirs last Wednesday and they are absolutely smashing. It is great to see their faces on completion, huge beaming smiles and wops of delight and satisfaction. I sewed my braid on, very wobbly I might add, but nevertheless it is now on. I did the detail on the straps and next week will start sewing them onto the top of the bag. I should take a photo of my progress so far, but that will have to wait till it is daylight again!

In the meantime I got encouraged to start another quilt. This one will be for my Dad and his wife. The colours they love are green, blue and pink. After turning the pages of several magazines to get some ideas I finally, yes finally, decided on one called 'Home Sweet Home' by Lee Avard. It is from 'Australian Patchwork & Quilting', vol.3, no.4. I have cut and sewn six blocks already and today cut out six more. I've come to realise that cutting out is one of the most time consuming bits of making a quilt.... and unless you have a cutting table at a height that doesn't involve bending, you end up with a sore back, Gordon Bennett!! I am cutting my strips for cabins wider than the instructions say cos I want the quilt to end up bigger. I shall add a photo in a day or two of where I'm at. At least I'll be able to look back at this blog one day and tell myself, "Gee, you did that!?" I really want to start sewing my blocks together tonight, but I having taped Coro Street for the last two nights. The Street wins out, ha!

Happy, happy, joy, joy.