Wide Mouth Zipper Pouch

As usual I'm late to the party.  But at last I've made my first  wide mouth zipper pouch.  I've yet to sew the cover on the end of the zipper but I wanted to photo it and get it on here.  To be homest they are not the greatest photos ever taken what with the British weather an all but concentrate on the content rather than the style!

I really loved making this little pouch and have some thoughts to share:

First up I have to say it is really easy to put together.  It's my first go at boxy corners and they are slightly uneven.  It was getting late and I have to admit to rushing them.

I used and iron on fleece interfacing on the lining which in hindsight was overkill so I will go with a lighter but stiffer one next time.

Lastly I was Mick Mc|Mannus with the zip.  In my head, when I was very good and read all the instructions, I knew which way to manoever the zip but in practice I still did it the wrong way round and had to unpick a  bit.  Still next time I'll know.  Oh, and I just remembered I think on the 10" pounch I will use a 12" zip and sew the cover on first.

Here's the photees ...

I'm off to make another one now.  Hope you had a good day.  Mine was full of dentists and the A12 in the rain.

Two Years? Where Did That Go?

Yesterday was my Second Blogiversary.  Blogging for two years.  Wow, out there and online even with my total lack of technical acumen.  Woo Hoo.  My plan for my blog was to keep a record of my sewing but my life is so much more than this and my hither thither brain makes it impossible for me to stick with just that.  Still, as they say, I'm loving it!!!

Which means it's time for a giveaway.  I dropped Ruby at her dad's (and believe me getting her out of bed on a Saturdaty was no mean feat) and on the way back called into the The Cheap Shop iu Tiptree.  It is not cheap, to be fair it is not expensive either, but it is an emporium of craft gorgeousness.  I was restrained and I did have to get her some soluble vilene for her textiles class.  That's my excuse and I'm sticking to it!!

So, would you like to win this?

It is six fat quarters, some handmade felt flowers, a skein of Anchor Embroidery thread and a recyled paper sketchbook.

Leave me a comment telling me how you spent your weekend, and if you share this on your blog leave me another comment telling me so for another chance to win it.

Have a good Sunday :)

What The?

I have been TRYING to sign into Flickr all day but I just can't.  I sign in via my Google account.  I do not have a Yahoo account. When Itry to sign in again it just goes around in a loop.  At one point it got halfway and asked if I was mumasu and confirm by clicking the google sign, but then it just went back to this. Grr.  I tried to sign in via facebook and then it congratulated me on my new facebook linked flickr account.  I don't want a new one, I want my old one with my photos and groups I'm part of.  I love technology when it works.  It's a bloody arse ache when it doesn't!" I keep getting this

• Yahoo
• Help

Yahoo UK & Ireland

Sorry, there was an error. Please sign inagain with the same account or a different one.

Copyright © 2014 Yahoo! All rights reserved.

Carnival Pants

I've been beavering away on the Lynn Bob Square Pants blocks.  When I started sewing the HSTs Ruby came and looked over my shoulder and commented that she loved the fabrics and asked if I was making it for anyone in particular or was going to sell it.  (They are all on my case to sell, sell, sell.  They are hoping there is a secret million out there, just waiting to be spent on quilts their mother makes.  Little do they know it's only a million buttons!!!)  I told her that originally I just wanted to try out making the blocks in some fabrics I had, then liked it so much I bought more of the batiks to make more blocks and just added in some other colour scraps I had.

At this point she acquired that artful, whistful look teenagers get just before they ask for something.  In somewhat of a coup I pre-empted her and asked if she would like it.  She agreed that she would and then shouted to her little brother," Hey Rory I'm getting a Carnival Pants Quilt" resulting in much riotous hilarity and loud repartitions all around the house.  At this point I must apologise to Lynn for the misappropriation of her block name.

So after sewing in the every spare minute this week I have, Ta Da ... two blocks, some more half square triangles in zip lock bags and 210 3" squares.  Bah, two blocks, pathetic.  its all the cutting and squaring up that takes the time though so fingers crossed next week it'll be, well hopefully, more than another two blocks!

210 3" squares, just in case you didn't know what they look like

A Good Start

I had to wait in yesterday for a door to be delivered (I also waited in on Tuesday) which has still not arrived.  Lots of teeth gnashing about this,

BUT,

It did mean I had to do something to fill the empty hours.  OK, to be fair I could have done a considerable amount of housework, but I didn't.  Just saying.  So I sewed.  Following on from having a look at some of my UFOs and linking up with Katy, I thought I would continue with one of my WIPs.

I worked on the Pile o Fabric 2013 BOM which I am making for my youngest son, Rory.  He who likes to be wrapped up whilst playing XBOX.  I managed two and a half blocks:

 The Mood block

The Woven Chevron block

and I started the Shattered Chevron block

Considerably more sewing than I've done for a few weeks.  Pat myself on the back.  Can I finish ten things in three months?

Message To Self

With a view to being able to get around my bedroom, I am joining the Finish Along 2014 hosted by Katy at The Littlest Thistle.  The list is long, with many a quilt and bag ...

1.      First up is the quilt I started for my friend Sandra way back in 2011. Second lot of quilting fabric I ever bought, made from an Elenor Burns Pattern called Summer Porch.  First (and to date only) layer cake I've ever bought from a site in America. Saw the pattern, loved it, saw the fabric, loved it, got it all together, loved it. It has got some glaring mistakes but hey this was made way back when so it is what it is.  Then.Quilting it. Gulp. It has sat around as a finished quilt top since November 2011.  It has to be finished.

2.     Next up, my Scrappy Trip. It is not very scrappy, I find scrappy hard to do to look good. I have seen many people carry it off with aplomb but when I do it I don't like it much. So, my not very scrappy trip.  Made from two different Coats jelly rolls bought in Hobbycraft plus a couple of extra bits. Guess what. Top made since last summer.  FMQ Gulp. Gotta be done.

3. Gen X Quilter's BOM from last year. Half the blocks are done. 

4.      Pile o Fabric's BOM started. .  Not even half of the blocks are done. I had a "bright idea" with this one.  Look at this quilt Rory, Isn't this a nice quilt Rory, Wouldn't you like to learn to do this with mum rather than play X-Box Rory. No, mum, No, not under any circumstances I would not, but it is a nice quilt and you can make it for me to wrap around me whilst I play X-Box mum.  .You go for your life mum.   

Where's my quilt mum, is it done mum, when's it gonna be finished mum. 

5.     A bag I started for my friend for her birthday in November but went horribly wrong and needs sorting out.

6.      A Noodlehead Super Tote I started for the the Secret Tote Swap but just was not right in any way so is in a bag on a shelf..  Doh.

7.      Something I started for my sister for Christmas 2012, not finished.

8.      A double wedding ring quilt I started for my Mum and Dad's 50th Wedding Anniversary last June. This proved to be so much more difficult than I anticipated. Nuff said.

9.      A quilt top made (which now I come to photo it has disappeared into thin air) in 2011 with my Dad in mind but to which when shown my Mum gave her customary "hmm". This can mean anything from "meh", to "gross and wouldn't give it houseroom in someone else's house", so its sat in a shoe box, whilst my sister hints she'd like it. In truth I'd like to give it Zoe cos she would love it, but what if it's only meh and mum could live with it and Dad would love it cos I've made it the same as he loves anything I make even if it is really BAD.

10.      A HST quilt which is slavishly ripped off from Catherine at Sew Wonderful Life.  It's started and sitting in a Ziplock Baggy.

I think I'll have to stop there. I do have others but there is No Way Hose I will finish any more than 10 things in three months. More likely to be three things in ten months. Still we shall see. At least just writing them down and photographing them here has given me a bit of kick up the bum. 

Did you notice the pattern that emerges with me, I do the bit I like then leave it, it goes wrong, I just leave it, not sure if the person I made it for will  like it, I just leave it.  SUE'S BIG LIFE LESSON - STOP JUST LEAVING IT!!

Bloglovin

I read blogs via the Blogger Dashboard, so I thought the end of Google Reader doesn't affect me.  Today it dawned on me that people who follow via Google Reader won't be following me unless I sort it out so I am claiming my blog on Bloglovin.  

<a href="http://www.bloglovin.com/blog/5430001/?claim=zwt3qemvcw9">Follow my blog with Bloglovin</a>