Bag Lady

Disclaimer: I get no benefit from providing links to websites with products or ideas. I simply add them so you can find things if you’re interested.

Hello, again! I realized that I have more things to share that have been completed in the past few months. I am always busy making things.

Back in an earlier blog post, I shared some WIPs that I was working on finishing. I have finished the Coffee Quaker piece by Heartstring Samplery. I love this piece so much. I framed it myself giving it the padded treatment with batting beneath the stitched piece and it hangs in my kitchen where I can admire it daily. It certainly does speak the truth. I MUST have a cup of coffee before I do a thing. This has always been the case with me and will likely always be!

finished and framed cross stitch entitled Coffee Quaker

But what does this Coffee Quaker have to do with bags, you ask? Well, I always keep my projects in various bags, that is true. But these projects I’m about to share below are simply bags. In fact, I purchased the sewing pattern, Simply Chic Bag, from Geta Grama at www.getasquiltingstudio.com. Her instructions are very clear and there are several photos to go along with the instructions so you can make a wonderful bag (or 3) for yourself.

The first bag I made was to incorporate some English paper piecing I worked on featuring some fun fabrics I purchased at my local Tuesday Morning, which is sadly closing. I really had fun making the bag because I could feature the panel that was paper pieced. I purchased the black and white honeycomb fabric from Joann Fabrics. The interior plaid fabric may have been given to me. I really cannot recall!

What I love the most about this bag are the sturdy interior pockets. The magnetic snap is also a nice touch. I used to think that making a lined bag was so complicated! But it really isn’t. I don’t consider myself a really good seamstress but these bags turned out so nice, it has boosted my confidence a great deal. Give this bag a try for yourself. It’s a great way to showcase favorite fabrics.

Here is the next bag I made, using a heavy canvas that I adorned with yarn using my sewing machine and a technique called couching. I am currently using this bag to carry the baby blanket I am knitting for my great niece, who is expecting her first baby this summer. Once that project is finished, I’ll post about it here.

This next bag featured below is made with some fabric I pieced together using the quilt-as-you-go hexagon method. These hexies are made on the machine, so no hand piecing here. The hexagon fabrics also came from Tuesday morning. This bag is for my father-in-law’s wife, who loves animal prints. She will receive it for Mother’s Day. Each hexagon is made on the machine then I used invisible thread to piece them together using a zig zag stitch. You can likely see this in the photos.

So, go sew yourself a bag or two. There are many many patterns out there available for purchase, or you may find a freebie out there, too. Thanks for stopping by to read about my projects!

It’s always stitching season!

Disclaimer: I get no benefit from providing links to websites with products or ideas. I simply add them so you can find things if you’re interested.

Hi everyone! Sorry I’ve been so incredibly lame when it comes to updating this blog. Here’s what I’ve been working on lately.

I’ve just finished stitching my first A Year in the Woods cross stitch. Here is The Fox by Cottage Garden Samplings. I stitched mine on 40 ct Newcastle Stormy Night. I purchased the pattern, the fabric and the called for threads at my local needlework shop, Stitchville USA.

I have very limited experience with 40 count linen and let me just say, I do love stitching on it. You need only one strand of 6-strand floss, and your stitches look so nice. I do need a magnifying lamp to stitch. I actually look through the magnifier in order to stitch.

The finished cross stitch of The Fox.

I have purchased The Woodpecker and The Little Brown Bat. I’m not sure when I’ll start them, but I know they will all be stitched on 40 ct linen. I would love to do all of them in the collection. They are all so beautiful to me.

There is also a mystery project I’m working on that I cannot share much about at this time because it is going to be a birthday gift. Here’s a peek:

Next, I was looking through all the cross stitches I have begun and ignored for a while and pulled out this beautiful sampler called Oh My Bird by Teresa Kogut Creative Whims. This was one of those impulse purchases, and honestly, so many of the patterns I’ve purchased are impulse buys, usually from watching Flosstube! I have very little progress but I am enjoying stitching it. I am stitching this on 32 ct. Laguna that I purchased from Stitchville USA. I would say two strands of floss it a tiny bit tight on this count, but it could be the fact that the fabric is Lugana, and not the count. Anyway, I am going to love this so much when it is finished and hanging up in my house.

I had a dear friend stop by for a night on her way back from Canada, and she brought with her a partially finished cactus that she was making for her daughter. She needed help with it, and since I have years and years of crochet experience, I was able to finish the cactus and make two more from the book and kit she had. They are so adorable and I would definitely make more some time. There are many designs in the booklet and I have the yarn!

And lastly, I have been bit by the sewing bug since I had a role working with the local middle school on their spring musical, Beauty and the Beast Jr. I worked on lots of costumes. I really enjoyed it and so started looking for patterns for handbags and such and came across this pattern on Etsy, which I purchased. I have made two bags and here is the second one, which I am using daily. This is called the Madison Ave Mini Backpack by The Sew Fox. It has adjustable straps, a zipper pocket on the bag, a drawstring as well as magnetic enclosure, and an interior pocket. Her instructions were fabulous and I had a question about some part of the process and was able to reach her thru her Etsy shop and got a quick response. She is in the UK.

Finally, a word about seasons. It technically became spring here in Minnesota around March 20. However, we still had more than a foot of snow on the ground and bitter cold temps to go with it. Then we got another snowstorm for April Fool’s Day. It has been the longest winter I have every experienced and I was over it! We all were. Prior to the April snowstorm, our area had already seen 80 inches of total snow fall since the season began in late 2022. Sure, there have been many pretty days. I love a fresh coating of snow on the trees. But it just kept coming and staying cold. And we didn’t go anywhere for Spring Break so here we were….

I definitely have been crafting a lot because of the weather, and that’s ok with me. But now we are ready for warmer temps and for walks outside without the fear of slipping on the ice. Today it is unseasonably warm at 83 degrees but we are not complaining! Even the cats have been tired of being cooped up. Now they are enjoying the sun on our screened in porch. We are holding off on putting the cushions out because it’s supposed to get cold and rainy this weekend. Boo…

Thanks for stopping by! Hope you had a wonderful Easter and have a terrific spring.