Home from California!

Flew in tonight... glad to be home and a little tired too.
The wedding was beautiful and the family and friends were too.
Check out my new find in California
I read this magazine from cove to cover on the long flight home.  Love it, think I will try to get subscription.  Take a look at SEW IT ALL from the editors of Sew News.  There is an online link too.
www.sewnews.com/sewitall

I' m leaving on a jet plane... don't know when I'll be back again....

We are leaving today to fly to San Bernardino, CA for a wedding.  Actually I do know when I'll be back.  I should be flying home next Tuesday.  I am looking forward to spending some time with extended family and just letting go for a while.

I made myself a comfy neck pillow for the flight.  As we all know I am fond of strip quilting.  I strip pieced the front of the pillow and used decorative stitching on the seams for emblellishments.  I got the pattern from http://sew4home/projects/pillows-cusions/464-last-minute-gift-pillows-relaxing-neck-pillow , so go check it out.  Very comfy, very easy, and very pretty.  Hey... post some pictures of yours.  I would love to see them.

Time to fly.... haha.. in more ways than one.

Here's a nice close up of decorative stitch embellishments...............

Artic Blast subsided...

Yeah!  It is finally starting to feel like the Mississippi Gulf Coast again.  Global warming went in reverse there for a little while.  Next week my husband and I are flying to San Bernardino, CA for  my brother and sister in laws wedding (renewal ceremony).  Got lots to get done before we leave.  Might not get many post done for the rest of January.

I think I'll make a laptop bag

My husband got a new laptop for Christmas, so that leaves me with a (new to me) laptop.  I don't mind, it will be great when I'm at a craft show or something.  When I'm home I just use my trusty desktop computer.


Got to give some thought to design and functionality.  Should I make a sleeve or messenger bag style?  hmmm..I will need to include batting for shock absorbancy. Pockets for the wires and cd pockets as well.  I think I will do something really girly with my name monogrammed on the cover.  Yes!  that would be perfect.


Hmmm.... guess I better make a masculine one for my husband while I'm at it.  I think I will use leather and the bit of rattlesnake I have left from the Mark's wallet project.  Yes, I did say rattlesnake.  My friend Mark killed a rattlesanke, cut it's head off, and tanned it's skin.  Then he gave it to me to make a wallet for him.  It's looking pretty good, almost done. I will post a picture when I'm finished with it.  I might do a tutorial, but I'm betting most people won't have any spare rattlesnake laying around.


Stay warm....

Beautiful Quilted Wallet Tutorial

Quilting the fabric:
Cut strips 1 and 1/2 inch wide by vertical length (11 inches). I use eight different fabrics, but you can use whatever suits you.  .These strips can be "quilted" in one of two ways. 1) sew the strips together and stitch onto quilt batting. Or 2) Sew the first strip face up onto the right quilt batting. Then lay each subsequent strip face down on the face of the previous strip and sew using a 1/4 inch guide down the right side of the strip. Then fold strip over right side up and place next strip face to face and sew down the right side again. Repeat until all strips are sewn onto the foundation quilt batting piece.Making the front cover of your wallet:
Cut a rectangle vertical (10.75 inches) and horizontal (width of the 8 strips) from the new quilted fabric you just made. You will not use it all.

Choose a coordinating thread color and wind a bobbin to match. Now sew down each seam using decorative stitching (your preference). Using another decorative stitch, sew around the edges of a 2-3 inch piece of velcro (soft side) the placement should be approximately 1/2 inch from the bottom edge of the horizontal edge (short side) and centered. This is the closure for your wallet. Set the front quilted piece aside for now.
Making the Inside Foundation Piece for your wallet:Cut a rectangle using the inside coordinating fabric selection (7.75" x 10.75"). Then cut a matching rectangle from quilt batting. Sew the coordinating fabric to the quilt batting using a 1/4 inch guide.

Making the credit card and cash pockets for the inside of your wallet:
Cash pocket: Using the inside coordinating fabric selection, cut a rectangle (7.75" x 6"), fold in half (hamburger fold) wrong sides together, now measures (7.75" x 3").
Credit card pockets: Cut 2 rectangles (7.75" x 4")and (7.75" x 3"). Fold in half (hot dog fold), now measures (7.75" x 2") and (7.75" x 1.5)
Construction of pockets: Place the largest credit card rectangle raw edges down onto bottom (raw edges of cash pocket rectangle). Then place smaller credit card pocket rectangle onto larger credit card pocket (again raw edges down and together). Using a 1/4 inch guide sew across bottom edge and sides. This will make three pockets on top of each other. Fold in half (hamburger fold), iron to make a crease line, then open and sew down line making the two lower pockets credit card size. This can be the tricky part, Exactly 5.5 inched down, place bottom raw edge of pocket section face down onto inside foundation piece, When you stitch using a 1/4 inch guide across the bottom, and then fold up the pocket section to where it belongs. Stitch the sides down using a 1/4 inch guide and the credit card and cash pocket are in place.
Making the checkbook pocket for the inside of your wallet:Using the inside coordinating fabric selection, cut a rectangle (7.75" x 7"). Fold in half (hamburger fold) wrong side to wrong side. Your rectangle should now measure (7.75" x 3.5"). Iron and pin to bottom of inside foundation piece, then sew around edges using 1/4 inch guide. The folded edge should be the top of the pocket and the raw edges should be on raw edges of bottom end of the inside foundation piece. Adding the velcro closure to the inside of your wallet: Centered at the top above your credit card and cash pockets @ 1/2 inch down use a decorative stitch to sew around a 2-3 inch piece of velcro (rough side). Finishing your wallet construction: Place quilted wallet cover and right side of wallet inside foundation piece face to face. Make sure that velcro is on opposite ends (one at top and one at bottom) Pin and sew around edges using 1/4 inch guide. Leave a 4-5 inch opening at top to turn the wallet right sides out. When turned the velcro pieces should meet when wallet is folded making a closure. With wallet open, close top opening and topstitch around entire wallet. Then draw a line horizontally across the wallet 2.25 inches and then at 5.25 inches down from the top edge of inside of wallet. Stitch these lines to reinforce the wallet fold lines. Be careful not to sew any pockets closed. Your wallet is ready to use. Enjoy!

RESOLUTION 2010

Can you believe it? It's 2010. Feels like we are catching up with Star Trek. I loved that show as a kid, one of the few things my brothers and I agreed on. Gilligan's Island was great too, but that conversation only stands to give away my age.
Let's talk about resolutions for 2010.

Confession, I am the world's worst (really should say, best) procrastinator. Ideas---- I have a billion... but following through and making them a reality,... not so many. So, this year, after watching Julie & Julia, I decided to start a blog with some Accountability Partners for motivation. Somehow, knowing someone is counting on me to get it done, is just the motivation I need to accomplish just about any task. Otherwise, it's, "tomorrow, tomorrow, tomorrow". I bet this resonates with a few of you. So.............. Here is the RESOLUTION:

50 Projects or tutorials for the year 2010.
Not necessarily, an easy task.... but all I have to do is:

DREAM it, DESIGN it, and DO it.

Whoa! I hope my accountability partners are up to it. I will need lots of comments, suggestions, and encouragement to keep the steam puffing along.