Yesterday I showed you a few quilts from the Iowa State Fair…Here’s some more.

This quilt is TINY only about 12 x 18.  It is so cute.  I have seen the pattern and have thought about making it.  This rendition has me thinking about it even more.

This quilt was done by a 4-Her.  I love the red and gray.

Wonderful Appliqué….

This is one the best looking T-shirt quilts that I have seen!  It was given a high honor.  All of the T-shirts are Iowa State Fair T-shirts.  The boxes along the top and bottom make it really cute.

More beautiful appliqué…

I love ocean waves quilts….this one has baptist fans in the quilting…another thing I love.

Isn’t this little nine patch a gem?  It definitely intrigues me.

What would any Iowa quilt show be without an Iowa State quilt?

I had an awesome time admiring all the great workmanship.  I’ve never entered a quilt in a show before….it’s got me thinking I might investigate it.

Tonight I am hoping I can FINALLY get a binding on a quilt.  Life has been topsy turvey here….unfortunately, it’s my sewing time that has been cut.  I keep hoping that I’ll get some one on one time with my Bernina this weekend.

Our family ventured down to the Iowa State Fair a week or so ago.  I had always heard that there were quilts there but I had new seen them.  Boy….was I missing something awesome.

I snapped a few photos so that you could enjoy a taste of the Iowa State Fair quilts too.

Check this one out.  It is made out of TINY squares.  There was a photo near the quilt that the quilt was modeled after.  All I can say is WOW….I would NEVER try that…but what a masterpiece.

Next is a quilt pattern that I have actually made…

That’s today’s eye candy.  I’ll show you a few more of the quilts tomorrow.

If you want to see more quilts from the Iowa State Fair, follow this link.

Do you ever just look at a pattern and just jump into it before reading the directions?  Well that’s what I did.

I am making my Plan C Schnibble Quilt for the August Schnibble of the Year.  I just looked at the picture and started sewing.  How hard are some four patches and star blocks….

I laid them out on my table and WHAT….how can that be the blocks didn’t “fit” together!  Turn, twist… Nope….it didn’t work.

Well you know the adage…”When all else fails, read the directions”.  I did and silly me.  The stars don’t get sewn together as a unit.  10 minutes of “unsewing” and I was back in business.

See…much better.

I should have figured this out when I was half way done sewing the blocks together as I ran out out of corner squares…Did I stop and read the directions….NO.  My immediate thought was that I didn’t pay attention when I was cutting the pattern out.  Then I thought,  maybe there is a typo in the pattern directions.  I just cut more squares.  I should have stopped then and read the directions.  Oh well…lessons learned.  ”Read the pattern directions before starting to sew!”

I am really happy that this happened on a little Schnibble pattern that is only 30 X 30 and not a big quilt.  I would have really been complaining then!

When Kayla and I were out and about shopping Thursday, I finally found a backing fabric for my Patchwork Times Mystery Quilt.

It was the end to a long quest.  The dark in the quilt is actually a dark, dark blue even though it looks black so black fabrics weren’t working…the green fabric is actually a golden green so greens weren’t working.

I ended up with a Jo Morton print from the clearance rack….it has a mixture of greens and gold that  I think will look fine.   I am a bit stingy as I don’t pay full price for backing fabric ever.

So my stash report….
6 yards and one charm pack in….
Nothing out….hopefully by next week the quilt will be finished and those six yards will be a wash.

Check back tomorrow and I’ll show you what I am working on and share a little lesson I learned.

Thursday my daughter Kayla and I took a little road trip.  There is an Amish settlement about a half an hour south of our house.  We planned to go to the dented grocery store but it was closed….but it wasn’t a wasted trip.  We went to the general store and shopped for kitchen supplies.  I got a couple knives, a few sewing supplies, safety pins for layettes, a wall mounted clothes drying rack and….a new “belt” for my treadle sewing machine.

Both Kayla and I have treadle sewing machines.  Both of us needed a new belt.  We talked to the lady at the General Store and asked if we were planning to restore it or actually use it.  We both want to use it.  The lady said many of the Amish ladies in her community use a plastic tubing instead of a belt.  The tubing is held together with tiny connector that fits into each end of the tube.  She said it is MUCH easier to adjust.  They had the regular belts but if we were actually going to use it to sew, she recommended the tubing.

….2 batches of peach jam, 11 quarts of peaches frozen for pie, 19 quarts of peaches to eat and 19 quarts of salsa later…Kayla decided to tackle the treadle sewing machine.  Kayla had a little experience sewing on a treadle last year when she did an internship at Living History Farm, but for the most part, neither of us knew very much.  I went to youtube on a whim and believe it or not, there are videos that showed us how to oil it, how to fill a bobbin, how to put the bobbin in and a few other things.

She got it going…she is SO much more patient with mechanics than I am!  We were each able to sew a few pieces together.   It was lots of fun.  Tomorrow I am hoping to take enough time to clean it and to get a 1/4″ seam allowance line figured out.  For some reason it seams it is easier for me to get the machine going backwards rather than forwards.  I plan to sew something on it…I am not sure what yet….just something little so I can say I did it.  Who knows, maybe I’ll even like it!

Here is the promised tutorial from Elaine.

This bag was made from a magazine, duct tape and packing tape!

I could make it in two hours once I had my pictures figured out.

This book was my inspiration Simply Sublime Bags, 30 No-Sew, Low-Sew Projects by Jodi Kahn.

Talk about coincidence! This is the same book Jo had on her stack of things she got from Kayla. I happened upon it in the library.  The cover does not do it justice. I was intrigued when I saw the author used duct tape and staples as a means to put together a bag. I had to try it. Could it work?

I was contemplating a thank you gift at that time and this just fell into place. I modified/combined two of her projects. So now I have been making these as thank you gifts with the recipient’s interests in mind. I see many other things that would make great bags like my sons Lego catalog, the instructions to his model airplane . . .

I had everything for my first bag on hand. She encourages repurposing items like a bag out of a twister game mat found at a garage sale. This book made my mind whirl with possibilities.

She came up with creative ideas for handles as well.  She used bungee cords on one, which I used on my first bag. I can not say enough good things about this book for fun and individual creative expression.

Supplies

Items of interest to be made into a bag

Scotch tape

Double stick tape

Packing tape -all packing tape is not created equal. I have used Scotch  packing tape with success.

Duct tape -my husband bought me a six or eight pack of regular duct tape after he saw that first bag. I bought the colored for trims only, as a cost factor.  Those colors are great.

Stapler and staples

Grommets and grommet tool

Something for a handle

Step 1

This was an American Cowboy magzine, June/July issue. I picked out the bigger pictures I liked.

I used advertisement and smaller articles to fill in the sides and bottom. I try to have a focus area in the middle. Allow 1/2 inch on the sides where the staple will be. I have used bigger “seams” when it was a larger bag.

This is the more time consuming part of this bag. Moving pieces around until they feel right to you.  I found it easy to end up with a bigger bag than intended.  I was always finding more pictures or stories I wanted to add. I probably read everything in that issue including the adds. I learned plenty.

I piece two inches above the picture for turning over.  If a grommet would cover a picture or words I want seen, I will adjust adding more on top.  I have made three bags so far out of that one magazine and have makings for two more.

Notice the shape of this collage’. My first bag was a rectangle, sides stapled and the end was an excess triangle taped to the bottom.  I adapted another bag bottom shaped more like this to avoid excess “fabric” to tape down. I started with her measurements from the keyhole clutch (1 ¾ “ wide and 1 ¼ high).  I admit to using a “by guess and by golly” method.  This is the last bag I made and the bottom turned out square!

Step 2

Attach the packing tape to the collage’, over lapping each strip.

Step 3

Flip over and attach the duct tape, also over lapping, Square up the  edges.

Step 4

With duct tape side facing up, fold down 2 inches.  Tape this with duct tape.  Depending on the bag, I have used the colored duct tape in this area for fun.

Step 5

Fold the piece with right sides together and staple half and inch from the side.

Step 6

Miter the top corner. Use clear packing tape over the top edge going from the right side of the bag to the inside right, on the seam.  This holds the staples in place when it gets turned and flattens the seam.

This picture also shows applying a piece of duct tape to each side of the seam to hold it down. My friend, Cathy, devised this method of opening the seam. The author (Jodi) just used one piece to hold the seam open.  I have adopted Cathy’s way.  The seam is very stiff to open. The second side of the seam is easier.

Both seams taped down

Jodi put her bag over the end of her ironing board to work on it.

Then one strip of tape down the middle covering the entire seam.

Step 7

Staple the ends

I square up what I think the bag size needs for a bottom. I like them to stand up. I trim the extra and fold a piece of tape over the whole thing covering the staples which can be sharp when turning the bag.

Step 8

I put two rows of colored tape around this bag at this point. It covered the seams and all.

Step 9

Turn the bag!  The moment I have been waiting for. . .  when I get to see how the bag turned out.  I push in the corners first and work around the bag in a circle to turn it right side out.  Due to the layers it takes a bit to work it around.

Step 10

Tape the end seam down to the inside, bottom of the bag. I found pushing the excess of the seam against the bag opens up the seam more  before taping it down. I think you will understand when you are doing it.  Add grommets, per instructions on grommet packaging. There are other methods for handle attachment, if you prefer.  The grommets were new to me. I really enjoyed them. They changed the whole look of the bag.

Hi!

I am Elaine.  I live on the eastern side of Washington State in the desert. I moved from Minnesota 10 years ago to follow my husband. I miss my family and friends, but I don’t miss the snow.

My husband, 10 year old son and I traveled back to Minnesota this summer to visit family. I contact Jo to let them know we would be in the area. She introduced me to the world of blogging and invited me to be a guest blogger.  I do sew, bead and I like to repurpose things.

I am attempting to put together a tutorial for you on these bags. I used the last three cowboy bags pictured for the tutorial. I hope it makes sense. These are fun and addicting. People who see them can’t believe I made them. They look like plastic, as one person said.  I don’t know how long they last.  I am guessing they are easily repaired by packing tape if they wear through.  One last thing . . .

Have fun!

My first bag made from a Sport Aviation magazine and an EAA catalog.

My second bag had a keyhole clutch made from a gardening catalog. One side had an advertisement of 2 for some price, but I cut out an eggplant and taped it over. You could not notice in the end.

A Bag made from a Farmers Almanac calendar.

A bag for a science/math teacher, this handle was a hit and was bought for 50 cents at a Habitat for Humanity Restore by someone else. I got the part they no longer wanted. I knew it would come in handy one day. The other side had WA State facts and multiplication facts on the bottom. This side was from a unit on electricity.

A bag for reading/spelling teacher with the lists tore out by my son each week. The background was reversible scrapbook paper.  The inside was purple duct tape, the handle a grosgrain ribbon that coordinated with the brown bottom.

An old Seattle map for a big bag and a smaller bag that had a magnetic closure, new thing for me. I still want to try making her zippered bag using a stapler. I used another bungee for the handle.

These last three bags I made as thank you gifts for those tending the place while we were away.

Check back tomorrow for the tutorial to make your own bag!

psssst  . . .He is risen indeed!

This house remodeling is truly getting old….

Yesterday I went upstairs to get some dress clothes to wear to class and three carpenters followed me into my bedroom!  That was definitely a strange experience.  My bedroom is upstairs in the corner that attaches to the garage.  Our west window has to be closed in so they were there to close it up.

Tomorrow, the dry wall guys come and then on Friday the cement to pour the driveway will be coming.  The flooring guys were here last week to measure.  The gas line was dug yesterday.  It seems that every day does show progress…

The fly situation that I complained about a couple weeks ago has only gotten worse.  I don’t walk anywhere without a fly swapper.  Hopefully now that the windows are closed in, that will help.  Once the door between the garage and the addition is put in I think the fly situation will finally get under control.

I keep looking at walls thinking…maybe a quilt could hang here….or here…. should I sew curtains…should I buy some.  It will be so nice once the men are gone, the construction noises will be gone but mostly….the flies will be gone!

I have a huge treat for you…my friend Elaine is planning a guest post!  If you liked the dog food bag, you are going to LOVE this!

Last week I finished three quilt tops and machine quilted one….so it was time to get sewing on something new.

These are the inside pieces of the star blocks from the quilt on the cover of American Patchwork and Quilting June 2010 issue.

My daughter Kelli and I cut out matching quilts back in June and finally, I am sewing the blocks together.   So far, I am loving them….I sew with lots of different fabrics but I can honestly say civil war reproductions are my FAVORITE.  I haven’t bought sashing fabric yet.  Once the blocks are finished, I think I am taking a road trip to Country Threads and purchase some…that would be a wonderful treat.

Check back later in the week and hopefully I’ll have a quilt or two or even three bound and ready to show.

This week I am happy to say that I have fabric in….this kit including 2 layer cakes and yardage of Aster Manor.  I won the second place prize in the Schnibbles Time Two Contest over at Charming Chatter with my quilt Hope at the Cross Line.  The prize was this kit.

I also picked up one yard of brown fabric from Goodwill that is going into my reproduction fabric collection.  I couldn’t pass up a yard of fabric for $1.50!  I would have liked to add more fabric as I need backings for two quilts but couldn’t find a fabric I liked for a reasonable price….maybe next week.   I think I am going to shop my stash and be a little less picky… So for this week….

Fabric in:  One kit and one yard of fabric.
Fabric out:  ZERO…..I’ve been sewing but I never count it out until the quilt is finished.

I started a sewing a new project….check back tomorrow and I’ll show you what I’m working on.