A little effort...

...goes a long way.  I have had a little pouch sitting on my sewing table since mid-February waiting for my attention.  I move it, dust under it and look at it but have not put in the 30 minutes of effort to transform it into something useful.

Do you remember this little extension table cover that did not quite fit?

I finally installed a zipper to make it into a little pouch that I can use when travelling.  It can easily fit inside my featherweight's case stuffed full of threads, bobbins and needles.  I hesitated for a long while because I didn't have a zipper that coordinated with the spots on the exterior.  I then got over myself and just choose a navy one that "vibed" pretty well.

I added a little coordinating zipper tab and held the zip in place with a piece of binding.  I wish I had made the binding one continuous loop instead of feeding it back inside itself (like I do with a quilt binding), but this was all a bit improvisational (AKA learn as you go).

So there you go!  It's finally off of my sewing table, tucked away with my complete travel set.  Checking off number 3 from my FAL Q2 list.  

Sew Portable Travel Set

Although I had clear plans in mind of what I wanted to do this weekend to prep for a sewing retreat (pull fabric, download patterns, cut a bit...)  it was all thrown out the window Friday afternoon when I found this pattern: Sew Portable Travel Set by Jeni Barker.  Stop. The. Press.  

You know how it is when the perfect pattern finds you at the perfect time?  It is hard to do anything other than sew.  You see, this sewing retreat will be the first adventure for my new Singer Featherweight.  Meet Thimbelina.  She is a special girl who is up there in age, but sews like a mouse's heart.  She needs to travel in style and here was the perfect travel set for her.   I downloaded the pattern, drove home and dove into the shop's stock of Purebred.  I was only waiting for an excuse, really.  

The bag is a sturdy one, with reinforced corners, layers of batting and heavy weight (hidden) canvas and a solid wood bottom to take her weight.  The straps are belting prettied-up with coordinating strips of Purebred.  Quite straight forward, really.  This portion of the pattern was beautifully written with very clear instructions and super photos.  It was a joy to make.

Little Thimbelina fits inside perfectly with a little room to spare.  Jeni B is using her bag alone to carry her machine, but I am hoping that I can still fit the machine in her little case (to protect her in travel) and then inside the bag. The bag will offer a welcome set of handles when I really do not trust the one on the ancient case that came with her.  

Also included in the pattern is a draw string bag that perfectly fits the foot pedal and cords.  It is super.  Until now, mine have lived next to Thimbelina in the base of the case.  I have worried they will scrape the paint, but now they are safe and sound.  If you do buy this pattern, pay attention to the instructions making this bag.  Although Jeni B clearly states how to orient your directional fabrics to ensure the lining is right side up, I (being a picture girl) followed the diagram and now have upside down lining.  It is only me that will see it and I do not mind enough to rip it apart and fix it.  Just wanted to give you a heads up to follow the text and not the figure.

Finally, there are instructions to make a little quilted cover to protect the folding extension table from the metal screw on the front of the machine.   This is a wonderful solution.  I was quite jazzed when I read about it in Jeni's blog post.  

The only problem is that it does not fit my machine!  I guess Jeni's does not have a wedge support on the bottom.  With luck there was a tutorial posted today on IG to create this exact cover with a wedge/triangular side.  I will pop that on my do-do list for the retreat.  I am not sure what I will do with the little pouch I have now, though.  Pop a button hole in there and use it for the manuals?  I would need to install a zip to hold thread and bobbins.   I'll keep thinking.  

All in all it was a super pattern.  I am delighted with what I have made and can not wait to take it all with me next weekend.   I will leave you with a photo of Miss Molly, my photographic assistant.  She has just turned three and is looking all grown up to me....the little cutie.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Avant Garden by Momo.

This week I am home in the US with my family enjoying Thanksgiving.  It has been so nice to spend a few days with my parents chatting away and to see a bit of snow.  Today (Wednesday as I write this....) there's been a nice breakfast out in town with Dad munching on delicious scones and coffee, a wonderful trip to the local book store and a clothes shopping marathon with Mom that melted my credit card.  Tonight Dad is cooking dinner and we are watching a movie by the roaring, crackling fire.  Thanksgiving day, though, we pack up the car and head to Lancaster to meet my extended family to chow down on turkey and stuffing.  We'll all lazy around and catchup on the family news.  It's wonderful.  I can't wait.

Fancy Free by Lori Whitlock

Screen Printed Happiness by Karen Lewis Textiles

Being the fabric maniac that I am, I brought a few FQ bundles from the shop here to Doylestown to photograph for the shop newsletter (Which you should have received?  If not, click here.) and the shop website.  I just can not find the time to snap photos after work but before the sun goes down!  But here on holiday, I have the time to mess around with FQ bundles and my camera.  I think my parents are worried that my obsession means now I travel with fabric, but they have been wonderfully supportive of this weirdness.

Mimosa by Another Point of View

Miss Kate by Bonnie and Camille

Our Thanksgiving dinner is in Lancaster this year, so my folks and I are spending an extra day out in Amish country to hit up the local fabric shops.  You see, when I lived in this area I didn't sew.  I have never taken advantage of Lancaster country being so close to home before.  I hope I get to see a few Amish quilts along the way, too  On our list is Log Cabin Quilt Shop, Old Country Store, Zooks Fabric Store and Family Farm Fabrics.  Are we missing any?  Folks in-the-know, give a suggestion or two, please!

Now, I know you're all thinking their entire fabric lines are brown, cranberry red and pine green.  I thought the same!  But if you look at their websites, they're packed full of our favorite designers!  Check out the list of designers at the Old Country Store Fabrics website.  I may need another suitcase.  And may have to quit my job to sew with it all!

Paint by Carrie Bloomston

If Thanksgiving is today, you know what that means tomorrow!  Yes, the annual Fluffy Sheep Quilting Black Friday sale will kick off at 12:01 AM from Friday through Cyber Monday.  The details will be in tomorrow's blog post so be sure you pop back some point over the weekend.  Yippee!

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone.  I hope you are enjoying the time with your family.  xx

Business Travel Meets Creative Happiness

I had to travel to Berlin for most of this past week to meet several work collaborators and discuss science.  The people I was meeting with are always kind, smart, helpful and quickly volunteer an idea or two.  These are always great meetings.  However, no matter how beneficial the meeting is I am always missing my evening creating time when I travel for work.

I was stuck in a generic hotel room in the central part of Berlin.  Nothing makes this feel more comfortable than scattering around a few "travel handmade" goodies like zippy pouches or totes for touring town.

On this trip I had two zippy pouches with me, each one containing a different project.  I was super lucky to score both zippy pouches in swaps.  The first was made for me by Kat (pictured with the generic check in desk orchid) and the second was made for me by Di (pictured with the hotel bar tea light and fake plants).

More on that later.  We did get out for one morning and one afternoon to do a bit of sight seeing....

But the only location not to be missed on my list was the local fabric shop.  This trip I went to visit Volksfaden.  Not only did they have a fabulous selection of modern fabrics, but they also created the most wonderful atmosphere in which to shop.  I loved the bits and bobs they had scattered around to keep your interest or inspire you.

I picked up a few goodies, but not too much as my suitcase was awfully full on the way over!  I'd be mocked by my boss man if I was over the limit on the way home due to fabric shopping.  After a bit more sight seeing and dinner, we headed off to the airport to kill time....

Out of Kat's zippy pouch I pulled a knitting project.

That travelled right with me from those uncomfortable airport gate seats into even more uncomfortable air plane seats.  I have travelled a good bit through Europe and to/from the US lately, each time bringing a knitting project.  The needles have never been a problem with airport security.  I do tell the security screener that they're in my bag and usually they can't even be bothered to look at them.

Once I was on the flight and I could settle into my fold-down table top, I pulled out a hand sewing project from Di's zippy pouch.  I am making a cathedral windows wall hanging (if I have a short attention span) or quilt (if I am into a 20+ year project), so I have my little window fabric already folded, pressed and ready to go.  My focus fabrics are pre-cut and ready to use.  Inside my pouch is also a printed version of the instructions (just in case...) as well as a spool of Aurifil, a needle book and....

little scissors!  Yes, they will let you on a flight with small scissors so long as they are less than 6 cm from the fulcrum to the tip.  You might check the detailed information your airline carrier supplies online, but this has been generally true for me time and time again.  I always pull them out of my carry on, show them to the screener and leave them out, free in the x-ray bin.  Again, the screener barely bats an eye.

I finished a few cathedral window blocks on this flight, but more importantly just having to sit here with this project re-ignited my interest in hand sewing.  That alone made carrying these supplies on my travels worthwhile.  Anyway, I thought you might like a little peek into how I bring crafty goodness on my travels.  Might you have another suggestion of how your creative endeavours travel with you?  I am always open to suggestions!

June Bank Holiday Weekend

Today is a holiday in Ireland, so we took the opportunity to make the best of the weekend.  It's been busy, but with very little quilting.  I'll fill you in...

I went to Bloom on Saturday with a friend and we had a FANTASTIC time. If you live in Ireland and like flowers or gardens, do make a point of heading to Bloom next year. This exhibit, held in Phoenix Park, mixes together vendors of indoor and outdoor plants and garden accessories with small enterprise food, and exhibition gardens (flower and kitchen). I bought more seeds than I know what to do with (flowers, veg and herbs) and two plants: a lemon balm and this lovely geum (above).  Poppies were popular this year, jumping up all over the place.  They make me so happy! 

We then went up to Clifden on the Connemara cost to camp. It was an absolutely spectacular site next to the sea, but it was awfully cold!  I know several folks are podcasting and blogging about the warm summer weather, but Galway is always a bit behind. 

I brought fabric to cut and my cutting boards, rulers, etc but chose instead to explore sea critters instead of quilt. 

I was missing quilting, though, so I decided to sit in my hammock and read last month's Quilter's Home.  I'm not sure you understand how cold it is in June on the Connemara cost, but this self-portrait will give you an idea :)

 

I have a few hours free tonight, so I will absolutely break out the fabric and start sewing. I hope you enjoyed your holiday weekend, too!

All Is Quiet Here

I have been traveling a lot recently and have therefore found it difficult to quilt.  What do you do when you are off traveling?  Do you have a mini-travel sewing machine that you bring with you? Or do you bring hand work? I am at a loss here as I do not have a small machine and I hate hand sewing.  Anyway, there is little to report here today as I have not been home lately.

I will share with you, though, one of my favorite photos. This was taken while I was off traveling in Dublin several weeks ago and I did bring my machine. What could make you happier after a day out than a delicious Guinness and your happy machine?  If you ask me, nothing at all.


Now, since I have little to share, I will point you in the direction of Fairy Face Designs. Hop over to http://www.fairyfacedesigns.blogspot.com/ as she has a fabulous give away on right now.  After you sign up, page down a bit.  She creates beautiful quilts, bags, etc. that are absolutely worth a peek.

A First Try

Although I love to quilt, I am primarily a machine quilter and that does not travel well.  I was looking for something crafty to do while watching a movie or traveling.   It seems most quilters use knitting for this sort of thing, but knitting and crocheting are not for me.  I tried them briefly but tend to pull the knots too tight, which makes me more frustrated, which make me pull tighter.  You see the problem. 

On the surface embroidery is not at all interesting to me.  I am not a sewer, really.  But then I heard several podcasters talking about using embroidery as their movie-watching craft and I was curious.  I found a few non-granny patterns from Sublime Stitching, Wild Olive and Carina's Craftblog or Feeling Stitchy and I was blown away! 

I purchased a few patterns from Sublime Stitching (which I am still working on) and this one called HappyScape from Carina's Craftblog.  I am very happy with it as my first attempt!  I still need to frame it and hang it over my quilting space, but for now lives here on my coffee table where it makes me smile.

Do you have favorite embroidery website for inspiration or patterns?  I am always looking for a new suggestion or blog to follow!