Random Thursday

Well.  I have been messing with more zippers.  What do you think of this little pouch?  Too bad I didn't take a picture of it open because there are some really cute pink polka dots inside.  This is a free tutorial over at Dog Under My Desk.    She has awesome patterns, tutorials and is full of zipper knowledge.  I just noticed that I should, perhaps, have put the little tab with the ring on the other side of the zipper.  Maybe?  Does it matter functionally?  I wonder.  Erin never uses a zipper foot.  I love that.  My zipper foot and I are not good friends.  I am better friends with regular feet.  FYI.

I have not found good vintage sheets for awhile. I haven't been searching really but I didn't find any even if I was or wasn't searching.  Until the other day.  I found these beauties.  Both in great shape.  I think the top one with the California poppies is particularly lovely and will make a great quilt back.

And then there is this pin cushion!  I won this at the sew in.  Cute!!!  Amy made it.  Yay!  And if you are in the lower mainland of BC... Amy did a great quilt shop review on her blog the other day.

Random stuff.  So that means I am linking up with Cindy at Live a Colorful Life for Random Thursday!

WIP Wednesday on a Tuesday in the rain

1)  Yippee!  42 blocks.  6 by 7 layout.  1512 little squares.  Now it just needs some sewing together.  I feel very good about the progress on this baby!

2)  Triple Zip Along!  Test pouch done.  Official pouch done and blogged.  These are fun, people.  And there is still time to join in the fun.  

3)  And I started something new.  Husband asked what the heck I was up to.  He calls this making sawdust when he sees me chopping fabric up into bits.  I have been in love with this quilt for a long time and now I am making one of my own. I chopped up a lot of solids.  EEK!  Just solids!  That is a first for me!

4)  Pillow top for the guild challenge with the Sari silks.  Yep.  Done!  I finished that on the weekend.  Still need some pictures of that!

And somebody took a picture of all this progress!  Not too messy!

Linking up with Lee at Freshly Pieced and the Needle and Thread Network too!

Triple Zip... it worked!

My triple zip pouch worked quite nicely!  Much better than the first one I made.  This time I only finger pressed and avoided issues with irons and zippers.  I found that the trick to getting the top zipper tabs nice is to pinch the tab in half when sewing the side seams.  I think I will try making another one and take a picture of that step.  I also do not use a zipper foot.  I stop and start moving the zipper pull out of the way as needed.  I am much happier without a zipper foot.

So much fun!

Half a can of tomato paste...

I used to have a cookbook called Half A Can of Tomato Paste and Other Culinary Dilemmas.  The whole point of the book was to help you use up the bits and pieces you have left over when you make dinner.  I am churning out Scrappy Trip Along blocks and even though I am supposed to be using up stuff to make the blocks, I am creating a bunch of scraps in the process.  You know, like the half a can of tomato paste dilemma.  So what did I do with some of the bits?  Tried my hand at paper piecing.

 I got a little worried because next month's bee block for the That Stash Bee is going to paper pieced and I have not done that much paper piecing.  EEP!  I like to be prepared so I found this block.    I put it together a little differently because I wanted to see the star straight away.  It went faster as I went along.  I used my stitch ripper a lot.  A lot.  Seriously. But... not bad.  Not perfect but not bad!  Do I want to make a whole quilt like this?  No!  Maybe...

Linking up with Judy's Design Wall Monday.  What's on your design wall?

Triple Zip-Along....

I had been waffling about the fabrics for the triple zip pouch for the triple zip along.  Today, I made a decision.  Maybe it is because Valentine's is just around the corner.  Who knows?    \I made a trial version of the triple zip pouch last weekend.  Just to see.  It was okay except for the top zip which was a bit wonky. The zipper tabs were messed up too.  But.  I learned a lot and I know exactly what to do to avoid the issues that happened first time around.  This time, I am going to avoid the iron.  Just finger press.  I'll let you know how that goes.  The fun starts on Monday.

Support Your Local Quilt shop Day!

Today is support your local quilt shop day.  I did just that.  This is me parking in a no parking spot just so I could support my local quilt shop.  And then I took a picture with my cell phone.  Too bad the sign that is on the door didn't show up.  It says the one with the most fabric when you die wins.  Gotta love that!  Then I toodled around inside chatting with the ladies about Singer Featherweights which happens to be on my wish list.  Then I toodled over to the solids and picked up a few things.  Kona Cherise and Coal.  I picked up a remnant of Kona Emerald and one of Navy too.  I toodled over the the Aurifil display and picked out some thread.  They have the BEST prices for Aurifil.  The BEST!  I noticed they had one of those cutting mat cleaner gizmos that I have heard work super well so I picked up one of those too.  Then I came home.  I love that the Bent Needle is right here in town.  I love that the ladies are just so darned nice.  So if you happen to be out in the valley, and you need a little quilt shop fix, check out the Bent Needle.  Worth the drive even if just for the Aurifil!


The Bent Needle, Railway Ave, Mission, BC Canada

WIP Wednesday

1)  Lots of scrappy strip sets and the block count is up to 20.  If you have not yet fallen for the scrappy trip along craze, join in! This block is fun!  I think I am going to aim for about 42 blocks.
2) Pillow top with lots of hand quilting.  No progress.  At all.  Sigh.
3)  Triple zip along pouch... I actually made a test pouch on Sunday afternoon.  It was a good run but my top zip was not good.  I think I know what went wrong.  More to follow.
4)  Signed up for the Modern Scrappy Bits Swap Round Three!  I think there might still be room in the swap... check it out!

Linking up with Lee at Freshly Pieced and the Needle and Thread Network!