Tips from an Old Bag and Gerry K

As of a few weeks ago this was my purse (aka old bag). I've used it for years and love it.  

But it was starting to wear out. 

Boho bags were all the rage and a dear lady named Gerry K posted a tutorial on how she made hers and also sold some kits with fabric in her etsy store. 

So, I made a pattern of my old bag, bought some fabrics from Gerry and used some tips from her tutorial, added some of my own fabrics and some stitching and some thrift store finds and made myself a new purse. 

 The background of the flap was a doily from a thrift store, the fringe and beads I had in my stash, I had just learned how to make wide ribbon roses, and crocheted up a butterfly for the rose garden.

I had embroidered a rose on some taffeta thinking I would use it for a long purse strap but later decided it wouldn't work as a strap so turned it into a purse side. 

 This is part of the back of the purse. Fabrics are bonded together on interfacing ala Gerry's tutorial but I wanted to have some stitching on the purse too so I stitched.  The lace was in my stash so I painted it with alcohol ink. That was a first for me and quite possible a last.

This is the other side of the purse - again, I painted some lace and crocheted up a wild Irish rose.

 I added a piece of trim with whatever these little swivel thingys are called on the end to attach key rings and keys which seem to be absent. And, no, I really don't love NY - someone went there and brought it back to me thinking I would love a key ring with my name on it.

Since I am not good at pattern making I made the bag a little too loose on the inside so had to add some drawstrings in casing to keep all my stuff from falling out. But I kind of like what I did with my mistakes. It sat for months waiting for me to figure out what to do with a purse whose contents would spill out after all the work I had put into it.

I used up a lot of trims I had in my stash from thrift stores. 

 And I even made a coin purse with roses on it to go inside my new bag.

 When I was finished I took a couple of photos to try to showcase my work.

And I won second prize in a purse contest held on the CQI (Crazy Quilting International) Yahoo Group. Not sure what I won yet, but I do feel honored and I have a new purse besides. All the ladies at work love it and much to my surprise I've been offered some large (to me) sums of money for it. But, it's all mine!

I'm going over to the usual Tuesday linky party at Quilting by the River to show off.

Favorite Color Plus Red Challenge

The CQI (Crazy Quilt International) Yahoo Group has a challenge going on this quarter - make something out of your favorite color plus red that you can wear. Totes were counted as something you could wear. My fav color is blue so I cut up some old bluejeans, did a little red work, a little chicken scratch and turned it all into a tote.

I wish I would have embroidered something up in that upper left rectangle, but I didn't so I'll have to be happy with it.

Inside I used some flannel I had left over from some other project. And then there's a big pocket there on the side. I'm going to tote my crochet or embroidery projects in it so I have something to do at work on my lunch hours. Right now I tote things in a plastic grocery bags. This seems so more chic!

It's not my boho bag...but that will be next. I just have a little more embroidery to do on it...well, actually, I have the whole flap left to do. Won't be long now though!

Asian Challenge Stitches

This is the first stitch for the Asian Challenge - Coral Stitch which is a knotted stitch. I chose to make mine out of silk ribbon and did not pull the knots very tight and then...

...I added some leaves and cherry blossoms to my coral stitch.

The more advanced knotted stitch that I am not sure I have mastered was knotted loop stitch or basque knot. My eyes don't see well enough to do the two loops knots aren't very even. I drew a giant leaf with lead pencil and used those lines as guidelines for my leaf...

...and then I outlined leaf with stem stitch to cover over the pencil lines. And then I added a silk and satin ribbon chrysanthemum to go with the leaf. (Well, at least that's what it's supposed to be)!

I've used the coral stitch a few times before but that basque knot stitch was new to me, well...I've seen it in books but never tried it but now I have. If I try layering it next time you won't notice my unevenness and it might be fun. I like challenges. Oh, and I might try a couple lanterns with ribbon thru them to simulate lanterns. Later...

Latest CQ

This is Beryl's block for the "Anything Goes" RR. The block had beautiful gold/orange/yellow fabrics so I chose an analogous color scheme since I seem to like that combo most. I pulled all my purple, red and orange threads (and a touch of green) and stitched several seam treatments and then filled in with the twisted silk ribbon chrysanthemums.

This is Kerry's Tea Time block. I didn't pick any special color scheme. I just tried to use what was in the block. I started with a small cross stitched teapot and cupcake done mostly in gold to pick up the gold in the piece on the block. I did a curvy seam treatment up in the upper right corner in the same colors as the circles on the fabric. I added the teapot and cup buttons. They stuck too far out and were too heavy for the block so I made a tiny hole to insert button back into hole so button would lay flat. It looked much better that way. The silk thread vine with pink silk flowers that meanders around doesn't show up too well. And finally, I appliqued on some varied flavors of tea bags. This was the last of the blocks for this RR so I'll be mailing them home to Kerry soon.

This is a block I made for the CQ4Newbies Asian Challenge. It follows same color schem as Beryl's block...red, purple, orange. As challenge moves along we will be introduced to several different seam treatments that need to be added as well as some other items. A big embroidered dragon is going in the middle! I don't really like the Asian blocks; however, I just remembered that my sister is now a Buddhist (one in a long line of religions she has embraced) so I will be making this 16 inch block into a pillow for her for Christmas. 

Hey! I Won a Prize!!!

This booty is what I won for completing a CQ UFO (Crazy Quilt Unfinished Object) for Crazy Judyth's Challenge over on CQ for Newbies Yahoo Group. Thank you, C.J.! I never win anything.

This is my finished UFO. I have since added a tassel at the bottom. This adorable bellpull hangs on my bedroom wall now where I have pansy curtains, pansy postcards for a wallpaper border, pansy stuff...my bedroom is everything pansy except for my husband when he's in it.

And what follows are some closeups of the bellpull. I am glad C.J. challenged us to complete a UFO or I probably would still have blocks still buried on my bookshelf. I'm thankful to all who voted for my UFO since I was one of 3 prize winners. And I'm thankful to Judyth for such a wonderful prize.

CQ by 2012 ???

I LOVE Fairies. I know they live in my gardens. I have a little fairy garden where I know they live. This is my first block for My Midnight Fairies (or Faeries?). All black backgrounds (ok, some have flowers), set on point and filled with lots of flowers, butterflies, fairies, mushrooms, etc. I bought some bright, flourescent and glow in the dark threads.  I am hoping for 16 (4x4) blocks.

Here's a close up of the first fairy riding a dragonfly. I stitched her dress with one strand of silk thread and embellished it with gold sulky. I'm not sure I will be using one strand of anything after this. My eyes don't see well enough. And, I am not good with facial features so that will need a little work. Plus...I should have embroidered her face in a little thinner thread instead of perle 8 so it would fit better with her dress. But...it's a learn as you go project. The dragonfly has sparkly ribbon wings. I am going to embroider the center fairies for the blocks first and then piece the blocks around them. The only plan that exists is in my head.   I hope to have this done sometime in 2012. There is a CQ by 2012 challenge and hopefully I will meet that challenge.

This is the other crazy quilt (well, I call it a bedrunner that I hope to lay over my Valentine Hanky Quilt) I hope to finish by 2012. A year doesn't seem like a very long time.

Lucious Lace and Is it Winter?

This is the block I made to start the Lucious Lace RR - blah, lifeless.

And this is the block I received back after Paula, Nicki, Candji and Colleen did their magic. I was especially impressed when two out of the four who worked on my block said that blue was out of their comfort zone. Doesn't look like it to me!

 And this is my work on Wendy's Winter block. She wanted snowflakes, ice, etc. And, since the October challenge is spider webs I made the center of a snowflake a spiderweb. You can't see the glittery thread I used to overstitch everything but it's there. The angora yarn is supposed to simulate blowing snow. Not sure if it does, but that's why it's there. And, who says all snowflakes are symmetrical?

Am I Sane? Or Going Crazy?

Replacement block for Alice . The original I did for her (CQI RR Pansy RR) got lost in the mail. I tried to make it close to the original.

An Autumn block for Ritva (CQI Autumn RR). I tried a few new stitches like drizzle stitch and wheatear?

My first Dorset button. I followed a tutorial at CQ Magazine Online.

This is Rose Ann's block for the Encrusted RR. The RR doesn't actually start until Oct 1 but she mailed it to me early so I started stitching. Several other ladies will stitch on this same block.

Pansy button - I used a transfer on a button and sprayed it with something to preserve. I added some cast on stitch pansies around it. This is a detail shot from the same RR as above.

Heart detail from Rose Ann's Encrusted RR block. I outlined lace then added bullions and spider web roses, french knots, etc.

These are supposed to be morning glories made with cup stitch. And that is supposed to be a satin ribbon straight stitch hummingbird with his/her beak stuck in a flower. This is also detail from Rose Ann's block.

I just finished embroidering some napkins with celtic motifs for my dad and step mom for Christmas. I hope I can get around to adding some placemats to go with them. I have collected some celtic fabrics I really like. Dad loves all things Irish/Celtic. Fabric was on sale at 60 per cent off and is greener than it looks in this photo.

My stitching on Angies block for the White, Cream Silver (Sparkling Silver Group) RR on CQ For Newbies. Other ladies will be adding to the same block. The tatted motif was on the block when I received it so I can't claim it. This is a color study and we are limited to white, cream and silver only.

Angie's whole block after me.

Stripey Black on Black/Batik Quilt (previously a UFO) is now complete! I LOVE it. I'm not sure if I will keep it or put it in my future gifts pile. The blocks were part of a monthly swap at Blockbuddies Yahoo Group. It was a fun way to get a lot of different batiks and surprise mail each month!

All my siblings and dad/stepmom will start arriving from all parts of the U.S. (from CA to FL) for my nephew's wedding on Saturday. I can't wait.

CQI Challenge

I do like a challenge. This is a year long challenge over on CQI again. These are the blocks (later to be Christmas stockings for the granddaughters) I am starting with. My first challenge is learning to work with "fancy fabrics". I am more comfortable with cottons. I find fancy too slippery too stitch on most times. Both stockings contain some silk from men's ties I picked up at the thrift store. I was glad to find ties with Christmas fabric. The rest of the fancy fabric also came from thrift stores.

The challenge for Jan. is to add fans or curved piecing. I have some curves going on in the blocks themselves and a fan didn't seem appropriate for my stockings so I added what I also considered as curved piecing.

I added some large eyelets to the stockings with some old cross stitch the kids did when they were little. I thought it would be appropriate to add to their children's stockings. I tried to make them look like ornaments. Again, first attempt at eyelets. It was difficult to do with that slippery fabric. I figured if I messed up the patch I could replace it - something I can't do in RRs.