One Thing Leads to Another

After I made my first 'house' block at the retreat in November, I made a house block with the "Challenge Fabric" for the quilt show next August.  I decide, after I finished it, that there was too much blue and it needed a tree perhaps.  My friend, Mary F., said, "It is easy to do. You just remove this section and replace it with a piece that has a tree!"  Well, I have risen to the challenge and made my first tree piece of piecing.  However, it was a fat little tree and I did not want to cut off either side of it, so I used it to make another experimental bag. I did actually make another tree that I did piece onto the challenge block. 

Of course, a tree needs some bears or something and I had bought this cute orange and brown bear fabric at The Quilt Barn (Kimberly).  I really needed a snack bag, because I was planning on departing to Albany, NY on December 15 and then drive all the way back to Boise from there, so snacks . . . absolutely.  Corn chips, bottle of H20, peanut butter M&Ms, gluten free biscotti, etc.

Wow! This bag really handled the trip cross country. I love it.

Piecing Test Complete

I finished my "You had me at Merlot" tote bag!  It was a test. I love piecing new designs and having fun with colorful fabrics, but instead of making a whole quilt from a new block I tried, I just make another tote bag.  I should check my records to see just how many tote bags I have made over the years.  One side of the bag is the house block from Collaborative Quilting, the other is a strip I pieced using the techniques in 15 Minutes of Play.  I showed my husband my finished bag last night, and he took it and held it and asked if it was his.  What I love about him is that he seems to like every single thing that I sew.  Every quilt, bag, and even curtains!  He always asks who am I making this for?  He does not understand that sometime I am just making something and it is for no one in particular.  I love to experiment. So, I do some experimenting between quilt projects.  It keeps me enthused.

 

Making random house blocks!

You know that "Fifteen Minutes of Play" book/concept? Well, I love it, but 15 minutes is hardly enough time to begin.  But I do love to play.  I have made four more of those bright, blinding house blocks. What fun! Meanwhile, I have decide to use the first one as part of a tote bag.  I am just beginning to make it a little larger; 'growing it' with some black fabric that will really make it stand out.  Here is what I have so far. I just put 1 1/2 " strips around the block and trimmed it square.  I think I will use the gray/pink/orange floral as the main fabric for the bag, so I will add some of that next.