Idea achieved

I have had this idea for a long time.  It's not original as I have seen others do their own variations that are similar.  Basically it is to find a way to creatively cover the logos on conference totebags!

This one is the first that I upcycled into a quilting tote.  The original totebag was a 'souvenir' from a conference my friend Jamie's husband attended.  I liked the size of the tote and loved that it converted easily to a backpack, but I wasn't crazy about toting around a bag with the logo of a conference that I did not attend, so...... an idea started brewing .....

I was making some stretched Churn Dash blocks for a lottery in my Block Builders Bee and had a few extras that I decided to keep -- the totebag was nearby ... and inspiration hit!

It was easy to topstitch the blocks onto the totebag, being careful not to stitch any interior pockets closed (this is a helpful warning for those thinking of doing this at home).  I believe I have successfully Up-Cycled a totebag into a favorite new-to-me tote! 

The lower, wider churndash block completely covers the logo from the conference.  The upper, taller churndash was just a fun addition to add a little more sparkle to the bag.  I now use this to carry quilting things to and from my various quilting groups.  It helps me to have a place to collect items that I want to remember to take (exceptionally helpful for my memory on the day of meeting).

Fun fact:  I WON all the lottery blocks too and now I have even more of these blocks (now residing in my growing ufo pile).

My second upcycled tote is the one below.  I was asked to bling a totebag for my friend.  She's the leader of a trip my boys went on this past summer and she is my boss, too.  This time, there are no previous logos to be strategically covered.  My challenge was to add color and bling to an all-black shoulder bag.  Here is the result:

Inspiration came from the t-shirt designed for the trip -- a large blue hamsa on the front a bright orange shirt.  I blinged the back of the tote to match the back of the t-shirt too, featuring the map of the state of Texas!

Do you think Marna likes it?
The answer is a resounding YES! 

And one more project ...

Below is the ongoing production, a work in progress (w.i.p.), of my turning-jeans-into-a-tote.  The original post can be found by clicking here.  It is my goal to finish this (needs lining, handles, etc) for this month's "A Year of Lovely Finishes" challenge.  I am creating this bag as I sew it together (in other words without a pattern!) and I goofed in sewing my original lining -- making a lining that was far far too small for the actual size of the tote.  Here I am double checking that the new lining will be a better fit ....

It's looking good.  I think this lining is a tad on the roomy side, which is totally OK with me.  The sunflower cats patch is a large pocket to hold my rulers.  I love both these cat fabrics.  Using my cat fabric collection is an ongoing self-challenge this year. 

charity quilts-to-be ...

Here it is ... documented evidence that I have accepted the challenge to make charity quilts for the Houston Modern Quilt Guild using these donated fabrics which have been bundled primarily for this purpose ....

I selected this blue/green bundle because there are a few fabrics in it that I really love.

The funny thing is that I selected this second bundle of warmer colors for the same reason - I really love some of the fabrics included in this collection, too.

The funniest thing of all -- these were bundled because the charity chairs thought these fabrics were simply to ugly to be used for anything else, so why not bundle into color groupings?   There were even more groups that I liked a piece or two tucked inside, but I resisted.  I was strong.  I only took two bundles, however I am getting worried.  Is my lust for need-to-own-more-more-more fabrics blinding me?  Or do I have a hugely wide range of colors, prints, fabric lines, etc. that I love?

Sadly the answer is probably Yes, to both queries!  When (and where?) does the Fabric-Lust-Support Group meet?  What is their name?  Fabriholics Anonymous?  There is no offense intended toward the many bonafide and extremely helpful support groups in the world, but I do think I might need to enroll in something .... somewhere ... or start the first FA group myself.  What do you think?  Are you in?

Meanwhile, I ponder ... hmmm, what to make, what to create, what to do with these two collections before you ... after all, I have promised to make at least two charity quilts using these fabrics.  Fortunately, the deadline is eons away ....

Trilobite Cats

Pattern testing is such fun!  This is the bright and colorful Trilobite quilt top I made while testing the Trilobite pattern designed by Becca of Brian House Quilts. She is a friend of mine I met since joining the Houston Modern Quilt Guild.

The pattern comes with instructions for different sizes (mine is a lap size throw) and also different layout options.  It features a rectangular block which made piecing with my very directional funky cat print a bit of a challenge.  But I am happy with the result.

The plan is to use it in my Toddler classroom with color-sorting activities!  But first I need to finish it with a little bit of quilting, then binding and a label.  Sounds easy and straight forward, if only I could decide on which fabric from my stash to use as its background or maybe I will piece one from my stash .... decisions, decisions, decisions!

A trio of quilts

This is the first one.

This is the original sampler basket quilt that Mary made for her tenth Buck A Block series.  I met Mary probably 18 or 19 years ago when she was first developing Thangles.  The second quilt is by Sara whom I met through Mary. The three of us rendezvous annually at the International Quilt Festival and Market held every fall in Houston, Texas.

Here is the quilt with green basket blocks that Sara made.

You can see that the same fabric has been used for the setting triangles in Sara's and Mary's quilts.  The border fabric in Sara's quilt is the green option of the same fabric that Mary used in hers.

Then here's the third one, made by yours truly.

My quilt features red basket blocks, like Mary's, and my border is the same print that both Mary and Sara made in a third colorway.  I named it "Red Summer Baskets from my Friends".

It is fascinating to me to see the same pattern worked up in color palettes from the same fabric line. Each quilt is similar to the other two, yet uniquely different as well.

I love them all (but perhaps I love mine the best)!  To read more about the making of my quilt, click here.  To see other quilts made with Thangles, click here which takes you to the Project Packs (patterns with the Thangles included!) now available.  To see more of the quilts I have made using Thangles, click here.

Once a pair of shorts ....

 The original pair of denim shorts once worn by my teenage son is destined to be re-purposed into something new and different.

 

I began by removing the metal zipper -- isn't un-stitching a joy?  

At least when it is not undoing something I have just stitched together!

 

Andy says "can I be in the picture too?"

(Why did I think I could take photos with the jeans on the floor with Andy in the house?)

Besides taking out the metal zipper, I also took apart the inner side seams.

Now to figure out how to do the next step.... or maybe I should start of deciding what part of the shorts will be the front and sides .....

Oh, did I mention, I'm planning to make a new totebag?

I had intended to finish it to swap in the September Totebag Swap that was held with the Houston Modern Quilt Guild (HMQG).  This is the funky kitty fabric that I plan to use as the tote's lining (do you think Andy will mind?).

This is one of my "starts" for September, one of my NewFOs. 

I do confess that I love the challenge of starting something new each month?

Stay tuned as I aim to finish my jeans-kitty totebag in October as part of my "A Lovely Year of Finishes" Challenge!  I hereby declare that this is my goal for the month of October.
Click here to see the others (I'm #25).

This is a fun challenge aimed at finishing projects and achieving goals.  It is helping me to select and then focus on one project each month (once I've selected one to finish!).  Please join in if you'd like to.  It is very easy.  Here's how:  decide your goal for the month and declare it publicly, with a link on the Lovely Year of Finishes Goal Setting Linky Party (open the first seven days of the month).  Then work like crazy to achieve your goal and post your successes to the Finishes Linky Party (during the last seven days of the month).

To make it even more fun, a few lucky finishers win prizes! I know, because I won a prize in August from Thimblepies Quilty Supplies!  My prize was four 1-yard cuts of lovey fabrics (they remind me of 30s Reproductions) and two packages of rickrack.  Thank you Jane Holbrook!

I also started (and finished) this sweet dove block for a friend's approaching wedding.  Click here to see my dove before I autographed it.

Does it count as a NewFO if I finished it?  (answer: Yes, it does!)

Click here to see the other NewFOs started in September, 2014 (I am #20).

Progress report ...

Progress report....

My counted cross stitch project, "the ABCs of Parenting," is slowly growing. 

This is where we stand now: the letters A B C D E F - H I - K are complete; G, M and N are in progress; leaving 14 letters still to go: J, L, O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z.  I am not even mentioning the decorative elements, box-framing each letter as well as assorted other graphic images sprinkled across the alphabet.  Guess this project may keep me busy for a bit longer....

ABC Primer for James

Starting at the beginning .... 

an ABC Primer

 has been completed all the way to Z

and this lovely finished quilt now belongs to sweet baby James,
the darling grandson of dear friends!

Here is the full view.

The fabrics were purchased in my local quilt shop, Quilt 'n Sew in Katy, Texas.  

Check out their website: http://www.quiltnsew.com/

But first say hello to the new owner of this baby quilt....

May I introduce ... baby James!  Isn't he the cutest?

Can you believe that his favorite pasttime is reading? 
He will be as literate as his English college professor parents and his grandpa, unless he follows his grandma and becomes a doctor!

More about the quilt ...
The  ABC Primer fabric collection, produced by Wilmington Prints, was available only through independent quilt shops, which I love to support.  When I spied this lovely collection, I knew I had to buy the cloth baby book, the growth chart and a few of the coordinating prints, since I had several pregnant friends and two nieces also expecting babies.  I cut apart the baby book panel into 12 separate blocks which I then sashed with some of the coordinating prints, adding a full border of the overall print.  I love the look of this fabric collection.

The illustrations remind me of the classic British Victorian  illustrators
Randolph Caldecott, Walter Crane and especially my favorite,
Kate Greenaway. 

Once I finished piecing the quilt top, I talked over quilting designs and options with my awesome friend Pam Biswas.  She has a new long-arm business and creates stunning work!  I love her tight quilting, especially the curlicues scattered across the quilt.  Please check out her website at http://www.pamquiltaholic.com/. 

This is my finish for this month's "A Lovely Year of Finishes" challenge.  I am #52 of the 96 pledges found in the goal setting linky party found here and #65 in the finishes linky party found here.
I can't believe I am getting this posted just as the deadline arrives!
(Will I ever finish things in a more timely fashion?)