Sewing Rule #1

Okay, maybe not #1, but definitely in the top ten:

Don't get in a hurry.

Case in point, my new tote bag.

Looks harmless, doesn't it? And it was... at first. Until I started running out of time and got in a hurry.
Here's the other side of the bag. With a partially attached handle. Why is the handle partially attached, you might ask? Well, I'll tell you. The handle is partially attached because as I was sewing I noticed I was sewing the handle on backwards. You can't tell from the picture, but there is a "right" and "wrong" side to the handles. Probably not a mistake anyone would have noticed, but it would have driven me insane. And I'm insane enough as it is, thankyouverymuch.

So I left the bag and the handle for tomorrow, when I'm in less of a hurry.

This and that

Sorry about the hold up on the pics. I said I would post some during the commercials of American Idol last week, but I chose to eat instead. Sorry. I love blogging, but if I have to choose between blogging and food, food wins hands down.

I was telling you last week that the mail had been good to me, and it has. For instance here's a pic of me and my new bag, purchased from Artsy-Crafty Babe.

Please ignore the dirty mirror and the lotion bottles. I didn't realize the mirror was that dirty. Guess what, it's still like that. Oh well. Anyway, I immediately transferred purses when this little beauty came in the mail, and I love it. Love. A lot. So cute, and just the right size. And did you notice the button pin on the handle? Love these. They are so much cuter in real life than they are in pics. I'm going to have to try some. Check her blog for more info.

And just because I didn't have anything better to do (yeah, right), I started a new quilt. I was straightening up in the shop the other day, and I ran across this pattern from Calico Printworks. I think the pattern has been here literally since the first day I opened the shop, but all of a sudden I was inspired by it. What do you think?

The paisley in the side-setting triangles is a bit overwhelming, but I think once the whole quilt it done it will be good. The quilt is big, queen-sized I think, so there are a lot more blocks than this picture shows. It's coming along rather quickly, and I'm excited to finish it. I have a million other things I should be doing (and other quilts to finish for that matter), but sometimes you just have to sew, ya know? I seriously think I have quilting ADD or something, because I can't stick with one project for too long.

Well, I think that's enough for now...we'll see what tomorrow brings.

Mission accomplished

My purse is finished! And I love it! I realize it's a little Spring-y for September, but gee, I just don't care. And I think it's going to be just the right size. I haven't put all of my junk in it yet b/c I want to show if off for a little while before I go messing it up. As I may or may not have mentioned before, the fabrics are from the pink version of the Flea Market Fancy line by Denyse Schmidt for Free Spirit Fabrics (I'm working on getting this line on the shop website).

For the pockets, I borrowed a fat quarter from Heather Ross' Lightning Bugs line by Free Spirit. Polka dots - am I predictable or what? Here's a look at the inside of the bag. Four pockets total: one for keys, one for my phone, one for lip gloss, and one extra.

One of the last minute projects that got put together before the quilt show last weekend was this table runner. Pardon the shaky photography. This sucker is 56" long and it's very hard to get the whole thing in the picture! What you're not seeing is me barefoot, perched precariously on the edge of the daybed in the shop leaning over as far as I can to try to get a straight shot down at this thing. And here's a closeup of Prancer (or whoever he is).
I good friend of mine put this together for me, so I owe her one. I still need to quilt it and sew around the applique, but realistically I'll be lucky to get that done before Christmas! The pattern is by Mount Redoubt Designs, and we've got patterns and kits in the shop.

I'm visiting a quilt guild tonight. It's my first ever speaking engagement at a guild, and I'm a little nervous. However, I'm doing a "trunk show", so I should be able to talk about my own quilts without too much trouble. We'll see.

Today's output

This half-finished purse is all I have to show for today's efforts. I'm really excited about getting it finished though, because it's for ME. I've made about a gazillion of these purses (okay, actually probably only 5 or 6), but I've never made one for myself. So I took the opportunity today to start one. I know I was going to work on it this weekend, but it just didn't happen. Candy corn and crochet distracted me. I taught a class today on this bag, and everyone's turned out really cute. I wish I'd thought to take pictures...I never do until they are already gone.

On a happier note, this new fabric called BeBop from P&B came in the other day.
I haven't had the chance to take the plastic off yet, but that's on the list for tomorrow morning. The wheels in my head are already spinning with ideas for this line. Can't wait!