Fall's Work: Purses

This fall I made several purses to give as gifts. Here is the first. My first time putting in a zipper, and a chance to practice free-motion quilting around the flowers.



Here is the inside, with a bonus glasses case.


The next pattern I chose to take advantage of a fabric my mom liked with flowers in horizonal rows. I liked this pattern a lot; the bag is quilted all over in a diamond pattern.





Here is another from the same pattern, different fabric.





Finally, these bags were made from a jelly-roll---that is a set of coordinated fabrics that come pre-cut into two inch strips. I made it and realized the bag was way too big, more like a shopping bag than purse. Luckily I had enough fabric for another, but I cut everything down my 25%. That turned out much more purse-like.

A Small Purse

This was made to give as a gift. It was fun and I learned to use elastic for the first time since I did sewing in 4-H back in Junior High. I love the fabric and have enough left to make something for myself sometime!

I practiced my free-motion quilting going around the floral patterns.

Here's the back, where there is a pocket, but it's hard to see.

There you have it.

I've been meaning to put up a gallery like this all summer, and now that the girls are back in school I've done it.

I still have several projects underway and in planning mode in my mind. I hope I get them finished and on display here soon!

Little Boy Sports Quilts

These were made for a friend's new baby and his slightly older brother.

A Backpack for Me

Christmas Runner 2007

Last year's Christmas project.



The back.

Mermaid Backpack

This backpack was made for a little girl who likes to swim.

Baby Whale's Playpen

This quilt was made for a little one to play with.

Holiday Runners 2006

These were made with the help of the girls. They each picked a pattern and the fabrics, and I stitched them together. They liked the "Ohio Star" block because it was our first Christmas in Ohio.





And this one I made myself.

The Bluestar Quilt

This quilt was made for Quilted Chaos' 2004/2005 challenge---to make a quilt using a color of a crayon pulled out of a bag, black, white, and one other fabric. It is about 24 inches square and hangs on our wall.

Quinn's Quilt

Quinn was less involved in her quilt making than Madison was. She did pick a few of the fabrics (and of course they were ones I wasn't wild about but she insisted...) I think in the end it turned out great. I hand quilted it, next time I do that on something this big it will be with thread much more noticeable! I started this quilt in 2005 and finished in 2007.

Crazy Critters

I was part of a quilting group in Germany called "Quilted Chaos." Their annual challenge in 2005/6 was to take some "ugly" fabric and make a beautiful quilt. I drew this crazy critter fabric, and loved the colors, even though the critters were pretty wierd...

Madison's Quilt

Madison and Quinn picked out patterns for me to make them bed quilts in April 2004. I worked on Madisons' first. She helped a lot in picking out the fabrics and helping me "radomize" them in the quilt. I finished it in the fall of 2005.

My first quilt

While Mark was in Iraq, I needed a hobby. Quilting classes were offered on the Army base in Germany and I thought that would be fun to try. Here is the quilt I made in my first class, January-May 2004.