I made the Aeroplane Bag!

I made a bag - a big bag! With straps and pockets!

I love bags - I have a small collection of store-bought handbags and I've made dozens of small zipper pouches over the years, but I had yet to make a "real" bag.

Well - this month, I made the Aeroplane Bag by Sew Sweetness.

This bag is supposed to be an intermediate-level project, but the pattern is so well written a beginner can make one (it's not a quick make mind you!) I did have some issues with putting in the exterior zipper and it's definitely not perfect, but it closes and opens so that's good enough for me.

My version has one zipper pocket on the inside and one open pocket for easy access to stuff.

I'm super happy with my Aeroplane Bag and although I did get a few requests, I'm thinking I'm going to have to keep this one.

Stats:

• Pattern: The Aeroplane Bag by Sew Sweetness
• Size: Long (18-1/2” x 14-1/2” tall x 8-1/2” deep)
• Fabrics: Kona Jamaica (lining and straps), Nature Walk by Tamara Kate (main exterior fabric) and the accent fabric is a chevron that I bought a while ago (unfortunately, I can't remember what fabric line or manufacturer it was) 
• Thread: Pieced with Aurifil #2600 (Dove) in 50 wt

I will be linking up at Crazy Mom Quilts for Finish It Up Friday and at Cheeky Cognoscenti for TGIFF.

And this is finish #6 on my 2018 FAL Q1 list!

Josef Albers Inspired Mini #1

I first heard about Josef Albers a couple of years ago, I think during a Montreal MQG meeting. I googled him and I immediately thought how his work would translate so beautifully into quilts. I found and installed an app on my iPad which allows you to play with Albers' colour studies. Super cool!

I have been playing with the app and thinking up ways to make a quilt inspired by his work for months now. And then during the Holidays, I decided to make a series of mini quilts inspired by Albers' colour studies.

The first mini is now done!

I used solids for this one so the colours would really shine - Kona Silver, Kona Black, Kona Mint and the small squares are Kona Iron. I think it's pretty cool how the Iron looks so different when next to Kona Black.

I quilted in the ditch around the small squares and then used my walking foot to stitch straight lines about 1/4" apart in the background.

Stats:

• Pattern: My own design inspired by the work of Josef Albers
• Size: 15" x 20" 
• Fabrics: Kona Silver, Kona Black, Kona Mint and Kona Iron 
• Thread: Pieced and quilted with Aurifil #2600 (Dove) in 50 wt 

I will be linking up at Crazy Mom Quilts for Finish It Up Friday and at Sarah Goer Quilts for TGIFF.

And this is finish #5 on my 2018 FAL Q1 list! I'm killing my list this quarter!  :-)

Modern Plus Sign Quilts Blog Hop: Row Addition

When Cheryl and Paige reached out to me and asked if I'd be willing to participate in the blog hop organized to celebrate the launch of their very first book, I was honoured and really excited to get to play with one of the patterns from the book.

Photo courtesy of C&T Publishing

I chose to make Row Addition for the blog hop. I loved the simple design and the size is perfect for a baby quilts - there are lots of babies in the family now and I'm sure this one will come in handy.

Photo courtesy of C&T Publishing

For my version of Row Addition, I went with Kona solids: White for the plus signs and then Bubblegum, Schoolbus, Sprout, Jade Green and Teal Blue.

The piecing was really quick and easy - thanks to the great design and the clear instructions. The top was done is one evening. Next, I had to decide on a backing and binding. Thankfully, I had the really fun polka-dot wide-backing leftover from another project. I also had enough of it to prepare my binding!

For the quilting, I stitched wavy lines across the width of the quilt with my walking foot. I really love how soft the quilt is with these lines of stitching. I used Aurifil 50 wt thread for the quilting and decided to match the thread colour to the Kona cotton in each row: #2479 (pink), #2150 (orange), #2845 (light green), #2890 (dark green) and # 2780 (navy blue).

Stats:

• Pattern: Row Addition from the book Modern Plus Sign Quilts by Cheryl Brickey and Paige Alexander (see links at the bottom to purchase your copy)
• Size: 40.5" x 45.5" 
• Fabrics: Kona White for the plus signs and Bubblegum, Schoolbus, Sprout, Jade Green and Teal Blue for the rows
• Thread: Pieced with Aurifil #2600 (Dove) in 50 wt and quilted with #2479 (pink), #2150 (orange), #2845 (light green), #2890 (dark green) and # 2780 (navy blue)

The Modern Plus Sign Quilts book is full of really beautiful quilt designs - and they go from small runner to big bed quilts. Some are even designed for paper-piecing so you'll get to work on different piecing techniques.

I've already added a few of the quilts on my To Do List:

Postage Plus - Photo Courtesy of C&T Publishing

Plus Surround - Photo Courtesy of C&T Publishing

Tribal Plus - Photo Courtesy of C&T Publishing

Celestrial - Photo Courtesy of C&T Publishing

Want to buy your own copy of Modern Plus Sign Quilts? Here's where to find it:

Cheryl Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/listing/584477239/

Paige Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/listing/590417705/

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Modern-Plus-Sign-Quilts-Techniques/dp/1617455695/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1520456494&sr=8-1&keywords=modern+plus+sign+book

Be sure to visit the other participants in the blog hop:

Monday, March 12th

Cheryl @ Meadow Mist Designs

Paige @ Quilted Blooms

Tuesday, March 13th

Soma @ Whims and Fancies

Ann @ Brown Paws Quilting

Kitty @ Night Quilter

Sophie @ Luna Lovequilts

Afton @ Quilting Mod

Shelley @ The Carpenters Daughter Who Quilts

Wednesday, March 14th

Jayne @ Twiggy and Opal

Jen @ A Dream and a Stitch

Abigail @ Cut & Alter

Yvonne @ Quilting Jetgirl

Sandra @ mmm! quilts

Karen @ Run Sew Fun

Thursday, March 15th

Linda @ Flourishing Palms

Bernie @ Needle and Foot

Liz @ Savor Every Stitch

Stacey @ Stacey In Stitches

Michelle @ From Bolt to Beauty

Patty @ Elm Street Quilts

Melanie @ A Bit of Scrap Stuff Blog

Friday, March 16th

Myra @ Busy Hands Quilts

Izzy @ Dizzy Quilts

Ruth @ Charly and Ben's Crafty Corner

Christa @ Christa Quilts

Monday, March 19th

Jessica @ Quilty Habit

Cindy @ Hyacinth Quilt Designs

Jennifer @ The Inquiring Quilter

Julie @ The Crafty Quilter

Tuesday, March 20th

Tish @ Tish N Wonderland

Judy @ Sew Some Sunshine

Emily @ The Darling Dogwood

Wanda @ Wanda's Life Sampler

Karen @ Tu-Na Quilts, Travels, and Eats

Katherine @ Sew Me Something Good

Wednesday, March 21st

Anja @ Anja Quilts

Kate @ Smiles from Kate

Sue @ Sevenoaks Street Quilts

Carole @ From My Carolina Home

Alison @ Little Bunny Quilts

Thursday, March 22nd

Debbie @ Esch House Quilts

Laura @ Slice of Pi Quilts

Beth @ Cooking Up Quilts

Janice @ Color Creating and Quilting

Joanne @ Quilts by Joanne

Friday, March 23rd

Cheryl @ Meadow Mist Designs

Paige @ Quilted Blooms

I will be sharing this quilt finish over at Crazy Mom Quilts for Finish It Up Friday and at mmm! Quilts who is hosting TGIFF this week. This is also finish number 5 on my 2018 FAL list for Q1!

My New Sorbetto Top!

When I sat down to write down my goals for 2018, I decided that this year, I was going to learn how to make garments that fit me. Quilting is definitely going to remain my main focus when sewing, but I've been losing a lot of weight and purchasing clothes that fit was getting expensive and felt wasteful. By learning to make and alter my own clothes, I'm hoping to save a little bit of money AND end up with some really cute "one-of-a-kind" pieces.

When searching for a fast and easy pattern, the same top kept coming up: the Sorbetto by Colette Patterns.

I purchased some cute fabric a long time ago and planned on making a dress for my grand-daughter, but there was a lot of it so I took some to make my Sorbetto.

Please forgive the messy hair and no make-up look! 

The top sews up really quickly and I love the pleat in the front. I really like where the top hits me in the hip area, but I think the fit could be a little bit better at the neckline and the armholes.

I learned that applying bias tape to a neckline and armholes isn't quite the same as sewing binding on a quilt! There are some visually unappealing pleats in the binding but I'm pretty confident that with more practice, I'll get the hang of this.

After completing the top, I found a sew-along for the Sorbetto (all 3 versions) with many, many tips for fitting and adjustments. So I'll make a few adjustments to the pattern and make at least one more of these.

So stay tuned for more Sorbetto tops soon!

I will be celebrating this first garment finish by linking up at Crazy Mom Quilts for Finish It Up Friday and at Powered by Quilting for TGIFF.

Single Burst Mini

Remember my Cross Check Mini from a few weeks ago? Well, when I finished it, I decided to pull more blue fabrics and make the other design from the pattern: Single Burst Mini.

I absolutely loved making this mini! Yvonne's designs and patterns are just so striking, so graphic and her instructions are fabulous!

I used two of the same fabrics that I stitched the Cross Check Mini with and then pulled a fabulous Cotton & Steel print for the background, border and binding.

Can't you just imagine this as a huge block for a bed quilt?

I went with wavy lines stitched with the walking foot for the quilting. It's super easy and quick, but gives the quilt a really fun texture - it's become my favourite way to quilt a quilt.

Stats:

• Pattern: Single Burst Mini by Yvonne at Quilting Jetgirl
• Size: 18.5" x 24" 
• Fabrics: Kona Algeria, scraps from backing fabrics I had on hand and Cotton & Steel basic
• Thread: Pieced and quilted with Aurifil #2600 (Dove) in 50 wt

I will be showing off this finish at Crazy Mom Quilts for Finish It Up Friday and at What a Hoot! who is hosting TGIFF this week.