Make a Lined Drawstring Bag for gift giving!

Marny here…our DSMMQG had it's yearly November social meeting last week.  We exchange seasonal gifts using the tried and true "steal a gift technique". It was lots of fun! 

First, what I took to give…

What's in the bag?

I made a drawstring bag to present my contribution using my purchased Jeni Baker's Lined Drawstring Bag pattern. The size was customized according to Jeni's instructions.
Checkout Jeni's great online tutorial here!

It seemed appropriate to select truly seasonal fabrics from my stash. Iowa, like much of the country, has already had snow(s)! We've definitely brought out mittens, scarves and hats.

I have had this bodkin for many years. I love it! It is so useful for pulling drawstrings, elastic, ribbons or whatever through a casing. 
Plus it is a fun word to pronounce.
A bodkin makes a great stocking stuffer for the sewists in you family!
If you go looking for one, you have two choices. One is a needle with a large eye. Mine is the other sort built on a tweezer concept. It has teeth on one end that you clamp onto the ribbon (by sliding the ring down till tight). 

Here is the adorable "what" that was in the bag!
I wish I could say that I made this cute (store bought) snowman!
Don't you love his shaggy texture?
Again with the mittens, scarves and hats!

Now, let me share the special gift I received at the exchange…

Look at this wonderful little pillow! Doris Brunette of Row House Creations made this using reverse appliqué and a hand stitched accent line! I love looking through the snowflake at a moment captured in time! 

Looks like it is going to be a long, cold winter. This little pillow will brighten my home! Thinking about the kind and generous members in our guild warms my heart!

Till Tuesday… 

Tasty Measures Smooth Sewing

jill here...There's a new quilt shop in the area! Woodside Quilting opened in September.   Easy to get to on the north end of Des Moines; the shop is cute, fresh and has great classroom space!

Trina, who runs the shop during the week showed us around.  When a new Robert Kaufman ombre fabric arrived, I offer to make a Tasty Measures sample.

This is the folded ombre, RK Quilter's Linen background in the left corner with the batik focus on top.  The focus has those interesting luminous areas of yellow against the dark background.

 Robert Kaufman's pointillist ombre.

 This ombre transitions from dark to light (selvage to selvage); some ombre fabrics transition from one value in the center to the same on the outer edges.

The major portion of this one is in the red/ red orange range with small amounts of the very dark and light.  With larger segments radiating from the center, the sets are cut with the orange to dark on the bottom and orange to gold on the top.  There is extra fabric to allow for selection but one has to plan ahead.

 Ribbons of strip sets make the fabrication come together quite quickly.  Start to finish, the throw top was sewn together in 4 1/2 hours.

 I'll deliver to Trina this week! Trina is a wonderful long arm quilter so it will be fun to see how she makes her magic bring it to life.

Three good things about the cold: soup, sewing and basketball!  What are your favorites for this very long season ahead? 'till next Tuesday...

We're in Quilts and More, Winter 2014

Check out the new Quilts and More!  It has lots of fun and easy projects, one of which is OURS.

Quilts and More, Winter 2014

The quilt is a baby sized sweet treat using a small jelly roll.  It's perfect for a fun collection, sashed in white to make it pop.

Easy as 1, 2, 3 project in Quilts and More. See it here.

Quilts and More did a great presentation of a more modern throw size.  How fun and easy is that?

Free pattern for their alternative found here.

Burr...stay warm until next Tuesday.  Time to sew!

Quilt Festival Houston 2014

Home again! We're back from a great week, feeling inspired and ready to get back to what we love to do -- designing and sewing!  Quilt Festival is a remarkable retail event filled with lovely people, shopping, ideas, and a stunning quilt show!

Modern Quilt Relish booth day 1. 

Simple layers of interest on the walls.

A little change each day.  

Love my little Raskog cart filled to the brim with kits and quilts. The new Olov adjustable legs allow me to have a counter height table for my computer in my workroom.  

Looking from the other corner.

Shopping opportunities too! Here are Oakshott ½ yards from Pinwheels. These yummy crossweaves have depth and sparkle and interest.  Can you hear them calling out "design me, sew me"? We can!

Till Tuesday…