Dick & Jane Purse

Just in time for Easter, I completed this super cute Dick & Jane purse. It incorporates fabric from the Dick & Jane collection (Michael Miller Fabrics, LLC). The patterns is "Amy Lou's" by "Totes by Sandy." I've featured this purse pattern before on this blog, you can see it here.

I made this purse with a specific someone in mind, and was able to give it to her this weekend. My mother-in-law, Susie, and I were browsing in a quilt shop one day. When she found this fabric, her face lit up. I learned that she has a special Dick & Jane book collection. Since I made all of her daughters a purse this winter, I thought she'd enjoy her very own. Using the Dick & Jane fabric just seemed natural, since she's already spotted it and has a special place in her heart for it. The Easter Bunny was good to Susie this weekend, and I'm looking forward to hearing her user-reviews!

I don't know why, but this large, red button just made it all come together.

On the opposite side I used three buttons to make "A, B, C." Want something even more entertaining? How about some new words? The top portion of the purse is gathered, which on word-printed fabric means some of the letters disappear. How do you like "Uk and ne." or "Se Dicknd Jar" Seems like a foreign language, huh? At least it keeps me entertained!

The inside of the purse is made with really white Dick & Jane fabric. I liked how it was taken from the books, but on the outside of the purse, it would have been too easy to get soiled. So, inside it went. The pockets are scrappy orange/blue that just make me think: whimsical.

Love, love, love!

Here is a beautiful, spring-y looking table runner that I'm honored to have displayed in my house. While I can't t take credit for this quilted beauty (featuring fusible applique technique), I can (and WILL) give props to my mom. She whipped it up for me as a birthday present, and while I was opening the gift, asked me, "Do you know what this is?"

And I answered immediately, "Of course, it's a woven heart table runner."

Only a mother would remember her daughter's off-handed comment, while quilt-store binge shopping, that she liked this pattern. I'm amazed that she mentally recorded that comment, left the store, and returned at a later date to scoop up the pattern, supplies, and make this project in secret.

What can I say? I love it! It's even a bit Celtic-ish. And yes, I do have "The Very Hungry Caterpillar" and "Brown Bear, Brown Bear What Do You See?" books displayed prominently in my living room. Just because I look like a grown-up, doesn't mean I have to decorate like one. Stay tuned for a future blog posting when I make my "Brown Bear" quilt (fabric and pattern given to me as a birthday present).

Spring Fling (Swing) Jacket!

Spring fever has officially set in this week, now that the enormous snow bank outside our front walkway has melted. On a recent spring break trip to Tecumseh, NE to visit college friends, I found a stylish trenchcoat that I would be fun to make. Now, it's not quite quilting, but it involves most of the basic tools. So, under the guidance of Master Seamstress Linda Louder, we whipped up this jacket in two days.

The pattern is called "The Sophia Trenchcoat" SDG-99 from Serendipity Studio (available to make at fingertip lengh, or knee-length). I found it at a quilt shop called "Common Threads" in Syracuse, NE. The lady at the quilt store was nice enough to let me try on the in-store sample, and Eric and I both agreed - it was cute. So I bought the pattern on a whim (being a very NOVICE seamstress) and began the hunt for fabric.

We used interior decorator fabric for the outside of the coat, and found it at a steal (like $6.99/yd!). The contrast fabric is a batik that looks like it was made to compliment this coat.

There are big, fun cuffs in contrasting fabric that I can shape if I want to "pop" my collar, or just lay low.

And we opted for contrasting cuffs - it just looks classy and fun at the same time, don't you think?

Yours truly, modeling. I'm smiling at my hubby - who REALLY likes the coat (and says I'm a "cutie bear"). The best part of making a garment like this is it is custom made for your body. One of a kind!

Even how the back gathers is cute! What's best, I feel like a million darn dollars in this garment - and you can't put a dollar figure on that. Happy spring!

Pressing Problems...

I just finished volunteering my time with the Prayer Quilt ministry at my church. I had mixed feelings about going, but I went, and am glad I went. There's something magical about being surrounded by women working on a project. There's a steady hum of the sewing machines. The varied chatter of ladies pinning. And there I was, pressing.

Now let me tell you, I thoroughly enjoyed the iron I was working with. It was super heavy and gave off lots of steam. I like pressing. I think of my time ironing a time where my mind can wander. Many prayers are said while I press. So, I thought I had the perfect job before me.

That was until I saw the many different ways there were to create seams on these prayer quilt tops! Oh, my goodness! There were seams that were sewn "open," other sewn to one side, and then there were seams that were sewn in one direction and opposite on the other end! Goodness, what do you do with a quilt top like that? I did my best. I can't believe there were quilts being assembled without pressing (perhaps I came from a pressing-nazi camp...the more I think about that, the more I think that's true). So I did my best. And realized that I'm lucky to have been taught the importance of pressing while quilting. It's a small step that makes a huge difference as quilts come together.

Happy pressing!!

Needing a little Sunshine

I'm not sure what the weather is like outside your window, but here in South Dakota it's a drizzly, gloomy mess. And it looks like it will continue throughout the week. So, I'm giving you a post that brightens up my day! It's called "Good Morning, Sunshine!" by Pincherry Road Designs (Linda Van Arkel). Linda is one of my local shop owners (ABCs of Quilting, Grand Rapids, MN).

I just call this "Hungry Catepillar" and it has brought loads of sunshine into our lives already. Can you see how he eats his way through all the food in the border?

While my husband was on Safari, I was able to finish the binding while visiting his family in Nebraska. Words cannot express how special it was to finish the quilt at my sister-in-law Stacy's house and wrap her son, Wyatt, in it. Baby Morgan happily joined her brother playing on brightly colored squares. Wyatt has been reading the book "The Very Hungry Catepillar" illustrated by Eric Carle and told me the entire story when he saw this quilt. What a beautiful way to break-in a new quilt!

When my husband came home from South Africa, he was so happy to see all the bright colors (he picked out the back, isn't that cute?!). We hung it on our quilt rack as soon as we could (replacing my Winter Joy wallhanging). It's been up since mid-February (I LOVE TO READ month).

It was a real family-effort. I purchased the kit just before Christmas and my best-friend Becky help me to "randomize" the interior blocks. She's got a good handle on random - don't you think? I hope this quilt brightens your day, like it does mine!!

Sold!!!

The SDARL fundraising auction on Saturday night went gang-busters, the Safari purse being no exception. In total, the auction raised just under $29,000. I was hoping the purse would bring $25. I can only say that it exceeded my wildest expectation - selling to a Mrs. Ray Epp for just over $300. I've included a few photos of the happy new purse owner. She wasted no time putting the purse into good use.

They didn't even care about the South African wine I put in the purse!

You can see Ray was the one doing the bidding. Pam and I were discussing the details. I thanked her profusely for her generous contribution to SDARL.

And then I celebrated. It's a pretty sweet ride, for a princess (which I totally felt like that night)!

Safari Purse - SDARL Donation

A few weeks ago, my husband traveled to South Africa as part of the South Dakota Ag and Rural Leadership (SDARL) program. He is a member of Class V, which consists of about 30 people, who are committed to agriculture and rural development. Each class gets to go on an international trip - for Class V, that was South Africa.

Unfortunately, it was a class members-only trip. While he was away, I went on my own safari to northern MN, and south-central Nebraska visiting family. It was in Grand Island, NE, (Material Girl) where my mother-in-law and I stumbled upon "Big Cats" fabric that embodied all of what hubby was probably seeing on his safari. I couldn't resist purchasing fabric, envisioning a wall-hanging, and a quilted purse as a donation to the SDARL group.

I could hardly contain my excitement over having found African-type fabric that I practically wrapped my husband in it the moment he got home. Naturally I decided it would be fantastic to donate something back to SDARL and decided a purse would be perfect. My local quilt shop owner, Linda, and I went hog-wild over "Amy Lou's Purse," pattern by "Totes By Sandy" which would showcase this special fabric so well.

It was a super purse pattern, and came together very quickly. I decided to go with a "boxy" bottom, per hubby's recommendation (and that I am going to stash two bottles of South African wine inside to help it stand up, and sell). What I fell in love with was the hand beading I did around the top - I call them "zebra" beads. Paired with a cute giraffe button on either side, I'm not sure I'll be able to give it away.

 
Here is one side of the purse (see, one lion)

And here's the other side (two lions!). What you can't see are the zebras, elephants and giraffes that are along the bottom of the bag.

Here's what the inside of the purse looks like - green safari grass and two sunny horizion pockets! A magnetic snap-closure helps the bag stay shut.

What a lovely purse. I can't wait to donate it to SDARL and meet the lucky lady who will become the new owner. That is, if my husband doesn't buy it back for me. :)