Luggage Tags

Well, this is the last of the crafts I'm making for the craft sale.   It's luggage tags using the tutorial that Linda H. and I did many years ago for Quilt Canada Nfld 2008 .  I've made dozens and dozens.   Have you made any? 

Girly Luggage Tags

A dozen tags for the craft sale

I have seen a lot of luggage tag tutorials online.  I still think that the one that Linda and I developed is the best.   I now do a couple of things differently.   I like making the tags in a "tag" shape.   To do this, I cut a tag shape cardboard template.  After layering the 2 pieces of fabric, the tag tail, and the interfacing, I trace the tag shape onto the heavy interfacing.    I sew on this line.

 I now cut the heavy interfacing without the seam allowance... so that would be 3.25" wide for this tag.  I stitch exactly on the edge of the interfacing.  It saves me from trimming the sides. 

Then everything else is the same.   Trim interfacing, trim  corners, turn inside out.  Then continue on with the pattern.

Criss Cross Kleenex

Well, still on the Criss Cross theme from earlier this week.  Here's a variation on the coaster idea.  Adjusting the sizes of the pieces, makes a handy Kleenex holder.   It's made like the criss cross coasters, except  I used 2 * 4" squares, and 3 * 5.75" squares.   You may have to adjust the size based on the size of your pack of tissue. 

A Linen Agenda cover

I saw a sweet agenda cover on Pinterest.  It's linen with a pieced fabric stripe and uses a light batting.  I like the faint stitching lines.   As I was reading the directions and realized it would fit my MTM agenda perfectly. I decided to give it a try.   Well, let's call it a "prototype", because it didn't exactly come out right.    I used this pattern here.   But now that I know how easy it is to make, I will definitely try another. 

Here's what I would change.

Fabric:  I bought linen from a local home dec store.  It's too course.  I'll buy a piece of finer craft linen from the stitching section Michael's for my next try. 

Size:  The directions are for an A5 size which is 8.5 x 6".  It's a standard size.  Because my linen was course,  I wasn't so careful on the seam allowance which made the cover just a bit tight.  I cut 1/8th inch off the top and bottom of the front and back cardboard cover of my old "2011" agenda to get it to fit.  Actually I like that it's snug.  So, I'll make my next one 1/4" longer. 
Also,  If you look at the second picture, the front and back cover is slightly smaller than the calendar pages.  So, I'll make the next one just a half an inch wider. 

I like the project and now that I know how it goes together, I'll make my adjustments and make another...  It's at most, this is less than a 1 hour project. 

Maybe on the next rainy day.

Criss Cross Coasters

I'm still making little things for the Stepping Stones Craft sale next month.   Today I made a dozen criss cross coasters.  I love these for a quick gift.  

When I'm at home, I have a favorite one that my granddaughter Emily made me last year.   I'm missing it... but made myself one out of the odd leftover squares.  I'll leave it here at the condo when I'm done.  Somebody else who rents this condo will enjoy using it.

Want to make your own, here's a tutorial.  I don't bother with the fusible web. 

It's March Break

It's so exciting for the triplets.  Today they are starting out on their trip to Florida early today.   They will be taking in some warm weather and of course, they will go see Shamu.   Before I left home, I made up a fun travel/treat bag for each of the kids.  They will have a long 5 hour drive to catch their flight in Maine and I thought it would be fun for them to have surprise treats for the trip.

They got the bags a couple of days ago, but were not allowed to look until they got in the car today.   It's been driving them crazy and in our evening Skype calls, they've been asking me for hints.  I suggested that I put socks and snowshoes in the bags.....  tee hee. 

Well, it's been a few hours and they would be in Portland by now.  I hope they enjoyed the chocolate, and candy, the journals, the earbuds, the gel pens, some doodling instructions. 

I enjoyed making up the bags, and doodling each of their initials on the bags.

Have a great week kids!

Our first sharks tooth of 2012

We really haven't been looking to hard for sharks teeth.  We spent a lot of time last year, just walking the beaches, looking down....sifting through the broken shells and small beachy rocks.  We didn't find too many.  The fact is, there is a certain knack for finding sharks teeth.  We don't have the knack.... but in our walk today, guess what.... I found this little tooth as the shore water was gently roll back into the ocean.  Maybe that's the knack.  Our friend Ralph says that works for him every time...

So, the hunt is back on... and it's a fun little challenge. 

The score is  me 1, him 0.

UPDATE:    New Score...... Me 1,  Him 1.

My sweet needlecase

Last week I showed you a couple of my Peek-a-boo pouches that I made for a craft sale next month.

Well, I thought I would make a couple of needle cases to go with them. Well I've been thinking about what kind of small needle case I would make. I use a few needle cases for the various projects I'm working on, so with hand stitching in mind, I developed this little needle case for the auction. It will go with the pouch since I used some of the same fabrics. I like it.  Do you?

The pattern is loosely based on Nancy Halvoren's Posy wallet. You've seen me make many of these before.   This one is smaller and there's no posy.  It it is trifold and it has some different sized pockets with floss cards and needles in mind. Don't you think it's cute?



Unfold the first fold and this is where you would keep your threaded needles.  I usually thread three at a time.

Unfold again, and you have access to your scissors, felt pin cushion and four small pockets for floss cards or needle packages.

I will add a traced project and some floss for a great item for the Stepping Stones sale.  I wonder what kind of price this complete bundle would bring.  Any suggestions?

Making Craft Sale items.

I'm making a few craft sale items for the crafters group at the Stepping Stones Seniors Center's craft sale/auction in April.   I enjoy making small things, but I've been trying to think what would be a good items.    Since I had a few Posy Wallet kits with me,  I picked away at making those this week.    


And since I just got my fabulous stash of zippers yesterday, I made these two Peek-a-boo embroidery pouches using a pink and a purple zip.  I love my pouch and use it all the time when I'm travelling, so I hope somebody might see a real value in these.  If I can find a pattern, I may make matching needle cases with slots for floss cards, to go with these pouches. 

Do you have any ideas what would be a good item to sell?   The audience will be mostly seniors.

My Fabulous Zipper Stash

I can't tell you how many times I've made a trip to Fabricville just to get a zipper. 

As you probably know, I love making small projects and many of those projects involve a zipper.    I stumbled across an ad for Zipit, which is an Etsy shop.   They sell zippers in various sizes and colors.   

I don't know why I never thought of it before, but I think it would be so convenient to have a good stash of zippers.   So, I ordered a bunch of 9" and 10" zips for my smaller projects, and a bunch of 18" for my larger projects (like those addictive Lazy Girl Take-Along bags).   It was exciting to get them today by mail and I'm even more excited to think about all the projects I'm going to make with them.

A foggy walk

An unusual fog was hugging the beach this morning and it was high tide.  So we decided to take a inland walk this morning.  This big condo complex is right across the street from us and it was neat to see that the upper floors were in the fog.   

A little further along our path, we were approaching a local golf course. The grass is definitely greener on the other side of this street!    With the help of chemicals I expect.  ;-)

Half a Blooming Nine-Patch

I've been picking away at sewing the Blooming 9-patch together.  I've decided to sew it together in two halves.   I think I'll machine quilt it that way and then stitch the two half quilts together.  I'm researching quilt-as-you go methods so that it doesn't show from the top.  I'm sure I saw Marti Michel do a demo in a video somewhere...  
So here's one half of my Blooming 9-patch.....










And here's the other half...  I'll get to it next week. 

Our Beach Walks

No matter what part of the world we are in, we make a big effort to work a healthy walk in to our day.  The earlier the better.  Of all the beaches we've been on, I think this has to be the most enjoyable beach to walk on.  First thing we do is take about 50 giant steps directly towards the water to get to the hard packed beach then turn either north or south.  Today we turned south.

Our view to the South.  Big busy resorts off in the distance about 2.5kms away.  We walk past the resorts, then walk back.

As the tide goes out, the birds face north to get the warm morning sun in their faces.