Busy Bee

I've been AWOL lately because we've finally had good enough weather to get the garden in. It was either torrential rain or disgustingly hot weather over my 82 degree limit which makes me stay in the basement and sew my little heart out.
Here's some of what I've been up to:
I made a batch of strawberry rhubarb and a batch of strawberry w/strawberry coriander tea. They have less sugar, so they are a wee bit tart, but still tasty. The recipe called for 2.5 cups for 8 cups of strawberries. I think I'll up it to 3 next time. I don't like it overly sweet.

I finished the top and back of the More Serengeti quilt. Now I just need to suck it up this weekend and layer and pin it. It's 88x88, so I don't relish the pinning. It was so large, I couldn't get a place to photograph the entire top at one time.

I'm doing a really simple quilt with this fab Chicago fabric. I was going to make a bag or two with it, but I had a request for a throw, so that's what it's going to be now. I added the red ric rac a last minute though. I really like it though. It pops. This is another project I hope to finish this weekend. (chuckling to myself right now at my  ambition)

 I repotted all of my indoor plants. I did these 3, plus split whatever this crazy growing plant is into 2 additional pots. I also got a new indoor basil plant from Trader Joes and replaced my dead one. It's completely beyond awesome to have an indoor basil plant at your culinary beck and call in the winter.

 I also replaced my rosemary because my 6 year old one had two trunks on it and one died off, leaving it all lopsided, so I decided it was time for a new one. It lives outside in the summer. I used to plant it in the herb garden and dig it up every fall, but last year never got around to replanting it. It seemed to like the pot outside just fine, so I decided to see happens with this little guy.

 My blackberry thicket is thriving. I'm so excited. I see batches of blackberry/Darjeeling tea jam in my future. And pies.

 The red raspberry I planted last year is also looking good. Now if my year old blueberries produce, I'm going to have various mixed berry items to make come end of summer.

This is a gratuitous Fairy Rose shot. I just think it's really pretty.

 I also finally got my vegetable garden in. I downsized it a tad, only two beds this year instead of three. And only five tomato plants, down from my usual 8-10.

 I have plenty of squash planted. 8 Ball Zucchini, Yellow Crook Neck and my all time favorite, Patti Pan (or Flying Saucer) squash. I planted seeds of that, so I'm not sure what color I'm going to get. The packet contained yellow, white and green.
The trellises have English and Pickle cucumbers. I always struggle with cukes, so we'll see how they grow this year. I'm determined to make totally garlicky pickles one day. If anyone has a good recipe for them, let me know. I want the super garlic kind like you get in a good Jewish deli.

 I know it's silly, but I totally love my little moss garden. I had to replace some Irish moss this year, it died off for some reason. Irish moss is the darker green, Scottish moss is the bright green.

 I finally tacked down the binding and washed my Fruitcake quilt from last December. I absolutely love how it gets all wrinkly and quilty when you wash it. It really made the ornaments and sprigs pop out too. And funnily enough, the metallic thread is more noticeable since washing it.

 I tried to show how the motifs popped out, but I don't know if it translated in the photo.

 And my MacTavishing and lines really look cool now too. I love how this quilt goes with the chair I bought from my friend Kelly. I think I need to make one out of the Fruitcake with little bitty squares, so you can't tell it's a Christmas fabric, and keep it on the chair the rest of the year.

 And my little bicycle embroidery is also coming along nicely. I'm so proud, These are my first Lazy Daisies! They are totally fun.

 Here's my wee little bee. I'm debating on filling in the black body parts and the white wings with sparkly embroidery floss. What do you think? Fill him in more, or leave it as is?

Here's a reminder of the whole panel. I just love that bike!

And this week I found this panel, also by Pearl Louise Krush for Troy. It's called 'Bliss on Blossom Street' I'm not sure if it's new or not, but I think it will be adorable hanging with the bicycle. Apparently there's more embroidery in my future.

 Love the flowers around the windows!

 And that bistro set and flower cart! Too freaking cute! I want to live in this building!

 And last but certainly not least, we have a foster dog, Koda. He's a sweetheart when he's one on one, but he doesn't care for other dogs which is a problem, since we have other dogs. Unfortunately he really, really doesn't like my old Abbey girl, so he's going to have to go back to the shelter and sit in his pen until he's adopted. He's been at the shelter for a really long time.
So if anyone out there in the Chicagoland area knows of an all adult, no other pet home who would like a Husky Malamute mix, please let me know!

Have a happy and safe 4th of July everyone!

Vicki 

Two Bags and a Book

It was a productive week here at the Bugglet Quilts sewing cave. I managed to crank out 2 bags and a book for my sister to take with her on vacation to France. Remember this combo?

I made it into a modified Smarty Girl bag by Heather Bailey for my sister. I made it the same way I made DiscoJen's bag since she loves it so much and said it was fantastic for her worldly travels as well as every day use.

I made a flange instead of the 3 ruffles because I didn't think the material lent itself to ruffles and because my sister isn't a ruffley kind of girl. I made the handle long enough to wear it across you, which is better for safety and keeps your hands free to attempt to keep your two year old child under control.

There are pockets on the front and back for tickets, passports and other items that need to be kept safe, yet readily accessible. Too bad I didn't watch the pattern better when I cut the pocket out, I should have lined it up. It looks like you are seeing double on the back now!

I also installed a magnetic snap closure on this bag, just as a precaution.

This is hard to photograph, and my editing software seems to have disappeared during my last 'upgrade', but this is the quilted divider that I made inside so she can put her e-reader in there and have it protected from harm.

The other side of the divider is lined with pockets and features a key clip. I figured it would be good for hotel and rental apt keys while traveling. Or for your own keys so that you don't lose them in the bowels of the purse, the way we all do. I wasn't sure about the way the divider snaps itself against the back wall of the purse, but DiscoJen assures me that it's better that way because when she's not carrying her e-reader, it's out of the way and she can use the whole inside as her purse.

I also interfaced this one more than DiscoJen's, so it's less slouchy. I may have used different interfacing in DiscoJen's too. I'll have to check out her bag again and see if I can tell what I did differently. I should have taken better notes if I was going to alter a pattern so much. Ah well, lesson learned.

The book I made is from the Alfabeto Italiano Collezione by Micheal Miller Fabrics.  My sister is fluent in Italian, so I thought I should make it for her little guy so she can teach him Italian. I thought it would be good to travel with as well since it's soft and can be squished into a small bag. He's almost two years old now and we spent some time during our Father's Day dinner trying to get him to say 'Bonjour!' He just laughed at us.

 I put some batting in between, and sewed around the outside colored border and a quarter inch in from that to help hold the batting in place. Then I used a star/circley stitch on my sewing machine for the hole to put the ring through.

I only screwed up one, which was the very last one of course! I put the hole on the upper right side instead of the upper left, so now there's a superfluous hole in the 'Z'.

I made yet another 'Sweet Simple' bag by Late Bloomer. I really love this pattern. I can get them done quickly and it really showcases the fabric. This one is a chocolate bag for my sister's French friend, Natalie. She loves chocolate, and is really neutral in her clothing taste, so I was thrilled to find this 'Confections' chocolates fabric by Robert Kaufman.

I like the Moda dots for the gathered part, I think it looks like cream filling with chocolate on top!

Of course I lined it with pockets too. You can't have too many pockets. Ever.

That's all the projects from last week!

Happy Quilting,

Vicki

It's a bird, it's a plane!

No, it's.....SUPERTOTE!!!

My lovely assistant, Kate, is modelling her fabulous new Supertote. I made this for the mother of a friend who happens to live in the town where they are filming the new Superman movie. She works on the main street where they will be doing much of the filming, so I thought she needed a Supertote to show her Supersupport. I made the little yellow band to mimic Superman's yellow belt.
The inside has pockets, made from the Superman comic book material, all the way around and a key fog to boot.

I fussy cut out an 'S' from the comic book material for the button.

 To add to the fun and excitement of having a movie filmed in your small town, Kevin Costner is apparently playing Superman's dad!

My other finished project this week was an all Minky graduation quilt. The young lady in question Loves, with a capitol L, bright colors and all things Minky. I saw this kit and knew it was perfect for her to take to college. She's going to attend the University of Michigan, where it can get rather chilly, so I used Thinsulate batting in between the Minky layers. It was a little bit difficult to quilt due to the puffiness of the regular Minky quilt top, the Thinsulate batting and the super fluffy Curly Minky on the back. I quilted it with overlapping wavy strands, kind of like a DNA model.

I tried to bind it in Minky, but it did not go well at all. Unfortunately, I didn't realize how badly the binding was going until I was 3/4 of the way done! For the first time in my quilting life, I had to cut the binding off! It was horrifying, I have to tell you. I wasted a whole yard of Minky in the binding fiasco. Luckily I had the perfect cotton fabric in my stash. The black with hot pink polka dots worked out wonderfully.

It makes you want to pet the quilt, doesn't it? The graduate was so thrilled. Several of her friends also gushed over it. It's pretty gratifying to have some 17 year old approve of what you do, since they are so often not approving of adults' taste.

I asked the graduate if she knew it would be a quilt, and she said "No, but I knew it would be something you made so it would be awesome!" That made it all worthwhile.
May all of your handmade goods be just as appreciated,
Vicki