Curved piecing and piping

Since starting my exploration of bags, cases, etc in my sewing designs, I have noticed a pattern. I am completely addicted to curved (and completely unnecessary) seams and piping. It must be the added joy at the end of the project because these two things are NOT ideal additions to the frustrations of being new to design.
Piping is fairly straight forward. I buy the prepared packages and simply baste it to the correct location, then stitch it into the
seam using a zipper foot.
Curved edges are another story. Even with plenty of experience, I can't help but sigh at the direction "ease fullness" in a sewing pattern. Gathers and extreme curves.... ugh!
But I'm crazy and keep adding them in my patterns. How do you do it? I learned to figure it out by reading a quilting book. Rhapsody Quilts by Ricky Tims - I would love to make one of these quilts. However I don't have the time or finances for one any time soon. The book is worth it though. All the tips on the tricky piecing that can result in the rhapsody designs can easily be applied to your other projects. http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/1571204563
The only other thing I'll say about the project being shown is that the appliqué is going to be EPIC. Finished pictures up in a couple weeks! Happy sewing!

What will it be?

Working on a new project - if it turns out well it may become part of my pieces available for sale!

Winter craft summary

With classes over for the year, I'm hoping to spend a good amount of time this summer not only on my professional life but my craft life!  Accountability post:  I decided to open an Etsy shop this year and will have it up and running by the middle of the summer.  There - now anyone reading this can hold me to that statement.
  As I stated several months ago (before Christmas, yikes!) there has been a lot of crafting going on that I haven't posted.  So this will be an update of the crazy holiday crafts before I dive in to my new projects.

Tree ice cubes with frozen fruit

  I had a craft day with some of the fabulous ladies that I am in school with right after Thanksgiving.  The ice cubes were definitely a point of interest!  I highly recommend making them for parties - you'd be amazed at the conversation value of fruit in ice...

Newspaper, snowflakes, and glitter glue

  Being in my (insert crazy number)th year of college, wrapping paper isn't really something I want to be spending money on.  Also, I needed something that wouldn't be too fancy since all my gifts were going to be shoved in a suitcase on an airplane for the first time.  Thank goodness for newspaper!  Using some Pinterest templates as ideas for snowflakes and some glitter glue, the newspaper wrapping turned out to look pretty classy.  The glue coating on top also helped prevent any ripping or holes while in transit.

  This was easily my biggest project in December.  One of my friends had his first child just before Christmas - a pretty cold time of year in the Midwest!  So the baby obviously needed a blanket.  This is a standard log cabin pattern that ending up being more of a lap quilt size than a crib size.  The backing is flannel, which I love using in place of muslin or regular broadcloth cotton.  So much more cuddly that way!

Summer project posts coming up soon!

wrist bag

My most recent finished project was a wrist clutch for my mom. She's had a few surgeries that have made regular shoulder purses a bad idea (at least in my opinion). Plus this summer was the first time my parents have been on vacation in about 7 years so she needed something small to travel!
I got this pattern from a really great blog which is escaping me at the moment - I will add a link later. Pretty sure owl fabric is not for everyone, but it IS for my mom. Overall it turned out pretty cute. After some experimentation with undergarment adjusters I even got the wrist strap to be adjustable.
So many more projects will be finished this month! Can't post finished pictures until after Christmas, but there are plenty of crafts and food in the meantime!

Finally back

It's been over two years since I've updated this!  I will really try to be better from now on.  There has been so much crafting and cooking since 2010, and I can't wait to share it with you!  Look for updates soon...

Next!

Well, the bridal shower is over. It was good, but I'm glad it's done now and exists as some good memories. I'll finally post some of the stuff I made for it though - lots of sewing involved!

I made coin purses as party favors and filled them with little bags of mints. One thing is for sure - I have no plans of making 23 coin purses in a week in the near future. The fabric was various satins that were given to me by a lady in the quilt group I attend in the summer. Each rectangle was finished with free motion quilting before the Velcro was added and the sides stitched up. I can't take credit for the pattern - I found it courtesy of an online pdf put out by Valerie Custom Quilting. Great instructions...highly recommended!

My other project was a purse for the bride. I've been wanting to make a purse for a long time and have had some decorator fabric (also courtesy of another quilt group lady!) that's been sitting in my room. I looked through them and found some pieces that looked like they'd fit the bride's personality well. It turned out great and I can't wait to make some other purses! Neither can some other people considering my mom kept giving me hints that she really liked this particular purse. Not the best picture, since like most of my projects, this was finished in the middle of the night. But you get to see fabric that I liked the best.

I guess the only other thing in the last week that's been exciting has been this dinner I made - spinach and artichoke salad with couscous cakes. It was good. From a magazine, but still amazing that I could make the cakes without them falling apart completely!

Looks good...especially with the U.S. Presidents placement, right?

I started my first hand quilting project today with much help and encouragement from one of my most favorite people. The basic design is a traditional sunflower in the middle surrounded by some intersecting circles. I'm not sure if it will be a wall hanging or the top of a pillow covering (or a draw liner if its really bad...). But here are a few things I learned very quickly:
1. it is impossible to thread a needle while someone (however kind they may be) is watching you
2. there is quite a difference between low and high quality thimbles
3. hand quilting when you unknowingly used a cotton-poly blend is enraging
4. batting you love on your sewing machine may betray you when hand stitching
It seems that most people are either one or the other - machine or hand quilters. They may occasionally venture into the other area, but often turn back. Though my fingers are raw from yanking my unwilling needle out of my poorly chosen fabric, I will finish quilting it. And I will hand quilt another project! But I do like the speed of the machine quilting.
After tomorrow my sewing machine will be taking a break by living in the basement for a while. Actually, it may go see a doctor since my free motion quilting hasn't been going too well. No matter what I do to the tension, the bobbin thread is tight and the top thread is getting pulled through the back on even slight curves. At least I'll have my hand quilting.