I joined a doll quilt swap and made this mini quilt (my first) using a Denyse Schmidt pattern.  There are definitely more of these in my future!



See more at the doll quilt swap flickr group:  http://www.flickr.com/groups/dollquiltswap

Around the first of the year, two friends had babies and finally their gifts are ready.

The bibs on the left are going to a baby girl up north.  The large middle one is for my daughter who is not a baby but has Cerebral Palsy and still needs a bib.  the blue ones are for a wee chap in the UK.  He is wearing a cap I made for his brother a few years ago but needs something just for him.



The colors are not quite right in this pic.  The green on the lady bug fabric is brighter.

Notice those nice sharp corners?  All it took was a cheap plastic point turner like this one:  http://www.sewessential.co.uk/Category.asp?CategoryID=205&NumPerPage=5&page=1.  I had been using a knitting needle, but the point turner gives much better results.

After three weeks of furious sewing the bags for Gwen's teachers are done and ready to give tomorrow, the last day of school!  I really love the way they turned out and how they look so different even though they're made from the same pattern.

Each teacher told me her favorite colors so I knew what fabrics to use.  The first bag is posted here http://www.craftster.org/forum/index.php?topic=170785.msg1748544#msg1748544.  And here are the next two.

Teacher #2 likes green and blue.  Those are my favorites too.  Isn't this paisley print just fabulous?  The lining is made from the blue linen shorts with pockets fashioned from existing shorts pockets.



The last teacher said "black" and I knew what to do for her immediately.  But when I got home there were no solid black garments to be found in my thrift store stash.  The very next day there was a nice black linen skirt waiting for me in the thrift store and it was on super sale for 10 cents.  The lining of this bag is done in leopard print with pockets from the skirt scraps.  This style really suits this lady and hopefully she will like it as much as I think she will.



Here is a group shot of all three.  Which one is more your stlye?



*** ETA: here is how to make a bag like this:

For bag assembly, use this tutorial:  http://www.supereggplant.com/archives/000216.html.  It's almost exactly like the Jordy bag but the bottom corners are done slightly differently.

The pattern is a trapezoid shape 15" high with a 14" top and a 16" bottom.  This includes a 1/2" seam allowance.  (The bag doesn't really turn out in a trapezoid shape so if you want that look, make the top shorter or the bottom longer or both.)  If you are doing patchwork like on the black bag, sew your fabrics together first.  Then cut 2 trapezoids for the outside of the bag and two for the lining.  I fuse heavyweight interfacing to the front and back of the bag to make it stiffer.

For straps that end up about 3/4" wide , cut four strips of fabric 1.5" x 26".  If you need stiff straps, fuse interfacing to one strip of each set.  If you fuse both, you will have a hard time turning them.  Lay two strips right sides together and sew down each 26" side using a 1/4" or less seam allowance.  Turn right side out.

On step three in the tutorial where she makes the corners, I measured in 2" from the point and sewed a three inch seam for a three inch bag bottom.  Cut a piece of plastic canvas to fit the bag bottom and insert it right before you sew the lining closed.

Et voila!  You have done it.  Now go post it so we can see.

   

School is almost out and we need really nice gifts for Gwen's teacher and two classroom aides. She is moving to a new special needs classroom after having been with these ladies for 4 years.

Money is tight as usual so I found out each teacher's favorite colors and went shopping in my stash of thrifted clothes (which has grown way out of proportion to the amount of sewing that goes on here.) For teacher #1 who likes pink and yellow, I chose these two dresses. One was already cut up so I had to do some patchwork before I could use it.



Here's the finished product



and a look inside at the pocket.  The zipper is left over from another refashion. 



So that's one down and two to go!  Teacher #2 requested blue and green.

**ETA** all bags are finished!  See the other two here: http://www.craftster.org/forum/index.php?topic=172990.0

This thrifted flannel skirt was a bit on the blah side but the 100% cotton fabric is super soft.  Now it is a scarf for a lady with Alzheimer's.  The cat is cut from the remnants of a blouse I had used for sock monkey clothes. (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v59/sarahmct/livejournal/DSCN1345.jpg)



I posted this on my LJ and got almost no response.  Is the plaid too big?  Or maybe it is just
clashes too much with the flowers. Any ideas?  Comments are welcome - but PLEASE no "jokes" about how an Alzheimers patient would not know enough to care about it.  My dad had Alzheimers and it is no joking matter. Thanks.

Here's the finished scarf I sent it at the end of January. 



I read that they got 3 times as many scarves as they needed so this is probably gathering dust somewhere.  But it was fun to make and it's much easier than it looks.

Last year I made my mom a blue patchwork pillow out of old clothes (http://www.craftster.org/forum/index.php?topic=95883.msg907229#msg907229).

She liked it and told me she wanted another one in coral colors to go with it.  Here is what I came up with



I forgot to take a picture of the dress and pants before, but here is what's left of them



Thanks for looking!

Before



And after:





I just loved those pants.  The dress is greener than the pic shows. Both are from thrift stores.  These were supposed to be Christmas gifts for my nieces, but they will get them for Valentine's Day instead. 

Do y'all think the larger bag is too plain?  Should I add something or is that funky print ok by itself?

Getting started-



yarn is patons classic wool (on sale at Michaels thru tomorrow)
pattern is here:  http://www.helloyarn.com/besottedcarf.htm

Two days before we were due for the first very cold weather of the season I discovered that my daughter had outgrown her warm hat.  So I got busy!

Patons Classic Wool + http://knithats.tripod.com/id12.html  + really fast knitting =



Then, the hat got even cuter!