Authentic

As in Sweetwater for Moda. Authentic canvas messenger bag that I made for College Girl for Christmas. Adjustable strap- tutorial found here , two inside zippered pockets.

Flower can be removed, worn in a different way maybe? It has a pin back. Thinking I should put a button or jewel in the center. I'll ask College Girl what she thinks.

The bag that College Girl uses now to carry her tablet and books has broken down. She absolutely LOVES this bag! She was really excited on Christmas morning, much to my delight.


I'm getting in the mindset for a new year, how about you?

Praise - all family members that ventured out on Wednesday returned safely. The roads around here were a MESS! Thank you, God for watching over my family.

Prayers - for each of the young ladies that we will have in our home tonight, for their safe journey here and home again but more importantly for their continued walk with their Lord, Jesus Christ.

Mail love

I recently won a drawing at J & O Fabrics. The prize - Ann Kelle fabrics! I could have 5 one yard lengths, 10 half yard lengths, or 20 1/4 yard lengths. I chose the 20 1/4 yard pieces. MORE VARIETY that way! I don't think I could have narrowed it down. I guess Ann had trouble narrowing it down as well because she sent 21 pieces. Gotta love that!

Look at this loveliness - mostly Remix;


pastel heaven;


ice cream shoppe and sherbet colors;


I love the stripes and zig-zags;


and the argyle!


who doesn't love dots?


Sophie flannels;


a handwritten note from the designer;


I will treasure that along with my note from Kate Spain. I'm weird like that.
Now what to make with all this beautiful fabric? Some little purses/wallets? A camera strap for College Girl? A baby quilt? Thank you J & O Fabrics and Ann Kelle!!

Praise - little things like fabric in my mailbox can make me so happy!

Prayers - College Boy plans to go snowboarding today, prayers for his safety on the road and on the slopes.

Flimsies done before Christmas

I really thought I would have this quilt done before the 26th but that didn't happen.

This is going to be for the gal at church that has been diagnosed with bone cancer. I'm going to back it with white minkee (she is always cold). I hope it brightens her days some. College girl chose the Moda Verna layer cake from my stock of fabric, thinking that this friend would like some color to enjoy during our long winter. Gotta love when there is someone here to help with decisions like that!

This one was finished on Christmas Eve and quickly wrapped up. I am giving this to College Boy's girlfriend (and family friend) who just graduated from Wheaton College. This was her combination graduation/Christmas gift. Fabric is Moda Origins. Backing this one with brown minkee.


Both quilt tops were made using the Easy Bake pattern by Allison of Cluck Cluck Sew. Great pattern, goes together quickly, clear directions. Thanks, Allison!

Praise - that doctors were able to give our friend from church a diagnosis - multiple myeloma. A drug company has offered to give her the drugs for the first part of her treatment - HUGE praise!

Prayers - for the treatments our friend will now undergo, for her immune system, for her strength, for her spiritual well being.

Hope yours was Merry!

We had a wonderful Christmas. I was so thankful that today was Sunday and we could go to church and continue the celebration.

Praise - that our Heavenly Father would send His one and only Son to the world to save us. That HE is the reason for this season.

Prayers - for the lady from our church who will hear what the doctors have to say about her diagnosis on Monday at 1pm. The family is emotionally raw right now although they are leaning on the Lord and the church family has come around them to support, encourage and love them.

A finish, some decorations and a repair

I finished the last of the 6 aprons that needed to be done before Christmas. This one is also for an eight year old girl. Her mom wanted it sized a bit larger so that she could enjoy it for a few years. She loves pink and black. I hope she loves this;


The reverse side (two aprons in one!!)


I was having some trouble with my machine, I just could not get a beautiful stitch. I was pulling my hair out! Good thing the hammers are kept out in the shop because that was my next means of repair. Hubby even came in to take a look but could only offer sympathy. I dug out my other machine, a Brother and hoped that the stitch would be good enough for top-stitching. That is all I had to do to finish the apron and get it sent on its way. Hallelujah!!! The stitch looked great, the machine sewed like a champ. I top-stitched the apron, got it packaged up and went to bed (very early this morning!!)

While I was busy sewing yesterday, College Girl was hauling the Christmas decorations out of the shop and the garage. She did a great job decorating the house a bit.



She even put a small lit tree on the counter in the kitchen with all my little cookie cutter ornaments, the teeny rolling pin, sifter, colander and spatula. We still don't have the big tree, but hopefully tomorrow or Saturday for sure.

Long winded repair story ahead -
So Thursday is the day that the sewing machine repair guy from a podunkier town drives to our podunk town and works out of the little craft store. I thought they opened at 10. I woke up just before 9 (hey, I stayed up till the wee hours!) and thought to give them a call to see if their hours were on a message at least. If I couldn't get the machine fixed there I would have to drive 1.5 hours to the Bernina dealer, but they were OPEN!! The repair guy was there!! I asked to speak to him and he said he planned on leaving in about 45 minutes. I told him to hang on I would be there just as fast as I could. Oh my! I had to get dressed, do SOMETHING with my hair, get my machine packed up and drive the 30 minutes to the store. I got there about 47 minutes after speaking with him on the phone. He was waiting for me. I showed him my test piece of fabric and the rows and rows of AWFUL looking stitches. He opened up the bobbin compartment, took out the bobbin case and said, "Well there's your problem. Look at how loose this thread is. This little screw needs to be turned." WHAT??? That's it?? WHY was that not one of the options in the trouble shooting section of the manual. Have I ever mentioned that I think the manual is SORELY lacking? I think I have mentioned it. Anyway, it is. Sorely lacking. The repair man didn't even have his tools with him today (he forgot them when he went back into his shop to get something else) but he was able to tighten the screw with his fingernail. He then stitched a couple of rows, adjusted the top tension (which I had fiddled with endlessly last night) and sewed two rows of GORGEOUS stitches! I almost grabbed him and kissed him. I asked him to solve my buttonhole problem then. He attempted to make a buttonhole and I was actually glad that it FAILED for him too. That elimated the possibility that it was all my fault. He tried to update it but the manual that he had was, say it with me, SORELY LACKING! You got it! I told him no worries as I had no buttonholes in my immediate future and I would bring it back in after Christmas. I said I would call him at his shop on a Wednesday to make sure he had his tool and a better manual for the buttonhole problem. I got out my wallet and was ready to empty it at his feet and he said NO CHARGE! Merry Christmas. I can hardly wait to sew something!

Praise - College boy is FINISHED with this semester!! The repair man was able to fix my machine.

Prayers - College Boy plans to drive home tonight after a filmfest. 6 Hours, in the middle of nowhere for most of the trip. Dark, snow, mountain pass, ice, deer, elk.

Another finish

and yet still more to do.

I loved working with Moda's Bliss. It's so cheery! This apron is for an eight year old girl.

This was a combination of two different patterns since I didn't have one that would do the trick.

The buttonhole foot on my machine would NOT work. I've had this problem before and was able to overcome it but this time I couldn't. The thing is, I attempt buttonholes so infrequently that I forgot all about the problem when I took my machine in. Wahhhhh! THEN I had the worst time sewing on two buttons. BY HAND! It was all a thread problem and when I switched threads things went smoothly.

Praise - College Girl is HOME for Christmas break! Lady from church still does not have a firm diagnosis but she seems to be handling it all well. She is in a wheelchair at this point.

Prayers - continued prayers for the lady from church. College Boy has one more final and then a 6 hour drive home on snowy roads, sometime Thursday night.

One more project...

FINISHED!

I didn't have enough of the coordinating print that I showed in my WIP post to make the waistband and ties. I decided to go with all one print. Meadowsweet 2 by Sandi Henderson for Michael Miller.



Not a great photo, taken at night, w/flash. But I wanted to get it packaged up and ready to go out the door with hubby in the morning.

Praise - lady from church has improved some with blood transfusions and will possibly go home today.

Prayers - lady from church is not out of the woods, waiting for test results/diagnosis could take up to 5 days.