Labor Day Weekend
No, that's not a typo in the title. My poor DH had a critical meeting this morning, so he worked much of Saturday and Monday over this weekend. I arranged a couple of activities with the kids and took some neighborhood walks, but basically it was a stay-at-home weekend after a long week of stay-at-home mom excitement. A good house cleaning was desperately needed so I gave up most of Saturday to that. Wow, the thrills and chills never end around here!
But, I did play with fabric in my clean house on Sunday and Monday. Made this:
I love this Amy Butler pattern. I've still got some in blue tones, so I think I'll make another. Hard to get a good interior shot, but I wanted to show the pockets - finally remembered to put in a magazine/pattern book pocket and a straight needle or ruler pocket (it's on the right side in the shadow), plus the small notions pocket up top.
This tote is for DH's mom so he even accepted my dining room take-over:
Showing these "truth" shots since some of you have commented in the past that I work so neatly. No, I just photograph my work neatly. I create chaos when I'm actually working, but I generally clean up every few days to return the room to it's designated use. I'd turn it into a sewing room in a heartbeat, but since DH's hobby is cooking weekend dinners I don't think that will happen.
There are three projects on the sideboard, bits of fabric everywhere, ball winder and swift, portable ironing board (out of photo) and two coffee cups in various stages of mold growing. I was wondering where they were this morning...
A while back I fell in love with Jan's Daisiez quilts. Check her quilting photo album and you'll be inspired too.
In the spirit of Summer of Stash I'm trying to use only fabric I already have for this. When I bought my machine 4 or 5 years ago I went to the quilt show and bought all these batiks with no thought as to how much was needed for a quilt and in what ratio (total newbie). They've been languishing in my stash closet ever since. I refuse to buy more, so it's real challenge to make it work with what's here. The block on top will be the daisy. Sorry the light's not the best - sun hasn't moved to that side of the house yet, but you get the idea. Still cutting the outside flowers.
I've signed on for Trek Along with Me. Had the yarn in stash along with not one, not two, but three sets of US #1 DPs. What's up with that? Hope I don't find I need 0's!
Already thinking of local walks - this will be good.
Well, some knitting should get done soon because little one finally goes back to preschool tomorrow after a week+ break. Yeah!
That tote bag is beautiful . . . I so wish I was better at sewing!! (grin)
Posted by: --Deb | May 30, 2006 at 12:46 PM
That tote is fantastic - it's not just gorgeous (and I would expect nothing less from you) but it is so well thought out - genius. Love the quilt fabrics, also love the fact that no one has rifled through them and left half eaten bowls of museli with fat quarters dangling in them (at least by the looks of things).
Posted by: juliet | May 30, 2006 at 01:51 PM
What a beautiful tote and a lucky MIL! Thanks for the link to Jan's quilts. I did take a look through her photo album and it is quite inspiring :-)
Posted by: SpiderWomanKnits | May 30, 2006 at 07:39 PM
Fantastic color/fabric combo for the tote - and the details are very thoughtful. Your fabric stash, four or five years old? Not bad, they were (I'm sure) just waiting for the perfect partners to be paired w. and by the pics - looks like you did a fine job of it! This is one of my favorite posts of yours - you show and speak of a side some bloggers rarely do, the process side or rather, how we work and how that working process looks. I look at your dining area and understand all the piles :) Lovely, lovely work (sigh!).
Posted by: Terry | May 31, 2006 at 05:49 AM
so pretty! I may yet bring in my sewing machine from the garage :)
Posted by: moni | May 31, 2006 at 06:24 PM
The tote bag is really cute!
Posted by: caitlyn | May 31, 2006 at 07:37 PM
the daisiez quilt is going to be gorgeous! great fabric choices!
Posted by: carolyn | June 01, 2006 at 04:06 AM
That tote is terrific!...and the blog you linked....WOW...loved it thanks for sharing! Look forward to seeing your 'Trek'!
Posted by: PJ | June 01, 2006 at 08:34 PM
Is there a pattern for that tote? It's SMOKING!!!
Lucky MIL.
Guess I've got some web surfing to do.
Posted by: Laurie | June 02, 2006 at 12:21 PM
Hi, I found you through Be*Mused. I have to sew my quilts together in the dining room too, but luckily we never use the table so it's all mine mine mine. The daisiez is gonna be really cute. Sure you don't want to just go and buy a little bit of fabric? hee hee hee.
Posted by: Tonya R | June 02, 2006 at 10:55 PM
Fantastic tote!
Posted by: Kristin | June 04, 2006 at 07:11 PM
OMG, she's back to blogging. Good to see you. Now I've got to go catch up. I just did the scan thing, looks like you've been busy.
?, did you ever get to make the knitting bag from the pattern I sent? I just bought the pattern to make one for myself, and wondered if there are any changes I should make before cutting? (Can't believe I just bought a pattern instead of just making it up)
Posted by: Marji | June 10, 2006 at 09:55 AM