CDR bags update, 21-30!

Police, hippie x2, cats, dog paws, lizards, pigs x3, and strawberries. 

30 down, 70 to go.

Are you sewing anything for your community? I'm loving de-stashing and making something that someone else can use. I have a bag to collect the stash pieces that are too small for this project, but ready to be used for something else. That will be gifted via Freecycle when it's full. I suspect I'll fill up more than one bag!

CDR Bag Project, Bags 11-20

4 police department bags, 5 dog fabric bags, and 1 more wacky stripe bag.

20 down, 80 to go!

I keep thinking now that when the 100 bags project is done, I just might keep sewing and give bags to the local library for kids to use. Who knows? Right now, I'm on a roll!

Alicia's quilt - from fabric to precious

Alicia is a friend of my daughter's, and therefore, a friend of mine. That's the way it works, right? I made a simple pinwheel quilt for her baby some time ago. He's been born and growing like a weed. Ivan is his name. She posted a picture on Facebook today showing Ivan sleeping on the quilt. This is why we sew. From fabric bits to a peaceful baby sleeping. So beautiful.

This is a cute dog/cat fabric. It was a perfect fit for Alicia. 

A couple of rows and then: 

Yep, that's why we sew. 

100 bags - Bags 4-10

10 down, 90 to go.

2 snakes bags and a grapes bag

This is my favorite so far. I used the border of a Daisy Kingdom fabric. I will make 2 more police bags out of the non-border of the same fabric. All 3 have German shepherd dog pockets inside. 

Wacky hippie fabric. 

100 Bags - bag 2 and bag 3

I'll try not to post so few in a day, but got bags 2 and 3 done today! One is a pizza and toppings bag and the other is pinstripes and M&Ms. 3 down, 97 to go.

For this one, I double layered and stitched together the M&Ms ribbon to make the handles. 

I have some grapes, snakes, and orange fabric cut out and ready to go. Now to find the cowboys, cars, firetrucks, soccer, and other fabrics!

CDR Bag Project - 100 bags!

Child Development Resources provides services for local at-risk infants, toddlers and their families, be it socioeconomic, physical, mental, or a myriad other reasons. They were there when my twins were born premature and provided assistance and support to me and mine. For that, we will be forever grateful. They also provide literacy support for the kids and often give books for the families to take home. In my opinion, those books need bags and those bags need a pocket to hold a library card for future reading!

And so, I've begun a 100-bag project. I will make 100 totes with pockets for the children and families of Child Development Resources, Early Head Start, and whatever program they'd like to use them for. Today, I completed number 1. They'll all be the same size and will be made with colorful novelty fabrics. Number 1 is a bag made with banana fabric!

The fabric is cut in 2 14x"x16" rectangles. The pocket is cut in 2 4"x5" pieces, then sewn right sides together and turned, then attached to the inside of the bag. These bags are not lined. I did serge the 1/4" seams. I basted the handles 2" away from either side of the center, then came a piece of bias tape (you can use any fabric you like) to sew right sides together with the bag, turn under, and machine hem. The handles are caught in the seam of the facing and bag. Easy, right? 

Here's what number 1 looks like without all the dimension stuff written on it. I think they're going to work out just fine.

What is your project of love? 99 to go for me!

Robin's mom's quilt is done

A few days ago, I posted that I was working on a friend's mother's quilt and showed you the back. I finished it today. The binding is done!

That's me peeping over the top. It's hard to see the detail of the handkerchiefs, but it is beautiful in design and heart. I'll be handing it over to my friend tomorrow.

I'm tying my hexagon quilt when I have time and working on a denim quilt of hexagon flowers for myself. In the meantime, I have my eye on a culotte's pattern I want to try and will probably make a coordinating top to go with.

I'm not retired. I still work, but maybe 30 hours a week. It's been great to rediscover my sewing projects and to complete another one is just magnificent.

My next big project will be making 100 tote bags for the parents and children of Child Development Resources. I have been trying to figure out how to destash without just giving away yards of fabric again and the parents can use the bags with their kids for trips to the library. I did this one time in the past and look forward to my stack growing. I have SO MUCH fabric! 100 16"x 18" bags might make a dent! By the way, their the best and if you ever have a dollar to spare, they can always use donations of any kind, be it money or time or whatever. Okay, enough shameless plugging.

Keep sewing!