Messenger Bag....And This One's Mine!

Messenger Bag
Originally uploaded by AmieJ Designs

This is my new favourite bag and I'm keeping this one. I rarely keep any that I make. It's not that I don't want to, but usually someone else wants them more. This one is made with 15oz Organic canvas and lined in one of my favourite Erin McMorris prints from Park Slope. I am still debating about making these for the shop. The organic fabric is really expensive but it feels really great and durable.

String Quilt

I have finished the top and back of my first quilt. I have moved on to my sister's quilt. I wanted to make it really scrappy and a little crazy, which suits my sister. I used this tutorial from Film In The Fridges' blog, which I read daily. I am addicted. This is so much fun. I am doing 5 1/2" blocks then sewing 4 together to make a large block. These sew together very quickly but I still have quite a few left to make. I am going to put sashing around each large block instead of sewing all the blocks together. I wanted to break up the pattern a little bit. I can't wait to see the finished top on this one. This is not going to help my scrap hoarding though. Instead of throwing out the little strips like I used to, I now realize you can use even the smallest pieces for these blocks.


I have also decided to redo the block I showed in my last post. It is going to be a pillow and I have decided the blocks not matching up really bother me a lot. I will show the pillow and hopefully the finished quilt top when I can get a decent picture of it.

Sewing through the heat wave

It is sooooo hot. I am not a summer person. Anyone who knows me, knows this. I like cool weather and I even like snow. So it probably goes without saying, I am not doing very well in this humidity.

I decided to try sewing this quilt square the other night when I couldn't sleep. The tutorial is from Little Miss Shabby and it's the stash buster block. I actually really liked that it was a lot of 1.5" squares. It let me use my very small pieces of fabric that I couldn't throw out. My first attempt was a little wonky. I think I may have had a few squares that weren't cut exactly the right size so they don't line up as they should. I still like it though. I am going to make this square into a pillow to go with the pink coin quilt I am currently working on for an xmas present. Although it is a little time consuming, I am thinking of using this block to make my sisters quilt which will be a true scrap quilt.
(If you look at the corners, you can see where the squares didn't line up)

Planning Ahead

So I might be a little ambitious. I have decided to make 4 different quilts for xmas presents this year. Not only that, I am going to try to make them out of my very large collection of scraps. I have already started one for my brother's girlfriend. By start I mean I have cut out (for hours) pieces for a coin quilt. I have also cut a couple hundred 1.5" squares to do a matching pillow. Her favourite colour is pink and I have a lot of pink so that's why I started with this one. I'm just waiting for my solid colour which I had to order. The only other one which is somewhat planned in my head is my sister's which I think is going to be a true scrap quilt with a little bit of everything.

I have learned a couple of things from my quilting in the last couple of years. One is that I really like really simple designs and I also prefer straight line quilting. I still am going to practice some more free motion quilting but I think my stuff is nicer when I do what I like to do.

Here are my scraps cut up and ready to go for quilt one.

Park Slope Wristlets

I mentioned these briefly in my last post. These were for a 13 yr old's birthday party. The birthday party was at a spa where the bday girl and 2 friends got manicures, pedicures and age appropriate makeup. How fun! These were used for the loot bags. I used a good chunk of my Erin McMorris Park Slope fabric. I was happy with how these turned out. So bright and cheerful and of course I can't do a wristlet without a removable yo-yo pin.

Custom Orders

I have been working on some custom orders lately so I have been a little to busy to do much of anything else. Here is one I just finished for bridesmaids gifts. They are double pleat totes with Amy Butlers Optic Blossom Linen. I really love this fabric. It's also the colours of the wedding. How pretty and clean is that?

I'm also working on some wristlet/cosmetic bags for a preteen birthday party. These are almost done and quite cute.

New Bags

I have been making some new bags but as usual, I am very slow in posting them. I wonder if this is because I secretly want to keep them for myself. This is the everyday messenger bag. It's a little smaller than most of my bags but big enough to fit all of the daily essentials. I love the simplicity and the pleated corners that give it depth. I only have one in the shop right now but there will be more coming.......eventually.