Hello!  So the sashing material for my Sewcial Bee Sampler Sew-Along quilt came in Thursday. These are the first 4 blocks complete with the lavender sashing.

The next picture is the palette of fabrics I'm working with for this quilt.  It was called an Easter Sampler Fat Quarter on Connecting Thread.  I love the spring feel of it.  This quilt will have a thin sash separating the blocks, too.  I'm thinking using a dark purple Essex Linen for that.  I'll show it later.

've started a new set of piecings for a quilt I'm calling Waves.  I'm hoping the solids from dark to light look like waves rolling in at the beach.  There are still many more pieces to go and I'm doing them by hand to go along with TV watching.  Laid out the pieces this morning to see how it was coming along.  Watcha Think?

The last thing to share today is a long time project that is finally coming to a stopping point. Since my 1st blog, May 7, 2015, I've been making random blocks that finish out at 6.5 inches or some multiple of that with the notion of putting them all together.  A Multi Mini Sampler of sorts.  My inspiration was Jen Kingwell's Gypsy Wife quilt but I didn't want it to be an exact match or replica, just in that direction.  Well, it is up on the design board now and ready for a sneak peek...

I welcome comments and hope you enjoy reading along.  Til next week.  Bye bye.  Debbie

Hello again, I've been busy this past week or so and will show you some of the results. First up is a new purse.  I've been experimenting with different styles and when I found this upholstery sample square I wondered if I could use it for a purse.  And, yes, you can!  It did present some difficulties with heavy seams and stiff outside fabric with much lighter lining material (quilting cotton). But I think it turned out alright.

Made from upholstery sample and leather straps.

The inside has a zipper pocket and two smaller open pockets for odds and ends. My steadfast sewing partner, Jasmine, is also featured in this pic.

Next to it is a closeup of the snap.  If there was a sticky patch to this purse it was attaching the leather handles.  It is done by hand and getting the needle into the leather holes from the bottom is definitely a challenge.

Late last week I went a little crazy with zipper pouches and made one for my garage heater (otherwise known as my sewing room) which you see below and one for the porch fan (which isn't pictured).

I'm also sewing along with the Sewcial Bee Sampler Sew-Along.  This is week three and my 3 blocks are shown below.  I'm using fabric from an Easter Fat Quarter sampler. These will look better when their lavender borders are applied - as soon as the fabric arrives!

The final piece I have to share is a partially completed mini quilt called "Candygram" which I learned to do from Caroline at SewCanShe. There are many examples posted there.

I didn't quilt it because I think I might make it a part of another quilt I've been working on for over a year and I'll give you a preview of it in my next post.  Until then have a wonderful week (or two) and take care.  Auntie D.

It's been about a year and a half since last I posted.  After surgery, I just didn't seem interested in fiddlin' with it, but now I'd like to start again.  I've not been idle for this time, so I'll show you the things I've tracked with photos and look at what I'm working on now - but not all at once.  Let me say at the renewed outset, how inspired I am by so many other bloggers in the sewing field and how they have enriched my crafting experiences since my retirement.  It's the whole community aspect that sets off this urge to share!  Thanks!

Lately, I've been making bags; mostly for wrapping Christmas presents but also for my own use.  My favorite so far included a zipper pocket and the application of a snap.  Yea!  Here are some of the pictures: (click on picture to open whole post.)

 This pattern is the Madeleine Bag by Imagine Gnats complete with excellent tutorials on snaps and zipper applications.

 Here's the other side and (below) the snap and the cell phone pocket.

 The zipper is my first and was much easier than I anticipated.

I used a few 4 pieces of a Rowan Fat Quarter collection which will also show up in a Flying Geese quilt -- one day.

 This little bag was made last spring and was my first handbag.  It is called a Dresden Purse and was made using Jenny Doan's YouTube video tutorial.

I made it a little smaller than the tutorial but it is still roomy and easy to load and go.

That's all for today.  Thanks for looking and here's picture of one of my sewing partners:

Jasmine with the green eyes!