Bags and Caterpillars

We have been so busy here since I returned to work. Our weekends have been full, actually too full. Last week I was so tired. On Wednesday, my body told me, "Enough". It sort of shut down. I went home from work and vegged all evening. I kept looking at the clock to see if it was time to go to bed. I was really ready for bed at 6:30 p.m. but finally, at 8:30 p.m. I decided I had waited long enough. Off to bed I went. I slept mostly through the night. Since having children, I never sleep through the night. Then menopause (the "pause") hit, and I absolutely do not sleep through any night, ever!

Back to the point, I finally felt somewhat rested yesterday. I actually was up at 7:00 a.m. (very early for a Saturday), I showered, dressed, ate breakfast, started my wash, swept the grass cuttings out front (left from DH's attempt to mow the front yard on Friday), and then sat down to sew. Wow, did I sew! I finished a tote bag from my class from the previous week, and I cut and sewed a quilt top. It started out as a baby quilt (I am trying to get ahead with the baby quilt obligations), but it finished as a child's quilt. It really is not a baby quilt. I found The Very Hungry Caterpillar panels (and coordinating fabrics). This is a very popular children's book. I thought it would be great for teachers' baby quilts. Little did I realize that when sewn together, it is much bigger than a "normal" baby size quilt. My finished size is more of a lap quilt. But I think it is really cute. The baby will grow into it (and out of it) before long.

Looking at the panel, I tried to decide how I could get all the pictures into the quilt top. They are printed stacked on top of each other just the way you see it in the picture of my quilt. I have seen pictures of finished quilts with this panel, but I did not take into consideration the quilt size. Fons and Porter has one on their website that is a single bed size quilt. I thought I could use maybe two of the pictures, but I could not decide which two. All three are parts of the story leading to the end result of the butterfly. Isn't that butterfly great? Well, two more quilts to go(taking into consideration no more teachers become pregnant this school year). One of the expectant teachers occasionally reads my blog. Monica, if you are reading this, please act surprised when you open your package!

The tote bag is intended as a gift. I have thoroughly enjoyed my monthly tote bag class. When I signed up for this ongoing class, I was not sure why I did it. I really like the ladies at this quilt store, so I thought I might make a bag or two and that would be that. But I am totally hooked on these bags. Next month's bag is a type of carryall bag for casserole dishes. It is quite large. It will carry a 9"x13" size casserole dish. I think it would make a great wedding shower gift.

Bag Swap

Isn't this a wonderful purple bag? I participated in a bucket/bag swap organized by Linda (http://all-stitched-up.blogspot.com/). I was right down to the last minute in getting the bag I made sent to a lady in Australia. The bag sent to me arrived last weekend. I waited to open it until after the bag I made was in the mail. When I opened my box, what a wonderful surprise! Kathryn (http://ourshabbycottage.blogspot.com/) made my gorgeous purple bag and sent it to me from Australia.

Not only did Kathryn send me the bag, but there were goddies inside. There was this darling little koala bear gripping the handle. Also inside was ribbon, floss, beads, a darling needlecase, and fabric, all in PURPLE! My bag has pockets inside and outside all around. I have taken it for show and tell already and everyone really likes it. Several ladies have tried to persuade me to give it to them, but no way! I stuffed it full of fabric and things and took it to a friend's house to sew on Monday evening. It carried everything I needed for my project, except for my sewing machine, of course!

This is the first online swap in which I have participated. What fun! It is not so much fun trying to decide what to make, but it sure is fun in opening that box and discovering a wonderful surprise! I have also signed up for Chooky Blue's Christmas swap, so I am furiously trying to decide what to make for that one. There are so many choices. But not knowing the giftee personally, it is so difficult for me to decide what I think this person might like. It is lots of fun meeting new online crafters from around the world. If you get a chance to participate in a swap, go for it! It is FUN, FUN, FUN!

Wild and Crazy Class

Last Saturday our quilt guild held a class with Cathie Hoover, from Mo-o-o-o-o-odesto. She is the self proclaimed Queen of Rick Rack. She has this wonderful Wild and Crazy Quilt. She taught us her method for sewing together her wild and crazy quilt block. She provided curved templates for the block at class. It was so much fun seeing everyone's fabrics, and how they were putting them together in this block. I want to do the 16 blocks for a quilt, with embellishments. I purchased some wonderful large rickrack in anticipation of this class. Cathie also brought some rickrack we could purchase, of which I did (of course). I have a few other trims and ribbons, but it is the rickrack that I adore. My pictures are of my one block (in parts), and Cathie's Wild and Crazy Quilt that she had hanging at class. She was also our program presenter at our September guild meeting. That was a great meeting, too, by the way. Cathie is teaching this class in January, 2009, at the Road to California Quilt Conference in So. California.

Cathie is also a breast cancer survivor. She has designed a darling cow quilt block (pictured above). You can get a copy of this block from her by sending her a check for $5 which she will then donate to the Susan G. Komen Foundation for breast cancer research. To find out more about Cathie, visit her website, http://www.cathiehooverstudios.com/. She has some wonderful cow themed quilts that are whimsical and colorful. I think red is her neutral color!